Maui Diving?

[Parrothead_Diver]

My Wife and I will be on our annual trip to Maui during the last week of August/first week of September. This will be our first trip back to Maui since getting certified this past October, so obviously this will be our first diving in Hawaii.

We are planning on doing a day trip to Molokini Crater, and quite a bit of shore diving. I have already been to shorediving.com and have gotten alot of useful information from there. So my questions are the following:

1) Can you recommend a good dive boat for our Molokini Crater trip? We will be staying Kaanapalli.

2) Are there any special laws/regulations that we should be aware of? I.E., I heard that you have to have a float/dive flag if you are shore diving. Is this true?

3) For exposure protection, We plan on using the same gear as we did while in the Caribbean this past January. (3mm Shorty w/.5mm Rash Guard, 5mm booties w/Open Heel Fins, and a pair of 2mm Reef Gloves). Should this be adequate or should we think about getting full 3mm suits?

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

It's a very long boat trip from Kaanapalli to molokini so save yourself a long trip and drive down to Kihei and dive with B&B Scuba and you won't have to do the crater, you'll get to do the backwall which is a world class dive. They are in my opinion one of the best operators anywhere.

Yes you are required to use a dive flag for shore diving. I always play stupid and lie to the scuba cops and tell them I'm a tourist. When the same cop stopped me 3 times I knew I had to get a flag because after nearly 7 weeks they didn't consider me a dumb tourist any longer, they considered me a dumb local.

I use a 3 mil shortie for boat diving and a 3 mil full for shore diving only to protect my legs because I seem to trip and fall on rocks getting out too often. Most are fine with 3 mil something.

Have fun.

 

[RonDawg]

While B&B are a great outfit, as you're staying in Kaanapali be aware that B&B expect you to be at the Kihei boat ramp by 5:45 AM. From my Lahaina hotel it was a 40 minute drive to Kihei; Kaanapali is even further than that. If you're NOT a morning person (and I'm definitely not) it's something you want to take into consideration vs. going with a Lahaina-based operator which is not only closer, but at least one (Lahaina Divers) leaves the dock about an hour later. The disadvantage of course is the longer boat ride to Molokini.

I was there a few weeks ago and I was actually a bit chilled using a 3mm full suit. Hawaii is a bit colder than the Caribbean and Maui (I thought) was a bit colder than Oahu, which was my prior dive experience in Hawaii.

 

[KrisB]

Alternatively, Mike Severn's and Ed Robinson's are also both credible and well-respected boat dive operators leaving from the Kihei boat ramp.

You should consider looking at Maui Dreams Dive Co. for your shore dive needs, when you're diving South Maui.

And, yes, the dive flag law is that you must surface within 50 feet of a dive flag... it doesn't have to be your own, and it doesn't have to come out of the water with you. So, you could arrange to "share" one with another group...

Your exposure protection should be sufficient, if you are generally-warm people. If you chill easily, it might be worth stepping it up to a 5mm full suit. I do fine with my 3/2mm shorty, however.

 

[shark.byte.usa]

Good thread for me, I'm going to Maui (Lahaina) in First two weeks of November. I was considering Lahaina Divers 3 day package. Since I'm not sure what my transportation situation will be like, don't know if I can make it to Kihei.

I was under the impression that the Molokini back wall dive was a more advanced dive, seeing as I'll be newly certified in a couple weeks, I absolutely hope to get some more dives in by the time I go, but still will be a greenhorn with little experience. Am I wrong about the back wall?

Also I will be the only diver going, actually taking my kids for the first week, couple days in Hana, then on to Lahaina, were my parents will meet us a couple days later so I can dive. Problem finding a buddy on the charters? suggestions?

Thanks

P.S. don't mean to hijack Parrothead's thread

 

[SoCalOffshore]

I will be in Maui in a few weeks, anyone know the current water temp?

 

[kidspot]

77* this last week - in a few weeks it may be up to 78 or 79*

 

[DiveMaven]

We dive with Lahaina Divers when we don't want to drive to Kihei since our timeshare is in Kaanapali. They run good boats and a good operation, but they bigger than Robinsons, Severns, or B&B, and although they can carry 20+ divers, we've only had that happen once (when a cruiseship was in port), and found that the boat was big enough to accomodate us all comfortably. I also feel that they are geared more toward the beginner or occassional diver than Robinsons, Severns, or B&B.

Also, we wear 3mm full suits when diving in Maui. Wore a shorty once and started to feel chilled during the second dive when the water was 75 degrees. We'll be there at the end of July this year, and still plan to wear the 3mm full suits even though the water will be closer to 80 degrees.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

DiveMe B&B does cater to new divers. I am an instructor and have sent many of my newly certified students to B&B without a problem. Be honest with them on your skill level and they'll take care of you.

 

[RonDawg]

Good thread for me, I'm going to Maui (Lahaina) in First two weeks of November. I was considering Lahaina Divers 3 day package. Since I'm not sure what my transportation situation will be like, don't know if I can make it to Kihei.

If you won't have access to a car, then Lahaina Divers (or another Lahaina-based operator) will be a far better bet for you than one based elsewhere on the island.

I agree with the above that while Lahaina Divers does have a large "cattle boat" they still give very good service. There was plenty of room on the boat for gearing up. They gave excellent dive briefings, and the groups were no larger than 6 per dive leader. They are right in the heart of Lahaina, on Dickenson St. 1 block off Front Street. I was staying at the Maui Islander which was only a block away, and it was extremely convenient for me as I didn't have to find parking (which is pretty scarce in Lahaina unless you want to pay for it). You meet at their store around 6:30 AM, put your gear in the back of the truck, then around 7:00 AM the group walks the 1 block to Lahaina harbor.

I was under the impression that the Molokini back wall dive was a more advanced dive, seeing as I'll be newly certified in a couple weeks, I absolutely hope to get some more dives in by the time I go, but still will be a greenhorn with little experience. Am I wrong about the back wall?

No, the back wall is definitely for experienced divers only. I haven't done it yet myself.

Some dive charters will make you present proof of advanced dive experience before letting you sign up for such a dive, and others will not go there if there are any inexperienced divers on board.

The back wall will always be there. Have fun in the crater instead.

Also I will be the only diver going, actually taking my kids for the first week, couple days in Hana, then on to Lahaina, were my parents will meet us a couple days later so I can dive. Problem finding a buddy on the charters? suggestions?

It seems most of the dive ops in Hawaii are led by DM's, which is different from places like SoCal where you're supposed to "BYODB" (Bring your own dive buddy). Lahaina Divers and B&B Scuba were definitely like that.