Jan 2021, help me come up with a Maui itinerary?

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Last Month I dove in O'ahu and Kona, both were awesome yet there were limitations due to the season (O'ahu's north shore was closed to diving that time of year) and covid (many weekday options were cancelled due to lack of divers; couldn't find any "black water" kona dives during the weekend I was there due to lack of divers). We're Advanced Open Water, planning on a weeklong trip and will add two days in Kona hoping for a black water dive and to see the volcano which was just active. We're prepared to quarantine if needed as we can telework. At a minimum was hoping to dedicate five days of dives.

I see various recommendations and I'm unclear if these would be open, is the ferry to Lanai and the cathedrals dive sites open? How about the Molokini Crater?
 
Mala Wharf was my favorite, did it a couple of times. Shore dive, and better than any of the boat dives that I did, IMHO (wreck of the Carthaginian, Molokini Crater, wreck of the St. Anthony). I also liked the night dive at Black Rock. Also, shouldn't be as many COVID issues with a shore dive.
 
In my experience, December through February/March is a rough time to dive in Maui. The weather is just not good. But it is peak time to see humpbacks. I prefer to stay on the west side, Kapalua down to Lahaina. I think your best option for available dive ops and sites is to call the local operations to see what they're doing.
 
There is an outstanding shore dive location near Mile Marker 14, south of Lahaina, at Puamana Park. Easy in and out, a lot of stag horn coral and a turtle cleaning station. A couple of years ago, we did a a scooter dive with Tiny Bubbles Dive Op at the turtle cleaning station (Mile Marker 14), and a self-propelled dive at Old Airport Beach. Both dives were very memorable, but the scooter dive was an exceptional highlight.
 
Check with Lahaina Divers, they seem to be running their trips, Molokini Back Wall, Lanai...

Thanks! I emailed them earlier today, awaiting reply. Won't get my hopes up but seeing or hearing the humpbacks would be amazing
 
We just got back from diving with Lahaina divers. Water was warm (3mm) and visibility was amazing at molokini. Mala pier/turtle reef was amazing too, there is a turtle cleaning station there so we saw 4-5 turtles. We also saw some whales and their blowholes from far away. Enjoy!
 
I've dove with Lahaina Divers and they're a good dive op.

I would caution you about the Hammerhead Dive. To get there, you'll be crossing quite a bit of open ocean and the swells are pretty big, 7-10 feet. (1/4 of the divers got sea sick on the way out and skipped diving, so sea sick pills are a good idea.) Once there, it's not too bad to get into the water, but getting back onto the boat is a huge challenge. A line will be thrown out for everyone to grab onto, then each diver has to swim quickly to the ladder, hand up fins, and climb the ladder before the next wave comes crashing in, which potentially, could push the diver against the back of the boat. Divers go one by one, so it's a long wait if someone ahead hesitates and has to wait for the next signal from the crew. If the boat has to reposition, then all remaining divers in the water get dragged by the line. Keep regs in and masks on after surfacing! Do not remove until back on the boat!

The dive itself is between 50-60 feet with the bottom around 160 feet. The guide puts up a DSMB for the boat to track the group during the dive. Hammerheads do come up from the depths, but it's hit and miss depending on the day.

I feel it's an advance dive, not because of the diving, but because of the trip there and back and the reboarding difficulty.
 
www.goscubadivemaui.com is a great operation offering Maui/Lanai/Molokai diving. It's who I send my divers from Kauai to. Depending on the time of the year, see if you can get Capt. Begeman, great guy/captain with endless knowledge and who I have personally worked under in the past.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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