scubamickey
I'm a GIRL!
We've been back from Oahu a week now. It was a short visit, only a week, but it was fantastic. We dived with Island Divers since they were the ones we had gone with a couple of years back. Plus they are GUE friendly.
This is by far the best dive op we have ever used anywhere (except our own home base of course-Dive Alaska). The morning pick up was always on time and they gave us plenty of time to rinse gear and chill out by their dockside store before giving us a ride back to the condo.
Customer Service is awesome. I have no complaints. I have to admit that I was a little concerned after a drift dive early on where the dive master called the dive after only 37 minutes because of a hoover in the group. From that point on, my husband and I were allowed to continue alone on all the drift dives after the rest of the group had surfaced. That bought us about an extra 10-15 minutes on most drift dives.
We also had the pleasure and honor to dive with Jo Hjelm, their technical dive instructor. Jo is also credited with being the person who indirectly influenced the start of GUE diving in Alaska. He just didn't know it at the time
.
Jo led the two of us on 2 penetration dives to the Sea Tiger. The funniest part of this dive was the moment before we dropped into the first compartment. See--on the drive to the dive shop that morning the driver (also the instructor on this dive) asked us to set a good example for his AOW students and the newbies, and not go inside the wreck. Poor guy had no idea what we had planned days earlier. We smiled and said sure, no problem. We will be the perfect example of competent divers for your students.
I almost spit my regulator out when, as we approached the tie off point, I saw him and his class peering into the hold. Then along comes Jo, ties off, and gives us the go sign. Then we drop in one after the other and disappear. The class just hung there staring. It was too funny. Chris Liles from IDH had a video camera with him and was on this dive with us. I'm sure he has video of this--but it was funnier in person.
Here's a picture of us during one of the safety stops. Continuing to set a good example for the newbies I call these, stupid deco stop games. Pictures courtesy of IDH.
More pictures and the DM dive reports can be found here: Dive Reports from Oahu diving with Island Divers Hawaii
Yes, I am giving him the finger. We take turns trying to "ride" the other without getting caught. Eventually, somebody gets the finger.
This is us just hanging around.
Dive Log: 11 January - 17 January 2009
Day 1:
Turtle Canyon
Max depth: 36ft
Total Run time: 60 mins
Koko Crater
Max depth: 36ft
Total Run time: 61 mins
Day 2:
Koko Head- Drift Dive
Max depth: 73ft
Total Run time: 51 mins
Sea Caves
Max depth: 75ft
Total Run time: 42 mins
Turtle Canyon
Max depth: 30ft
Total Run time: 37 mins
Koko Crater
Max depth: 36ft
Total Run time: 60 mins
Day 3
Baby Barge
Max depth: 78ft
Total Run time: 43 mins
Fantasy Reef-Drift Dive
Max depth: 52ft
Total Run time: 55 mins
Angler’s Reef
Max depth: 46ft
Total Run time: 55 mins
Keanu Reef
Max depth: 40ft
Total Run time: 55 mins
Day 4
Sea Tiger- penetrated to the compartments inside-past the toilet
Max depth: 115ft
Total Run time: 43 mins
Sea Tiger- penetrated to some of the other compartments
Max depth: 100ft
Total Run time: 42 mins
Koko Crater
Max depth: 36ft
Total Run time: 50 mins
Koko Crater
Max depth: 35ft
Total Run time: 55 mins
Day 5
Strong Kona winds kept the dive boats docked today so they took us to play on the beach. We tagged along with the OW students and just brought along 1 tank for each of us. We knew we would get 2 dives off of them. The students and instructor went off to do their thing and we did ours.
Makai Pier
Max depth: 20ft
Total Run time: 90 mins
Day 6
Chris Liles from IDH took us out for more fun at the beach. These were 2 of the best dives we did all week. The climb down and back up sucked big time, though. Man, I a want a Navy Seal diver cert card from PADI after this!
Lanai Lookout
Max depth: 62ft
Total Run time: 70 mins
Blowhole
Max depth: 53ft
Total Run time: 62 mins
Day 7
End of Palea Pt. to Hanauma Bay to Baboon Nose
Max depth: 71ft
Total Run time: 55 mins
Sea Caves
Max depth: 82ft
Total Run time: 57 mins
I can't wait to go back. Next time it will be during the summer. That 75 degree water temp. killed me. I was cold on every single dive and I was wearing a 5mm with 3 mm vest. I highly recommend Island Divers to anyone regardless of experience level. I saw them take very good care of the newbies and the instruction that I heard was very good. Obviously, experienced divers will love them as well. No hassles, no BS, and a lot of competent and safety minded staff.
