Kona BOUND!!!

[Diver_Jan]

All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go, I'm standing here.....

Hey Gang!

I'm heading to Kona on Monday!!! I can hardly wait!!! I have 5 boat dives booked and lots of shore diving with folks from Scubaboard who live in Kona. I'm looking foward to meeting our Hawaiian friends!!! I will give a full report plus pics when I get back. I hope to be able to dive with some of Hawaii's Manta Rays!!!

I will be thinking of all of you on the 30th while you are all diving La Jolla. Have a wonderful time. That is one of my favorite spots to dive!

Take care and dive safe!

 

[scubapro5]

Hawaii is a beautiflul place to visit and I always look forward to when I will be able to visit one of the islands again.

Have a nice trip!

 

[Reeveseye]

My wife and I just got back from spending a week on the Kona coast, and we did the manta dive as well. It's an absolute can't miss! Plenty of bottom time, since you spend half the dive just kneeling on the bottom and watching the mantas swoop all around you. It was unreal! Unfortunately, I didn't get any manta pics worth posting, since all the people on the bottom kicked up so much particulate matter, but at least I was able to post some decent shots from other dives.

Although this won't do you much good now since you're already booked, I highly recommend Jack's Diving Locker in Kailua-Kona. Very nice people, and they treat you right. You'll be amazed at the level of service you get on a Hawaiian dive boat. They carry all your gear for you, hook it up, help you get it on, etc. My wife especially liked that part of the service, although our sense of safety/paranoia still made us double-check the gear. But they know their stuff, and the diving is spectacular! My favorite quote from one of their staff members: "Yeah, we were thinking of taking you guys to this one dive site nearby, but the vis has been pretty crummy there lately - it's down to about 60 feet!"

I had to bite my tongue to keep from howling with laughter. If I have a 60 foot vis day of diving around here, I think I've died and gone to heaven. Must be nice to live somewhere that thinks that's only mediocre! Enjoy your trip!

 

[headhunter]

Sweet! Have fun!

Christian

 

[jenazah]

Hi Jan, I'll be there from Oct 30 to Nov 6. I already book a Manta Ray dive with Kona Honu. How long are you gonna be there ?

 

[Diver_Jan]

Hi Jan, I'll be there from Oct 30 to Nov 6. I already book a Manta Ray dive with Kona Honu. How long are you gonna be there ?

Darn! You will be arriving just as I am about to depart. I am arriving on the 25th in the morning and leaving the afternoon for the31st.

I have a condo booked at the Bay Club Resort in Waikoloa. I hear it's awesome!

Re my dives, I have booked them through Kona Honu Divers. For a couple of reasons. One, I had met them at the Scuba Show in person, very friendly and helpful; two, I asked a ton of questions re dives off their boats re marine life, bottom times, ect. I have had friends who have booked boat dives only to be limited to 30 min of bottom time each dive. If that were the case, I would stick to beach diving and save myself the expense. I can easily get 90 minutes of bottom time on an 80 cf tank; third, I personally phoned different dive operations and I felt 'gut feeling' the most comfortable with Kona Honu Divers.

I am really looking forward to doing some shore diving as well. There are three spots relatively close to the resort where I am staying, inlcuding a beach dive where you can see Manta's as well.

Have a great time. We will have to compare notes when you get back.