Hilo, Lahaina, Honolulu or Kailua Kona for dive?

[Jim Holt]

Aloha Sam,

Round up a couple of other divers on your cruise and when you get to Kona, we can offer you an exclusive private dive charter. If this sounds good to you, check us out. Regardless, have a great trip !

Sincerely,

Jim Holt

 

[binkleyboo]

I would definitely recommend Kona. We travel there 2 times a year and love the diving. Jack's Diving Locker is a big outfit and we've never been very impressed with them. In my opinion, and no offense to anyone who favors them, they are more of a cattle call dive boat. We've been pretty happy diving with Ocean Eco Tours and Big Island Divers. Maybe we'll check out Konaquatica Dive Center next time and report back.

Typically we shore dive...Two Step, Mile Marker 4, Old Airport...although watch other divers enter and exit at Two Step if you go there. It's literally a two step and you're in process but it's a great place for seeing turtles and cleaning stations! If you are on the island for a few days I can highly recommend heading to Puako for some diving...beautiful lava fingers running out to deeper water. Ask any of the shops and they can probably give you recommendations and dive maps the DM's did during training.

Consider picking up the Big Island Revealed book. It is fantastic! It has nice pictures of all the beaches, maps, etc. I think there might even be one for Maui too.

Mahalo!
~bb

 

[Sam308]

I really appreciate all the information from my diving brothers and sisters.

Another consideration is I will be diving alone and will be looking for a dive buddy. With boat dives I usually can hook up with another lone diver. Would the same be true in Hawaii?

 

[kidspot]

Pacific Dive is used to dealing with divers from the cruise ships off Lahaina (even though they start ferrying people ashore at 7am, you may not get off the boat till noon ) You might get hold of Arty or Piper there and talk with them - phone number is on their website Pacific Dive, Maui Scuba Diving Center in Lahaina, Maui

Have a great trip.

Aloha, Tim

 

[cuddlefish]

I just had to add that I strongly disagree with Binkleyboo's opinion of Jack's. But I certainly respect that everyone has a different opinion. Jack's has an unbelievable number of mega repeat divers. Most say they feel like they are diving with friends while at Jack's. Of course I would also say that most of the dive companies in town are decent to very good. There are only a couple I would avoid completely...and I'm not inclined to list those.

 

[redrover]

With all the mention of Jack’s off Kailua-Kona I wanted to point out there are other operators worth checking out, can have you set up with good dive gear and go to the same dive sites - lots to pick from. Nothing wrong with Jack’s, in fact my primary boat op, just other ones also get good reviews and repeat customers.

Unless you’ve found it easy to fit into wetsuit and mask you might want to bring them along with you. I don’t think cruise dives are the common customers here but I’d expect all to accommodate you as well as they can and on the water that day.

 

[redrover]

I wish you would and why so. So far I’ve only been out with a couple, I have a local connection with mine for rates, love them, so it’s hard to pay more. This type of question comes up all the time and I’d like to support all the ops in the area but without a number of dives with all, can only go by others reviews.

I can understand why you may not want to. I had a most unpleasant experience with a satellite snorkel gear shop and got trashed by someone for saying so. But with word of mouth the best advertising…and certainly not all divers who visit here are board members...it is not very helpful to hear only some are bad and not who or why. It is after all only your opinion or perspective and it invites others to counter with theirs.

 

[friscuba]

I really appreciate all the information from my diving brothers and sisters.

Another consideration is I will be diving alone and will be looking for a dive buddy. With boat dives I usually can hook up with another lone diver. Would the same be true in Hawaii?

Most of the operators I've worked with and have dove with pretty much go down as a loose buddy group with the DM as a leader, pointing out critters while navigating the sites and helping to get divers under the boat at the appropriate times. I've yet to work or dive with any operator here who assigns insta-buddies. If you are looking at hooking up with a buddy for shore diving by going off a boat, I suspect what works elsewhere would work here.

 

[Sam308]

Well, I did book with Jacks! I'll be reporting after my return at the end of October.

Thanks again guys and gals!

 

[tarheeldiver]

Well, I did book with Jacks! I'll be reporting after my return at the end of October.

Thanks again guys and gals!

I'm diving with Jack's Oct.22-25 are these any of the days you are diving with them? I can't wait.
greg