Extended Horizons VS Lahaina Divers, Maui

[lizzygirl]

My hubs & I are staying in Lahaina Town on Maui in Sept. We plan on diving Cathedrals & are having difficulty deciding between using Extended Horizons or Lahaina Divers. They both seem top notch, but I'd like to make a more informed decision. It's been a bit since our last dive as we recently had a baby.

We are both Naui OW & SSI Adv. Adventurer.

 

[diversteve]

Same place, same price, it simplistically comes down to two things:

Departure at 6:30 - Extended Horizons or 7AM - Lahaina Divers - both get back around noon or slightly later.

Smaller or bigger boat?

Extended Horizons:

Lahaina Divers:


The other difference is LD only goes Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun. because they use that boat for advanced dives the other 3 days.
Since EH only goes there, I assume (but don't know) it's every day.

It shouldn't be too rough coming back on either but if it is, you'll get a little wetter on EH's boat.

Either will break the group by experience level so your lack of recent diving won't be a factor. Just tell them when you book.

If you decide to dive Molokini also, LD would be a good option - save the drive from Lahaina.
I'd rather ride over on their boat than drive down to Kihei at 5AM to board a smaller boat.

my .02

 

[DiveMaven]

Since the crossing from Lanai to Maui can be rough, we always choose Lahaina Divers simply for the comfort of the 46' Newton dive boat. During uber-high season, the Lahaina Divers' boats can get pretty full, but September is a quiet month on Maui, so you will likely find the boats to be uncrowded.

 

[AquamanKauai]

I've always been impressed with the professionalism with Extended Horizon staff! Eric Stein (owner) runs a great operation and when I dive out of Maui's upper west side I always go with them.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

Two quality operations. Tip of the hat to Lahaina Divers due to their boat size and quality. But I am biased- we've dove with them for 14 years.
DivemasterDennis

 

[zeppelindiver]

We have been diving with both of them in the past & found them both to be excellent. If you are planning to go to Molokini I highly recommend that you look into Mike Severns Diving out of Kihei. They are possible the best dive operation that we have ever been out with, the service, knowledge & professionalism of their Divemasters & staff is second to none (I have been diving since 1974 all over the world). It is a bit of a drive down from Lahaina but the drive is made up for by the fact that it is a much shorter & more comfortable boat ride (especially the ride back!) and you get to Molokini anywhere from 1 to 2 hours before any other dive boats. You get to dive the most popular area with no one else there & you are finished your first dive before the others arrive, which then allows you to move to a second dive site away from everyone else. We enjoyed diving with them so much we actually drove down to Kihei every day after that just so we could dive with them.

One tip if you haven't been to Maui before, book a rental car & pick it up at the airport, it will save you a bundle vs taking cabs or renting a car in Lahaina.

 

[BSOD]

Another vote for Lahaina Divers. Bigger, more stable and spacious comfy boat. I've gone with them a few Septembers, and it's never been particularly crowded.

Went once with EH, and while the staff was nice, the boat felt a little cramped, being shoulder to shoulder since it was full, and half the group needing to move to the bow while the other half geared up. Also getting repeatedly drenched on the return trip that particular day after the winds/waves picked up was...unpleasant.

 

[fisheater]

Another vote for Extended Horizons. Smaller boats and, thus, less divers to share the reefs with.

Great captains and DMs.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[leafyseadragon]

Lahaina Divers will limit your dives to 65 ft for 35 minutes and 60 feet for 30 minutes. Doesn't depend on the site, divers experience, etc. I surfaced with 1500 psi and plenty of no-deco time on my computer multiple times because of the dive times. I talked to the dive guides and they finally let me enter with the first group and exit with the last group but I still had over 1000 psi and plenty of no-deco time.

 

[novasquid]

we dove with lahaina divers in april for 3 straight days, and were never shorted on our dive times. for each dive, we were told to watch our gauges and to return to the boat at X psi.