This is by far the best dive op we have ever used anywhere (except our own home base of course-Dive Alaska). The morning pick up was always on time and they gave us plenty of time to rinse gear and chill out by their dockside store before giving us a ride back to the condo.
Customer Service is awesome. I have no complaints. I have to admit that I was a little concerned after a drift dive early on where the dive master called the dive after only 37 minutes because of a hoover in the group. From that point on, my husband and I were allowed to continue alone on all the drift dives after the rest of the group had surfaced. That bought us about an extra 10-15 minutes on most drift dives.
We also had the pleasure and honor to dive with Jo Hjelm, their technical dive instructor. Jo is also credited with being the person who indirectly influenced the start of GUE diving in Alaska. He just didn't know it at the time
.Jo led the two of us on 2 penetration dives to the Sea Tiger. The funniest part of this dive was the moment before we dropped into the first compartment. See--on the drive to the dive shop that morning the driver (also the instructor on this dive) asked us to set a good example for his AOW students and the newbies, and not go inside the wreck. Poor guy had no idea what we had planned days earlier. We smiled and said sure, no problem. We will be the perfect example of competent divers for your students.
I almost spit my regulator out when, as we approached the tie off point, I saw him and his class peering into the hold. Then along comes Jo, ties off, and gives us the go sign. Then we drop in one after the other and disappear. The class just hung there staring. It was too funny. Chris Liles from IDH had a video camera with him and was on this dive with us. I'm sure he has video of this--but it was funnier in person.
Here's a picture of us during one of the safety stops. Continuing to set a good example for the newbies
I call these, stupid deco stop games. Pictures courtesy of IDH.More pictures and the DM dive reports can be found here: Dive Reports from Oahu diving with Island Divers Hawaii
Yes, I am giving him the finger. We take turns trying to "ride" the other without getting caught. Eventually, somebody gets the finger.
This is us just hanging around.
Dive Log: 11 January - 17 January 2009
Day 1:
Turtle Canyon
Max depth: 36ft
Total Run time: 60 mins
Koko Crater
Max depth: 36ft
Total Run time: 61 mins
Day 2:
Koko Head- Drift Dive
Max depth: 73ft
Total Run time: 51 mins
Sea Caves
Max depth: 75ft
Total Run time: 42 mins
Turtle Canyon
Max depth: 30ft
Total Run time: 37 mins
Koko Crater
Max depth: 36ft
Total Run time: 60 mins
Day 3
Baby Barge
Max depth: 78ft
Total Run time: 43 mins
Fantasy Reef-Drift Dive
Max depth: 52ft
Total Run time: 55 mins
Angler’s Reef
Max depth: 46ft
Total Run time: 55 mins
Keanu Reef
Max depth: 40ft
Total Run time: 55 mins
Day 4
Sea Tiger- penetrated to the compartments inside-past the toilet
Max depth: 115ft
Total Run time: 43 mins
Sea Tiger- penetrated to some of the other compartments
Max depth: 100ft
Total Run time: 42 mins
Koko Crater
Max depth: 36ft
Total Run time: 50 mins
Koko Crater
Max depth: 35ft
Total Run time: 55 mins
Day 5
Strong Kona winds kept the dive boats docked today so they took us to play on the beach. We tagged along with the OW students and just brought along 1 tank for each of us. We knew we would get 2 dives off of them. The students and instructor went off to do their thing and we did ours.
Makai Pier
Max depth: 20ft
Total Run time: 90 mins
Day 6
Chris Liles from IDH took us out for more fun at the beach. These were 2 of the best dives we did all week. The climb down and back up sucked big time, though. Man, I a want a Navy Seal diver cert card from PADI after this!
Lanai Lookout
Max depth: 62ft
Total Run time: 70 mins
Blowhole
Max depth: 53ft
Total Run time: 62 mins
Day 7
End of Palea Pt. to Hanauma Bay to Baboon Nose
Max depth: 71ft
Total Run time: 55 mins
Sea Caves
Max depth: 82ft
Total Run time: 57 mins
I can't wait to go back. Next time it will be during the summer. That 75 degree water temp. killed me. I was cold on every single dive and I was wearing a 5mm with 3 mm vest. I highly recommend Island Divers to anyone regardless of experience level. I saw them take very good care of the newbies and the instruction that I heard was very good. Obviously, experienced divers will love them as well. No hassles, no BS, and a lot of competent and safety minded staff.
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