Going to Hilo on business
- Thread starter adedrum
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Hilo is so so diving. There is one decent shore dive, not recaling the name right now. Look on shorediving.com. You will be far better to go to the Kona side. Two step, old airport, Puako all are awsome shore dives. Do not miss the manta dive. Book early so if you get blown out by weather you can do it again. It's a couple of hour drive from Hilo but I feel it is worth it. Rember if you use Saddle road, it peaks at over 6000 feet. OK for going but your better to use the north ot south routes around the island to come home. Enjoy your visit.
Aloha
Aloha
donnyb
Contributor
Aloha from Hilo, Adedrum,
When are you coming? I might be able to help you with better info based on this.
In general:
We have one dive shop, Nautilus Dive Center, located down on Bayfront downtown.
If you need to rent anything that's the place for it. Owner Bill can give you the details on shore diving sites on our side. There are zero boat diving operators on Hilo side. No moorings, generally iffy conditions, and a lot less tourists.
I ended up moving my boat to Kona to improve my odds dramatically of being able to take it out for diving. Its a 2 hour drive to my boat now. Water in Hilo can be good for diving, but its totally dependent on conditions that particular day. We get a lot of rain, so runoff can ruin viz, and we get a fair bit of tradewind, which, when combined with swell, makes for rough waters, treacherous shore entries, and seasick boat divers. So it depends on the day. If its flat, Leleiwi is a great shore dive: a gazillion turtles and shallow cliffs full of pukas for critters (octopus, leaf scorpionfish, eels, lobster). And nearby there is Richardsons Beach. You will need to know the exact entry/exit points to do them stress free. Talk to Bill.
When things are not nice in Hilo we usually drive to the South Kohala area (via Waimea) and shore dive around there. post above has the website to give you some sites. Puako is one of our regular sites and is pretty good.
When are you coming? I might be able to help you with better info based on this.
In general:
We have one dive shop, Nautilus Dive Center, located down on Bayfront downtown.
If you need to rent anything that's the place for it. Owner Bill can give you the details on shore diving sites on our side. There are zero boat diving operators on Hilo side. No moorings, generally iffy conditions, and a lot less tourists.
I ended up moving my boat to Kona to improve my odds dramatically of being able to take it out for diving. Its a 2 hour drive to my boat now. Water in Hilo can be good for diving, but its totally dependent on conditions that particular day. We get a lot of rain, so runoff can ruin viz, and we get a fair bit of tradewind, which, when combined with swell, makes for rough waters, treacherous shore entries, and seasick boat divers. So it depends on the day. If its flat, Leleiwi is a great shore dive: a gazillion turtles and shallow cliffs full of pukas for critters (octopus, leaf scorpionfish, eels, lobster). And nearby there is Richardsons Beach. You will need to know the exact entry/exit points to do them stress free. Talk to Bill.
When things are not nice in Hilo we usually drive to the South Kohala area (via Waimea) and shore dive around there. post above has the website to give you some sites. Puako is one of our regular sites and is pretty good.
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I wouldn't have ever thought of that.
It's the 60th anniversary of the tsunami there that killed 146 people, so if you're down by the bay and the water leaves, run like hell for the hills.
E.Hi.Divers
Registered
There's some good diving on east side. I do guided shore dives in Hilo & Puna. 5 days will give you the opportunity check out both sides.
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