Maui in Late Sept - need an Op and any other suggestions

[SandyUT]

If the sharks don't show it's a long boat ride to a relatively dull site.

Thats kinda what I was expecting...

Honestly, the overall cost of boat diving Maui is ridiculous. three two tank days for me and my wife is $1350!!!! we can get
5 Nights (room)
4 Days of Diving
2 Meals Daily (Breakfast and Lunch daily)
Unlimited Beach Diving
Plus a Free Boat Night Dive

for less in MX...

hard to justify $100 a dive. I am leaning towards shore diving or just skipping the diving all together.

 

[Jcp2]

Mala pier is an easy shore dive, a lot to see in a small area, sheltered from bad weather most of the time.

 

[SandyUT]

Looks like the other couple will be doing 2 days of boat diving which I think we can choke down the cost of I mean it not like its gonna suck and we haven't dove in a while do to the thing.

But we are looking at sore dive options and read many other posts to get down to a shorter list. we are not planning to dive the whole week. so a few will hopefully get squeezed in here and there.
Ulua, Makena/5 Graves, Mala Wharf, Black Rock, Pu'u Olai Beach

several posts mention a book called Maui Shore Dives but my internet searching is not hitting it...anyone got a linky for this?

 

[ChrisM]

i did notice this as well. Its sticker shock for sure. We dont Kona on two separate trips. How does the diving in Maui compare? I think we may only dive a couple days.

So, we got certified in Maui back in 92 when we got married, and you know how it is, the first bunch of dives is AMAZING and incredible... We didn't dive again until '93 when we went back. Did a lot if diving there in 93-99 or so (even still use the scubapro frameless mask I found on Molokin back wall in 96 ish.

Then I started diving more including here in California and around the world, and when we went back in 2012 for our 20th and, well, it was ..,,, OK. Since then we've done the Kona Aggressor twice. Other than the manta dive or pelagic magic it is much the same (and I liked Kona marginally better). Lanai Cathedrals is fun, like a jungle gym, especially (I think) Second Cathedral. Molokini is a cool dive. But,..... >$100 per dive worth? Personally don't think so and we did a few shore dives instead (btw dive flag is state law there). Will be there in 3 weeks and doing a double backwall and Cathedrals, and that's it. Probably throw in a few shore dives. Done Makena Landing and Ulua, and Wailea Beach during cert. Want to do Mala and maybe a couple others.

We debated our post vax trip between Maui and Coz, where we have been going more frequently and as you say can get a week of diving for $1K. We have a family place in Maui that we have not been to in a while, and it's our first covid trip and just seemed easier to be in the states

There is a very active facebook group called Maui Mantas, lots of shore dives planned and good place for advice or hooking up with locals. Have not seen that book but this site has pretty much every site
Scuba Shore Diving Site Listing for: Maui, Hawaiian Islands

 

[SandyUT]

There is a very active facebook group called Maui Mantas, lots of shore dives planned and good place for advice or hooking up with locals. Have not seen that book but this site has pretty much every site
Scuba Shore Diving Site Listing for: Maui, Hawaiian Islands

ive been on that site. the only concern is there are almost no recent reviews. not a huge deal but raise some questions from others about accuracy.

I dont exist on FB and dont plan too ever...personal choice.

 

[ChrisM]

Those sites are pretty much what the fb group talks about. There aren't that many sites frankly, and if you are hitting only 3 IMO would be Makena/5 graves, Black Rock, and Mala

Just my .02 but for an experienced diver I don't consider Maui to be a "dive trip" vacation. Lots of other stuff to do, and of course if you want to go up Haleakala that locks out two days from diving

 

[SandyUT]

Just my .02 but for an experienced diver I don't consider Maui to be a "dive trip" vacation. Lots of other stuff to do, and of course if you want to go up Haleakala that locks out two days from diving

100% agree. this will be a vaca with diving on the side. I wanted the liveaboard trip but there was not enough support from the group... Next time.

 

[ChrisM]

100% agree. this will be a vaca with diving on the side. I wanted the liveaboard trip but there was not enough support from the group... Next time.

The Kona Aggressor is a decent boat. But never gets far from the island and diving some of the same spots the day boats do. It's great for the manta dive though, we had dinner while the day boats dived and got the mantas in, by the time we got there everyone else was leaving shortly and the mantas just stay. Even followed us back to the aggressor boat.

 

[divinh]

I've done the Hammerhead Dive twice. The first time, a hammerhead came up from the deep to check me out and got pretty close, until the rest of the dive group noticed and a bunch of GoPro sticks started coming at it and chased it away. This is what led me to do the outing a second time, where the hammerheads stayed deep, making a disappointing second time.

Each outing is two dives. Crossing the open ocean between islands is rough. On the second outing, 1/4 of the divers felt too seasick to dive once we got to the site. The swells were 7-10 ft and the boat got thrown up and the landings were hard on the stomach and spine.

Reboarding the boat requires grabbing onto a line and taking a turn at swimming as fast as you before another wave from behind slams you into the back of the boat. Since the boat engine is off, the boat drifts and occasionally needs to reposition, which means everyone still on the line gets dragged as the boat swings around. Keep masks and regs on til on the deck! It's not one of those relax once you're on the surface dives.

 

[jeremyl]

Not to hijack this thread, but...

I'm thinking of a Maui trip for late Sept as well. My dive buddy and I have not been underwater in WAY too long. Our Komodo trip for last June is on perpetual hold. She texted me about going to COZ since MX is open - but looking over some reviews it seems it's not in great shape (hurricane damage and reef maintenance) Maybe Indo has spoiled me forever. I dove Coz maybe 12yrs ago, and Maui last prob 15yrs ago. Maui was my first trip after cert so of course it was great. But at $100/tank it's spendy. But I have a friend with a place there so lodging is covered. Makes it tempting. And MX diving seems to be somewhat spendy these days as well (tho maybe $100/2-tanks so 1/2 Maui).

Honestly unless total cost is majorly different I just want the best diving experience. Whatta ya'll think? Mid-sept. 2 very experienced divers. Primary purpose is diving (we usually do LoB's so we can dive dive dive). Also don't know what weather/hurricanes/etc would be like for Coz in Sept.