Maui Dives Late November 2012

[Darrel Conger]

I am going to be Maui for 10 days in late November. Right now my plan is to do a shore dive from Wailea to get some blue water experience and then 3 2 tank dives with ProDiver Maui with fairly Conservative profiles. I have just over 50 dives in the past 3 years but only 3 of those have been blue water dives in Cozumel. Most of my diving is Texas mudhole diving (warm water, shallow, poor visibility).

I have not actually booked anything yet and any info or suggestions would be welcome. Were staying in Wailea so I don't want to drive all the way to Lahaina for a 6 am dive. When I was there last year I did snorkel the Molokini crater.

Some of the question I have:

Has anyone here dived with ProDiver Maui?

I am at the very least taking my computer and regulator. Any thoughts on whether to rent everything else or take my own? My one concern is that I have not used a jacket style vest since open water class. All my other dives have been Zeagle Brigade back wing dives.

Should I do my dives back to back or space them out like every other day?

I am use to having a pony bottle are they common and easy to rent?

Are camera rentals easy to find?

Thanks in advance.

 

[diversteve]

Should I do my dives back to back or space them out like every other day?

We dive every day except for the last day when we do something else for 24hrs. before our flight. If you go up Haleakaka (or bike down) Haleakala - or take a helicopter tour - they're both to elevation so no-fly rules apply there also.

I am use to having a pony bottle are they common and easy to rent?

I've never seen one - never looked though either. In that area your best option might be B&B Scuba, they do some technical stuff so might have them for rent.

Are camera rentals easy to find?

Maui Underwater Camera Rentals | Maui Underwater Video Camera Rentals | Camera Rentals on Maui
Call first, some of their shops are in strip malls and have limited rental selection. There's 2 in Kihei and one in Wailea.

Rentals - Maui Dreams Dive Co is another option in Kihei.

B&B Scuba does also - direct link is bad on their website or I'd post it:

rent you your own underwater camera to shoot your own photos. Come find out more about our rentals and imaging services.

If you're going to rent a camera all 4 days, you might look at buying an Intova Sport instead - 12MP stills and HD video: http://www.intova.net/products/sport-hd/ http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?is=REG&Q=&A=details&O=productlist&sku=848962 - $199. There's a review thread in the videography forum.

For the shore dive you'll need to tow a flag. Maui Dive shop rents those also.

 

[Token]

I have not actually booked anything yet and any info or suggestions would be welcome. Were staying in Wailea so I don't want to drive all the way to Lahaina for a 6 am dive. When I was there last year I did snorkel the Molokini crater.

Some of the question I have:

I am at the very least taking my computer and regulator. Any thoughts on whether to rent everything else or take my own? My one concern is that I have not used a jacket style vest since open water class. All my other dives have been Zeagle Brigade back wing dives.

Should I do my dives back to back or space them out like every other day?

I'M in Maui for the first time, for two weeks in January...here are my thoughts:

I prefer to use my own gear, so I'll be taking everything but weights and a tank with me. If you have specialized equipment you're used to, I'd definitely try to take it along, if I were you..

There are loads of good dive ops [according to TripAdvisor] in the Wailea/Kihei [south Maui] area. Prodivers get great marks, as do B&B, Mike Severns and ScubaLuv [just don't be late for the boat...a lot of people get cranky after being late and missing the boat].

How you schedule your dives will depend on the dive op's schedule [they may not do the sites you want when you want], your other vacation activities [my wife doesn't dive, and I can't neglect her for more than a day...] and your energy level [as a 'mature diver' I find a relaxation day between dive days pleasant and advisable]. OTOH, if you are an athletic 20-something, you may prefer to crowd your pleasures more. Something I learned in Cozumel was that not every 'day in Paradise' was a good day for diving, depending on the weather and other factors. If you're determined to do a lot of diving and don't have other obligations, you might want to dive a lot early in your stay, rather than get skunked by bad weather at the end of your holiday.

 

[DiveMaven]

Has anyone here dived with ProDiver Maui?

I don't have personal experience with them, but have never heard anything negative about them in the 9 years I've been diving Maui. My preferred operators are Ed Robinson's (particularly for the 3-tank and advanced charters), Makena Coast Charters, and Dive & Sea.

I am at the very least taking my computer and regulator. Any thoughts on whether to rent everything else or take my own? My one concern is that I have not used a jacket style vest since open water class. All my other dives have been Zeagle Brigade back wing dives.

All the rentals I've ever seen are jacket style BCs, and I can't imagine going from my Zeagle to a jacket and being comfortable in the water. Considering how much diving you're planning, if you have the space, you might want to bring your BC so you can enjoy your dives rather than spending your time "getting used to" the jacket BC that may or may not fit well.

Should I do my dives back to back or space them out like every other day?

Plan your schedule for what works best for you. Remember you'll have to be at the boat ramp at around 6:30am each morning when you're boat diving, so keep that in mind when scheduling your charters.

Do you plan to dive solo for your shore diving or do you have a buddy? If you're looking for a guide, Shaka Doug and Maui Dreams are both highly recommended. Like Steve said, you'll definitely need a flag since DNLR is pretty regular about checking the dive sites.

I am use to having a pony bottle are they common and easy to rent?

Agreed that B&B will be your best potential source for this, though not entirely sure they rent pony bottles. However, IMO if you insist on having a pony, it's another reason to bring your own BC.

For a camera, you can probably rent one at just about any dive shop. Maui Dive Shop and Maui Dreams both do camera rentals as well.

If you haven't done many (or any) dives in Hawaii before, I'd strongly recommend that you either hire a professional guide or find an experienced local to take you. The marine life in Hawaii is SO different than anywhere else in the world and a lot of it is easy to miss. There are a lot of endemic creatures that you won't see anywhere else and it's nice to know that's what you're looking at. There are also a myriad of tiny creatures that you'll never see if you don't know what you're looking for.

Also be aware that dive sites change constantly and one day a site may have nothing to see and another day you can't kick a fin without running into something. I did a dive with Steve in June at Makena Landing where we saw almost nothing....5 days later I did the same dive with my husband and we could barely turn our heads without finding something cool.

When will you be there? We'll be on island during Thanksgiving week diving with Ed Robinson's (including a Thanksgiving day charter!) for 3 days. We might do a couple of shore dives, but haven't decided yet.

 

[StuartT]

I've checked and B&B don't rent pony's. If you want to dive solo with a pony best bet is to drain yours have a valve plug put in it then get it filled on Island. You can take it as a carry on or check it with your gear bag. A buddy of mine got one from Maui dreams last year but the rigging was not that great from what she said. I've talked to them and they have 1 pony for rent. Just bring your own if you plan on a lot of solo diving. I might bring mine this year if I can convince my wife solo diving with a pony is safe- I've never seen anyone with a pony on Maui. BTW pro diver is very good. Only take 6 divers which is nice and b&b and them are the first ones out to the crater.

 

[Tunaman68]

I have gone out with ProDiver Maui for the last three years and can't say enough good things about them! Their rental gear seems top notch, but I bring my own, so I can't say first hand other than on sight.

 

[Darrel Conger]

Just got back from my trip to Maui. Thanks for everyones information. I ended up using Prodiver and was extremely pleased. 3 to a max of 6 (I think they can do 7 at times). I had planned on 3 2 tank dives and ended up doing 4 2 tank dives. I really liked the attitude and quality of their operation. I had captain Paul at the helm for all the dives and dive masters Matt and Lizzie for 2 dives each. Both of the dive masters were PADI Master Scuba Diver Instructors with thousands of dives in the area. I could not have been better take care of or had a better time. They really know the waters and where the wildlife hides. I plan on being back in May and will use them again.