Manta Ray Night Dives
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Sadly, I'll only have one shot for the Manta dive so I'm hoping for the best. We'll be on the Kona side for 4 days and the heading over towards Hilo for 2 days. I suppose that if we did have a manta-free dive we could drive over for another shot. Tried as I did, all I could manage was a week since work is crazy for me at this time of the year.
Steve, thanks for the link to the Manta Pacific Research site. Interesting stuff.
Steve, thanks for the link to the Manta Pacific Research site. Interesting stuff.
DvrRick
Contributor
I'll be in in Waikiki and Kaanapali in early September and am wondering if there are any dive boats that have Manta dives there. It seems most of them are on the big island and Kona. Can someone steer me in the right direction? Thanks.
Mantasscareme
Contributor
Sorry buddy, but I'm afraid you're out of luck. The manta ray night dive is something that's limited to Kona. It's not even natural. It all started when a hotel in Kona started lighting the shallow waters off its swimming beach with floodlights at night. This drew plankton, which drew mantas. The hotel was shut down, but the mantas continued to congregate in Kona. No such luck on Maui though. There are several dive sites like "Reef's End" and "The Back Wall", both in the Molokini Crater off the coast of Maui which have produced daytime sightings. (I know this from internet articles and hearsay, I've never dove Molokini crater myself). Most ops on Maui, both from Lahaina and futher south dive the crater at least once in a while to my knowledge. AS far as I know, not to many manta run ins on Oahu, but that just goes to show how much I know (I've never been to Oahu). Try to send a couple of e-mails to the dive ops there or wait until someone with a lot of Hawaii experience posts to get a straight answer
Mantasscare is not responsible for any misinformation (or misspelling) deliberate or otherwise in this reply, anyway, happy diving
Mantasscare is not responsible for any misinformation (or misspelling) deliberate or otherwise in this reply, anyway, happy diving
Humuhumunukunukuapua'a
Contributor
I've done the dive twice and got no mantas once.
We went with Jack's both times. The time we got shut out (August or September '04), the DM for my group was Keller, who is a great guy, a manta expert and a great diver. The dive was a lot of fun even without the mantas.
When we went in May '05, we got 4 mantas...honestly if you get even one manta you'll have trouble holding in your regulator because your jaw will want to hit the floor. They are simply amazing creatures and they come unbelievably close to you.
Something I don't think has been mentioned is to wear more exposure protection than you normally would in Hawaii because if they show, it's a real couch potato dive. You just sit on the bottom watching mantas and wondering if that diver next to you notices the undulated moray crawling over his legs
Anyway, you do tend to get chilly sitting there, and it would be a bummer to call the dive because you're cold.
And wear more weight. I ended up grabbing rock off the bottom to hold me down really well so I could relax and check out the mantas without the surge shoving me around.
It was a great dive...truly exceptional to see mantas so close. Also consider a night shore dive at Two Step or elsewhere. I had an absolute blast going out at night independantly, and we had the whole place to ourselves.
I've also seen a couple of mantas during the day off the Big Island so always scan the blue water when you're diving, even in the day.
Have fun! I'm jealous. I absolutely love the Big Island.
We went with Jack's both times. The time we got shut out (August or September '04), the DM for my group was Keller, who is a great guy, a manta expert and a great diver. The dive was a lot of fun even without the mantas.
When we went in May '05, we got 4 mantas...honestly if you get even one manta you'll have trouble holding in your regulator because your jaw will want to hit the floor. They are simply amazing creatures and they come unbelievably close to you.
Something I don't think has been mentioned is to wear more exposure protection than you normally would in Hawaii because if they show, it's a real couch potato dive. You just sit on the bottom watching mantas and wondering if that diver next to you notices the undulated moray crawling over his legs
Anyway, you do tend to get chilly sitting there, and it would be a bummer to call the dive because you're cold.And wear more weight. I ended up grabbing rock off the bottom to hold me down really well so I could relax and check out the mantas without the surge shoving me around.
It was a great dive...truly exceptional to see mantas so close. Also consider a night shore dive at Two Step or elsewhere. I had an absolute blast going out at night independantly, and we had the whole place to ourselves.
I've also seen a couple of mantas during the day off the Big Island so always scan the blue water when you're diving, even in the day.
Have fun! I'm jealous. I absolutely love the Big Island.
DvrRick
Contributor
Thanks for the info.
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