The Big Island, Maui and Kauai

[rje634]

On Maui, you might check into Lahaina Divers. They are a good operator for someone who might want a little more support. They run bigger boats, but put a DM in the water for every 6 six divers. They also do a lot of training, so have quite a few newly certified divers or divers getting certified on their boats.

Additionally with Lahaina you can purchase the 2 tank boat dive and add a specialty course for $39 they have peak bouyancy, deep diver, naturalist, and boat diver. It is a great way to expand your diving education for a resonable amount of cash. I was there in december and did 5 days of diving and 3 specialties and had a great time. If you take the courses it is kind of like your own DM (depending on how crowded it is).
I highly recommend the Lanai and molokini charters. If you experience allows, dive the backwall at molokini, my last dive there we saw 3 huge manta rays and dolphins.
Lahaina is a well run operation with nice boats and a good staff.

On Kauai we dove with Sea Sport Divers, they were a good op with friendly staff and a nice dive boat. They have a DM/videographer on every dive, the video is available for purchase of course. While we dove with them they gave us free nitrox for all 12 of our dives. We were lucky with them there was a few dives when it was just us 2 and one other diver and they still went out. It was nice they didn't cancel the dives because they didn't meet their minimum diver count. If your going to use them for multiple days let them know you want to go to different sites otherwise you'll end up at Sheraton caves repeatedly.

If you want more info pm me..

 

[nocalparrothead]

Joann,
We went to Kauai 1 1/2 years ago, and dove with Linda at Bubbles Below. We were/are also novices. She was wonderful - especially when my normally mellow, calm husband was having an anxiety attack as we were trying to descend in choppy seas. There were 4 of us at different skill levels, all with different issues, and she handled it really well. She's also great at giving extensive info on what you'll see below, and why it's happening. When she pointed things out (like a mating "dance"), we knew what it was, because she had described it for us on-deck. I couldn't say enough about her and her opp. We'll hopefully be returning in June, possibly with our kids. Have a great trip!

Hi all,

I have seen some posts recommending diving operations on these islands already, but I am looking for something specific so I'm sorry if its seems like I'm reapeating.

I'm a fairly novice diver. I got my PADI cert back in 2001 and then went on two, two-tank dives in Hawaii (on Oahu and Kauai). We (a friend and I) had a good time. My first dive was at the Mahi Shipwreck - 100ft first time out. Wow. The company we went with was Ocean Concepts and they were nice. I was fairly comfortable with them and they took a little extra care of us because it was our first real dive.

On Kauai we went with Fathom Five divers and while I liked them (they told some great stories) they were a little standoffish. Since I was with a friend (who went through training with me) it wasn't a problem. The dives themselves were great.

This summer though, I'll be the only diver in my group and while I will take a quick refresher before I head out there, I'm going to be a bit nervous. I'll be on the Big Island, Maui and Kauai and I'd like to find companies that will watch out for me and offer a little extra TLC.

I have found a couple of companies - if anyone has any specific comments about them I'd appreciate that as well as recommendations on any others.

Big Island: Dive Makai Charters
Maui: Mike Severns Scuba or Ed Robinson's Diving Adventures
Kauai: Bubbles Below

Thanks for reading and any recommendations. I'll continue searching the forums and see what I can come up with as well.

Thanks,

Joann

 

[mccabejc]

You might also consider, especially when you're on the big island, saving some money and doing some shore dives. I was there a couple of weeks ago and the shore diving is fabulous, easy, and inexpensive. There are 5 or so excellent shore dives within 5 miles of downtown Kailua-Kona. Check www.shorediving.com if you're interested.

 

[ladycute1]

I'll add my two cents here...

While I like Lahaina Divers... their boats are bigger, and in my experience there is less individual service and attention than either B & B or Ed Robinson. I'd also endorse Maui Dreams Dive Co for some shore diving... it's a GREAT way to increase your skill and confidence level... you'll get lots of individual attention.

And, even though Maui Dive Shop takes a lot of new divers... it's my experience that you'll get more attention and have a more customized experience with one of the other operators .

Enjoy!

 

[JTemple]

I did my AOW with Maui Dreams and I highly recommend them. No arrogant "one-upmanship", compared to Maui Dive Shop who I went to Molokini with and was outraged when one of the DMs spent 15 minutes trying to dig an octopus out of the reef, broke off a whole section of it, and was so pre-occupied with his absurd task that he didn't even notice the 5 foot eel swim between his legs!

Maui Dreams is the way to go, and I'm about to go back and do my nitrox with them.

Boycott Maui Dive Shop!