Maui trip report end of Jan / beg of Feb 2021

[wetb4igetinthewater]

So just came back from Maui. I thought I'd share some resources that may be useful to others.

First, I hooked up with the Maui Mantas group on Facebook: Facebook Groups

Next, I signed up for the snorkel report here: Maui Snorkel Report

I was lucky to find some people coming out of the water at Mala Pier early in my trip with whom I went on a dive and they connected me with the Mantas group. Went on 4 dives with those folks, from Dragon's Teeth (I wouldn't want to do this by myself first time, now no problem), Airport/Kahekili beach (easy to do by yourself), one night dive at Mala Pier, and a drift dive around Black Rock from north to south (also another one I wouldn't want to do by myself first time).

I wanted to dive Ahihi-Kinau Natural Area Reserve south of Makena Landing, but the weather didn't cooperate. It looks very promising and I will definitely make it a point to do in the future whenever I return. As there is no harvesting allowed of any type, I have been told that the reefs are healthier and the sea life more plentiful, especially bigger fish.

10 tank rentals at Maui Diving in Lahaina are $50. 10-tank rentals at Maui Dreams in Kihei are $40.

Hope this is useful to some folks visiting in the future. I didn't do any boat diving this time.

 

[DancinDiver]

Thanks Wetb4.... My buddy and I have done Mala, Black Rock, and Kahekili many times, but we’ve never considered Dragon’s Teeth. I assume you entered and exited at Fleming Beach. Is that right, or is there an alternate entry? What prompted not wanting to do it yourself the first time? (That’s not a judgement; just a genuine question). How was it?

Mokuleia, the next beach north, has been both great and decidedly meh for us. The time it was great we were buzzed by a pod of dolphins. We heard them well but never saw them. After we exited, folks on the beach asked if we’d been watching the dolphins right around our dive flag. Sigh. Oh well.

 

[drrich2]

Hawaii remains a mystery to me. A number of large islands with weird place names that glance off my brain like teflon amidst a barrage of information, since there's a lot to know to make informed comparison-based decisions.

I take it you were shore diving. Any thoughts on how far out the swim outs were to reef drop-offs, and how the shore diving difficulty and style compares to Bonaire (a common frame of reference for many of us)? Would a seasoned Bonaire shore diver be comfortable shore diving where you did?

Shore diving is often cheaper than boat diving...but Hawaii is reputedly an expensive destination. While airfare varies with point-of-origin, by the time you factor in airfare, lodging, diving and food, how did the total cost of this dive trip compare to Caribbean trips? What about time to get there and back?

What led you to hit Hawaii (Maui in this case) over other destination options?

P.S.: I'll probably never go. It's got a rep. for being expensive, and I have this nagging suspicion running off to Hawaii and not taking your wife and daughter is some sort of bad mojo.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Thanks Wetb4.... My buddy and I have done Mala, Black Rock, and Kahekili many times, but we’ve never considered Dragon’s Teeth. I assume you entered and exited at Fleming Beach. Is that right, or is there an alternate entry? What prompted not wanting to do it yourself the first time? (That’s not a judgement; just a genuine question). How was it?.

Just a tough entry, and not knowing where to cross over. Wasn't DT Fleming Beach. There's a parking spot near the Ritz Carlton where we had beach access.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Hawaii remains a mystery to me. A number of large islands with weird place names that glance off my brain like teflon amidst a barrage of information, since there's a lot to know to make informed comparison-based decisions.

I take it you were shore diving. Any thoughts on how far out the swim outs were to reef drop-offs, and how the shore diving difficulty and style compares to Bonaire (a common frame of reference for many of us)? Would a seasoned Bonaire shore diver be comfortable shore diving where you did?

Shore diving is often cheaper than boat diving...but Hawaii is reputedly an expensive destination. While airfare varies with point-of-origin, by the time you factor in airfare, lodging, diving and food, how did the total cost of this dive trip compare to Caribbean trips? What about time to get there and back?

What led you to hit Hawaii (Maui in this case) over other destination options?

P.S.: I'll probably never go. It's got a rep. for being expensive, and I have this nagging suspicion running off to Hawaii and not taking your wife and daughter is some sort of bad mojo.

Hawaii is expensive. However I stayed for free at my brother’s condo. Went there for the free accommodations and ability to get tested to avoid quarantine. Ate in most of the time. Car rental was cheap, but due to Covid19 mostly. Place was rather deserted. Airfare was so-so but that’s because we went last minute and didn’t have time to look for deals.

Haven’t been to Bonaire but the reefs I dived were right offshore, so fairly shallow. Only Dragon’s teeth had a long surface swim. It was very easy diving, just had to be aware of the currents. The snorkel report and Maui Mantas are great resources.

If I lived farther East and didn’t have free accommodations, I’d probably never go to Hawaii, but rather Mexico/Coz/Caribbean.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I hope this pic clarifies where to go, how to enter, where to descend. The day we went, it was just at the cusp of not going. Two people couldn't make it past where the waves were breaking. They hesitated at the exact wrong location. With winter weather (as storms made things undiveable a couple days, first with waves, then with runoff and degraded visibility).

Let me know of any further questions. I'd like this post to be a datapoint/resource for others.

 

[BjörnBear]

Ah, in front of the Kapalua Villas. I could see that being a tricky entry. Surf was 6-8 feet every day when we were there in October a few years back.

 

[justwannadivenow3]

Is it possible to do shore diving in Maui without a car? Are tank rentals easily available right by the dive spots?

Will be there later this month / early March and would want to do some shore diving if it is right off the beach by hotels.

Also, were people diving solo? if it's a shallow dive, I'd just jump in by myself for a quick dive. (I know the risk of diving solo)

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Is it possible to do shore diving in Maui without a car? Are tank rentals easily available right by the dive spots?

Will be there later this month / early March and would want to do some shore diving if it is right off the beach by hotels.

Also, were people diving solo? if it's a shallow dive, I'd just jump in by myself for a quick dive. (I know the risk of diving solo)

Please join Maui Mantas. There are people who will meet you with tanks. But in general, you have to pick up/drop off. I'd say you are really limiting yourself without a car. Some hotels do have dive centers, but they are more focused on the try scuba/open water folks.

Where are you staying?

 

[justwannadivenow3]

have not booked a hotel yet - would want to book one that is near shore diving