Maui Diving over Christmas!

[tracille]

I just got the opportunity to dive in Maui for a few days between Christmas and New Years! Totally last minute so with my plan everything way in advance personality I'm starting to freak myself out. I'm a new diver (only 18 total logged dives) who has only dove off of orange county, ca.

I have a couple of questions...whats the water temperature like? what type of exposure suit is needed? I typically use a 7mm (which i know is to much) but how much weight should I try taking off with the needed exposure suit? Any must do dives?

Thanks (sorry if i'm asking a lot of questions...expecially if they have veen asked multiple times before)

 

[DiveMaven]

Are you going to boat dive or shore dive?? If you're going to boat dive, start trying to make your reservations NOW! No joke, many boat operators are often fully booked by October for Christmas. Shore diving can be hit and miss that time of year. Last year the viz in-shore was terrible due to a current reversal, so booking at least one boat dive should guarantee a dive with good viz somewhere!

I'd say start with B&B, Ed Robinson's, or Mike Severns (all depart from the Kihei boat ramp). B&B will be better for a newer diver, but if you stick with Ed Robinson's 2-tank charters (not the X, or 3-tank), you'll be 100% fine as well.

We go every year at Christmas/New Years and dive with Ed Robinson's and already have our charters booked, so if you decide to book with them, we'll probably see you at the boat ramp or on the boat!

The last 2 Christmas/New Years, the water temperatures were between 72-76 degrees. Last year it was 72-74, the year before we saw 75-76 (mostly 75). Based on your own cold tolerance and how much you're diving, choose your neoprene thickness.

I won't wear less than a 5mm full suit, but we dive daily for 2 weeks, and my core temperature takes a huge hit. So I have a 5mm Merino Lined full suit with 5mm booties, and this year I'm taking a hood just in case. I'd say in the winter we see mostly 3mm full and 5mm full suits on the boat, but we've seen tropical dry suits, 7mm full suits, skins, and no wetsuits as well!

 

[KrisB]

I'd recommend starting with a shore dive so your weighting can be tuned more appropriately. It's difficult for boat ops to get your weight right initially, and adjusting it with 40'+ of water underneath the boat is less than ideal, so you'll typically be overweighted.

If you plan on diving several days with different operators (and don't own your own gear), I'd suggest renting the gear from one ahead of time, then sticking with it the entire time. As a new diver, it'll be easier for you to get used to one set than to have to adapt to each operator's different brands, models, etc. Maui Dreams Dive Co. ( Maui Dreams Dive Co - Guided Scuba Diving, Scuba Diving Courses, South Kihei, Maui Hawaii ) in Kihei is the best bet for that.

Everyone has different "must-do" dives. I really like the diving off Lanai, and find that the Molokini Backwall (an "advanced dive" that most see as must-do) is not all that great. There is plenty of shore diving of high quality also -- consider talking to Maui Dreams about that also.

For what you're used to in California, even "terrible" viz in Maui will be like being in an aquarium. Typically, if it's not 20'+ of viz, it gets the rank of "aweful" -- 20-50' viz is "decent" 50-100 is "good" and 100+ is exceptional (and the norm at sites like Molokini)

 

[bmrwizard99]

As far as guys to hook up with, when I went a few years ago, I did a bunch of research and heard great things about KrisB, Shaka Doug and Ed. I ended up using Shaka Doug and he was phenomenal! I've been to Maui 5 times and although I did Molokini, Lanai early on, now most of the dives I do are shore dives. To me, they are the best value, so much to see and provide fewer people around than on the boat dives.

I have always used a 3m. KrisB is correct, viz is really good to great compared to other places.

Hit 5 graves, makena landing, white rock beach...some of my favs.