Matteo
Contributor
After two weeks on the island and a total of 14 dives, it is going to be difficult to keep this report concise, but I will try not to ramble on too much! First off, a huge thank you to Oahu Scuba Divers for taking great care of me and exceeding all of my expectations, both topside and below the surface. Lisa(justleesa) and Roger(turtleguy9) really run a first class operation! I just wanted to dive. From the timely pick-ups every morning, to Lisa's never-ending variety of excellent sandwiches and hot towels after the dive, the definition for going above and beyond needs to be re-written. The first couple of days were spent with Lisa where we dove the SE shore in the area of Hawai'i Kai and had the pleasure of being joined by Catherine(see her report for more detail) on the first day. Dive sites included The Corsair, Keanu's Reef, Baby Barge, and China Wall. Being my first "real wreck" and my first airplane, The Corsair was awesome! With better than 100 ft vis and an imperceptible current, it made for an easy free descent into the blue. The other sites were great as well, teeming with life in almost every nook and cranny. Days three and four brought Lisa and I to the south shore aboard The Enzo, easily the most comfortable dive boat I've been aboard. We had the opportunity to explore some excellent wrecks, including the Sea Tiger, YO-257, and San Pedro all of which were very intact and provided amazing sights underwater both in terms of the beauty of the wrecks themselves and the creatures that now call them home. The shallow sites were Kewalo Pipe, Turtle Canyon, and a couple of visits to Kaiser Reef(see Lisa's report for more detail on this unexpected incredible dive!). Day five brought Lisa back to reality and Roger would join me again on The Enzo where we would re-visit the Sea Tiger and Kewalo Pipe. My second trip to the Tiger included some simple, yet interesting penetrations which really gave me a new perspective on wreck diving and the visit to the Pipe included the "discovery" of a "new site" which will remain top-secret for now! The final day, Roger and I made the trek out to Waianae on the west side and enjoyed two fantastic dives on the MS Mahi and Makaha Caverns. The Mahi was an older wreck and had a distinctly different appearance from the others, as it has noticibly started to succumb to the effects of the ocean. And Makaha is a remarkable dive site with an endless myriad of swim-throughs, chock full of huge turtles, octopi, eels, and all of the the usual suspects. For those like me who have always heard that diving in Hawai'i, and on Oahu in particular, is not that great and you should really spend your money and vacation time somewhere else....think again! Sure, it may not have the huge expansive reef systems and walls of some of the more popular Carribbean destinations, but rest assured that there is plenty here for those seeking a dive experience a little different from the norm, with no shortage of aquatic life rarely if ever seen in other parts of the world. It won't be my last trip, that's for sure. Thanks again Lisa, Roger, Catherine, and ScubaDrew for showing me a great time! I look forward to the next time! Pics to follow.
We both enjoyed diving with you and look forward to next time!
