Hellcat? Hell, yeah! (an adventure to the F6F Hellcat off Kihei, Maui)

[JGibbs]

Shhh....don't confuse Kris with facts.

 

[KrisB]

Shhh....don't confuse Kris with facts.

whatever...

If you have a problem, don't go.

But I hope you don't even walk by Cove for the next few years...

 

[Shaka Doug]

I wouldn't worry about the water being too polluted to dive in this area. I'm pretty sure it's just fine to dive in. If you're worried about it, don't go. If you do go, rinse off afterwards. Looks like a cool 'once in a while' dive to me.

 

[AlohaTrevor]

WOW! Can't wait to try this out. Thanks for sharing!

 

[K9Pig]

I wouldn't worry about the water being too polluted to dive in this area. I'm pretty sure it's just fine to dive in. If you're worried about it, don't go. If you do go, rinse off afterwards. Looks like a cool 'once in a while' dive to me.

Well said... I know I am from half way around the states, but well said... Kris thanks for the photos. I'll bet you suck the air down at first sight, WOW what a feeling of excitement you must have had...

 

[KrisB]

You're welcome.

It was a great find.

Just a reminder, guys... please follow the "leave only bubbles, take only memories & photos" policy here... I've come under a bit of fire locally for having disclosed precise location because of a fear of collectors ruining the site and taking everything they can strip from the wreck. Personally, I'd like to trust that people aren't that lame and will leave things in place just as they would on any other site.

 

[rgbmatt]

I used to work for the project that investigated the Kihei algae blooms, and know several of the people involved. Some of the results are scary! But thousands of people do go swimming there every day and few of them get sick (knock on wood). It would seem that the Hellcat wreck is outside the injection wells' influence since the coral looks healthy and there's not much algae.

 

[KrisB]

I used to work for the project that investigated the Kihei algae blooms, and know several of the people involved. Some of the results are scary! But thousands of people do go swimming there every day and few of them get sick (knock on wood). It would seem that the Hellcat wreck is outside the injection wells' influence since the coral looks healthy and there's not much algae.

There is some algae in closer -- the long shallow stretch had it clinging to rocks, but we couldn't tell how much of the poor viz was stirred up silt/sand and how much was algae.

That said, I've probably seen more algae on dives at Ulua than I do here.

 

[Oside Jimc]

Kris,
How awesome! You'll have to take me out there next time I come over.

 

[KrisB]

Kris,
How awesome! You'll have to take me out there next time I come over.

For sure!