I was thinking of showing up without reservations and hoping to strike a deal. I did this once before in Oahu and it worked out great but I am a little concerned about it in Maui. Has anyone tried this? I am also look online for info on Shore diving I see lots of info on great places to dive but not much on the how too's. Can anyone give me any advice on getting setup with air tanks and weights, what shore diving costs and any local rules I might need to now.
As I see it, the two Q's of the OP were "has any one tried this" ( I have not) and "where to get tanks and weights?" TS&M's post included a link to Kidspot's web site, which if you click on
Favorite Links lists the three dive shops divers in the know use. As far as I was concerned, The information I would have contributed was already contributed!
Thanks for the minor corrections to my entry. I am admittedly only an occasional visitor to the Islands, but no one else was offering ideas on dives and something is better than nothing. Since you are a local, I am guessing you have more experience. You seem to also have a poor opinion of the Maui Dive Shop. Who do you recommend and what dive sites? Cmader or I might give them a try when next there. Shame you didn't chime in until you had fault to find with someone.
The central plain of Maui is probably not close to 90' at the highest elevation (900?),
Maui Divers is a chain of retail jewelry stores, Manta Ray night dives happen off the Big Island (Kona, Hawaii) and I only know of a handful of divers who have dived the North Shore. The only boat is really expensive (I will go eventually) and shore diving the North Shore would mean finding a guide and good conditions (both a challenge - eventually).
A tempting bait for lengthy discussion might be the OP's comment about not finding the how's of shore diving on line. Do you find the how's of quarry diving on line? Are the how's of cavern diving on line? Who would I contact concerning the how's of scooter diving? I hope most SB'ers would answer the above queries with "find an instructor versed in that discipline."
As an instructor/guide living on Maui, the recent economy has forced me into the hotel remodeling industry. "Hoping to strike a deal" likely made more than just my eyes roll up towards the clouds. Most divers who have no experience shore diving will leave any Hawaiian Island thinking the diving here is less than spectacular if they
just give it a go on their own. Many divers
with extensive shore diving experience, but none in Hawaii, leave Hawaii thinking it is drab and boring. The exotic and wonderful nature of Hawaii diving requires some in person training to fully appreciate; I even take a guided dive for many first dives off these islands and I am an experienced Hawaii shore instructor.
I am not interested in diving Koloa Landing and
not seeing the Dragon Moray's, Harlequin Shrimp and Lionfish, so when I do my first dive there
I will follow a guide. Can you find the 6' Yellow Margin Moray at Ulua Reef, or the Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp and Lionfish just beyond? Do you know when to bag a dive site and head down the road to one with better conditions? Nearly all the guides for the operators in Hawaii are Instructors. Some are better at opening eyes to Hawaii's splendor than others, and some are a better fit for each individual diver than others are; the only way to really know is to try a few, or even just a couple.
Finally, If you guys do decide to dive Fish Bowl please make it a weekend so I can come along!
