Recommendations for Maui Molokini backwall?

[ArcticDiver]

At the risk of repeating a question that has no doubt been asked before, I wonder whether you kind folks can give me some advice about which Maui boat charter is preferable for a two tank dive with the first along the backwall of Molokini Crater.

There seems to be so many to choose from and their websites seem to be fairly similar.

I dove the backwall many years ago and had a great trip with a shop whose name I forget (but was right next to a fast food restaurant in Lahaina) with only 6 divers on a fast and comfortable boat with a great DM (Trevor) and captain (Ray was her name). I dove with Prodiver last October and while the equipment and service were great, we ended up doing a dive inside the crater since the other 5 divers were beginners (which I understand) and a second dive at a site with a sunken boat and a garden of stacked Goodyear tires with little sea life....

So this time around, I am so eager to get to the backwall. I would like an operator where there is good equipment, professional service, a nice boat, and the best chance to have a great experience along the Molokini backwall....

Thank you for your suggestions.

By now you have discovered that the locals in HI are very, very vocal on their preferences. Some of those views apply to us tourists and some don't. Also, the posts become so much static after awhile. If you have some time to kill go back a bit and read similar threads to this one.

There are so many excellent operators on Maui a person doesn't have to compromise. So, the only real advice that is worthwhile is that dive operators are a lot like restaurants. There is something for every one. So, if you have the time pick a couple, or more, and try them out. If you find one you like stick with them. If not, go to someone else.

Ed Robinson and Mike Severn have consitently been efficient and fun. When they make a mistake, and all operators do, they bend over backward to make it right. Some of my very best dives on Maui have been with Ed Robinson. But, you may like somone else so try them all until you find one that "fits".

 

[Cacia]

lol this is true

recently, I had a SB guy post complaints about AAA dive boat, the Elesium, the most expensive luxurious boat on Oahu. He complained bitterly about how difficult it was to reboard the boat. (I did not say a word....)

 

[river_sand_bar]

lol this is true

recently, I had a SB guy post complaints about AAA dive boat, the Elesium, the most expensive luxurious boat on Oahu. He complained bitterly about how difficult it was to reboard the boat. (I did not say a word....)

sounds like the other day, I had a lady call in the scuba shop, looking for the largest size speedo we carried... seems she worked for one of the resorts and had a VERY LARGE client in town from Europe that didn't bring a suit. :mooner: I felt sooo bad for her for having to search for a XXL speedo.

 

[Jon C]

sounds like the other day, I had a lady call in the scuba shop, looking for the largest size speedo we carried... seems she worked for one of the resorts and had a VERY LARGE client in town from Europe that didn't bring a suit. :mooner: I felt sooo bad for her for having to search for a XXL speedo.

Was it the leather one with the tassle in front? Or is that one still available?

 

[river_sand_bar]

Was it the leather one with the tassle in front? Or is that one still available?

Jon, we still have the pink one you ordered....waiting for you to come pick it up...

 

[sea nmf]

You mean, which boat interested or which Mauians in joining you?


Furthermore, as these are divemaster-led dives, any case of DCS (providing the diver followed instructions which usually include "do not descend below the DM" and "don't go up any faster than the DM or your smallest bubbles if your DM isn't ascending with you") becomes the operator's (well, DM's) responsibility IMO.

I meant Mauians. I'll look for a boat later, if there are enough people.

But, WOW! I totally disagree with you on the divemaster-led dives. You can tell folks things until you are blue in the face (you should know) and they won't listen to you. If you are leading more than one person and you don't have a physical hold on them, then they are responsible for their profile, not the DM. Too much to ask, really. Divers are responsible for themselves. I like the guides because they know where all the good stuff is. Not because I depend on them for my safety.

 

[DiveMaven]

I have to agree with sea nmf, I prefer an operator that provides the type of guide that helps me find critters during the dive, and at the end points to the boat so I don't have to think about navigating. Everything else is my responsibility.

 

[Charlie99]

I'd care a bit about the boat crossing to Molokini.
if a boat doesn't handle well in big seas I tend to fixate on how crappy it is, how FAST we COULD be going, etc, lol.

Don't sweat the Kihei to Molokini run -- it is pretty well protected by S. Maui to the east, W. Maui/Molokai/Lanai to the North and NW, and even a bit sheltered by Kahoolawe to the W-SW.

The crossing where the boat really comes into play is the run from Lahaina over to the dive spots on the S. side of Lanai. The return trip and get pretty nasty as the trades come whipping around the north side of Maui. The big Lahaina Dive Shop boats are good for people that are unusually prone to seasickness. Hawaiian Rafting's rigid hull inflatable is for the people that want a thrill ride. My preferred boat for Lanai is Extended Horizons, a reasonable sized boat that rides pretty well. They dive as two DM-led groups of 6.

Charlie Allen

 

[Charlie99]

http://www.scubaboard.com/showpost.php?p=2003813&postcount=48

is my opinion on the advantages and disadvantages of most of the Maui-based dive ops. I have my personal favorites that I normally use, but since most of the time I don't book until the night before, I've been out on just about every boat on the island. If I haven't been out with somebody for a couple years, sometimes I'll even just book a trip to see if they have changed.

 

[KrisB]

But, WOW! I totally disagree with you on the divemaster-led dives. You can tell folks things until you are blue in the face (you should know) and they won't listen to you. If you are leading more than one person and you don't have a physical hold on them, then they are responsible for their profile, not the DM. Too much to ask, really. Divers are responsible for themselves. I like the guides because they know where all the good stuff is. Not because I depend on them for my safety.

Oh, I totally understand that view, and I've seen divers do that -- exceeding the planned profile by 20-30'. And yes, they're responsible for that.

But if I offered you the choice of:
a) an operator that plans the dives to whatever limits, and as a result sends (on average) ten divers a year for chamber rides.

or

b) an operator that uses the same tools (computers / Wheel / tables) to plan dives to similar, but perhaps slightly more conservative limits, and has not sent any divers for chamber rides (in at least 10 years).

Which would you be more inclined to consider trustworthy for dive planning?

Consider that you're going to have trouble seeing the cool stuff that the guide is pointing out if you think the profile is overly aggressive and are diving more conservatively.

My biggest factor is to not be put on some program, where whoever is running the boat is harping on us the entire time, like you are kids on a field trip---ruins my day. Anybody that can run a charter as though their services have been hired, well thats nice. Of course, there are safety issues which the captain needs to control, but if the crew can do that discreetly and graciously, that is a fun charter. If the crew is condescending or patronizing, I will never be back.

Catherine, I totally understand your view here. And that would probably make you a candidate for a different operator than others that want their hands held. It also likely distinguishes the tourist (who may not know Hawaiian marine life) from the local.

If you find your way over to Maui, I suspect you'd find a great deal of pleasure diving with Makena Coast Charters -- the briefings are short and to-the-point, it's often no-nonsense diving... get to the site, get in, dive until you're out of NDL or air (following the guide, but not in a "line-up-single-file" way), get out, enjoy some pineapple, go to second site (chosen by the divers that day), wait an appropriate surface interval (usually an hour or so), then dive again.

They're a great crew, and ultimately they just want to do what you do -- go diving!

Other operators are great for education -- Mike Severns is one that comes to mind. Even a short marine life briefing is 10-15 minutes.

Others are great for condescension -- Ed Robinson's comes to mind here.