Finally going to Maui

[counterpoint]

Just finished 4 days of diving on the island. Lanai with extended horizons ( had an excellent time with great people and DM's.). Maui dreams is still my favorite. Spent a day with John at ulua beach. Usually dive with Zac but John did a great job. They really are great people. Everyone in the shop treats you like family.

Quick note. Maui dive shop sucks. Especially the large one in kaanapali. The employes are extremely rude and only show any interest if you buying big ticket items. I stood there for 20 minutes to rent a wetsuit as all the employees walked around looking for customers with big money I spend. They must work off commission because idle employees would not even check me out. I had to wait for some jackass kid to finish with 3 other customers before I could pay for a wetsuit that was a total piece of crap. My bad I waited until to late and was stuck with them. Never again. Also the big bald guy was extremely rude to my brother and sister because he thought they were not divers. To bad so sad. Brother is very experienced an needed some new gear. He walked out. I also watched two other couples leave with a bad taste in their mouth.
As for me. I usually don't go this far to bash. But they asked for it. And deserve it. Stay away if you can. Would love to say more but some people might think I'm taking it a little far. I was very very upset to say the least.

 

[bearhere]

We rented a house right across the street from the ocean in Lahaina, and we had a great time. The house was actually really cheap to rent, but we got a Kamaʻaina discount. Of course we had a boat on a mooring to use, kayaks, pickup truck, fresh mango's falling out of the trees for making drinks, free tank fills...if only it would have lasted longer. We did a few really fun shore dives, including right in front of the house.

Have a great trip and I am looking forward to seeing your posts about it in one place or another

Hi, been looking to go on a dive trip to Hawaii this winter. We dove the last two trips on the Big Island and wanted to do something different. You post and the description of Maui is exactly what I was thinking about. Can you give me the info for the house you rented. Hawaii seems to have the best shore diving. I love shopping at the farmers markets and cooking myself. Thanks
Linda

 

[iluvcozumel]

There is a huge difference between a "one day get a chance to see hammerhead dive" while you are in Maui and a 10 day Soccorro trip. I've tried 3 times, got there once and had murky viz, and twice ended up at Lanai because of conditions. And I'm going again in January- because you never know when the conditions will be perfect. I spent a week in the Galapagos and didn't see whale sharks or big schools of hammerheads. Sometimes the ocean is like that. The only guarantee is at an aquarium.

I'll disagree with you about Lahaina Divers- My experiences have all been good. But they are not a small op and you might have a full boat of divers of various skills, and not much in the way of a personal guide as they herd cats. But I know that going in and make the best of it.

Mike, ya, I know there are no guarantees and knew that going in. You are right about one thing, they are a cattle boat operation and I much prefer smaller ops. And I am not a Maui fan either.....we really didn't enjoy our stay there as much as we had hoped. Glad I went, but probably will not return.

 

[merxlin]

Mike, ya, I know there are no guarantees and knew that going in. You are right about one thing, they are a cattle boat operation and I much prefer smaller ops. And I am not a Maui fan either.....we really didn't enjoy our stay there as much as we had hoped. Glad I went, but probably will not return.

Sorry about your experience. I leave in 10 hours for my 7th or 8th trip. And just to clarify, I did not say Lahaina Divers was a cattle boat operation. Big groups yes at times, but no more than I am used to diving with here in So Cal. BTW, my avatar is from a dive on Maui

 

[iluvcozumel]

Sorry about your experience. I leave in 10 hours for my 7th or 8th trip. And just to clarify, I did not say Lahaina Divers was a cattle boat operation. Big groups yes at times, but no more than I am used to diving with here in So Cal. BTW, my avatar is from a dive on Maui

I guess its all about your past experiences. Lahaina Divers was the most people I had ever been with on a dive boat. 24 divers on a 42 Newton is crowded. Before that experience, the most I have been with on one boat was 16. And I have somewhere around 500 boat dives under my belt. I have dove SoCal many times, guess I've been lucky to not experience the crowds. If I were to go to Maui again, I would spend more time shore diving. And hire a guide. When I was there I tried finding the sites myself and did ok, but the wife would have been happier with someone who knew the area. Would have been worth the $$.

 

[merxlin]

I agree 24 is a lot, and not my preference either, but I tend to only go on the advanced trips to Molokai and Lanai. Yesterday we went to Molokai and only had 7 divers on the boat.

I also agree that hiring a guide is not a bad idea. Shaka Doug, Scubahawk27 (Dove with him Friday- had a great scooter dive) have been really good for me.

 

[bperc]

I guess its all about your past experiences. Lahaina Divers was the most people I had ever been with on a dive boat. 24 divers on a 42 Newton is crowded.

I agree 24 is a lot, and not my preference either, but I tend to only go on the advanced trips to Molokai and Lanai. Yesterday we went to Molokai and only had 7 divers on the boat.

I have to concur with Merxlin, I only go on the advanced dives with Lahaina Divers. The crew on the advanced trips is excellent and the number of divers is significantly less. I whole heartedly recommend Lahaina Divers advanced dive trips!

 

[geoff w]

I have to concur with Merxlin, I only go on the advanced dives with Lahaina Divers. The crew on the advanced trips is excellent and the number of divers is significantly less. I whole heartedly recommend Lahaina Divers advanced dive trips!

We dove with Lahaina Divers for the first time on New Years Day. The hammerhead dive to Molokai definitely caters to more advanced divers than any other trip we've been on in Maui (or anywhere else outside So Cal) - they dropped one guy off solo with a rebreather before the dive site, then picked him on the way back to Lahaina. The boat didn't seem any more crowded than any other Maui dive boat, especially this time of year. They ran a great boat - very professional and good DMs. Like any business, they have their rules - it was clear we weren't likely to see hammerheads, but we went out into the blue instead of staying longer where all the fish were. DM was also frustrated, but very professional about the whole thing. I definitely want to dive with them again when I'm back in Maui for the hammerhead dive (once the whales are gone).

 

[merxlin]

We dove with Lahaina Divers for the first time on New Years Day. The hammerhead dive to Molokai definitely caters to more advanced divers than any other trip we've been on in Maui (or anywhere else outside So Cal) - they dropped one guy off solo with a rebreather before the dive site, then picked him on the way back to Lahaina.............. .

That would be Bob. He was on board with us yesterday as well. I swear he was going to jump in while we were still moving he set up so fast.

 

[iluvcozumel]

I have to concur with Merxlin, I only go on the advanced dives with Lahaina Divers. The crew on the advanced trips is excellent and the number of divers is significantly less. I whole heartedly recommend Lahaina Divers advanced dive trips!

It was the advanced dive to Molokai that I was referencing. The rebreather gentleman was on our trip, also. It was quite the site to see him anchored in as I drifted past him. He was down there from the time we stopped through 2 dives and a surface interval......must be awesome to be able to get that much bottom time in one dive!!!