Maui Shore Dive

[TSandM]

We generally don't dive "with" anybody, because we primarily shore dive. We've largely stopped going out on boats, because the shore diving is generally very good, although that's not true if there is a big swell coming in. The reefs near shore tend to be pretty shallow, and the surge picks the sand up and drops the viz very fast. But if the water is calm, you can see most of the things from shore that you will see from the boats -- turtles, sharks, and we even did a dive with a monk seal one day!

Some of the shore dives we've enjoyed most require a bit of effort, like the Honolua Bay dive, or the Mala Pier dive (where the entry on the "legal" side involves hiking through coral heads for a ways), or the other Lahaina dive whose name I don't remember, where the sharks are. But that sort of adds to the fun, in a twisted way

 

[Gdaaym8z]

My wife and I just returned from Maui and did a few wonderful shore dives (Five Graves, Mala Ramp, and Black Rock)

For tank and weight rental, I used the Maui Dive shop in Lahaina. (The one at Whaler's Village is not longer renting tanks) They wanted 7.00 each per day for tanks weights and a dive flag. With tax and all, we ended up spending about 30.00 per day for two of us. They do offer a multi-fill card for the tanks that will get you down to 5.00 per tank for air. I found this to be the "going rate" at all of the shops that I checked out. This one just happened to be the most convenient to our resort.

We did the Five Graves dive with Shaka Doug and had a super shaka time. The entry and exit are a little tricky as you are climbing down the rocks but once in the water there is a nice little channel out to open water. There were several turtles and a lot of other beautiful sea life.

The Mala Ramp dive was a little bit of a challenge....for the first dive. We entered on the left (legal?) side of the pier and had quite the little adventure hiking out about 300 yards over the rocks in two feet of water with the surf coming in. (Legal or not....terrible entry) Once we got into 3 feet or so depth we dropped down and had a nice dive out and around the collapsed pier. I led us back and in near the boat ramp (I found out later that you can be fined 50.00 for being in the water near the boat launch....might have been worth the fine after the entry fiasco)

I talked to some of the local free divers who were spear-fishing to find out where they make their entrance. They actually walk out along the small jetty that is surrounding the boat ramp and enter from the far side off the rocks. (Another unpleasant trip with scuba equipment)

The easiest, but still not legal, entry is to get in the water at the north end of the parking lot and make a short surface swim (300 feet) across the boat ramp entry and drop down on the side of the jetty. From there you can make your way easily out to the pier. This advice was given from one of the local shops, they said that though technically not legal, you could still be fined; it is the method used by most of the divers that go to Mala and is the safest way. Just watch for any boats coming in or getting ready to head out and time your swim accordingly.

Black Rock is much easier, you can park on the North side by the golf course and there is a walking path right to the beach where you have a nice sand entry. We were able to gear up in the parking lot and make the short walk to the beach. There was quite a lot of current here and it was headed north to south so our swim back was a little bit of work, pay attention to your air.

I had so much fun in Maui; I have been brainstorming a way to move there. All of the locals simply said....just do it! I just might!

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Some of the shore dives we've enjoyed most require a bit of effort, like the Honolua Bay dive, or the Mala Pier dive (where the entry on the "legal" side involves hiking through coral heads for a ways), or the other Lahaina dive whose name I don't remember, where the sharks are. But that sort of adds to the fun, in a twisted way

The easiest, but still not legal, entry is to get in the water at the north end of the parking lot and make a short surface swim (300 feet) across the boat ramp entry and drop down on the side of the jetty. From there you can make your way easily out to the pier. This advice was given from one of the local shops, they said that though technically not legal, you could still be fined; it is the method used by most of the divers that go to Mala and is the safest way. Just watch for any boats coming in or getting ready to head out and time your swim accordingly.

Black Rock is much easier, you can park on the North side by the golf course and there is a walking path right to the beach where you have a nice sand entry. We were able to gear up in the parking lot and make the short walk to the beach. There was quite a lot of current here and it was headed north to south so our swim back was a little bit of work, pay attention to your air.

A couple things here need cleaning up, so those reading this thread don't take your advise. First, working up from bottom; the parking on the North side of Black Rock is "only" for the Sheraton Resort guests. Often the current is so strong you would not be able to return to that entry spot.

With regards to the Mala Wharf dive; it is not safer to surface swim across the boat channel for the ramp! Most Mala divers do not swim across the boat channel!

I'd be interested to hear which local shop recommended breaking one of the most basic Marine Laws that boaters and divers depend on worldwide to ensure safety.

IMHO, you can easily tell which shore dive operations have integrity by how their guides dive Mala.

And I really have a hard time allowing recommendations that will lead to significant entry coral damage by scuba divers who would hesitate to touch coral gently during the dive.

"hiking out about 300 yards over the rocks in two feet of water with the surf coming in. (Legal or not....terrible entry)"

I have both fun dived and guided many Mala dives; I have never crossed the boat channel and I have never walked out over the shallow reef. Sometimes the ethical thing for a shore diver to do is to pay for some local knowledge. Do a guided first dive at challenging sites, with a competent and ethical guide, so you can learn how to do the dives with the least damage, least effort and least laws broken!

