Diving on Oahu

[sea nmf]

Well, the diving off the north tip of Vancouver Island, BC has been my absolute favorite diving of any that I've ever done. And I have gone to most of the propular caribbean sites, as well as all the main Hawaiian Islands, except Kauai. (disclaimer: I have not been diving in the South Pacific)

The creatures, the walls, the SIZE of the critters, all make it magical. But, yes, it is cold, cold, cold!

 

[aascubagirl]

Aloha, Tom.

I live and dive in Kauai but I've dove Oahu many times. I recommend Waikiki Divers (small shop, family-owned) or Dive Oahu...this time of year it will probably still be boat diving on the south side of the island but it's still worth it, even for relatively new divers. The YO is a very easy wreck dive that hosts a good bit of aquatic life (turtles, huge eels, lots of fish, and even white tips sometimes). Don't let the term "wreck dive" fool you...it's a great easy dive with lots to see.

 

[Ravzie]

I have maybe 70 dives off Oahu, many on the leeward side. I love, love, love "Makaha Caverns", the "Land of Oz", "Keau Corners", and more sites. I've seens tons and tons of interesting critters. I've enjoyed the pretty great topography with numerous swim thru's and had hours of fun searching under all the ledges. I went with Ocean Concepts.

I have also a fair number of dives off Hawaii Kai. The topography wasn't as interesting, but one site had a frickin eel in every hole. "Turtle Canyon" I think they called it. I found lots of animals on every dive.

No good diving off Oahu? Absurd.

Maui, Kauai and Kailua-Kona side are also wonderful, of course. But I will tell you that the worst site I can remember was called "St Anthony's" off Kona. It was nothing but a bunch of old tires and concrete. If that had been my only dive off Kona, I'd probably say that Kona diving was terrible....

 

[ArcticDiver]

I
... But I will tell you that the worst site I can remember was called "St Anthony's" off Kona. It was nothing but a bunch of old tires and concrete. If that had been my only dive off Kona, I'd probably say that Kona diving was terrible....

Good description. B u t; I did have a memorable dive on that site. I went in one hatch of the "wreck" to find a shark lingering inside a few feet away. After a couple seconds looking at me it exited out the other hatch.

So, even a site like that can have its' moments.

 

[fishdelasol]

We just dove in Oahu and we are from south Florida. We are also new divers. The water was cold to us, but we enjoyed the shallow reef dive. Before the big canal was built, they had drainage pipes...they are now shut down and lots of coral and sea life have made their home there. It was really pretty and the water was SO blue compared to Florida.

 

[KrisB]

But I will tell you that the worst site I can remember was called "St Anthony's" off Kona. It was nothing but a bunch of old tires and concrete. If that had been my only dive off Kona, I'd probably say that Kona diving was terrible....

Good description. B u t; I did have a memorable dive on that site. I went in one hatch of the "wreck" to find a shark lingering inside a few feet away. After a couple seconds looking at me it exited out the other hatch.

So, even a site like that can have its' moments.

I think we're talking about the St. Anthony wreck off *Kihei* (Maui). This is one of a limited number of wrecks within recreational depths off Maui, and is part of an artifical reef project (hence the tires and concrete).

Having done a fair bit of diving off Maui, and 5 dives off Oahu (four in Hawaii Kai area, one at Magic Island), I would compare St. Anthony's to Baby Barge. The wreck is smaller, but the artificial reef "field" is larger.

Considering that Baby Barge was the best of the five dives I've done off Oahu, and the St. Anthony is somewhere in the lower half of my favourite Maui sites, perhaps that affords some perspective.

 

[covediver]

Tonight a diver asked a question I couldn't answer - imagine that!!

They have an opportunity to use a time-share on Oahu and asked about the possibility for diving there.

Is there diving on Oahu???

Thanks

I have just returned from diving in the waters around Oahu. There is good diving around Oahu, iif my experience is any indication. I had the pleasure of using Island Divers for three days (would have been four if I had known lack of wind was going to wipeout sailboarding one day). This was my first trip to the Islands, although I have been all over the place and consider myself a fairly experienced diver.

