cobbonthecorn
Contributor
I have just returned from a 12 day trip to the islands of Hawaii and thought I would share my diving experiences with others that may have questions about their upcoming trips. Keep in mind that what follows are my opinions and are heavily dependant on my experience and expectations. (They may not be consistent with yours.)
Like most people I do not enjoy surprises, especially bad surprises, so my search for dive companies started several months before the trip. Internet forums, web sites, and LDS inputs were all considered. Armed with this general information I made a list of sites, days, and types of trips that I thought would be good for me. In general the dive operation needed to have polite and knowledgeable staff, travel to the sites of interest when I could go (1 trip from Oahu, and 3 trips Maui), meet my dive equipment requests, dive reasonable profiles, and be competitively priced.
From the list of companies I called each asking one or more questions depending on my general impression as the conversation developed. The opening remark went something like Im traveling to Hawaii on vacation and would like to go on morning two tank boat dives. Do you offer them? Several no longer offered the service advertised on their web site. The next question proved to be a show stopper for many, What dive sites does your boat travel to, and on what days? More than half the companies contacted answered by saying I dont know but I could check. Can you call back? Sure Ill call back. (Belly laughter ) If they made it this far the biggest differentiator became the type of dive profile they supported. Again about half had somewhat short timed profiles. Those I choose dive computer limits that are consistent with achieving safe and reasonably long dive profiles for both morning dives. I then booked my dives.
Keep in mind that your initial contact is with the front/home office. Gabe at Kaimana, Piper at Pacific, and Blessi at B&B all did a great job with my reservations. Each confirmed my reservations through e-mail and available when called. Again, follow through is important to minimize the surprise factor.
On arrival to each island I would call and confirm the dive, location, and time for check-in. Each dive operation seemed to appreciate this courtesy call. I brought my own equipment except for tanks and weights. The water temperatures 0-100 ft were consistently 78-81 degrees F. I found a 3mm full suit to work well, however, a 5 mm or a 3mm with beanie might have been better. Currents were light, and a small flashlight is advised for peering into crack, crevasses, and the occasional cave/hole.
Below is a brief overview of each.
Dive 1 and 2: Honolulu, Oahu; Kaimana Divers.
We shared a Catamaran with another dive company. Light snacks provided. On both dives our profile was constrained by computer/500 psi on boat limits. You are responsible to set-up your equipment prior to leaving the dock. First dive was the Sea Tiger wreck and the second was Horseshoe Reef.
Because the boat was designed for scuba there was plenty of room even though there was about 16-18 divers aboard. Very personal service offered by Gabe. He caters to small groups and delivers. For a group of 5 divers Gabe lead and his dive master Nicolla(?) followed. They kept us in sight and together without being intrusive. Since I dove Nitrox, Gabe did too. He was very attentive to our dive limits and on several occasions reminded me of our proximity to our maximum depth for the blend. (A reminder that is always welcome.) As divers reached their air profile limits they were sent to the boat with Nicolla. However, Gabe and I continued on until we reached the end of our Nitrox profile. The wreck dive was great because of the visibility (100-200 ft) and critters, wrecks arent all that exciting to me, and the reef sported turtles and other fun stuff.
Dive 3 and 4: From Lahina, Maui to Lanai; Pacific Dive.
The company uses the Extended Horizons boat. Light snacks provided. You hand-over regulators and BC while the boat is on shore and the crew sets-up tanks, weights, BC and regulators. On both dives our profile was constrained by computer/500 psi on boat limits. First dive was Knob Hill and the second was Cathedrals I.
The boat was crowded so we split into two groups; one group readied and entered the water while other group waited on the bow. (There were about 14 divers on board.) After getting ready to enter the water I walked over to my tank and checked to ensure the air was turned on, it was. But, my BC was not attached to the tank. The crew kindly resolved the oversight.
