Maui in April

[sommos1975]

My wife and I are visiting Maui for the first time, for our tenth anniversary, in April. We are probably going to dive with Lahaina Divers for three charters - Molokini, Lanai, and Turtle Reef. Let me know what you guys think. I was also curious if seeing a whale on our dive is possible or probable - I know this is impossible to answer. Give me any info you can. I've been scouring the web for weeks, and I have to say that this board is the most informative and enjoyable on the web.

I feel so much better now that I have gotten my first post out of the way.

 

[KrisB]

When in April will you be there? I'll be there from the 13-29th, and am interested in hooking up with other SB'ers for some shore diving. Also, the Saturday of Easter weekend has the Maui Dreams Underwater Easter Egg Hunt...

Depending on where you're staying, you may want to consider using a different provider for the Molokini charter, and depending on what "Turtle Reef" is, then that too... it's quite a boat ride from Lahaina down to Molokini, compared with the Kihei boat ramp or even Maalea.

A provider I'm fond of are Ed Robinson's Diving Adventures, but Mike Severn's and B&B Scuba are also very highly recommended.

For your shore dive needs, I'd suggest checking out Maui Dreams Dive Co. if you're in the Kihei area...

-kb

 

[kidspot]

Whales are on there way out by April, and even in peak season they tend to avoid divers. However you'll likely still see some from the boat - Enjoy your trip to Maui

Aloha, Tim

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Looooong boat trip to Molokini from Lahaina. I wouldn't do it.

 

[DiveMaven]

When we've been on Maui in early April, we've always seen whales from either shore or a boat, and heard them underwater while diving, but we've never seen them underwater.

We dive with Lahaina Divers most of the time (we know a couple of the DM's well and are always treated like family) and actually like the long boat ride to Molokini. The ride is usually smooth and the views are gorgeous, plus we get to whale watch during the season. It IS a long boat ride, so if you don't like long rides definitely drive down to Kihei and hook up with B&B, Mike Severns, or Ed Robinsons.

"Turtle Reef" refers to an afternoon charter that sticks close to shore. The afternoon trades come up and make dive conditions less than desireable in open areas. There are a bunch of sites they go to up and down the Maui coast. Very often Lahaina Divers will take you to Mala Wharf for one dive, and it's a dive that I really like. It's a huge wreck of a wharf in a fairly protected area that provides great views of all sorts of sea life (turtles, sharks, and oodles of fish), and also has some fun swim thrus.

Lanai is definitely one of my favorite places to dive. It's likely that you'll dive either Cathedral 1 or 2 on your charter, and that's a definite plus! The Cathedrals are gorgeous and amazing to dive, but remember to take your flashlight. We didn't on our dives in August and really regretted it, but we got some fabulous pictures of the light streaming through the cathedrals, so that was cool.

When will you be on Maui? We'll be there from April 1-6, and will likely be diving with Lahaina Divers 3 or 4 days.

 

[XJae]

have you checked out... http://www.theplantationinn.com/

i always seem to be there at the beginning of may, still a few humpback stragglers, last time we saw a mother and calf.

ive been out with lahaina dives a bunch of time, last time right after they got their new boat. (ask them how they financed it. ) i like them, but then again i like anyone who feeds me. the ride to molokini is not long, but depends what you consider long. i suppose it's long for those parts, but not from what i'm use to on the east coast. Like DiveMe said, you will enjoy the ride unless you don't have sea legs. There's a chance some spinner dolphins, humpbacks or such will show up.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Boat ride is 10-15 minutes out of south Kihei, over an hour from Lahaina. You'll be the last boat to Molokini and quite often the wind or current kicks up so you end up doing a crater dive instead of a backwall dive. I understand loving a dive operation but take them to Lanai but go with a shop like B&B for Molokini.

 

[XJae]

Like I said, a nice short boat ride for me.
I've done the back wall drift with them 4 or 5 times and we've never redirected to inside the crater.
Although, a few times I had to get back on the boat in 6-8 foot chop, which is a nightmare for recreational vacation divers.