Seeking Big Island dive operator options for ealy April...

[RJP]

Staying at Hilton Waikoloa Village, and had originally planned to dive with Red Sail (on site) because we weren't going to rent a car. But now Mrs. RJP3 decided we SHOULD rent a car so I will be able to escape from the grounds for a day or two of my planned dives.

Looking for specific recommendations for a buddy-less diver who's recently certified. Did OW in Florida in Feb, Nitrox in NJ in March, doing AOW on Maui week before Big Island stay.

Not interested in cattle-boat, rushed dives. I want to dive with folks that are still as amazed at the undersea experience as I am! I'm a newbie diver but I am ULTRA comfortable in the water and in scuba gear.

I understand that traffic down to Kona can be a pain, and I want to maximize the bottom-time to windshield-time ratio. Don't want to limit my choices by distance/time/location too severly, but when diving I will be leaving my wife back at the hotel with two young kids. All things considered equal I'd prefer a boat that is closer, leaves earlier, gets out there faster, etc.

Appreciate any recommendations of folks you've personally gone diving with.

Also, I know several members here are/work for Big Island dive operators - please feel free to PM me with any info that might help me choose!

Thanks in advance - Ray

 

[www.scubamazing.com]

wow, I figured you'd have gotten some responses for this. I'll go ahead an PM you with some suggestions.

 

[ronrosa]

Aloha Dive Company. Jacks is also very popular.

No mater what, DO NOT MISS THE MANTA RAY NIGHT DIVE.

 

[bnkysgrl]

Alright, I thought you would get more responses, but since you haven't I will chime in.
My husband and I have been to the BI twice in the last few years and we dive with Pacific Rim divers. They are a one boat (6 pack) operation with the best DM in the world (Patrice) and the most amazing view of the undersea world. I still have not found a better DM. We dove with Big Island once and they were okay. Dove with Kona Honu (they were horrible).
We always stay up in Waikoloa and the drive is not that bad, about 20-25 minutes depending on who you get stuck behind.
If you want more info on Pac Rim or any more info on the our experiences with them or the other listed operators, just PM me as I don't spend as much time on this forum as I used to.

Happy Diving!!

 

[mer]

Recommendation sent via PM.

 

[VBlueV]

not on subject... but why do y'all only PM recommendations? vice just posting here... so others interested can see too =/

btw... i do plan to do the manta-night-dive when i eventually dive there.

any other "must do" dives on the big-isle?

 

[friscuba]

not on subject... but why do y'all only PM recommendations? vice just posting here... so others interested can see too =/

btw... i do plan to do the manta-night-dive when i eventually dive there.

any other "must do" dives on the big-isle?

The manta dive is the "must do" dive here. After that, there are lots of very nice dives here, each with something different to offer. You can easliy do a lot of nice diving here for days on end if the weather cooperates. For most operators, dive sites for any given day are rarely picked 'til the boat is actually on the water and the crew gets a handle on the water conditions, what people would like to see, and what everyone on the boat has already seen.

In either case, the Big Island has consistantly some of the best diving in the state, it's tough to go wrong.

later,

 

[SFScuba]

I second Pacific Rim Divers. Patrice is great and makes great brownies for the surface interval. Jack's is supposed to be good, but they have a large boat/many divers. We dove Big Island for the Manta dive and had a good time.

 

[BobHaze101]

I'm in the same boat as RJP3 was, as we're staying at the Waikoloa Village in a couple of weeks. PRD sounds great, but it's over an hour drive from the resort for a 7:15 AM meet time. Has anyone dived with Red Sail, which operates out of the Waikoloa Village resort?

 

[friscuba]

I'm in the same boat as RJP3 was, as we're staying at the Waikoloa Village in a couple of weeks. PRD sounds great, but it's over an hour drive from the resort for a 7:15 AM meet time. Has anyone dived with Red Sail, which operates out of the Waikoloa Village resort?

Just a note, if you are staying at the Waikaloa resorts, as opposed to the villiage up the hill or the resorts further north, it's probably more in the 35 minute range that early in the day. Now an 8 or 9 am meet will likely stick you in school traffic and that last 2 miles to the harbor will drive you nuts.