Kauai Recommendations for September?

[doublea]

Hello!

I'm looking for some recommendations and advice for diving on Kauai in september. I'm staying on the southern point of the island (Point at Poipu), and looking to dive 1-3 days over a week long trip. Some specific questions:

a) Niihau - Season seems to go until last september. Is it worth trying to book a boat dive here? Anyone have recommended operators? I found one that seemed very expensive (is it worth it?)

b) Shore diving - We've got out own gear (except tanks). Is the shore diving decent? Would it planning some shore dives, which tend to be pretty inexpensive? Any suggestion on sites or places to get tanks?

c) Any other boat dives definitely worth the extra cost versus shore?

Thanks!!!!

 

[Rock2r]

Ditto-same questions as OP! I will also be there 3rd week of September after spending a week in Kona. First time at this island for me too. Decent shore diving off the Sheraton at Poipu?

 

[MikeJ1105]

As a former Dive Instructor from the island, Kauai is a great island to dive on. South side of the island is a great place to stay since all the diving goes out along the south shore. September is also a great time to go since most kids are back in school and the summer travel is winding down.

For Niihau - You will need to check with the local shops to see if they are still going out to the "Forbidden Island". This is a three dive trip and is worth every penny if the conditions are right. Visibility is amazing and a rare chance to swim with monk seals is the best diving on Kauai. Check out and ask questions with:
aascuba.com
bubblesbelowkauai.com
fathomfive.com
seasportsdivers.com

For Shore diving - I worked for Aquatic Adventures (aascuba.com) and would recommend for you to go into the shop when you get there and talk with them about current conditions. I would even recommend signing up for a guided dive with them to get the lay of the land and for them to show you some creatures you might not see on your own. The two main locations for shore diving is Koloa Landing and Prince Kuhio Park (PK's). Both sites are great dives that have lots of turtles, eels and sometimes octopus. The north shore has a great site in Tunnels Beach. This is a great spot where you walk right into the water from the beach. This dive has some really cool tunnels to swim through and early morning dives you get to see white tip reef sharks.

Overall - The best thing to do is call around and ask questions. All the dive shops dive the same spots (for the most part) and have different personalities, so find one you like to work with and #1 have fun.

Let me know when you get back of how it went and where you dove. I miss that place everyday.

Mike J.

 

[rattlenbones]

I live in the middle of koloa-poipu, fathomfive on one end and seasports on the
other - book the forbidden island now, seasports is booked up for aug. all ready.
Then to save your pennies dive koloa landing - If you would like to join some
local frogs on the weekend send me a PM around the time you get here,
I will try to put something together OR just look for some tec. guys JUST
getting wet at the landing, we will go over a dive plan.
With work permiting??? even hit a few night's.


Aloha - bones.

 

[kaimanu]

Bubbles Below offers some fantastic boat dives at reasonable prices from the southwest side of the island. Request diving Amber's Arches and Hale O Honu. These dive sites have been going off with marine life and they always give a marine ecology tour, moving slowly so that you can spend time observing behaviors instead of racing around chasing the DM. Turtles, Turtles, and more turtles can be found at Hale O Honu, along with lionfish, schools of baracudas, sharks, octopus and the occasional monk seal! Ask about dive specials! Bubbles Below also offers NaPali coast/Mana Crack dives!

 

[jackyd]

Heading to Kauai for a week of scuba on Saturday with my girlfriend. We're staying in Kapa'a and will be going shore diving all week and one day of boat diving.

I haven't dove Kauai before but I worked as a divemaster on Maui and am competent with safety, able to surface swim, navigate, etc. I checked out shorediving.com and found out about some of the spots, but there really weren't many specifics about where exactly to go on the reefs.

Sheraton Caverns for instance, I will spot dive boats and locate it no problem. But at Tunnels, which looks like a horse shoe reef, what pattern should I swim? Out and back on the outside of the reef? Any specifics for Tunnels would be appreciated, as well as Anahola, and any other shore dive spots you like.

If anyone is around this saturday to next sunday 14-22?, I would be very happy to meet up for a dive.

 

[MikeJ1105]

Heading to Kauai for a week of scuba on Saturday with my girlfriend. We're staying in Kapa'a and will be going shore diving all week and one day of boat diving.

I haven't dove Kauai before but I worked as a divemaster on Maui and am competent with safety, able to surface swim, navigate, etc. I checked out shorediving.com and found out about some of the spots, but there really weren't many specifics about where exactly to go on the reefs.

Sheraton Caverns for instance, I will spot dive boats and locate it no problem. But at Tunnels, which looks like a horse shoe reef, what pattern should I swim? Out and back on the outside of the reef? Any specifics for Tunnels would be appreciated, as well as Anahola, and any other shore dive spots you like.

If anyone is around this saturday to next sunday 14-22?, I would be very happy to meet up for a dive.

Sheraton Caverns is a healthy swim from shore, but is a great dive site.

We always dove Tunnels with 2 dives. There is a inside and outside reef. Dive this site early, like 8am. Do not make a lot of noise before 8am or you will have the locals in your face. (not good) If you get in where the dive companies start there is a great set of swim through areas. Swim down the shore side reef until your about half air then turn and come back up the reef the same way you went down. The second reef is the outside reef across the small channel. Snorkel out to the inside edge and drop down. Take the reef out and around to the north until half air and turn back the same way you came. Afternoon dives can turn into drift dives in a hurry, so be careful.

Check out aascuba.com and talk to them about conditions before you head out. Talk with Shawn and he might draw you some maps.

Let us know how your dives turn out.

Wish I was there.....
Mike J

 

[rattlenbones]

My friend Mike and I meet up with Jack and his girlfriend for
a night dive 08-14-10 had a good time, very good diver's,
would like to dive more with them.

I did fal up on the exit pont by 50+ yards after diving there
hundred's of time's, but it was nice to kick in under the star's,
That helped them to forgive me LOL, Mike was just looking at
me like WHAT where are you going.....

Next time i'll bring a becon light for the exit point, It's a north to
south entry-exit, but not everagain without a becon exit light,
lesson learned - keep it wet....

Aloha bones

 

[SnoWake]

Aloha, fellow divers!

Thanks for all the great tips on the Kauai diving. My wife and I are headed there for a "BabyMoon" - one last 'fling' before our first child is born in Jan 2011. Thanks to the feedback from this list, I've decided on an LDS (Bubbles Below) and planning a charter to Ni'ihau, and some south shore dives: Looking over Franko's Dive Map and the details shared above and in other threads to pick ones that might be the most interesting.

Also contemplating another charter over to the Na Pali coast / Oceanarium - any thoughts / experiences? Is it worth the trek?

I'll be on the island from Sep 8th - 18th, and would be happy to meet up with a fellow SB diver...

Peace and malhalo,
Billy

 

[ffhamm]

You will love Niihau, and Bubbles below. Just got back from a great trip. Niihau was absolutely awesome. Vis was unbelievable, amount of fish I could not believe. Lobsters, Monk Seals, Sharks (white tip, grey and Galapagos) Huge alua, Endemic fish, Swim throughs... and the list goes on..... Wish I was back

Jeff