Recommendations for Maui Molokini backwall?

[ScubaDiveMaui]

So when requesting a steel100 or 120, do they normally come with a din valve? do I need to bring my din reg??

I can only speak for Extended Horizons, which offers steel 100's in either DIN or K-valve. And steel 120's DIN. Extended Horizons does have a DIN rental reg available.

quietstorm - The numeric value gives you volume of the tank in cubic feet, so the difference between steel 100's/120's and AL80's is greater air volume, and thus longer possible bottom time. Plus the steel tanks are negatively buoyant (around 6-8lbs neg.) vs. AL tanks which tend to get somewhat positively buoyant below 1500psi. It kinda sounds like it's been a while since you were diving last... ? If so, I would highly recommend a warm up/tune-up dive off the beach before spending $$$ to do a boat dive. You'll get way more enjoyment out of your boat dives that way, plus have a great beach dive!

 

[Cacia]

Catherine, talk with the captain and DMs and let them know you're an experienced diver. If John, Dan, or Mike are the captains or DMing, definitely speak with them...they are the best. The boat ride to Molokini is long but really beautiful, so enjoy it.

Thanks! The pregnant lady at the shop was very friendly.

 

[ScubaAndDreams]

Thanks for the entertainment...sitting at work from 1800-0600 ... you made an hour and a half go by in a hurry.

This reminds me of a magazine I would never read, except in the bathroom I especially liked the part about putting down x diveshop because "word on the boat ramp is..."

My second cousins' uncle's mother's brother said that my neighbor's green car is really red and was stolen ... but when it was it was pink so therefore I don't like his cat.

If I knew anything about Maui I would give you constructive advice...hey how about you tell catherine to cross with her boat and then she can take you to molokini...

 

[DiveMaven]

Frankly I'm always surprised when Kris voices his views so openly. I would guess that not only is the dive industry a small place, but Hawaii (and Maui in particular) is even smaller. Ultimately Kris is a grown man and has the right to say what he wants.

 

[KrisB]

Frankly I'm always surprised when Kris voices his views so openly. I would guess that not only is the dive industry a small place, but Hawaii (and Maui in particular) is even smaller. Ultimately Kris is a grown man and has the right to say what he wants.

I appreciate that Hilary -- I guess I'm just more inclined to see the truth out there. Too many of these issues find their way under the rug somehow, and the people that suffer are the operators that do things right (and have to charge for it), and the people that get hurt.

S&D -- "word on the boat ramp" comes *one* step removed from the crew of aforementioned operator. It's a little more trustworthy than you think.

While the community here is small, I have no problem voicing my experiences and sharing what has been shared with me, as the sources I have are trustworthy.

 

[rectec]

I go to Maui at least once a year and have dove with Ed Robinson's and B&B SCUBA. They both run a professional operation and will do the Backwall conditions permitting. The Backwall can be tricky if the swell is from the South. You can requests sites with B&B, but they will tell you up front that the Backwall will be checked on the morning of the dive to ensure it is okay to dive. Contrary to KrisB. who seems to have an opinion about everyone, which is remarkable considering his limited experience, I find most operators on Maui safe operations. I also wonder why he feels he is entitled to free rides just because he is an Instructor. I take groups of students on B&B and am never charged and my students get a discount also. I am allowed to do my own thing as long as I follow the boat profile,i.e. up at 500 psi. They also have more guides in the water then any boat the same size. Brad extends this service to all Instructors, no strings attached. They have never made me buy gear or rent from them, I do so because they support me and I feel I should do the same.

 

[KrisB]

Contrary to KrisB. who seems to have an opinion about everyone, which is remarkable considering his limited experience

Excuse me? You're right, I do have an opinion about just about everyone, and they've all been formed by first-hand experience. You'll note that I haven't said a whole lot (if anything) about Prodiver, as I haven't dove with them, nor knowingly observed their groups in the water.

I'm curious as to how you come up with this "limited experience" bit -- I've been diving off Maui since '02, and have spent most of the last year here.

entitled to free rides just because he is an Instructor

Not entitled, but when the other operators that want my business offer them, I'm going to be thinking they want me (and my students) around more than the shops that don't.

I don't send people to B&B (for a couple reasons), ERDA, and Maui Dive Shop is also not at the top of the list.

Brad extends this service to all Instructors, no strings attached.

That is not what I was told when I enquired.

By the way, rectec -- this is an interesting thread for you to make your first post on... perhaps your lack of ScubaBoard experience has something to do with your over-the-top bias?

They have never made me buy gear or rent from them, I do so because they support me and I feel I should do the same.

Fair enough. Again, I'm going on what was communicated TO ME. And you're welcome to do that -- personally, I find their rental rates terribly expensive (double what other shops charge, with lower-quality gear). I've also been disappointed by some of the items on the floor -- for instance, a "new" BC that hasn't been made in that style in about 4 years is still sitting on the floor with a full-price sticker.

 

[Cacia]

...hey how about you tell catherine to cross with her boat and then she can take you to molokini...

I would, but I am a big CHICKEN

I've had some pyschiatric emergencies mid channel. But...now that I have the kayak and the EPIRB, maybe its time to give it another shot. I like it when there are 100 outriggers, and lots of boats out there! ..oh yea, and JB, he is a confidence booster.

This group knows that the conditions might preclude the backwall, Alex just wanted to book with somebody that said they would shoot for it as opposed to "no way to know" because..we can dive here. There are some south swells at the moment, I noticed today. (and the Sea Tiger big mooring is gone, if anybody cares)

We dropped in without mooring, which is not too bad but the boat traffic always gets your attention.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Aaah the truth as Kris sees it.

I'm curious as to how you come up with this "limited experience" bit -- I've been diving off Maui since '02, and have spent most of the last year here

Perhaps the previous comment about your lack of experience has to do more about how quickly you rushed from DM to instructor not the amount of years you've been diving.

Won't voice an opinion about Prodiver because you haven't dove with them but will about B&B even though you haven't dove with them.



Kris there are more than 1000 open water students with my name on their card and just as many with advanced cards and professional cards with my name on them. So I"ll speak from that aspect of experience. I don't work there so I'm not concerned about taking a dump in my lunchbox.

I have zero bias about any shop and haven't voiced a negative comment about any of them. I find no operation horrible on Maui but there are some that I didn't care for. Unlike you I don't take the word of others, I actually dive with them. Then I form an opinion.

So Kris you walk into a shop, ask for favors and don't get what you want and then come here and blast the gear they have on the floor? Good grief.

 

[KrisB]

So Kris you walk into a shop, ask for favors and don't get what you want and then come here and blast the gear they have on the floor?

Al... if you had read my previous posts, my comments with B&B's BOAT are second-hand... with their GENERAL CUSTOMER SERVICE and available product are first-hand. Neither of these issues is because of the lack of that "favour".