Great dive at Ulua today

[KrisB]

so I was finishing up an open water certification for my sister's boyfriend today at Ulua and we had a decent first dive... I suspect that the cleaner shrimp past the second reef are feeling some hurt from the storm, too... They couldn't get enough of us, venturing more than a foot from their rock to check us out.

We stayed a little closer for dive two, yet still came away with a trifecta of sorts. Before the dive, I was joking about what else we could see to make the next dive even mo betta and I suggested manta, an eagle ray, a hawaiian stingray and an octopus would round it out nicely. Turns out, we got three of the four! No stingray, but a manta and an eagle ray and a small tako, about 4" showed up!

So sometimes it pays to dare the Powers that Be to surprise you!

 

[TSandM]

Wow -- I've done a bunch of dives on Maui, and have yet to see a Manta. Lucky you!

 

[KrisB]

Wow -- I've done a bunch of dives on Maui, and have yet to see a Manta. Lucky you!

I was asked a few times today how common they are, which made me stop and think. I have seen them probably on average about one in every fifteen to twenty dives at Ulua. Could just be good luck, who knows...

 

[DiveMaven]

We've seen Mantas on every trip we've done to Maui, at least once. When I went back and counted up, it averaged about every 8 dives. Always thought that was normal, but apparently it's not and we've just be incredibly lucky. Might have just jinxed us for this trip, but we always see such amazing critters that it won't matter that much if we see a Manta or not.

Now what I'd really like to see is a Humpback underwater!

 

[Charlie99]

I've seen mantas and/or eagle rays at Ulua about every 10 dives or so. This might be a bit more often than usual for two reasons ----

I'm usually diving solo and am either puttering along slowly or just hanging motionless watching eels hunt, having a staring contest with a turtle, or something like that. Mantas are rather skittish and tend to avoid larger groups of divers.

I often head over towards the less dived portions of Ulua --- the northeast corner of the outer reef for example. I've often seen mantas making repeated passes from N side and the NE corner of the outer reef, over the connecting reef, on over to the SW corner of the inner reef, and then back. I've also several times seen eagle rays on that same path, and also cruising back and forth along the north side of outer Ulua -- another place not as frequently visited as the south edge of the outer reef and the path to the turtle spot.

 

[bobmaggi]

WOW! you hit the jackpot! On our very first dive on our trip in 2005, we saw a manta at Ulua. We were checking out the reef, and I happened to look up and saw one gliding by. It came back around to check us out. A wonderful start to a trip!

 

[KrisB]

Like Charlie, I'm often diving in smaller (1-3 person) groups, so that might have something to do with my luck as well.

I, too would love to see a humpback underwater... as long as it wasn't TOO close! Did you read that column in Alert Diver? Someone was seriously injured (and "DAN was there") from a close encounter with a large whale... I can try and find it again -- I know they're using it in their ads still.

 

[Charlie99]

I, too would love to see a humpback underwater... as long as it wasn't TOO close!

I got lucky and saw a mother, her calf, and then an escort male in March a few years ago. Inshore a ways from the tank and landing craft. It was close enough that a couple divers were rapidly backpedaling in order to avoid getting whacked as the mother used her pec fin to keep the calf from getting too close.


Although I was so startled that I left the camera flash on, I did manage to get a few shots ----


You never know what you'll find out there. When headed down to the beach I've seen whales on the surface 100 yards offshore from the outer point of the outer reef at Ulua, but have never seen one underwater there.

I'm headed back to Maui 2 weeks from tomorrow and getting really antsy as the time approaches.

Charlie Allen

 

[KrisB]

Incredible, Charlie!

I've heard of others that have had similar treats... Diving Ulua and suddenly it's a little darker, they look over to see a huge eyeball staring back at them...

 

[Oside Jimc]

Sounds like a fun day Kris!! I can't wait to come back to dive with you again (looks like next Fall since I'm going to Cancun/Coz in Feb), Thanks again for helping me get my 35 year old cert "upgraded" to OW, you da man!