This thread has multiple SB members talking about illegal parking, unsafe dive planning, violating basic Marine Law and walking on coral! All to save a few dollars?

 

[Gdaaym8z]

This will be my final post here on Scubaboard. I was simply trying to pass on what we had experienced on our trip. My mistake on the parking at Black Rock, we were guests of Sheraton so we were able to park there. I didn't realize that the public could not pay to park there. i sure hope the hundreds of other people that dive from that location and entry become aware of the terrible current and find another solution.

I am not going to post a shop name that I talked to about Mala because that will just start the bashing and frankly I am tired of all that on this site. I had asked them for the best way and was told that the entry from the left of the pier was the LEGAL way. After following their advise, found it was also a terrible way! There were about 15 other divers out at the same time, after we came back in....in the WRONG place and were told then about the possible fine, I watched all of the other divers come right back in where I described, across the channel, so for you to say that no one uses that route, whether it is legal, right or wrong, is inaccuarate. When I went to exchange tanks for our second dive is when I asked about the entry issues and was told about the surface swim across. Happy bashing to all.

 

[Gdaaym8z]

You know what, that wasn't my final post. I had simply given a description of our experience and what we were told. I did not say that what we found out was 100% the end-all. Here is a link that we used when researching shore dives in Maui.

http://http://www.shorediving.com/Earth/Hawaii/Maui/Lahaina_Pier/index.htm

Amazing that after reading this and being told the exact same thing at the shop that we would have made this mistake?

Maybe you could have posted some useful info earlier in the post rather than waiting to bash?

As far as no big loss to the board....you are wrong. It's comments like that and your general attitude that keeps many people from posting on here. I'm amazed that this is the particular thread that I feel I have to defend myself. I simply posted our experience.

 

[tc]

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[TSandM]

I had the best kind of guide for my first half dozen dives at the Mala pier -- I had a friend who LIVED in Lahaina and dove there often. I would still describe the entry on the left side as hiking out among coral heads. If there is another, legal way to enter without having to do that, I'm sure a lot of us would like to know what it is -- including some of the local residents!

I don't dive without a guide because I'm cheap. I dive without a guide because I don't need one, and because I prefer a dive where I set the pace and I decide what I want to stop and look at.

 

[Shaka Doug]

Whoa, what did I miss?

The County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation is making it harder and harder for professional guides to conduct safe SCUBA dives here on Maui. It is stories like these at Mala Wharf that they need to hear about. (Even though this place is under jurisdiction of DLNR, I know...) When you have 15 divers at a time all struggling to enter the water because it is unclear what and where and how is the best and safest way to do it, we have a problem. A bunch of problems actually. A bunch of solvable, preventable problems.

Please support the local profesional ocean recreational activities groups here on Maui. They include SCUBA, Windsurfing, Kiteboarding, Surfing, Kayaking and Snorkeling tours, lessons and guide services. I am only one guy who has been negatively affected by their actions. There are literally hundreds of other watersports pros like me in the same boat. We keep the shore activities and the people who partake in them with us safe thereby ensuring quality experiences for the participants while preserving and protecting our ocean resources for the future needs of the public.

You can express your concerns to our Mayor Charmaine Tavares and our Parks Director Tamara Horcajo and also to Laura Theilen, Director of DLNR (I hear she's pretty busy these days with the artificial reef debacle but maybe she'll find the time to respond to you). Here's a link to them:

Maui County, HI - Official Website - Office of the Mayor

Maui County, HI - Official Website - Parks & Recreation

Department of Land and Natural Resources

 

[grandizer52]

That's some pride and professionalism, thanx doug for I think diffusing a situation

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

I had the best kind of guide for my first half dozen dives at the Mala pier -- I had a friend who LIVED in Lahaina and dove there often. I would still describe the entry on the left side as hiking out among coral heads. If there is another, legal way to enter without having to do that, I'm sure a lot of us would like to know what it is -- including some of the local residents!

I don't dive without a guide because I'm cheap. I dive without a guide because I don't need one, and because I prefer a dive where I set the pace and I decide what I want to stop and look at.

If there is a dive site where your only entry options are hiking through coral heads or illegally surface swimming across an active boat channel, I am of the opinion you need a guide for that dive.

Most Mala divers dive Mala from boats; no walking on the living reef and no laws broken. There are many days when shore diving Mala is not ethically possible, even though the conditions on the dive site are fine; it's all about the entry!

Some shore divers should not shore dive Mala except around high tide; some shore divers should not shore dive Mala. For some divers, losing weight would be the only way to ethically shore dive Mala!

There are dive sites where BP/W, even back inflate BC's, probably are not the proper buoyancy control device. There are many guides on the West side who can ethically guide a Mala shore dive, but sometimes that might require NOT taking some divers on the Mala shore dive.