Maui Suggestions

[jwlast]

Headed to Maui soon, looking for some suggested dive spots, charters, etc.

Mostly interested in shallow diving becuase I do a lot of underwater photography. Also, easy shore dives where we can guide ourselves vs. hiring a Divemaster to guide us.(ie easy entries, no killer current, good photo ops, car not likely to be broken into, etc)

Wouldn't mind doing a boat dive, any charter operators suggested or suggested we stay away from? Again, mostly looking to go shallow/shallow.

Thanks

JT

 

[SoCalOffshore]

I recently did a post and got allot of great info on diving in Maui. Search my username and it will come up. I recently ordered the Maui Diving Guide for shore dive info.

 

[Charlie99]

Another easy to find source of info on shore dives is the free booklet available in all 7 or so Maui Dive Shop locations.

An easy entry beach with a good shallow reef in West Maui (Lahaina/Kaanapali side) is Old Airport. Just across from the Sugar Cane Train terminal in Kaanapali.

Ulua beach beach is a nice easy shallow dive in South Maui (Kihei/Wailea area). If Ulua parking lot is full, then Makena Landing is a good alternative, although you have to swim further to get to nice reef.

A search on on Scubaboard for Maui Dive ops will show that the overwhelming consensus is that Extended Horizons are the guys to take from Lahaina over to Lanai. For trips to Molokini from the Kihei boat ramp, Mike Severns, Ed Robinson, and B&B Scuba are the clear favorites.

 

[SoCalOffshore]

I can't pull up any info on Extended Horizons. I found a web site, but it doesn't work properly.

 

[isom]

heading to Maui next month... tagging along for some suggestions as well!

 

[mer]

Headed to Maui soon, looking for some suggested dive spots, charters, etc.

Mostly interested in shallow diving becuase I do a lot of underwater photography. Also, easy shore dives where we can guide ourselves vs. hiring a Divemaster to guide us.(ie easy entries, no killer current, good photo ops, car not likely to be broken into, etc)

Wouldn't mind doing a boat dive, any charter operators suggested or suggested we stay away from? Again, mostly looking to go shallow/shallow.

Thanks

JT

If you're looking into the Kihei/Wailea area:

Get in touch with Doug at Shaka Divers. http://www.shakadivers.com/
He's got the dive bus and is a decent guy, not big business cattle boat motivated like some of the other operators I used/talked with out there.

He doesn't guided dives and if he can't hook you up with gear for your own dives, I'm sure he'll send you in the right direction.

Tell him Mer sent you.

 

[kidspot]

I just dove Makena Landing for the first time yesterday and it's a great dive for "self-guiding". I didn't know where anything was, so we just walked in and started swimming following the reef/rocks on our right. 30 min. later we turned around and followed it back - nearly impossible to get lost, but really nice reef structure and variety. plus it had an easy entry/exit area

I can't wait to dive there again at night - must be beautiful.

The only downside is the drive from Lahaina...

Aloha, Tim

 

[Otter]

A really good resource is http://www.shorediving.com/Earth/Hawaii/Maui/index.htm

 

[Myer's]

Headed to Maui soon, looking for some suggested dive spots, charters, etc.

Mostly interested in shallow diving becuase I do a lot of underwater photography. Also, easy shore dives where we can guide ourselves vs. hiring a Divemaster to guide us.(ie easy entries, no killer current, good photo ops, car not likely to be broken into, etc)

Wouldn't mind doing a boat dive, any charter operators suggested or suggested we stay away from? Again, mostly looking to go shallow/shallow.

Thanks

JT

Aloha,
I just had my whole family complete their NAUI certification course over Spring break with SCUBA MAUI INC and boy were we impressed. I had done the PADI class with Maui Dive Shop last year and paid twice as much for a class with an instructor who was quite aloof and had no humor at all!

I actually found these guys by accident while searching for dive shops on the island and certainly glad I did. They allowed me to shadowed my wife & 3 kids during their two day Scuba class intentively for just a bit of review. I can tell you that it was a lot more comprehensive, informative and genial than the precarious one I took a year ago with Maui Dive Shop.

Apart from initially being 25 mins late on the first day "due to a flat tire" our instructor Vic, ran a outstanding class. His eloquence and affable manner helped make this "especially for my kids" a lifetime experience. I must confess though at first I was quite skeptical, however, I did find out that they do most of their advertising only online and by word of mouth. It was my understanding this is how they keep their prices so low with the minimum overhead.

We all have already have signed up for the next level and can't wait to do our Advance diver class with them this November. Escaping east coast cold does have something to do with it!

By the way they only charged us $179 each www.scubaonmaui.com not $250 for the complete Scuba certification. I wasn't aware they offered a boat dive option so we did everything from the shore. We did do a boat dive with them two days after the certification which was $109 per person and again we all had a blast. I would have done the boat option and saved even more money had we knew.

All in all, they appear to run a first class operation and we look forward to doing a lot more business with them, especially now we own a condo there.

If you do go there say "HI" to Shannon from us. She was extremely accommodating and omniscient.

Good luck!

Bill Myer's

 

[jdawg50]

U gotta do Molikini Great spot! I was there in June