Kihei (Maui) shore dives - help with dive flag

[diver858]

We were able to find some cheap airfares from LAX to OGG, plan to spend a long weekend in the Kihei area, and do some of the easier shore dives in the Kihei area.

All of the research we have done emphasizes the need for a dive flag to avoid some pretty stiff fines. I do not plan to tow the flag around with us, and would appreciate some guidance on the best way to "secure" it while we dive.

Would also appreciate recommendations of a dive shop in the Kihei area to rent tanks and weights.

 

[kidspot]

Many divers like to tie it to a rock in the sand, or a 4# weight at their drop down point, then pick it up when they begin their ascent at the same point.

The two best shops in Kihei IMO are B&B and Maui Dreams Dive Co. Of course B&B happens to be my favorite, but you won't go wrong with either one

Have fun diving

Aloha, Tim

 

[TSandM]

If you're shore diving and renting tanks and weights, I don't think you can possibly do better than B&B. They are just plain good people. You might consider picking up the Maui Shore Dives book at the shop, too. It's a very good reference.

We have done what Tim describes -- tie the flag off to something near where you are going to surface, and then go dive. Most of the time, the topography is such that it isn't a problem to retrace your steps and retrieve your flag.

 

[spoolin01]

I like using Maui Dive Shop. They have locations around the island - it's convenient. Good hours as I recall.

I don't know how common fines for not having a dive flag are - I only dive there every 2 or 3 years for a couple weeks - but I can't recall ever seeing any shore divers using them.

 

[KrisB]

A few things:

1. DO NOT tie the flag to anything that might resemble something living. That includes most rock -- if it's not man made (e.g. moorings placed at Ulua beach to tie flags to), don't tie off to it. You can anchor the normal dive flag with 2#'s of lead, so if you're not sure about finding something to tie it to without harm, bring an extra block of lead.

2. I wouldn't suggest risking the fine. There are sites you're more likely to get fined at than others -- e.g. Ahihi, Makena Landing and Mala Wharf (not an exhaustive list)... but for how easy it is to bring with you, what's the point?

3. remember that one of the key parts of the law is that, aside from an emergency, you surface within 100' of the flag. If you're confident enough in your navigation to park the flag and come back to it, then go for it. If you're not... I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[jjgibo]

3. remember that one of the key parts of the law is that, aside from an emergency, you surface within 100' of the flag. If you're confident enough in your navigation to park the flag and come back to it, then go for it. If you're not... I wouldn't recommend it.

I would agree with Kris, however I believe the law is surface within 50feet of your dive flag. We were diving E beach on Oahu the other weekend, when DLNR pulled up on their brand new jet skis. We were surface swimming in but had left our flag out there, when one student dropped his mask. His buddy dropped grabbed it and popped up, and thats when DLNR came by to remind us we needed to surface within 50 feet of our flag. I am not sure about this and feeling too lazy to go look up the law right now, but thought I would throw that out there.

 

[KrisB]

I would agree with Kris, however I believe the law is surface within 50feet of your dive flag. We were diving E beach on Oahu the other weekend, when DLNR pulled up on their brand new jet skis. We were surface swimming in but had left our flag out there, when one student dropped his mask. His buddy dropped grabbed it and popped up, and thats when DLNR came by to remind us we needed to surface within 50 feet of our flag. I am not sure about this and feeling too lazy to go look up the law right now, but thought I would throw that out there.

Amendments to HAR Chapters 13-240, 13-243, 13-245 and 13-256

(i) There shall be no subsurface distance restrictions from a dive flag, however, except in cases of emergencies, free divers or SCUBA divers shall be prohibited from surfacing more than one hundred feet away from the diver's flag in the ocean waters of the State and fifty feet in navigable streams.

 

[KrisB]

Of course, this isn't the first record of the DLNR not knowing their own rules... there have been records of divers accosted because they parked the flag and returned to it as well.

Also, they don't like to obey the spirit of them either. I watched some DLNR RIBs do high-speed passes around several dive flags at Kakaako Park in Dec/07... here's the photos: DSC_3589 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

[jjgibo]

kris, great post and thanks for posting the hawaii administrative rules and link as well.

 

[princessaprilia]

Oooh, Kris.

Posting pics like that could get you a visit from the men in black (black neoprene)


:theyareontome: