Got wet in Maui .

[dleffert]

both above and below the waterline, last week! Scheduled 3 days with Lahaina Divers (diving was not the trip’s primary purpose, or so my non-diving SO tells me) and hoped to go Lanai – Molokini – Lanai but, due to the chocolate milk off Lanai, we ended up diving Molokini – Molokini – Molokini. Oh well, at least it was diving.

Molokini Crater has been written about by many others, so it would be difficult to add anything new, but I did love those bizarro little garden eels! Whales on the way out and back each day, bottlenose dolphins cruising the crater, whale song underwater, grays and white tips, and the lone resident turtle were all a delight.

From reading on the Board, I knew Lahaina Divers ran larger boats and DM-led dives but at this point in my experience curve, I’m not offended by the additional structure. The crews were all very professional.

Two things I discovered on the boat, though, that I did not see in my research here and it might easily affect someone’s choice on dive ops: they dive AL72’s and push very short surface intervals. At one point, we were being “encouraged” back into the water after 30 minutes – we politely declined. Wouldn’t have really thought it possible to exceed NDL’s with AL72’s, but you can sure do it with a 30 minute SI. Combine the two and you don’t get much bottom time.

Time to plan the next adventure.

 

[www.scubamazing.com]

I knew Lahaina Divers ran larger boats and DM-led dives but at this point in my experience curve, I’m not offended by the additional structure.

I've been wondering what folks though of larger groups.

 

[kidspot]

Glad you were able to get wet while diving as well as topside in our weird weather ... The most common complaints about LD seem to be the 72's and short SI, but very few complaints about their operation... It's commonly stated that we really don't have any bad dive boats on Maui, and there is a good deal of truth to that.

Hope you get to Lanai on your next trip (there *is* going to be a next trip right?)

Aloha, Tim

 

[dleffert]

Hope you get to Lanai on your next trip (there *is* going to be a next trip right?)

Aloha, Tim

With a brother-in-law retired in Kona, it's hard to avoid - AHEM - I mean I'm looking forward to the next trip!

 

[dleffert]

I've been wondering what folks though of larger groups.

Actually, one day we had 22 divers, the next day only 12. Maybe they're more crowded in the summer, but this was spring break for my kids at University of Colorado so I would have thought this would be representative.

Even with 22, LD was well-organized, split the large group into 4 smaller ones by DM, so with only one group splashing/recovering at a time, it wasn't bad. Still plenty of room to move about the boat, as well, with folks spread out on the upper deck, out on the bow, etc. Never felt cramped.

 

[Kirsch]

Greetings!
My wife and I are booked to go to Maui April 8 ('06), and scheduled to do our Advanced Open Water Cert. with B&B on Mon/Tue (April 10/11) .
We bought the plane tix way back in August, and couldn't possibly know what the conditions would be without a crystal ball!
One of you mentioned the "Chocolate Milk"...I was afraid that might happen from all this runnoff, or perhaps an algae bloom (or a sewer spill!)
Can someone on Maui keep us posted as to the current conditions this week?
I heard that the downpour has tapered off, how long do you think it'll take to clear out?
Oh well, I guess we'll mostly be doing skills anyway, and the underwater navigation will be extra usefull in zero vis!
Molokini is cool, we've only ever snorkled there, if that's where we end up, I wouldn't complain!
Thanks for any info!

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Kirsch there was a large storm that's the reason for the lousy vis. I've dove during April on Maui many time and always had great vis. You'll love B&B

 

[dleffert]

Greetings!One of you mentioned the "Chocolate Milk"...I was afraid that might happen from all this runnoff, or perhaps an algae bloom (or a sewer spill!)
Can someone on Maui keep us posted as to the current conditions this week?
I heard that the downpour has tapered off, how long do you think it'll take to clear out?

On Maui, the "chocolate milk" line ran only about 50 - 100 yards offshore in the Lahaina area, and seemed to retract quite a bit on those occassions when the rain stopped for 12-18 hours, so I would think things clear up very quickly when this incredibly unusual weather pattern relents. Diving at Molokini was no issue at all, except for the 1 hour boat ride from Lahaina - we enjoyed viz in the 100+ range all three days, despite conditions at Lanai.

As for Lanai, we were scheduled to dive the Cathedrals but since this was our first trip to Maui, I have no idea how far offshore they are or how bad the conditions had to be at Lanai to cause no-viz conditions at these sites.

 

[Kirsch]

Like I mentioned, we're scheduled to do our Adv. Open Water cert. with B&B.
I'm sure they'll find us some clear dive sites!
We're scheduled to do 2, 2-tank boat dives departing from the Kihei boat ramp and one night dive from the shore somewhere.
I'm glad you enjoyed Molokini, Dan, it's awesome!
We snorkled there (before we were certified) and saw two 4' White-Tip Reef Sharks cruisin' around!
I'd love to see garden eels in the wild, we saw them in a tank in the Aquarium at Maalea a couple years ago.
We're also on a quest to see the Manta Ray, I hear that they sometimes swim right up into Molokini Crater!

 

[Shaka Doug]

The shoreline down south is pretty decent right now. 30-50 feet of vis or more.