Our divemaster lead about six divers. She was very knowledgeable about marine life and spent a great deal of time critter hunting. However, her critter hunting contributed to my being separated from the group on exit from Cathedral I without her even noticing. I was already out of Cathedral I when another larger group of divers intermingled with us causing confusion. Instead of regrouping and counting heads she led the group onward to find more critters. No worry, the boat was near and I was able to navigate back on my own. Knob Hill was very nice with lots of critters and good visibility (75-150 ft). I considered Cathedral I to be boring and with such a large group inside there was a lot of bumping around.
Dive 5 and 6: From Kihei, Maui to Molokini then back to Maui; B&B Scuba.
Company owned boat. Light snacks provided between dives and sandwiches after the second. On both dives our profile was constrained by computer/500 psi on boat limits. You are responsible to set-up your equipment prior to leaving the dock. First dive was Reefs End and second was 5 Graves.
This was my first introduction to the crew of B&B. On this trip there was Brad, Stan, John, and Captain Bill, along with about 7 divers. I dove with Stan and two other divers until the other two hit their air limits. Then I dove with Brad and one other diver for the rest of the first dive. Because we were ready to dive when we left the dock there was ample room to move about. The crew was very personable, had a shared sense of humor, and left you with a vacationing attitude.
When it was time to don gear a crew member helped get it on your back and gave a once over to make sure all was ready, including a final air-on check. In the water the leaders kept careful watch on their guests without that in-your-face feeling. Their knowledge of the sites and local critters was outstanding. It was almost like they had the personal address of many of the reefs inhabitants. Visibility at Molokini was 100-200 feet and there was a lot to see. The eel garden was very unique.
When we moved to 5 Graves Brad suggested that John and I split-off from the others for a 60 minute profile. John was quiet while onboard but really a pleasure to dive with. He was very familiar with the site and made it easy for me to travel along with him as opposed to trailing him. The visibility at 5 Graves was 20-50 feet because of its proximity to shore, but there was an ample supply of critters, including green turtles, to make the hour fly.
Dive 7: Kaanapali, Maui; Tiny Bubbles at the Kaanapali Beach Club.
This was a spur of the moment night shore dive arranged last minute at the hotel. As the story goes we had an activities credit going to waste so I asked at the front desk if it could be used with any local dive companies. They said it could only be used with the contracted company at the hotel. The woman proceeded to pull out the price list and to my surprise a night dive was offered for the amount of my credit. I signed-up and stopped by the dive shed to see where and what time to meet. Well they werent going out that night but Rob said he would stay and go out with me. Yeah Rob! It turns out Rob has tons of energy and enthusiasm, as well as considerable night diving experience.
We met at 7:00 pm and went through all of the relevant night diving protocol and were off and diving by 7:30 pm. Rob was great, he pointed out stuff I would have missed. He also kept close watch on me so I could relax and enjoy the dive. The site was average for critters, but we did get quite a variety of sightings. An experience positively influenced by Rob.
Dive 8 and 9: Kihei, Maui to Molokini then back to Maui; B&B Scuba.
Everything was the same as the previous dive. First dive was Enenui and second was Haloa Point.
On this trip the crew had changed except for the ever present Brad and Captain Bill. However this time there was a crew of four along with about 12 divers. Still no problem with room and the trip went along as well organized as the previous trip. Dave was my leader for both dives. He was a fun loving sort that was a pleasure to dive and sail with.
Once we reached Molokini Brad suggested that I be the first one off the boat. Yes! So off I went down the line, first one on the crater that day. Wow is all I can say. Before I hit bottom a white tip swam between me and the sand. The eels we all out and schools of fish seemed to be everywhere. As divers entered the water the critters began to disappear until the sight was just above average for viewing. We proceeded down to about 100 feet to greet a pack of gray sharks and then back up to 45 feet for the rest of the dive. Dave too was very watchful of the 4 of us diving with him, and when others had to leave because they hit their limits he and I continued until we reached the end of our planned profile.
At the second site Dave took the 4 of us for some local sight seeing and managed to find a number of green turtles and a white tip in the caves. He then proceeded to find a pair of cleaner shrimp that climbed onto his teeth to give them a once over. (Sorry Dave, thanks for the offer to try the same but I only put shrimp with butter sauce into my mouth.)
