Newbie to board - diving Hawaii in December

[Juan Carlos Rubiralta]

Hello everyone! New to the board. Have a trip in planning to Hawaii over New years . Tried to do some research online about best islands to dive during Christmas /new years and couldn't really find what I'm looking for. The idea is to rent a home, but want to make sure I stay on the correct island since diving will be happening often and it seems some islands are better than others. Anyone have diving recos during winter?

Fairly experienced diver so not worried about deep wrecks or anything like that. Any cool wrecks? Black water dives ?

Thanks for the help!

 

[JamesBon92007]

Hello everyone! New to the board. Have a trip in planning to Hawaii over New years . Tried to do some research online about best islands to dive during Christmas /new years and couldn't really find what I'm looking for. The idea is to rent a home, but want to make sure I stay on the correct island since diving will be happening often and it seems some islands are better than others. Anyone have diving recos during winter?

Fairly experienced diver so not worried about deep wrecks or anything like that. Any cool wrecks? Black water dives ?

Thanks for the help!

!Hola Juan!

I don't know about the other islands but there is a Black Water dive from the Big Island, plus they have the Manta Ray Night Dive (not to be missed) and are reputed to have very good shore diving (I'll find out in about 11 days). Maui has good shore diving around Kihei (plus other locations I have not been to) and is close to Molokini which is a wall/drift dive on the backside and supposedly is great inside the crater (didn't do the crater yet). I would guess Oahu has lots of wrecks from WWII but I have not been there. I dived from Maui in December and it was great weather but I was on the Big Island in March and it was great too but I suppose there could be a storm just about any time.

 

[diversteve]

North shore diving on some of the islands is more impacted by winter weather than others. Probably the most on Kauai since the best shore dive - Tunnels and the best boat dives to Ni'ihau are shut down till about March typically..

Maui should be fine as the shore dive sites are for the most part protected by the island - similarly on the Big Island.

One advantage Maui has is easy entry shore dives - most off beaches, the possibility to dive both Lanai from the Lahaina area boats and Molokini from the Kihei area boats. The Backwall dives off Molokini are more tentative in the winter months - sometimes they have to go out there b4 making the decision since it's often a live drop and they need to be able to pick you up. Inside the crater is protected all year long. The Cathedrals are the signature Lanai dives and the west Lanai drifts are pretty intense - they'll want to see an advanced card for some of them.%ou can also get into some pretty good drop-offs at some sites.

IDK Oahu at all..

I believe but do not know that some Kona diving is also affected by weather - probably the Kohala Coast area since it's more exposed.Southern sites should be fine. My b-i-l did the Manta Night dive - there the most light wins. He has a 4K lumen video light so they liked him a lot - it lijgts up the plankton for them.The boats all suspend lights as well - google it for videos.The Big Island is big so factor that into any shore diving plans.It's also possible on your last non-dive day to drive down to Volcanoes Nat'l Park but it's to elevation so no-fly rules apply. Actually just about any road inland as well - the Saddle Road peaks around 6000'. As long as you stay along the coast it's fine.

If you do pick Maui the Carpathian is one wreck to ask about - sort of deeper (100'?) and some years ago turtles moved there in large numbers and would greet you. There's also some small military wrecks (a tank and ??) off south Maui that can be reached as scooter dives from shore. From what I've read most of the better WW2 wrecks are off Oahu.

 

[jonhall]

I believe but do not know that some Kona diving is also affected by weather - probably the Kohala Coast area since it's more exposed.Southern sites should be fine.

On the Big Island, Kailua Kona is on the west, leeward (protected) side of the island as is the Kohala Coast. Hilo is the windward and rainy side (142"/year.) Both Kona (1-2"/month) and Kohala (9"/year) are pretty dry in comparison - think the volcanic mountains keeps the rain from the west side. Was in Kona in February (a couple of years ago) and diving conditions were really good. Wish I knew about the other islands but won't know until next year when I get to go to Kauai and Oahu.

