Heading to Maui for the first time June2-9th I need a good op!

[MauiScubaSteve]

With regard to Molokini's Backside dives (it's not just one), IMHO Reef's End drift and Shark Condo's drift are both Great dives more often than the Backside. I even prefer Reef's End / Center Reef over the Backside, except around Thanksgiving when Whalesharks may be around.

Having said all that, if you really have to do the Backside, Prodiver is a roomy 6-pack with a number of loads doing the wall dive every week.

 

[DiveMaven]

Our preferred op on Maui is Ed Robinsons. I know they aren't popular with some folks on this board, but we've always had outstanding service and dives with them and will continue to use them as long as that stays the same.

 

[Randy-S]

Thanks for all of the feed back so far.

I have pop into some home pages and I really like the looks of Pro Dives boat! Especially if the return runs are windy and choppy.

I also found that Ed R advertises a three tank dive trip. I thought that would be a great way to get two extra dives in a two day trip. I wonder if the June winds will stop those trip from happening?

B&B and Mike S both seemed very similar at least from a web site point of view.

 

[zahner]

We've had great experiences with ERDA as well, both this past Jan diving every day with them for a week and also back in Jan 2005. We were pleased to see all the same crew both times.

 

[KrisB]

Then, two weeks ago, there was an incident (death) at Molokini off MDS boat (haven't seen anything posted here), I heard through the grapevine that certan procedures weren't followed.

Can you cite a source? I haven't heard *anything* about this, and I'm pretty sure I would have (either through the grapevine, or in the local media)...

 

[ChrisM]

The only source I can quote is my own eyes as the USCG intercepted the Moa Kai (whatever the MDS boat is??) in the channel, picked up the diver, and were furiously doing CPR as the boat sped into the kihei boat ramp. We had to sit outside the ramp entrance for 20 minutes or so. The ambulance that was waiting there stayed there for quite some time and, when it left, didn't have any lights on.

Word was it was a heart attack. As for what specific procedures were followed or not, I'd rather not post on a public board what I heard. Perhaps a trip into B&B might give more information.

 

[KrisB]

The only source I can quote is my own eyes as the USCG intercepted the Moa Kai (whatever the MDS boat is??) in the channel, picked up the diver, and were furiously doing CPR as the boat sped into the kihei boat ramp. We had to sit outside the ramp entrance for 20 minutes or so. The ambulance that was waiting there stayed there for quite some time and, when it left, didn't have any lights on.

Word was it was a heart attack. As for what specific procedures were followed or not, I'd rather not post on a public board what I heard. Perhaps a trip into B&B might give more information.

Are you sure it was a *dive* trip to the Backwall?

MDS does snorkel trips as well, and incidents (especially heart attacks) are much more common on snorkel tours than they are on dive trips...

 

[bobmaggi]

More likely they don't want to wait for him to come up...the one time we dove with them they were in a big hurry to get back.

We usually dive in the most exp. group on a boat, and he ( with the rebreather) asks for no special treatment, and comes up with the Divemaster, usually drops the rest of us off at the boat, as we run low on air.

Last year, at Our World Underwater, we asked the owner of MDS about it first, and he said they weren't insured for rebreathers. We called again a month or so before this trip to ask again. The owner had said they weren't insured for rebreathers, but a diver signs all those waivers before diving, anyway. . .. no problem with diving on B & B, EH, and ERDA with the rebreather.

MDS deals with lots of new divers and doesn't want to scare them with a rebreather, and/or show them something new they don't have or can't train on. Maggi