northwestern archipelago liveaboard

[friscuba]

My reading of the latest handout in the newspaper (which may be full of it) leads me to believe that you can dive there. As a private party. But there cannot be any commercial activity. So if you can get a non-commercial boat to take you out for a dive you're in business.

The big trick would be finding a non-commercial boat that could even make the trip. You'd need a sailboat most probably. I dont think the typical recreational gas or diesel vessel has the fuel capacity to do much of the archipelago.

 

[ryt]

I just say it because I would rather not have too many divers out there ripping up the reef due to its value to the scientific community. It is incredibly expensive to go, so personal charters are really just flat out unreasonable, if you try to get on as a scientific diver, you're also hard pressed, cause then you generally need to be affiliated with either a university or NOAA and be a certified scientific, which requires a lot of paperwork and training that is not widely availible to the general public.

overall its just not economical, and I like it better that way. I hope to go next summer as a scientific diver on a 4-5 week cruise, but even for a student it is inconveneint, cause I will have to take a semester off.

 

[20vturbo]

Even Jean-Michael Cousteau had to go out there on a research vessel in order to film there for his latest PBS special. And I think I read that it's also a Monk Seal habitat in a couple of places, so that's probably off-limits to everyone except scientists, Hawaii fiercely protects their monk seals - with good reason imho.

Sorry to bring this one back but has anyone seen that PBS special know how to get it?


Edit: I found it: http://www.pbs.org/kqed/oceanadventures/episodes/kure/

 

[MeiLing]

And I think I read that it's also a Monk Seal habitat in a couple of places, so that's probably off-limits to everyone except scientists, Hawaii fiercely protects their monk seals - with good reason imho.

The area is the primary habitat for monk seals which are endangered. That is why it was made a national monument.

While I agree with on the need to protect these animals, I don't think the state itself does all that much to that end! Our legislature is pretty wimpy compared to other states!