Kona question

[Strima77]

I've read some of the related threads on dive operators and the manta night dive, but have this to ask: I will be staying at the Mauan Lani resort the first week of April. I understand they have an on-site operator, Mauna Lani Sea Adventures. Anybody have experience with them, do they do the night dive, or can tell me if the other operators nearby that would pick up, etc. Also, I plan to bring a 3mm wetsuit, is that generally ok on Kona in April (I realize people have different tolerances for cold) thanks.

 

[redrover]

Can’t help with the resort operator. Don’t recall hearing of Sea Adventures but I don’t get out and mingle much (too good a deal with my LDS.) The Mauna Lani is a good ways away from the Manta Dive site so they may not get down that far. The Kona Ops all do the Manta, some just more often than others and driving from Kohala to Kona is no big deal. You should get the Manta booked early though if your date range is limited, it’s real popular and for good reason.

I use a 3ml suit most of the time. I’d expect our water will feel warm to a NorthEasterner. Sorta depends on how many dives a day, by a dive 4 night dive in the winter have a core warmer under my 5ml. But to be honest, I’ve never cut a dive short from cold and see people with none on night dives.

 

[Thalassamania]

Got my Drivers License and registered to vote. I am a resident of Hawaii now.

 

[redrover]

Got my Drivers License and registered to vote. I am a resident of Hawaii now.

Hau’oli makahiki Hau to you too!

 

[jeffrey-c]

I've stayed at the Mauna Lani and the neighboring Fairmont Orchid a few times and have used the on-site operator. They're very convenient, and fine for a lot of nearby low-stress dives. Most of the boat rides to the dive sites are less than 5-10 minutes away, so you zip out to the site, dive, come back to the shop for the surface interval (and snacks), then zip back out to another site. I was last there in June, and I don't remember them doing any night dives. The manta dives are quite a bit further down the coast (like 20 miles or more), so Mauna Lani Sea Adventures doesn't cover them. But assuming you'll have a rental car (you will have a car, right?) it is a quick drive down the cost to Honokohau Harbor where some of the dive boats go out for the manta dive. My personal recommendation is Jack's Diving Locker - I've done the dive with them several times and they are first class all the way.

 

[diverrick]

I'll bump this thread, as I have the same questions. Who DOES do the manta dives?

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

I'll bump this thread, as I have the same questions. Who DOES do the manta dives?

Rather than give you a fish I prefer to teach you how to fish;

Yahoo or Google "Kona Manta Dive"

Click on the first non-commercial listing (#6 on Yahoo)

Click here for a list... is where you could find that information

 

[DocHazmat]

I did the manta night dive with Jack's out of Honokohau a couple weeks ago and had a great trip. It sounds like it's been a bit hit-or-miss as to whether they see mantas on any particular trip. We had one show up on my dive; a couple of days later, I'm told there were a whole bunch. Consider calling the shops you're interested in going with before you book and see what conditions have been like -- past results being no guarantee of future performance, of course, but it can't hurt to ask.

On the wetsuit question: I dove with a 2mm short last month; not once did I feel cold (and this included sitting on the bottom in the dark watching a manta do loops in the water column above my head for ~30 minutes). Granted, the waters at home are ~40F right now, so I might be the best person to ask.

 

[cozcharlie]

I dove with Mauna Lani Sea Adventures last year and plan on diving with them again in mid-April on my honeymoon. My expectations for them last year were pretty low (since they were on site operator and I tend to do advanced diving), but I thought they did a nice job. While my memory is fading a little, as I recall I think the staff I had 10+ years experience.

As I believe one of the other posts indicated, they generally do dives that were near the resort. The staff was friendly, organized, on-time and did a solid job. While we didn't do any deeper diving, they seemed pretty flexible to accomdating more experienced divers. A repeat guest wanted to do a dive that was primarily swimthroughs and I tagged along. I think we probably did 20+ swimthroughs on one dive, several of them were very tight (I am overhead certified, so I have seen my share of tight swimthroughs).

They did a resort course for my girlfriend (now fiancee) and they did a good job on that also.

I would not look to them to do any nitrox/deep air dives, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them for general diving. I believe they were pretty flexible in allowing me to dive to my air supply (60 minutes+).

I don't recall any manta dives up near Kohala. I dove with Jack's in Kona a few years ago and would use them again if you are just looking for a manta dive. They do a lot of volume, but were organized when I used them.

BTW If the food gets boring while at the Mauna Lani, Tommy Bahama's (In the Mauna Lani Shops) is pretty good. Not cheap, but good.

 

[diverrick]

Thanks for all the info.