Kona recommendations for 6 divers, 3 needing check-out dives

[pigletfish]

My husband and I are going to be in Kona with our families the last week of June and first week of July. (Hurray!) Our little sisters (ages 16, 19, and 25) are arriving with tropical referrals and will need to do their OW check-out dives. My husband and I have done ~150 dives over 6 years, but I was out of commission for the last half of 2005 (cancer surgery and chemo), so may not be the strongest diver on this trip. (I'm working hard to get back my stamina, though, and I still have more than 3 months to go!) His brother has done ~25 dives in 5 years, so not terribly well-practiced, but he's pretty much a natural, a confident diver. Can anyone recommend a dive shop -- peferably one where we can take over a 6-pack -- that will be good with the young new divers while still making it a fun dive day for the rest of us?

 

[friscuba]

My husband and I are going to be in Kona with our families the last week of June and first week of July. (Hurray!) Our little sisters (ages 16, 19, and 25) are arriving with tropical referrals and will need to do their OW check-out dives. My husband and I have done ~150 dives over 6 years, but I was out of commission for the last half of 2005 (cancer surgery and chemo), so may not be the strongest diver on this trip. (I'm working hard to get back my stamina, though, and I still have more than 3 months to go!) His brother has done ~25 dives in 5 years, so not terribly well-practiced, but he's pretty much a natural, a confident diver. Can anyone recommend a dive shop -- peferably one where we can take over a 6-pack -- that will be good with the young new divers while still making it a fun dive day for the rest of us?

There are a bunch of 6 packs here, some of them aren't doing a lot of training though. For 6 packs that do classes check with Sandwich Island, Torpedo Tours, myself (Wanna Dive- follow the link in my signature), Ocean Eco Tours, Jack's Diving Locker does have a 6 pack boat. There are other 6 pack operators, but I think they're primarily sticking with certified divers more and more.

On your question above about the group of 12, you can probably cut a deal with one of the larger operators, Jack's or Big Island Divers, to take you out on a private run.

Have fun,

Steve

 

[Wildcard]

Scuba shack Too has a new 6 pack and Jay realy likes teaching. He put up with me from AOW to DM. Don't have the number handy. PM me if you can't find it and I'll turn my cell phone on and find it for you. He's notrh of Kona near the harbor and does nitrox fills for lots of boats/shops if you need that.
Like most places in Hawaii, few "bad" operators last long.

 

[cuddlefish]

Jack's Diving Locker has a spectacular pool for doing refreshers. It is a wonderful way to get acquainted with any rental gear you will be using, practice the basic skills and get comfortable before your ocean dives. They have one boat that takes 6 divers and three boats that take 12-14 dives. Private charters are available. Instruction is offered daily. If you call for information on private charters, ask to speak to the person who specializes in groups and private charters. The companies that Steve mentioned are also great. Do some research and choose the one you think will best suit your needs. Have fun!

 

[friscuba]

Scuba shack Too has a new 6 pack and Jay realy likes teaching. He put up with me from AOW to DM. Don't have the number handy. PM me if you can't find it and I'll turn my cell phone on and find it for you. He's notrh of Kona near the harbor and does nitrox fills for lots of boats/shops if you need that.
Like most places in Hawaii, few "bad" operators last long.

I'm going to say this once. As of a couple weeks ago (he mentioned it directly to me), Jay's boat has yet to be registered as a passenger vessel and was unpermitted to operate as a charter vessel in the state. He's been seen out on the water with divers, and there is speculation that he's been running illegal charters. Not cool if he takes a dime from anyone for any dive or boating related purpose (classes, tours, even a sightseeing cruise, and such) and uses the boat. He's been waiting for permits to open up. I've got no real problem with it, but there are those who are talking of turning him in because they are paying good money to the state (3% of every paying customers bill) to launch their vessels.

If his vessel now has a CP designation, good for him, if not, he shouldn't be promoted as a charter just yet 'til he's permitted. I only am writing this because I have seen his business pop up listed as a charter (it's even in the Big Island Revealed) when he definitely was not permitted. His potential for ever getting a permit could be damaged if DLNR suspects he's operationg illegally.

I'm hoping his permit has come through or will soon.

later,

 

[cuddlefish]

Steve, unfortunately there is much more of this type of thing going on than most would imagine. As a legitimate, legal dive company, I am sure you know how expensive it is and how much more difficult it is to run a dive business "by the rules". A surprising number of companies evade many of the regulations regarding permits, employee-vs-independent contractor issues, etc, etc. It's too bad. I know first hand the additional trouble and expense it takes to do it right. It is very hard to recommend dive companies that you know or suspect are not doing it right. Most of the dive operators here in town are involved in very friendly competition and many of us are friends on a personal level. That makes it even harder to say, "hey, friend...get it together like the rest of us". I do believe that at some point, the dive operators who are not running their businesses in a legal, appropriate way will be called on it. I would dare say that more are not doing things by the book than are. Thank you for your post.

 

[Wildcard]

I'm going to say this once. As of a couple weeks ago (he mentioned it directly to me), Jay's boat has yet to be registered as a passenger vessel and was unpermitted to operate as a charter vessel in the state. He's been seen out on the water with divers, and there is speculation that he's been running illegal charters. Not cool if he takes a dime from anyone for any dive or boating related purpose (classes, tours, even a sightseeing cruise, and such) and uses the boat. He's been waiting for permits to open up. I've got no real problem with it, but there are those who are talking of turning him in because they are paying good money to the state (3% of every paying customers bill) to launch their vessels.

If his vessel now has a CP designation, good for him, if not, he shouldn't be promoted as a charter just yet 'til he's permitted. I only am writing this because I have seen his business pop up listed as a charter (it's even in the Big Island Revealed) when he definitely was not permitted. His potential for ever getting a permit could be damaged if DLNR suspects he's operationg illegally.

I'm hoping his permit has come through or will soon.

later,

I had no Idea. Last time I was there he told me he had a new boat. Didn't know a thing about anything else. I do know Hawaii sucks for giving out permits to people not in there family. I have been thinking of trying to get one too but blew that idea off, for now. Not worth dealing with the hawaiian headaches....

 

[friscuba]

I had no Idea. Last time I was there he told me he had a new boat. Didn't know a thing about anything else. I do know Hawaii sucks for giving out permits to people not in there family. I have been thinking of trying to get one too but blew that idea off, for now. Not worth dealing with the hawaiian headaches....

Yeah, the permitting process can be very strange here. It used to be wide open, then they talked about shutting it down and limiting it to the current permits only, then someone threatened to sue and suddenly they issued about 15-20 new permits about a year and a half ago, then they decided to shut it down again...I think that was right about the time Jay got his boat. So now there's a waiting game.

Permits open up but there's a waiting list. I know one guy who turned his permit in about 2 months ago because he realized paying $400-500 a month for full commercial insurance coverage was eating him alive since he wasn't actually chartering at all.

later,

 

[pigletfish]

Thanks for your recommendations, everyone, for both the diving 6 pack and the dive/snorkel boat for a dozen people on the manta ray trip. As advised, we'll start contacting operators for more information very soon!

 

[Hawaii Scuba Divers]

Dont forget that there are great shore dives and this might be good mix of diving for check out then Boat diving Aloha Mark..