Oahu or Kauai diving?

[meganwe]

Hey there,

I am going to these islands for my first time in a couple of weeks and although I got some great information from other posts on some possible dive sites in Oahu and a few in Kauai I am still at a loss.

I plan to do two days of boat dives and likely cannot afford to do the Ni'ihau trip (or that would be a no-brainer). I'd like to see critters on natural reef and perhaps some interesting bathymetry. I am happy to do advanced/deeper dives if those are the best.

The question is if you had to choose to dive on Oahu or Kauai which would you choose?

This is what I got for best places to dive on these islands. Please let me know if you agree/or have better suggestions.

Kauai:
Koloa Landing
Tunnels

Oahu:
Too many shore dives and wrecks to list

Thanks so much! There are obviously very knowledgeable divers on this forum. Wish I had more time to explore all the sites!

Cheers,
Megan

 

[Teamcasa]

Megan,
I love diving Kauai! Tunnels is an amazing shore dive but I'd suggest getting a DM/guide. Koloa Landing is a nice and easy dive but sometimes there are a lot of students.

Here is an excerpt from my report on Kauai.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/hawaii-ohana/243333-kauai-dive-report-links-video-pictures.html

Thursday, July 10th (Aquatics Adventures) Youtube Video
We decided to skip a night dive and head off to the Tunnels Reef. After having a wonderful time meeting Leah and Sean at their shop in Poipu, we arranged to dive one of Kauai’s famous sites. My brother Ray also wanted to join us as he had snorkeled the reef but now certified, he wanted to see the difference. After leaving our rented house in Poipu at 6:00am we met Dive Masters/guides Jordon and Mercedes at the entrance road to drop our gear and I headed off to find a very scarce parking spot.

For those not familiar with diving this site, you must schlep all your gear down to the beach, a daunting task for some. However, Jordon and Mercedes, both young and strong, grabbed most of the gear, tossed it into a two wheeled cart and made several trips to get the heavy stuff next to the shore. Very nice!

The start of this dive begins with a walk out in very shallow water for 75 or so yards before donning fins and begin the dive. My Omega Flip fins worked out great here! We began exploring the outer reef and then into the first of many of the lava tubes that give the site its name. Amazing views! Let me also say that Jordon took the lead followed closely by Marian and Ray. I hung back with Mercedes shadowing me as I videotaped the sights. Mercedes is an amazing diver. At maybe 90 lbs soaking wet, she would just stop mid-water in a sitting position and wait while I shot something interesting.

After 50 minutes of exploring the tunnels it was time for a return to 20’ for a leisurely safety stop. Once we arrived, Jordon whipped out a magnetic slate and began playing tic-tac-toe with everyone! After 5 minutes, we swam to the shallows and walked out, again the flip fins came in mighty handy!

After a surface interval back at the parking spot where we really got to know our hosts better, we again headed out this time to explore the inner reef. Again, an amazing site with caverns, tunnels and easy swim throughs. Vis was pretty good 40-50 feet except when following my brother Ray through a tunnel! Man, how can one guy make such a mess?

This was Marian and Ray’s favorite dive by far. (I liked it as well but Niihau is still my all time favorite Hawaiian dive.) It was so relaxing and beautiful and you had to work to get below 55 fsw. I would not hesitate to recommend Aquatic Adventures to lead this dive. It seems everyone on Leah and Sean’s staff are top notch and willing to make the extra effort to insure a great time. Thanks Leah! (aascubagirl)

 

[KrisB]

Given your desire to see coral and such, there's a hands-down, clear winner: Kauai.

I've never been there, but having done a half-dozen dives off Oahu, I can say it would be hard to be more disappointed with Hawaii's diving than I am with Oahu's.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

I have lived on both Islands, although I was a bartender during my Kauai years and a dive instructor/guide while on Oahu.

One of my future expensive dive trips will be a Ni'ihau trip (off Kauai), but I am 0-2 trying on my every other year September trips (trips cancelled due wind).

Tunnels on the North Shore of Kauai is one of my favorite shore dive locations. I remember many great days where we did afternoon/evening/night dives there. I wish Maui had a shore dive area as good as Tunnels.

I also have many great memories of Oahu's North Shore diving. Pupukea Marine Life Conservation District includes the Three Tables/Firehouse/Shark's Cove dive sites, and I wish Maui had shore dive sites as good as those.

There are also good boat dive sites off Oahu's North Shore, and there is some night life going on around Haleiwa as well. Not as much night life happening on Kauai.

I have a b-day coming up and I am leaning towards a North Shore Oahu holoholo, partly because I know of better dives off Oahu's North Shore than I know of off Kauai's North Shore. A big reason is that I have better knowledge of the secret sites.

Since you are talking about boat dives I will just remind you that most of the boat dives off both those Islands are off the South Shores so this summers epic surf has negatively impacted many of the dive sites, especially second tank sites. We can't say what the surf will be like when you are here, but the North Shore boat dives off Oahu have better odds of being spectacular (no wrecks though).

halemano : photos : Three Tables- powered by SmugMug

halemano : photos : SharksCoveWildlife- powered by SmugMug

halemano : photos : SharksCoveSwimthroughs- powered by SmugMug

 

[ScubaChief]

halemano,
What are the temps like this time of year at Pupukea? I'll be out there working next week and have only snorkled there in Oct.

Rob

 

[scottitheduck]

Water temps at the cove have been in the high 70s over the past few weeks. In fact, I hit 79 the last time I was up there and that was late last week. These should hold for a few months!

G

 

[stadevene]

For Kauai, check out Akamai Divers. "Scuba Steve" is a lot of fun and a great guide. If you can afford it, his Green Sea Turtle specialty is really interesting. I no longer look at turtles the same way now. I don't know if he dives The Tunnels, but I'm sure if he doesn't, he'll steer you to someone he trusts.

 

[BigBothersom]

I just got back from 10 days in Kauai and have to say of all my years of dive travel I've never been more disappointed.
The diving was actually boring and almost void of life compared to what I'm used to from other warm water dive sites.
I thought Jamaica was bad. Kauai is worse.
I love Kauai and will definitely come back, but I'll leave my dive gear at home.
Just my opinion folks.

 

[Teamcasa]

I just got back from 10 days in Kauai and have to say of all my years of dive travel I've never been more disappointed.
The diving was actually boring and almost void of life compared to what I'm used to from other warm water dive sites.
I thought Jamaica was bad. Kauai is worse.
I love Kauai and will definitely come back, but I'll leave my dive gear at home.
Just my opinion folks.

Really? Where and whom did you dive with?

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Really? Where and whom did you dive with?

Sounds like someone who didn't have an experienced local guide