Looking for Oahu Dive Buddies

[Uzbeckin]

I'm a new diver - maybe 14-15 dives here in Oahu - mostly from boat to around 100'. Anyone looking for a dive partner to do some fun shore dives and explore?

 

[scottitheduck]

Only shore dive to get to 100' is the Haleiwa trench. Oh wait, here's the part where Marco chimes in that he's shore dived the Seatiger!

G

 

[Uzbeckin]

I mostly boat dive with a friend who is an aquarium fisherman... he dives to around 100 for a few tanks then up to 60-70. I've only done a couple of shore dives and they were pretty lame compared to the boat dives. Most of them only went to 30-40 feet and we didn't know where to go.

 

[smellzlikefish]

As Scotty said, if you are looking to go deep, Oahu is not your island. However there are some spectacular shore dives if you're willing to work for them. I usually default to the south-east shore whenever I can. Portlock, the outside of Hanauma Bay, and Lanai Lookout all have incredible marine life, dramatic ocean scapes, and tend to have clear, deeper (60 at Plock to 120 at Hanauma Bay) water. They also all require a little prior know-how to enter, navigate, and exit safely, so find a buddy who knows these spots before trying them.

 

[Uzbeckin]

Thanks for the info. I think I'm more than ok with a shallower dive as long as there is something to look at... I saw a website with some cool shore dives but I'm just looking for someone who has some free time to attempt a few with me. I'm stuck in a cubicle nerding out all day and would love to get some regular diving in.... chartering boats is ok... but shore dives would be fun and cost a bit less. I'd also like to find a few that would be good for a scooter. I've got a starter scooter right now but am looking to upgrade in the near future.

 

[Uzbeckin]

If anyone is doing a dive and wouldn't mind me tagging along - let me know! I just started diving about a month ago and before I went back to work. I used to teach Cisco Networking classes in my free time with nearly 3 weeks a month to do what I wanted. I was introduced to diving in the last month while I was teaching and I did 3-4 dives a week. I wish I would have tried it sooner!

Now I'm back in the field and I have limited time to dive. I'm stuck now in a cubicle planning one or two dives a week (1-2 quick dives after 2pm each week and two saturdays a month I have just to dive all day). If anyone is planning a group shore outing or just wants to dive a spot and doesn't mind a tag-along - I've got the bug and would love to meet some people who have it as well. If you're an instructor and let me tag along - I'll buy my gear from your dive shop when I need things.

 

[ZackSS]

Hey, I do a lot of shore diving and while to be honest taking a new person out just sounds like a way to have a more stressful and shorter dive, I do have some (hopefully good) suggestions and resources for you.

A) Dive clubs. I'm a member of the Pearl Harbor Divers dive club and while it hasn't been perfectly regular due to weather, they run shore dives for club members around every other weekend. I'm not a member myself, but I also know that Dive Oahu has a large club that I commonly see at the easier sites. Both provide tanks for their club dives and a nice way to meet people and socialize about diving.

B) Explore with your buddy. ShoreDiving.com has overviews of many Oahu dive sites, but you'll probably be a little lost on many. I'd recommend Hanauma Bay and Electric Beach/Kahe Point Beach Park as good sites that are almost impossible to navigate poorly if you follow the cables and pipe, respectively. Both are good high quality shore dives too, so it's not like your inexperience is going to mean crap dives. There was also a topic here recently discussing shore diving at Hanauma Bay with some information for a first timer that should give you the basics.

 

[Uzbeckin]

Thanks for the reply zack. I can understand the apprehension with taking a nubie out. I'm actually really low maintenance. I have all my own safety gear and have practiced with it and I've pretty much experienced all the scariest things for a nubie anyways... gauge failure at 90' leaving me with one hard breath left, rapid current change... viz changes... and a dive partner who's idea of dive buddy is that we see each other on the boat and that's how we know the other didn't die. I think I got thrown into the deep end quite literally from the beginning. I've been diving with him to 100' from before I was certified until now. I'm sure I still have a ton to learn.

I just dove the sea tiger with a group from Ocean legends and that was fun so I think I may take you up on your idea for a dive club. I have my own tanks and my friend probably has over twenty so I'm ok on the gear part. Might be nice not to have to lug them though.

I did actually find shorediving.com while I was at work. My diving buddy who dives for a living usually asks me how my day went and I usually reply ... cubicle. But I find a good dive site every now and then at work to brighten up my day.

Thanks for the info / advice.

 

[Black_3000psi]

Only shore dive to get to 100' is the Haleiwa trench. Oh wait, here's the part where Marco chimes in that he's shore dived the Seatiger!

G

um not to brag,but have dove both the sea tiger and the y.o from shore. though thats not to say that these are shore dives,you know the best thing about those dives is there were people there to see me do it. but I have found 50-60 foot depth at three tables but it too is a rather far topwater trek.

 

[Uzbeckin]

Nice... did you just snorkel out or did you go rebreather?