New Moloka'i charter from Maui

[DiveMaven]

I got an e-mail from Lahaina Divers this morning that announced they are starting a new Friday charter to Moloka'i. They're going to go to the far east end of the island, Moku Ho'oniki Rock, and do the dives as drift dives. In checking the website the price is $199, computers are required, and they will limit nitrox fills to 28% because of the possible deeper depths.

Should be interesting to see how it goes. I admit I'm a bit interested and might consider giving it a go during our December trip....

Anyone done Moloka'i that can comment?

 

[dbittner]

Thanks for the news about Lahaina Divers going to Moloka'i on Fridays. I checked out the web site, but it only contains the basic info that you relayed to us.

By any chance, did the email you received indicate how long this will be part of their regular service? My next trips to Maui are in mid-February and late June, and I'd be very must interested in diving Moloka'i on one of those trips.

Also, did they indicate what their plan B is for days that the weather and/or sea conditions prevent a trip to Moloka'i?

Thank you in advance,
Dave

 

[kidspot]

Gotta say that at that price I'd be tempted to go with NSE instead. Still, always nice to see an op growing.

Aloha, Tim

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Interesting to hear of a set schedule for Molokai; there are some Fridays that the 107' super catamaran doesn't run across that channel!

 

[ScubaSeanMaui]

I plan to check this out in the next few weeks. Without a set schedule I would never be able to do it. I'm sure it conditions aren't good they'll go somewhere else. I believe they just started this trip last friday! When I go I will post a report/review.

Sean

 

[DiveMaven]

THANK YOU SEAN!!! We're really interested in booking this charter, but hesitate since it's new and not cheap enough for us to want to "gamble" on an adventure type dive. I realize there are no guarantees, but a first hand report from someone I know will waylay concerns in general.

Will you talk with the guys on the boat about what the "real" plan B is going to be if they can't do the run to Moloka'i? I was going to e-mail the office, but we all know that the "official word" can sometimes differ from the "actual plan".

Tim, I don't disagree about the comparison in cost with NSE, but we get 10% off LD charters, bringing their Moloka'i trip a full $100 less than NSE.

Thanks again Sean, I'll look forward to reading your trip report and hearing about your experiences.

 

[twhi]

I dove there a number of years ago - and it is fantastic!
It ranks right up there with the best of Ni'ihau.

However the crossing and accessibility are very weather dependent
and I don't think it's a suitable dive for beginning divers.

If I was there on Thursday and the forecast for Friday was light to variable winds and glassy seas,
I'd sign up in a second. Even at that price.

 

[KrisB]

I'm going to basically say the same thing as halemano, but a little stronger and more verbose.

If this is a scheduled trip, and they don't make it clear that it is weather dependent (and suitable weather for that crossing is rare, especially in the winter), that is either dodgy business practice (by just not telling you that) or throwing people on a boat that is going to be the worst ride of their life (if they will take you regardless of the crossing conditions).

And yes, I speak of experience here -- I've taken the Superferry on a day where the conditions in that part of the voyage should have cancelled the trip. The ceiling tiles were falling out and almost everybody was throwing up. Oh yeah -- that was in the second week of December/07.

Due to currents, dive conditions at Molokai can't be reliably scheduled... let alone combining that with a day when the swells are small enough that you don't get the nasty wave collisions through the crossing.

I wish them luck, and anybody that schedules it, I hope you get to dive it... but truthfully, this is the sort of thing I'd put in the "too good to be true" category -- or check the date to make sure it wasn't April 1st.

 

[DiveMaven]

I e-mailed Lahaina Divers to ask what for more information and what their contingency plan would be if the crossing were impossible to make. Stay tuned, it'll be very interesting to see if this Moloka'i charter works out or not.

 

[JGibbs]

They (obviously) must be feeling the tourist/economic slow down. Last time I asked them about a Molokai trip, they said they were invite only, and only those who dove with them multiple times in the past would be asked to participate.