Kakaako Shore dive

[sea nmf]

Who has done a shore dive from Kakaako park? What can you tell me about the conditions?

Entry?
Exit?
Depth?
Boating traffic?

I've never done it but I'm considering it depending on what y'all have to say about it. This is just a "get wet and test gear" type dive but I need to know what kind of swim we have until it gets to about 20'.

Thanks in advance.

 

[ChimChim75]

I've only done it once. There is a small pipe you can follow out if you line up with one of the lights near the stairway (on the right from the water as I remember). Hits about 30 to 40 feet-ish from the top of my head. Very sensitive to wave conditions. Wasn't too impressive when I did it a year ago. I don't remember much boat traffic, but I'd probably drag a flag were I to do it again. I was thinking of giving it another try this season and hope for better vis than last time.

I usually favor the Kewalo Pipe rather than the park dive if possible - but it is a rather far swim from shore.

For gear testing, I'd go to Magic Island. You could use the protected lagoon and then head out after checkouts. More topography than Kakaako, which I seem to remember being fairly flat.

 

[kidspot]

sea nmf - does this mean you are still game to try a dive this Saturday... even with the surf report? Cool ...

 

[sea nmf]

kidspot - not this Saturday. But I want to recon the site. Feel like driving into town after church on Sunday to look at it with me? I'll take my snorkle gear and get in if it looks safe, just to sort of check it out.

SSN is showing a note "NW Wrap?" which might mean they don't really know what is going to happen on the south side.

 

[scottitheduck]

Today was super calm. Depending on your schedule you could shore dive it while these winds are variable and no south swell. Was like glass out there today..... I agree, not much to look at but take a shore heading and keep going..... probably get to 50 feet or so before you are at half tank. You can also use the yellow NOAA buoy to get a lineup to Kewalo Pipe/Ewa Reef/Horseshoe Reef but it's a heck of a long swim.

Best of luck!

G

 

[KrisB]

I was at Kakaako to cheer on a couple IE participants a couple years back.

The vis looked great -- a big pod of dolphins passed, and there was apparently enough fish in the water to justify a) spearfishermen and b) DLNR guys policing the spearfishermen.

BEWARE, however: aforementioned DLNR folk were not acting prudently around the dive flags in the water -- they would zip over quickly, examine, floor it to the next one, etc...

Here's some photos:
DSC_3589 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

[sea nmf]

BEWARE, however: aforementioned DLNR folk were not acting prudently around the dive flags in the water -- they would zip over quickly, examine, floor it to the next one, etc...
QUOTE]

Isn't that special. Protect the fish, kill the divers.

 

[KiiY]

Hm. I thought Kakaako Park and Kewalo Pipe were the same site.

Did Kewalo Pipe once a number of years ago. Surface conditions at the time were a little choppy and meant you needed to be careful on entry/exit so you didn't get smacked against the landing.

At the time, the surface swim back to shore was strenuous. I ended up having to pull my partner because she was getting exhausted fighting the current back in. We had enough air in the tanks, so ended up submerging and swimming in under the waves which made things a bit easier.

Don't remember the actual depth, but it was shallow. Maybe 20' to 25'?
Not a whole lot to see, which is why I've never been itching to go back.

 

[ChimChim75]

Nope. You can walk between the 2, but they have different entries.

I looked at both last night, but the surfers were out. Ended up going to Magic Island, but only had about 10 foot vis. Rain wasn't helping last night either.

The Pipe hits about 65 feet at the end. Kakaako I think is more like 40 if you're diving 80s, but I'd have to check my logs when I get home. It may be 50 or 60. I drop sooner on Kakaako compaired to the long surface swim on Kewalo Pipe, so I don't get as deep.

 

[sea nmf]

So, from Kakaako park (to the Ewa side of Dominis restaurant), where is the entrance? I'll go out there on Sunday afternoon but need to cut down on my wandering around. I know it's a long narrow park.