Wed. I kayaked out to Molokini for a dive. First order of business; watch the 10:20 PM weather from Guy Hagi, and then the morning news from his underlings. Forecast; mild variables with possible afternoon leeward sprinkles, 2-4' south swell (faces), flat and glassy.
My yak is from Australia, a FeelFree Gemini (2-seater). My launch location is Makena Landing. Google Earth puts the distance at 3.9 miles; distance as paddled is a little more than 4 miles. Roommate lost the drain plug yesterday so I had to buy replacement at Ace; ~2 hours behind schedule (10-ish).
Molokini is a small islet that appears to be the right edge of the island in the background (Kaho'olawe) of the first two pictures. My noodle is cut up for the flag float; 50' 1/4" nylon line, no anchor, there are moorings. In the back under the lifejacket is my 5mm Auquastretch. It's supposed to be flat and glassy today, so that's the only gear strapped down. As you can see, this yak has a perimeter rope, so strapping stuff down is not a prob, I'm just lazy and overconfident.
My gear is mostly in the front seat/foot area. This is going to be a lot of work for one dive so I have a 100 cft. Fins, booties and weight belt stowed next to tank, cooler w/ water, yogurt and grapes next to flag at bow. Oly 5050, as in my sig line, is in the small bag w/ mask and sun block; it rides between my feet.
25 minutes or so into the voyage I can just see Little Beach (photo 4), Molokini now juts above the distant Kaho'olawe and looking back to Haleakala the convective lift cloud build-up is earlier than predicted.
No more surface photo's; 15 minutes later the wind picks up to 10 knots out of the North (starboard broadside), small white caps and it starts sprinkling. 10 minutes out of Molokini it's raining and the wind is up to 15 knots with 2-4' seas. I take a couple white caps over the gunnel but still stable.
This yak turns into the wind with one passenger so right arm is paddling harder than the already hard paddling left. Have to turn a little into the weather to get around the East tip of Molokini. The dive boat I used to work on is across the crater on the Reef's End mooring; seems prudent to check in with friends. Had to borrow a proper mooring line, I was only prepared for flat and glassy.
Time to Molokini - 70 minutes (10 more to Prodiver), time to get tied off - 20 minutes. Two out of the 5 guests on Prodiver are ready to toss cookies, they will make a quick first dive and shelter behind Molokini for lunch, checking to see if I need assistance after lunch. Found out later there was no calm water on the backside, guests were miserable, Prodiver bails before I surface. They radio other boats to check if I'm underway and get confirmation.
As usual, life is much easier below. Dropping down quickly just around Reef's End; no white tip reef sharks at the 80' & 90' overhangs. Looking out and down I spot three grey reef sharks below; two ~5', one ~10'. I head their direction while spinning off my WAL; got off two shots of the big one but not very close. Feels deep; 138' says the Suunto, break off pursuit and head back to Reef's End.
Those images are heavily cropped and PhotoShopped, but that was the goal of this dive; grey reef shark! Back up to 110' it becomes more typical of a Molokini dive. I had actually never been to this white tip rest area; like most guides I keep the tourists above 80' so they don't hoover their tank.
By the trevally picture I'm back above 80' and heading across the sand channel. Continued in next post...
My yak is from Australia, a FeelFree Gemini (2-seater). My launch location is Makena Landing. Google Earth puts the distance at 3.9 miles; distance as paddled is a little more than 4 miles. Roommate lost the drain plug yesterday so I had to buy replacement at Ace; ~2 hours behind schedule (10-ish).
Molokini is a small islet that appears to be the right edge of the island in the background (Kaho'olawe) of the first two pictures. My noodle is cut up for the flag float; 50' 1/4" nylon line, no anchor, there are moorings. In the back under the lifejacket is my 5mm Auquastretch. It's supposed to be flat and glassy today, so that's the only gear strapped down. As you can see, this yak has a perimeter rope, so strapping stuff down is not a prob, I'm just lazy and overconfident.
My gear is mostly in the front seat/foot area. This is going to be a lot of work for one dive so I have a 100 cft. Fins, booties and weight belt stowed next to tank, cooler w/ water, yogurt and grapes next to flag at bow. Oly 5050, as in my sig line, is in the small bag w/ mask and sun block; it rides between my feet.
25 minutes or so into the voyage I can just see Little Beach (photo 4), Molokini now juts above the distant Kaho'olawe and looking back to Haleakala the convective lift cloud build-up is earlier than predicted.
No more surface photo's; 15 minutes later the wind picks up to 10 knots out of the North (starboard broadside), small white caps and it starts sprinkling. 10 minutes out of Molokini it's raining and the wind is up to 15 knots with 2-4' seas. I take a couple white caps over the gunnel but still stable.
This yak turns into the wind with one passenger so right arm is paddling harder than the already hard paddling left. Have to turn a little into the weather to get around the East tip of Molokini. The dive boat I used to work on is across the crater on the Reef's End mooring; seems prudent to check in with friends. Had to borrow a proper mooring line, I was only prepared for flat and glassy.
Time to Molokini - 70 minutes (10 more to Prodiver), time to get tied off - 20 minutes. Two out of the 5 guests on Prodiver are ready to toss cookies, they will make a quick first dive and shelter behind Molokini for lunch, checking to see if I need assistance after lunch. Found out later there was no calm water on the backside, guests were miserable, Prodiver bails before I surface. They radio other boats to check if I'm underway and get confirmation.
As usual, life is much easier below. Dropping down quickly just around Reef's End; no white tip reef sharks at the 80' & 90' overhangs. Looking out and down I spot three grey reef sharks below; two ~5', one ~10'. I head their direction while spinning off my WAL; got off two shots of the big one but not very close. Feels deep; 138' says the Suunto, break off pursuit and head back to Reef's End.
Those images are heavily cropped and PhotoShopped, but that was the goal of this dive; grey reef shark! Back up to 110' it becomes more typical of a Molokini dive. I had actually never been to this white tip rest area; like most guides I keep the tourists above 80' so they don't hoover their tank.
By the trevally picture I'm back above 80' and heading across the sand channel. Continued in next post...
Last edited:
