If you were me....

[grassyknoll]

"If you were me" (and I wouldn't wish that on anyone), where would you dive on Maui?
I am heading over for a quick visit in early October for my 10 year wedding anniversary. Wife does not dive and being my 10 year it's special, or so I'm told, and so I have to go light on the diving. I figure I can get one full day and a night dive in if I'm lucky. So the question is if you were me, what would your diving itinerary be? This kind of post always gets the "I can't say because I don't know what you like" replies, suffice to say I am just as happy 10' deep in a cloudy river as I am 100' down in Cozumel. Big fish little fish no fish I'm happy.
Other questions:

Am I better off spending $120+ for a 2-tank boat dive or hire a local DM to guide on 3 shore dives?

I know all the usual boat destinations, other than the back wall of Molokini I don't see most sites as being a signature "must dive" type site, does anyone have any "undiscovered" favorite dive sites? And if so, what makes it a good site?

I'm mostly looking for some insight from those living on Maui, but anyone with good info is welcome to chime in.

 

[sea nmf]

First of all, you can't find a better buddy than kidspot. He is here on SB. He is one of the nicest people on the planet.

His schedule won't always allow for him to guide all three dives, but I would definitely PM him and see what he has to say.

There are other folks here on SB that would shore dive with you, but I only know kidspot. Spend your $$$ on your wife.

 

[grassyknoll]

Spend your $$$ on your wife

Alright, who gave my wife a SB account!!!!!!!

Sea nmf, thanks for the input, I will definitely be making a short list of refferals to do some guided shore dives.

Thanks, again.

 

[DiveMaven]

Kidspot is up in the Lahaina area, but KrisB is in the Kihei area and he also dives regularly with folks from the board. ShakaDoug is highly recommended for shore diving in the Kihei area and Pacific Dive is recommended for shore diving in the Lahaina area.

Personally, I'm a fan of boat diving so if I had a limited amount of diving I could do, I'd do Ed Robinson's 3-tank Adventure dive one morning, and another morning catch a boat to Lanai to dive the Cathedrals. Both days you'd be done by 1pm so could spend the rest of the day with the wife.

 

[Charlie99]

As you noted, the signature dive at Maui is the backwall at Molokini. This is most easily accessed via a boat the departs from the Kihei boat ramp.

If you will be staying in West Maui, the signature dives are the Cathedrals at Lanai. West Maui dive boats such as Extended Horizons usually make the 30 minute crossing over to Lanai.

If you are staying in South Maui (Kihei, Wailea, Makena), your best bet is to take either B&B or ProDiver out of the Kihei boat ramp. Both leave around 6AM, and get back around 10:30AM or 11AM. Less than 10 minutes to get back to the Wailea hotels. My wife likes to lounge around in the morning a bit, and there have been days when she was still enjoying her morning coffee at breakfast when I returned. We still have pretty much a full day for sightseeing. A good way to get in more diving while still enjoying land activities with your wife.

 

[kidspot]

I'm always up for some diving (schedule permitting that is) so feel free to drop me a PM.

Charlie99 makes a good point - you can easily get 2 dives in and be back at the dock by 10:30 with B&B or Prodiver, then if you want a third dive go to Ulua beach with one of us locals (KrisB is an excellent guide in south Maui - I'd drop him a PM if you are interested - plus we all like volunteering other folks lol) and you'll have 3 dives in with time to take your wife out to a nice lunch

Have a great trip whatever you decide!

Aloha, Tim

 

[TSandM]

I have to say, of all the diving trips I've made to Maui, and the boat and shore dives I've done, my favorite site is the Mala pier. It's a shore dive (read: cheap). It has fascinating structure and tons of sea life. It's shallow (read: tanks last forever, deco is irrelevant). I've done it three or four times, and it's been splendid fun every time.

If you're in the south end, Ulua beach is a very good and easy dive. There are restrooms there and showers. Makena Landing is another good dive.

There is a lot of good shore diving, if you are willing to drive a bit, and if there hasn't been too much recent rain. Tim (kidspot) knows all the sites, and another great diving companion is Charlie99, if he is there.

 

[grassyknoll]

Great info everyone. Kidspot, Charlie 99, KrisB, Ill drop you each a pm closer to travel and see if anyone is up for a dive around that time.
TS&M, thanks for noting a couple of personal favorite sites, care to elaborate on what you liked about the sites, they were shallow but what else?

Thanks again all.

 

[kidspot]

2 pics of Mala here http://www.alohashoredivers.com/sites and some general info on the site - it is a really nice dive site and a favorite of many.

Aloha, Tim

 

[Charlie99]

Charlie99 makes a good point - you can easily get 2 dives in and be back at the dock by 10:30 with B&B or Prodiver, then if you want a third dive go to Ulua beach with one of us locals

I guess the point was too subtle for a single guy like you Tim.

Get back to the hotel and enjoy the rest of the day with the wife, and THEN GO DIVING AGAIN ANOTHER DAY, and another day, and another day. Grassyknoll was thinking that he could only manage to sneak in one dive day. The trick is to work in several days of diving, while still doing topside things with the wife.

It took several trips before my wife got suspicous about why it always was a windy day with big swells when I went touring with her for the full day. :banana: