We're here now, and dove yesterday with Ed Robinson's.
They were very helpful about some gear issues (airline snafu, the airline didn't at first think our gear would show up, I was able to call the Ed Robinson booking office right before they closed and arrange for rental gear, eventually I only needed a mask). We only got to the Maui airport from New York City about four hours before the 6:30 check in time, we were scheduled to get here at about 6 at night the day before.
The boat crew and DM's were very good. We did the two tank adventure dive yesterday, for which they recommend nitrox (which we did). This is billed as some more out of the way sites for more advanced divers. There was some surge and current at the shallow areas of the sites, and the dives were done drift style, with the safety stop out in blue water, but nothing was really that advanced. I found it pleasantly non challenging but certainly not boring, I really enjoyed it.
They really do want to set up your gear for you, they appear to have a system on the boat, especially with the nitrox dives. I think they move tanks around during the first dive to position them for an easier swap, and they have a system to keep you on the tanks that you tested. I like to set up my own stuff, but they do it in front of you and there's plenty of time to check everything so no big deal.
Our first dive was a place not often done due to frequent winds well south of the boat ramp and La Perouse bay on Maui called Pinnacle Point. Viz was OK for the location (60 feet) but we saw a lot of good stuff. The second dive was the back side of Molikini at a site called Slides. The back side of Molokini is really a beautiful wall and viz was excellent. We drifted in a direction from which the wall developed from a gentle incline to straight vertical with overhangs.
We had a small group (6 or so) and the DM was really good about pointing out wildlife without being pushy about it. He was also good about in water gear stuff - one guy had a tank band come loose on the first dive and another diver had a finger spool come open and reel out a whole lot of line - on both dives. Yes, both dives. Those things should be in pockets (I carry mine in a small pocket along with a john line).
They had hot coffee and juice at the boat ramp and on the boat, and fruit and muffins on the boat between dives (plus water and soda on the boat). Its a well set up, comfortable boat. I noticed the bow seemed to be well flared out, there were a couple bumps with a lot of spray but none came in the boat. Its a big boat to put on and off a trailer every day but they are obviously well practiced and their systems are set up in a customer friendly way.
They did offer to let us keep our gear on board if coming back the next day. I took our regulators and various small stuff back to the hotel, leaving wetsuits, fins, BCs, and my tool/parts kit on the boat.
Later this week my brother, a brand new diver (10 dives max i think) will be joining us. I'll post later about things go with less experienced divers on boat. We also have a Wednesday night dive set up with Shaka Doug.
. I put a video clip up here in a different post last week showing the initial phase of ground work. It's really sad. It's such a great place to dive!! I hope they don't ruin it for the future.
