hawaii

[Gilligan]

Aloha,
I live on Maui and have been diving here for the past 10 years. I do all my diving from my kayak but I can tell you two of the best dive boat operators in South Maui. They are Mike Severn's Diving and Ed Robinson Diving Adventures.
As for diving the Back Wall of Molokini, don't be fooled or tricked into believing you are guaranteed a Back Wall dive. The Divemaster on the boat makes that decision on the day of the dive based on the experience level of the divers as with any responsible dive operator. The Back Wall is considered an advanced dive. Maui Dive Shop is the ONLY boat operation that guarantees a Back Wall dive. They do a specific one tank dive on the Back Wall twice weekly then return to the Kihei Boat Harbor (15 minutes) and pickup the regular 2 tank customers. You get a discount if you go back out for your second and third dive. You will go back to Molokini for the first of the two dives.
One of the most popular dives in South Maui is 5 caves a/k/a 5 Graves.Many boat operators do this as their second dive after Molokini. That dive is easily done as a shore dive.
Feel free to e mail me for any other info about South Maui scuba diving and check out my website for info at kayakdiver.com as well as the boat operators sites.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Gilligan the past few years that we've dove the caves/graves we've found the vis to be much less than it used to be. Since you are a local I'm wondering what you think about the recent construction in the area and if you think that has anything to do with the vis.

We did several dives there in may and june of this year and found decent vis a couple of times.

I agree about not being guaranteed the back wall. With B&B we did it 7 of the 9 dives we went with them on our last trip. The other two times we did reefs end or shark condos on Molokini which are both still great dives.

With Maui Dive Shop we did a backwall and then the crater itself which wasn't that great the day we went.

But now that I'm diving in Oregon again the crater seems like heaven.

When we make our move the year after next I suspect we'll do a lot of kayak diving as you do. It seems a great way to access those shore dives that really aren't shore dives.

 

[Gilligan]

It's difficult to say what has happened at the Caves/Graves. A few years back there was a massive storm runoff that covered the reef areas in silt etc. for several months. In the last few years the Makena coastline has been developed with coastal homes which no doubt has impacted the ecosystem. S/W swells kill the shore diving vis for days. The Caves/Graves are over-dived without a doubt. The tour "cattle boats" dump hundreds of snorkelers in that spot daily. The many years of boat anchoring there before mooring buoys were installed did plenty of damage to the little coral that was there. No doubt it's demise is a series of factors. I haven't shore dived in probably 8 years. The kayak enables me to get farther from shore, into clearer water even with S/W swells, and away from the hords of people.
Molokini Crater is likely the best scuba diving in Maui. The vis is almost always excellent. I think Reef's End is the best dive there. The Back Wall is just a different experience because of the 300 plus foot depth. If you think the Caves/Graves have been impacted by development/tourism just think about the almost 2000 plus snorkelers/divers in the water at Molokini Crater on any given day in peak season. The fact that Molokini is a tiny island four miles offshore with currents that clean it out daily is likely what has saved it.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Yep the cattle boats have certainly caused some changes out there. The crater was a little dissapointing to us last trip.

One of the things we've enjoyed doing there is diving around the moorings at the shore dive locations. Lots of cool sunglasses to be found including a pair of Maui Jim's. We've picked up watches, wallets (returned it to the shock of the owner) and even money.

Do you kayak out to the wreck? I forget if it's called the St. Vincent or St. Anthony?

 

[Gilligan]

Yes, I have paddled out to and dove on the St Anthony wreck. For some unknown reason(s) the vis around the wreck is not usually great. The wreck has not been down for very long so there is not a whole lot on it. Quite frankly it is a boring dive after about 15 minutes. It is a small old fishing boat that the State sank as an artificial reef. There is not much else around the wreck other than groups of 6 to 8 old vehicle tires in concrete footings. Whatever possessed the State to use old tires leaves me dumbfounded as not much grows on them. The wreck is actually sitting on some of the tires. We used to call it the "Goodyear Reef" before the St Anthony was sunk there. It is in 62 feet of water. In about 75 feet of water West of the wreck are the remains of some old cars the State sank a long time ago. There is not much left of them. Some dive operators use the wreck as their 2nd dive after Molokini Crater. The most fun part of the St Anthony is getting your picture taken sitting on the toilet in the cabin.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

We dove it a couple of times on our last trip and yes it was a second dive after the back wall. What I did enjoy about the wreck was a huge and I mean huge green sea turtle that hangs out under the stern. I've never seen one that big and it was there both times we dove it. The vis wasn't so hot.

There is also a 3 legged turtle so no one can convince me there aren't meat eating sharks in the area

Our first dive we took a few pics there but the second dive we took a video which turned out great.

The tires aren't much, but you should see what we consider a dive site in oregon.

Well Gilligan I envy you being able to dive there anytime you want. We stayed for almost 7 weeks on our last trip and we found ourselves diving every day. You'd think we'd take in a tourist site but forget that.

 

[Gilligan]

I have seen the 3 flippered turtle. You have drawn a logical conclusion about meat eating sharks. There is only one thing in this ocean here that eats turtles and it's not man. It's the Tiger Shark. If one sees a turtle go by them here at warp speed there is likely only 1 of 2 reasons for that. A tourist tried to ride it or a Tiger Shark is chasing it. I believe there is an increase of Tiger's nearer shore because the turtles are a protected species therefore multiplying therefore a magnet for Tiger's.
I have an article/photo on my website from August 2001 showing a 20 plus foot Tiger Shark checking out a dead turtle on the surface.
http://kayakdiver.com/sharkarticles/tigershark.htm
A lifeguard on a wave runner took the photo. It looks more like a submarine than a shark.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Wow that's a big tiger shark.

One day while diving in honolua (on of my favorite shore dives) a herd (pod?) of turtles came swiming by faster than I've ever seen. My wife enjoyed the action while I moved us closer to some coral formations. I kept my eye on the deeper blue behind us from then on.

Great photo.