 

[jonhall]

The Big Island is big so factor that into any whore diving plans.

What kind of plans are those? Where's autocorrect when you need it?

 

[diversteve]

On the Big Island, Kailua Kona is on the west, leeward (protected) side of the island as is the Kohala Coast.

I meant more from the winter storms but I see the northern tip of the island provides some shelter to that area also. On most of the other islands winter weather is rougher on the north side typically.

 

[Juan Carlos Rubiralta]

Thank you for taking the time to respond I appreciate it . Let me know how your trip goes

!Hola Juan!

I don't know about the other islands but there is a Black Water dive from the Big Island, plus they have the Manta Ray Night Dive (not to be missed) and are reputed to have very good shore diving (I'll find out in about 11 days). Maui has good shore diving around Kihei (plus other locations I have not been to) and is close to Molokini which is a wall/drift dive on the backside and supposedly is great inside the crater (didn't do the crater yet). I would guess Oahu has lots of wrecks from WWII but I have not been there. I dived from Maui in December and it was great weather but I was on the Big Island in March and it was great too but I suppose there could be a storm just about any time.

 

[Juan Carlos Rubiralta]

Awesome! Super useful information..thanks so much .

North shore diving on some of the islands is more impacted by winter weather than others. Probably the most on Kauai since the best shore dive - Tunnels and the best boat dives to Ni'ihau are shut down till about March typically..

Maui should be fine as the shore dive sites are for the most part protected by the island - similarly on the Big Island.

One advantage Maui has is easy entry shore dives - most off beaches, the possibility to dive both Lanai from the Lahaina area boats and Molokini from the Kihei area boats. The Backwall dives off Molokini are more tentative in the winter months - sometimes they have to go out there b4 making the decision since it's often a live drop and they need to be able to pick you up. Inside the crater is protected all year long. The Cathedrals are the signature Lanai dives and the west Lanai drifts are pretty intense - they'll want to see an advanced card for some of them.%ou can also get into some pretty good drop-offs at some sites.

IDK Oahu at all..

I believe but do not know that some Kona diving is also affected by weather - probably the Kohala Coast area since it's more exposed.Southern sites should be fine. My b-i-l did the Manta Night dive - there the most light wins. He has a 4K lumen video light so they liked him a lot - it lijgts up the plankton for them.The boats all suspend lights as well - google it for videos.The Big Island is big so factor that into any shore diving plans.It's also possible on your last non-dive day to drive down to Volcanoes Nat'l Park but it's to elevation so no-fly rules apply. Actually just about any road inland as well - the Saddle Road peaks around 6000'. As long as you stay along the coast it's fine.

If you do pick Maui the Carpathian is one wreck to ask about - sort of deeper (100'?) and some years ago turtles moved there in large numbers and would greet you. There's also some small military wrecks (a tank and ??) off south Maui that can be reached as scooter dives from shore. From what I've read most of the better WW2 wrecks are off Oahu.

Awesome!

 

[Juan Carlos Rubiralta]

Noted! Thanks for the info!

On the Big Island, Kailua Kona is on the west, leeward (protected) side of the island as is the Kohala Coast. Hilo is the windward and rainy side (142"/year.) Both Kona (1-2"/month) and Kohala (9"/year) are pretty dry in comparison - think the volcanic mountains keeps the rain from the west side. Was in Kona in February (a couple of years ago) and diving conditions were really good. Wish I knew about the other islands but won't know until next year when I get to go to Kauai and Oahu.

 

[JamesBon92007]

I believe but do not know that some Kona diving is also affected by weather -.

My personal experience on that is "yes." They cancelled the Black Water dive due to weather and that was in March. I've not heard about any Manta Night Dives being cancelled but I can see how it could happen--it was fairly surgy when I did it and somewhat choppy on the surface, but nothing bad enough to spoil a spectacular dive! I'm definitely going to do it again this month.