Hawaii first timer - suggestions?

[sauruman]

Poor me. I'm being sent to Honolulu for the last week of September for work. Of course my dive buddy wife is coming along and never having been out to the Pacific, we're a little lost as to where to go/what to do. Dive of course! For the past 3 years, we've been diving yearly in Coz and while that rocks, we're ready to expand our horizons. Oh yeah, the rest of the year, we tend to dive in lovely Tobermory.

Seriously though, I am searching the board and trying to get some ideas.
So I have to admit complete ignorance as to the quality of diving available in Hawaii and what conditions might be like at this time of year (late Sept/early Oct). One other option I was tossing around was continuing to Fiji (hi Uncle Pug) or maybe some place like Guam. Thoughts?

We prefer small dive operations, and not travelling in huge groups. We like experiencing local culture, but still like comfort. Tourist-y stuff is out. 6 pack boats are our normal modus operendi. Love viz, pretty fish, rays, and especially octopus.

Any suggestions? Thanks everyone!

 

[kidspot]

My suggestion (biased as it is ) is to go to Maui

j/k - many board members on Oahu and I'm sure they'll chime in with lots of good recommendations.

 

[sauruman]

My suggestion (biased as it is ) is to go to Maui

j/k - many board members on Oahu and I'm sure they'll chime in with lots of good recommendations.

I've been told by coworkers that Maui is paradise found - but oddly, when I ask about diving, I get blank stares. It's not a common activity for most of my office mates.
So, am I safe to assume that Hawaii has some great diving to offer? I keep hearing about Palau and Fiji and want to make the most out of our limited vacation time.

thx!

 

[kidspot]

I can't speak on that subject because I have only been diving on Maui (and once in the Kona Boat Harbor ) like I said, I'm "biased" ... but diving from shore here on Maui a bad day of vis means 30-40ft. and a good day can be 75-100ft vis. Diving off shore (like Molokini) a bad day would be 100ft vis ...

 

[Scubagolf]

See my Maui Trip Report posted tonight here: http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=107770

If you haven't been to Maui yet, it would not be a mistake to go there.

There is very good, and sometimes great diving in 78-80* water with viz very often 100'+. Most of the dive boats I have been on accomodate 12 divers, and were not 6-packs. However, I really like to do the trips over to dive Lanai and the trip in a small 6-pack boat would not be very comfortable. I like Extended Horizons from Lahaina for the Lanai trips. Ed Robinson's is a highly recommended dive op on the south side near Kihei which is probably a good choice to dive Molokini Crater.

Kona on The Big Island also has very good diving. See my trip report from last March here: http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=92026&highlight=kona+drive

 

[Wildcard]

BIg Isle is the best IMHO, then Maui. Oahu is ok too but not the same. The other places you mentioned are still a long ways off and may not fit in your schedule. It's only two inches on the map to Guam but still like a five hour? flight from here. The best dives on Oahu that time of year will be boat dives on the south shore, depending on the weather. Some boat and plane wrecks, ect. Just don't expect dive mag pics kind of coral. Try Dive Waikiki and ask for Sean. See in Sea does a pretty good job too but you have to share the boat with a couple of other companies. I dove with Aqua Zone once, only once for a reason. The big thing is to avoid booking with a compamy that caters to asian tourests, ya just won't fit in. It's worth asking.

 

[kidspot]

Yesterday I dove with a group on Extended Horizons to the Lanai Cathedrals, we had 13 divers and 3 crew (2 DM's and the Cpt.) it was "cozy" but not restricting by any means. Once in the water it was incredible! I'd definitely say it surpassed diving in Molokini Crater and came close to rivaling the back wall of Molokini. Vis was 100ft and some incredible reef system. 1/2 the boat were us "Scubaboarders" who had planned on going together (7 of us)

I still like shore diving though

Aloha, Tim

 

[Scubagolf]

Yesterday I dove with a group on Extended Horizons to the Lanai Cathedrals, we had 13 divers and 3 crew (2 DM's and the Cpt.) it was "cozy" but not restricting by any means. Once in the water it was incredible! I'd definitely say it surpassed diving in Molokini Crater and came close to rivaling the back wall of Molokini. Vis was 100ft and some incredible reef system. 1/2 the boat were us "Scubaboarders" who had planned on going together (7 of us)

I still like shore diving though

Aloha, Tim

With Extended Horizons to Lanai I'm partial to the bagels and chunky peanut butter during the surface interval.....

 

[Mantasscareme]

You get manta rays on the Big Island (Kona) http://www.jacksdivinglocker.com/charters2/mantanight.htm . No colorful sponges like in Cozumel though. The coral reef itself is kind of bland, but you get the possibility of pelagic fly-by's and a higher fish biodiversity than in the Caribbean. I've always wanted to visit Palau and Fiji, but I've never gotten around to going to either place. I hope tp spend my next vacation in Cozumel (if not Fiji or Palau), so any Coz tips would be appreciated.

 

[Mantasscareme]

Oh yeah, one more thing, the manta ray dive is highly recommended. One of the most surreal experiences in diving. It's the one dive that will definately stand out among all others.