Maui dive advice

[dwm1]

I will be going to Maui the first week in October and will be staying at the Grand Wailea I would like to dive a couple of days somewhere close because my wife doesnt dive. So can some of you guys and girls recomend a couple of places and dive operators for me. I still consider myself a beginner, Ive made around 25 dives so nothing too advanced. I have my own equipment, will I need a full wetsuit or will a "shorty" be allright? One last question. Will I have problems being a solo diver?

Thanks

Doug

 

[bobmaggi]

You could call/email Shaka Doug (see banner at top of page), Even tho we've never dove w/ him, he has a great reputation and does guided shore dives. The Grand Wailea, being on the south side, is near Ulua Beach, which is a wonderful dive site.

You could also contact B & B Scuba and/ or Maui Dreams. They could help you out as well! Hope this helps!

You'll also be able to enjoy the wonderful 'waterpark' at the Grand Wailea!

Hope this helps! Maggi

 

[Maui Manini]

Charlie Dolfun's Scuba Safari is on grounds at the Grand Wailea. I've talked to him on the beach, and he is very entertaining, but I don't know anyone who has used his services. Next door at the Four Seasons is Maui Under Sea Adventures. I've talked to them during our semi-annual monk seal counts, as they have posted some cool videos to You Tube. Of course, you can also dive with Maui Dreams, or B&B Scuba, or Shaka Divers, or Ed Robinson's. There are some awesome beach dives and rocky coast dives, but I'd rather do a boat dive, and not have sand in my ears for the next week.

 

[NudiHuntrs]

Will I need a full wetsuit or will a "shorty" be allright? One last question. Will I have problems being a solo diver?

How thick is your full wetsuit? How thick is your shorty? Do you get cold easily?

I dive in a 5mm full suit because I tend to do multiple, long dives. The 5mm keeps me quite comfortable. I've seen other folks diving at the same time as me in just bathing suits. A lot of it depends on your tolerance for cold, length and number of dives.

Water temps here on Oahu (according to my Oceanic computer) have been between 75- 79 degrees lately. My husband's computer trends a few degrees warmer.

Most dive operators will pair you up with another diver (insta-buddy) or your dive guide will be your buddy. It is quite common and shouldn't be a problem.

Aloha,

NH

 

[KrisB]

Maui temps are showing ~80 degrees right now. In the next couple months, I'll be going back to my 3mm fullsuit...

I'd love to go diving with you as well. PM me when the time gets closer and we can arrange details.

Cheers,

-kb

 

[dwm1]

Thanks Everyone for your help. My full wetsuit is a 5mm and my shorty is a 3mm, Im going to take both. We leave October 5, I cant wait.

Doug

 

[Michael Folise]

Don't pass up the shore diving. Lots of great beaches and only $7.00 for tanks and weights. Artie at Pacific Dive can either set you up with a buddy or be your buddy/dive master. Still cheaper than a boat. Try old airport beach, Napili bay, LaPeruse bay. All easy entries.

 

[divebri]

I don't think money's a problem. Skip the shore dives, only because boat dives to molokini and other places are much better. Not economically better, but convenience and time better

I stay at the Grand Wailea myself - I have used Charlie's company, and while he's a very nice guy and runs a nice operation on the grounds, you will be disappointed with the shore diving. It just ain't all that great.

I would HIGHLY recommend B and B scuba - Maui Hawaii Dive Boat and Scuba Training Center - B&B Scuba to dive with. They board the boat at the Kihei boat ramp literally a mile down the street, the concierge will be able to give you directions very easily. While Ed Robinson's is fine as well, with 25 dives and worried about solo my money would be on Brad and Blesi providing you the most confidence and FUN. They leave wicked early, but they're back early enough for you to grab a smoothie, head to the pool, hook up with the family and have lunch.
And it's worth it to get up and drive to Lahaina to go out with Lahaina Divers to Lanai for the cathedrals - it's potentially a cattle boat, but the divemasters do a good job, the big Newtons are stable crossing the channel to Lanai(I tend to get seasick, and I have three kids with me, so that's who I use), and they're great for beginning to intermediate, especially with no hawaiian dive experience.

THEN, if you want to shore dive, find shaka doug
Another tip: The night dives, if you want to do them, are mostly shore, but Lahaina divers does one trip a week for the night dive. It's worth it too if you haven't done many.
Here's the dives you'd want to do, in my highly opinionated order:
Molokini - just because everybody does it.
Back Wall - it's a great drift, but don't do it first if you're not an advanced diver
Lanai cathedrals - the best diving Maui has to offer, IMHO
Carthaginian wreck - not a super-interesting wreck, but nice nonetheless
Reef's end drift - a stunning drift in which you may see some big pelagics in the blue water. Usually ripping current, just go with the flow and stay with the DM.
Other dives are fill-ins, like five graves, the St. Anthony, mala wharf (although that's a very nice shore dive, just a long way from Wailea), etc. They're very nice, but not top of the list.
If you want any tips on the Grand Wailea, pm me. I've been staying there almost every year for 15 years.

 

[dwm1]

It was a national sales contest thru my work. So thats how Im staying at the Grand Wailea. My wife who doesnt dive will be with me so that why the on site dives appealed to me I dont want to leave her alone all day while Im out diving. We have a snorkeling trip set up at Molokoni one day in the week (it was one of the activities that we selected). I still may do a boat dive also, but being able to get up early and dive from near the hotel sound great. One last thing most of my diving has been done in a lake in West Virginia with 10 to 15 ft of visibility, with the excection of 6 dives in Key Largo, so even the worst shore dive for you guys is going to be great for me.

Doug

 

[divebri]

whether it's ed robinsons's or b and b. You'd be back at the hotel easily by eleven.
There's some sites very close to the Grand Wailea (five graves, for example) that are nice shore dives, and shaka doug would do you right as a guide for the dive too.

I look at it this way: If you boat-dive, you'll be back right after breakfast and can relax by the pool, spend the entire day there, have some lunch, watch the waves. Trust me, once you get there you'll have a hard time prying your butt off of one of the chaise lounges by one of the pools, or facing the ocean on the beach. Your wife can sleep in, go get some breakfast, go down and get a couple chaise lounges in a good spot, and read a book or something. You'll be there in an hour or less.

Enjoy the GW - My idea of a vacation is diving two in the morning, and then taking a nap under the cabanas while I have a couple smoothies and a sandwich, then changing to booze around 2PM