From the above experiences I would recommend boat dives where the company owners participate. They (Brad and Gabe) clearly ran the show and had amazingly good people skills that enabled them to make on-the-fly adjustments to maximize the diving experience.
Like most people I do not enjoy surprises, especially bad surprises, so my search for dive companies started several months before the trip. Internet forums, web sites, and LDS inputs were all considered. Armed with this general information I made a list of sites, days, and types of trips that I thought would be good for me. In general the dive operation needed to have polite and knowledgeable staff, travel to the sites of interest when I could go (1 trip from Oahu, and 3 trips Maui), meet my dive equipment requests, dive reasonable profiles, and be competitively priced.
From the list of companies I called each asking one or more questions depending on my general impression as the conversation developed. The opening remark went something like Im traveling to Hawaii on vacation and would like to go on morning two tank boat dives. Do you offer them? Several no longer offered the service advertised on their web site. The next question proved to be a show stopper for many, What dive sites does your boat travel to, and on what days? More than half the companies contacted answered by saying I dont know but I could check. Can you call back? Sure Ill call back. (Belly laughter ) If they made it this far the biggest differentiator became the type of dive profile they supported. Again about half had somewhat short timed profiles. Those I choose dive computer limits that are consistent with achieving safe and reasonably long dive profiles for both morning dives. I then booked my dives.
Keep in mind that your initial contact is with the front/home office. Gabe at Kaimana, Piper at Pacific, and Blessi at B&B all did a great job with my reservations. Each confirmed my reservations through e-mail and available when called. Again, follow through is important to minimize the surprise factor.
On arrival to each island I would call and confirm the dive, location, and time for check-in. Each dive operation seemed to appreciate this courtesy call. I brought my own equipment except for tanks and weights. The water temperatures 0-100 ft were consistently 78-81 degrees F. I found a 3mm full suit to work well, however, a 5 mm or a 3mm with beanie might have been better. Currents were light, and a small flashlight is advised for peering into crack, crevasses, and the occasional cave/hole.
Below is a brief overview of each.
Dive 1 and 2: Honolulu, Oahu; Kaimana Divers.
We shared a Catamaran with another dive company. Light snacks provided. On both dives our profile was constrained by computer/500 psi on boat limits. You are responsible to set-up your equipment prior to leaving the dock. First dive was the Sea Tiger wreck and the second was Horseshoe Reef.
Because the boat was designed for scuba there was plenty of room even though there was about 16-18 divers aboard. Very personal service offered by Gabe. He caters to small groups and delivers. For a group of 5 divers Gabe lead and his dive master Nicolla(?) followed. They kept us in sight and together without being intrusive. Since I dove Nitrox, Gabe did too. He was very attentive to our dive limits and on several occasions reminded me of our proximity to our maximum depth for the blend. (A reminder that is always welcome.) As divers reached their air profile limits they were sent to the boat with Nicolla. However, Gabe and I continued on until we reached the end of our Nitrox profile. The wreck dive was great because of the visibility (100-200 ft) and critters, wrecks arent all that exciting to me, and the reef sported turtles and other fun stuff.
Dive 3 and 4: From Lahina, Maui to Lanai; Pacific Dive.
The company uses the Extended Horizons boat. Light snacks provided. You hand-over regulators and BC while the boat is on shore and the crew sets-up tanks, weights, BC and regulators. On both dives our profile was constrained by computer/500 psi on boat limits. First dive was Knob Hill and the second was Cathedrals I.
The boat was crowded so we split into two groups; one group readied and entered the water while other group waited on the bow. (There were about 14 divers on board.) After getting ready to enter the water I walked over to my tank and checked to ensure the air was turned on, it was. But, my BC was not attached to the tank. The crew kindly resolved the oversight.
Our divemaster lead about six divers. She was very knowledgeable about marine life and spent a great deal of time critter hunting. However, her critter hunting contributed to my being separated from the group on exit from Cathedral I without her even noticing. I was already out of Cathedral I when another larger group of divers intermingled with us causing confusion. Instead of regrouping and counting heads she led the group onward to find more critters. No worry, the boat was near and I was able to navigate back on my own. Knob Hill was very nice with lots of critters and good visibility (75-150 ft). I considered Cathedral I to be boring and with such a large group inside there was a lot of bumping around.
