Has anyone done the black-water dive from Kona?

[friscuba]

As I have no night-diving cert or experience I guess I need to get that in order before I can go do this dive. It sounds like it may be more interesting than the manta-ray night dive. I am however hesitant by the fact that you are suspended above 6000 ft of sea; but as stated above that's not an issue as you are tethered.

If your profile experience level is correct, it may not be the dive for you just yet. I would not say it's "more interesting than the manta-ray" dive, at least not for everyone. The reports I get (I don't do the dive) are mixed, some see nothing, some are overwhelmed, some say it was worth doing once, some say they saw a bunch of tiny stuff but it wasn't really worth it. The manta dive consistently thrills almost everyone. I think the real critter nuts like it more.

For most of the experienced divers I know that won't do that dive, it's got nothing to do with being in 6K feet of water, more to do with inserting themselves into the food chain during feeding hours.

 

[*dave*]

Wish I could take credit for *any* of the pics, but they are all Josh.

Recalling your past issues w/vertigo, I smiled when I heard you did this dive. Definitely a test.

We also did the Manta dive to satisfy the BID dive requirement. Obviously a money trap, as the dives are so different from one another, neither would qualify you for the other. I didn't mind, as I also enjoyed the Manta dive.

Dave, LOVE the picture of the thing that looks like a butterfly! We didn't see anything like that. But Josh did tell us that they are still finding things that, when they send them off to Scripps and such places, they get the answer that nobody has seen that thing or knows what it is.

I don't know about other ops, but BID won't take you out to do this dive unless you have done a night dive with them. For us, the manta dive earlier in the evening counted. But this isn't like night diving, really; it's much more like doing night free descents or ascents, although you CAN always turn and look at the lines for a visual reference. But you don't want to look there much, because the lights there don't show the critters nearly as well as yours, shining into the black water.

The dive's a setup for vertigo, if you're susceptible. I was very, very pleased with myself that I did the whole thing with only one iffy moment.

 

[smellzlikefish]

I've done it and would do it again. I am, as Friscuba described, a "critter nut" and got a real kick out of seeing all kinds of things I've never seen before. Most really like the manta dive, but it seems like more of a circus to me. If critters are your thing, go for it, but I didn't find the blackwater dive particularly scary. It was very different from most dives I've done, but not scary.

 

[TSandM]

I got the definite feeling that the black water dive worries them a little, and I can imagine why. Requiring a night dive beforehand, I think, is at least a way to be sure that the diver has some competence and is comfortable in the water in the dark.

Some may prefer the manta dive, but trying to wedge myself between urchin-infested rocks in order to sit still in the surge, while watching the lights from 30 other divers and NOT watching any mantas (because none came) was not a big thrill. At least the jellies showed up as billed

 

[wader]

here is a link to a Hawaii night dive. Good read!
Big Island Divers and The Black Water Night Dive - Scuba Forum - Scuba Diving Forums and Discussion Board

 

[TeriLeonard]

I have done it several times with Big Island Divers-LOVE it every time!!!!! Yep, it is a bit scary, especially that leap of faith when you actually do the giant stride into 6700' of black water in the dark of night! We were each attached to 40' lines by a 12' tether. We then drifted with the boat. A good friend reported that his fisherman father-in-law suggested that it "sounds like trollin' to me."
Yes it is worth it! You see the coolest stuff. I went with a marine biologist once and he explained that every night the largest migration in the world takes place when the nano-life moves from
300'-1000' depths up to the surface to feed on the plankton. the lights and colors and weird critters is beyond belief.
Not for the faint of heart, but just do it!

 

[Black_3000psi]

sounds like something to add to my to do list.

 

[Black_3000psi]

but why does it have to be "black" water hmmmmm why is it that things that are threatening are always given a color label black? ..............................jk.

 

[TeriLeonard]

Well, "good" or "bad", the water looks "black" when you are five miles off-shore in 6700' of water

I have done this dive five times and am jonesin' for more!

 

[Black_3000psi]

jk=just kidding . it sounds awesome