They picked me up at the hotel in a van or other vehicle, got me to the shop/boat, did the dives, and returned me to the hotel all in the space of a half day. The diving was decent, usually wrecks on the first dive (barges in my case) and drift dives on the second dive. Everyone at the shop was very personable and downright friendly (I am learning what the Aloha spirit means.)

On each dive, we usually encountered what I consider interesting marine life, reef fish, white tip sharks, and numerous turtles, and even a "rarely seen" fish (according to the guidebook). The boat was roomy, and while it was very full on one of the dives, it did not feel very crowded. This operation runs on Island time which means when everyone is there and ready to go they leave. For someone raised on strict departure times of California dive boats, this took a little getting used to, but in a good way. Its designed to devolve a type A personality to a B- by the end of a week. This doesn't mean people can be late, it did mean that I never felt rushed.

The dive masters were very good and seemed to be omnipresent without being intrusive, which is the way I like to dive. The diving ops seemed very safe and well thought out with hanglines, driftlines, and downlines to the wrecks, which was good given the strong currents I encountered on the dives (which made the drift dive a real thrill). The crew and staff couldn't do enough to make the dive a real thrill while making sure it was as safe as possible.

For experienced divers, I would recommend the morning dives as the afternoon boats tended to have more students on board (I did one afternoon boat, two morning boats). There was a mix of activities on board with tech divers (doubles and scooters), divers doing advanced dive trainining (deep dives, drift dives, etc) and others. No one's activity seemed to interfere with anyone else's activity and everyone seemed to be accomodated and satisfied.

 

[Ravzie]

I think we're talking about the St. Anthony wreck off *Kihei* (Maui). This is one of a limited number of wrecks within recreational depths off Maui, and is part of an artifical reef project (hence the tires and concrete).

Having done a fair bit of diving off Maui, and 5 dives off Oahu (four in Hawaii Kai area, one at Magic Island), I would compare St. Anthony's to Baby Barge. The wreck is smaller, but the artificial reef "field" is larger.

Considering that Baby Barge was the best of the five dives I've done off Oahu, and the St. Anthony is somewhere in the lower half of my favourite Maui sites, perhaps that affords some perspective.

OOPS! Sorry. Guess I should open my log book before I open my mouth... Regardless, my feelings about the site stand, LOL. I did the Baby Barge once, too. Once was enough for me. I suppose I prefer a natural coral reef site over one of junk dumped in the ocean to form a reef for future generations. JMHO.

 

[ArcticDiver]

OOPS! Sorry. ... I suppose I prefer a natural coral reef site over one of junk dumped in the ocean to form a reef for future generations. JMHO.

Fair enough. You have your preferences.

On the other hand many of my favorite dives off Key Largo are just that "junk that was dumped in the ocean to form a reef". I'm thinking of the two cutters, the Spiegel Grove, etc. The Oriskany I guess would fall in the same category. Off Oahu the Sea Tiger, YO-257 and Mahi would all fall in that category.

That is the beauty of this sport. There is something for each of us. The only time that beauty is marred is when people start knocking someone else's preferences.

 

[Ravzie]

Fair enough. You have your preferences.

On the other hand many of my favorite dives off Key Largo are just that "junk that was dumped in the ocean to form a reef". I'm thinking of the two cutters, the Spiegel Grove, etc. The Oriskany I guess would fall in the same category. Off Oahu the Sea Tiger, YO-257 and Mahi would all fall in that category.

That is the beauty of this sport. There is something for each of us. The only time that beauty is marred is when people start knocking someone else's preferences.

I'm not a big wreck diver either, but those ships are a whole order of magnitude over the blocks of concrete and old tires that make up St Anthony's. (Not that you can't see a lovely critter there....) That, IMveryHO, is junk dumped into the sea. Why not 55 gallon drums and old Fords? Wouldn't they make good places for sea life too?

My point in bringing it up was that I found lots of lovely diving around Oahu, not to knock anyone's vision of beauty.