Dive 5 and 6: From Kihei, Maui to Molokini then back to Maui; B&B Scuba.
Company owned boat. Light snacks provided between dives and sandwiches after the second. On both dives our profile was constrained by computer/500 psi on boat limits. You are responsible to set-up your equipment prior to leaving the dock. First dive was Reefs End and second was 5 Graves.
This was my first introduction to the crew of B&B. On this trip there was Brad, Stan, John, and Captain Bill, along with about 7 divers. I dove with Stan and two other divers until the other two hit their air limits. Then I dove with Brad and one other diver for the rest of the first dive. Because we were ready to dive when we left the dock there was ample room to move about. The crew was very personable, had a shared sense of humor, and left you with a vacationing attitude.
When it was time to don gear a crew member helped get it on your back and gave a once over to make sure all was ready, including a final air-on check. In the water the leaders kept careful watch on their guests without that in-your-face feeling. Their knowledge of the sites and local critters was outstanding. It was almost like they had the personal address of many of the reefs inhabitants. Visibility at Molokini was 100-200 feet and there was a lot to see. The eel garden was very unique.
When we moved to 5 Graves Brad suggested that John and I split-off from the others for a 60 minute profile. John was quiet while onboard but really a pleasure to dive with. He was very familiar with the site and made it easy for me to travel along with him as opposed to trailing him. The visibility at 5 Graves was 20-50 feet because of its proximity to shore, but there was an ample supply of critters, including green turtles, to make the hour fly.
Dive 7: Kaanapali, Maui; Tiny Bubbles at the Kaanapali Beach Club.
This was a spur of the moment night shore dive arranged last minute at the hotel. As the story goes we had an activities credit going to waste so I asked at the front desk if it could be used with any local dive companies. They said it could only be used with the contracted company at the hotel. The woman proceeded to pull out the price list and to my surprise a night dive was offered for the amount of my credit. I signed-up and stopped by the dive shed to see where and what time to meet. Well they werent going out that night but Rob said he would stay and go out with me. Yeah Rob! It turns out Rob has tons of energy and enthusiasm, as well as considerable night diving experience.
We met at 7:00 pm and went through all of the relevant night diving protocol and were off and diving by 7:30 pm. Rob was great, he pointed out stuff I would have missed. He also kept close watch on me so I could relax and enjoy the dive. The site was average for critters, but we did get quite a variety of sightings. An experience positively influenced by Rob.
Dive 8 and 9: Kihei, Maui to Molokini then back to Maui; B&B Scuba.
Everything was the same as the previous dive. First dive was Enenui and second was Haloa Point.
On this trip the crew had changed except for the ever present Brad and Captain Bill. However this time there was a crew of four along with about 12 divers. Still no problem with room and the trip went along as well organized as the previous trip. Dave was my leader for both dives. He was a fun loving sort that was a pleasure to dive and sail with.
Once we reached Molokini Brad suggested that I be the first one off the boat. Yes! So off I went down the line, first one on the crater that day. Wow is all I can say. Before I hit bottom a white tip swam between me and the sand. The eels we all out and schools of fish seemed to be everywhere. As divers entered the water the critters began to disappear until the sight was just above average for viewing. We proceeded down to about 100 feet to greet a pack of gray sharks and then back up to 45 feet for the rest of the dive. Dave too was very watchful of the 4 of us diving with him, and when others had to leave because they hit their limits he and I continued until we reached the end of our planned profile.
At the second site Dave took the 4 of us for some local sight seeing and managed to find a number of green turtles and a white tip in the caves. He then proceeded to find a pair of cleaner shrimp that climbed onto his teeth to give them a once over. (Sorry Dave, thanks for the offer to try the same but I only put shrimp with butter sauce into my mouth.)
From the above experiences I would recommend boat dives where the company owners participate. They (Brad and Gabe) clearly ran the show and had amazingly good people skills that enabled them to make on-the-fly adjustments to maximize the diving experience.
