nw_diver
Registered
We went to Kona in June and dove with three operators. At the Waikoloa Marriot there is a dive boat that anchors right off the beach. The boat is hired by the company that runs all of the watersports in that area, Ocean Sports. Not the smoothest operation and way more expensive than diving out of Kona. Although you will get to do sites that the Kona boats don't dive. Also up there is Kohala Divers, just north of Waikoloa.
Puako is a must shore dive. We preferred it more than the Place of Refuge. We rented our tanks at Blue Wilderness mentioned above. Nice shop and you get a free refill if you bring your tanks back within 24 hours. They are very liberal on this and don't enforce the 24 hour rule as long as you only have the tanks over one night. So you can get some really cheap diving in. At Puako we entered after the last house. There is a channel you walk through and then swim about about 50 yards to drop over the edge. Booties are a must. There is all kinds of swim throughs and tubes to explore. You just head to the right and count how many coves you swim by. What was amazing was one morning we went out and as we were swimming in a dive boat moored and dropped off divers. They paid $100 bucks to dive a site we paid $5 to dive. Local fisherman also hang out and sleep there sometimes as we woke up a couple of locals in a jeep at dawn one morning. We put a grass mat down to gear up on, it wasn't there when we got back from our dive and neither was the jeep. So I wouldn't leave anything of value in the car. I didn't have a dry pouch so I hid the keys under the tires but was a little nervous the car wouldn't be there when we got back. At least all they took was a $2 mat from the ABC store.
Next we dove with Kona Honu Divers for the Manta Ray dive. It was a two tank dive. First we did a twilight dive so you can get out and see the Garden Eels and see where the "camp fire" is. Quite a few boats show up and when we were there, one boat had a big piper play at sundown. Then then mantas come. We had them doing flips off the stern of the boat almost immediately after they turned the lights on under the boat. I think Kona Honu was the only boat to have lights mounted under the boat. This dive is amazing and at least 10 mantas showed up. This is a must do.
Next we dove with Jack's Diving Locker and let me tell you this operation is a well oiled machine. We paid a little extra for the "advanced boat" but I'm not sure what was advanced about it. I don't think our dives were deeper than 60 feet. I think they just take out a smaller boat with less divers. We were very pleased with Jacks. They will also wash and stow all of your gear if you are doing multiple dives with them. While we were they we started talking with other divers about the blackwater dive and we were able to get a trip booked on an off day for this excursion. This dive was incredible. It was so eerie yet peaceful being down at 50 feet in pitch black water. The weird creatures that came up from the bottom were amazing. I would probably do that dive over the Manta dive if we go back.
As far as elevations, I wouldn't go to Waimea or the volcanoes without waiting 24 hours. I did look up the NOAA tables when we were there and Waimea is probably fine if you dove in the morning.
The only thing that was a bust for us was that no lava was flowing. We walked all the way down the lava covered road from the parking area only to realize what we saw from the parking area is what we would see at the end. The lava was just up on the hillside, miles away. So be sure to ask what the lava is doing. You can call the parking lot attendant and confirm with him that it is flowing down by the road and not just up in the hills.
One other thing I recommend is driving up to Hawa and eating at the Bamboo. It is a great funky little place with good food.
Have a good time.
Puako is a must shore dive. We preferred it more than the Place of Refuge. We rented our tanks at Blue Wilderness mentioned above. Nice shop and you get a free refill if you bring your tanks back within 24 hours. They are very liberal on this and don't enforce the 24 hour rule as long as you only have the tanks over one night. So you can get some really cheap diving in. At Puako we entered after the last house. There is a channel you walk through and then swim about about 50 yards to drop over the edge. Booties are a must. There is all kinds of swim throughs and tubes to explore. You just head to the right and count how many coves you swim by. What was amazing was one morning we went out and as we were swimming in a dive boat moored and dropped off divers. They paid $100 bucks to dive a site we paid $5 to dive. Local fisherman also hang out and sleep there sometimes as we woke up a couple of locals in a jeep at dawn one morning. We put a grass mat down to gear up on, it wasn't there when we got back from our dive and neither was the jeep. So I wouldn't leave anything of value in the car. I didn't have a dry pouch so I hid the keys under the tires but was a little nervous the car wouldn't be there when we got back. At least all they took was a $2 mat from the ABC store.
Next we dove with Kona Honu Divers for the Manta Ray dive. It was a two tank dive. First we did a twilight dive so you can get out and see the Garden Eels and see where the "camp fire" is. Quite a few boats show up and when we were there, one boat had a big piper play at sundown. Then then mantas come. We had them doing flips off the stern of the boat almost immediately after they turned the lights on under the boat. I think Kona Honu was the only boat to have lights mounted under the boat. This dive is amazing and at least 10 mantas showed up. This is a must do.
Next we dove with Jack's Diving Locker and let me tell you this operation is a well oiled machine. We paid a little extra for the "advanced boat" but I'm not sure what was advanced about it. I don't think our dives were deeper than 60 feet. I think they just take out a smaller boat with less divers. We were very pleased with Jacks. They will also wash and stow all of your gear if you are doing multiple dives with them. While we were they we started talking with other divers about the blackwater dive and we were able to get a trip booked on an off day for this excursion. This dive was incredible. It was so eerie yet peaceful being down at 50 feet in pitch black water. The weird creatures that came up from the bottom were amazing. I would probably do that dive over the Manta dive if we go back.
As far as elevations, I wouldn't go to Waimea or the volcanoes without waiting 24 hours. I did look up the NOAA tables when we were there and Waimea is probably fine if you dove in the morning.
The only thing that was a bust for us was that no lava was flowing. We walked all the way down the lava covered road from the parking area only to realize what we saw from the parking area is what we would see at the end. The lava was just up on the hillside, miles away. So be sure to ask what the lava is doing. You can call the parking lot attendant and confirm with him that it is flowing down by the road and not just up in the hills.
One other thing I recommend is driving up to Hawa and eating at the Bamboo. It is a great funky little place with good food.
Have a good time.
