Unofficial Oahu Yak Divers Club

[rockjock3]

Hello all. It looks like I will not be diving this Friday, due to a medical issue in the family.

HOWEVER---

Conditions, right now, are looking like they might be nice for a ride out on the South Shore to do some Kayak diving Sunday. Here would be my possible plans.

Conditions and group will choose the final plan.

1. My plan right now is to either Launch from Ali Wai and do either the Sea Tiger (1 mile from harbor entrance) or the YO(1.7 mile from harbor entrance), come in and switch tanks, then go out and do the Pipe (.2 miles from harbor entrance).
2. Launch our of Hawaii Kai and do corsair (1.8 miles from boat launch).
3. Launch out of the Army Rec Area on Waianae Coast and dive the LCU (2 miles from launch), come in to switch tanks, go dive the Beechcraft (.9 miles from launch).
4. Yak out to Makaha and do two dives out there (about 700-800 feet from launch).

Let me know what all your thoughts are, if you want to come along to dive or even just to paddle around and see what it is all about.

 

[rockjock3]

Update. For those of you that like to dive Lanai Lookout, or want to dive Lanai Lookout. Sunday looks like a morning run there might be worthwhile. Little to no surf forecast right now as well as light winds and low tide will be at 0942. So, if we get in the water by about 0815-0830 we should be able to get two great dives in there. Just another idea to throw out there.

 

[redrover]

Read: Unofficial Oahu Yak Divers Club

First thought: I wish I lived on Oahu.
Second thought: I wish I had a kayak.
Third thought: Oh my god, I just wished I lived on Oahu!

 

[Wildcard]

Read: Unofficial Oahu Yak Divers Club

First thought: I wish I lived on Oahu.
Second thought: I wish I had a kayak.
Third thought: Oh my god, I just wished I lived on Oahu!

WHY????

 

[fishb0y]

Lanai Lookout looks more doable for me at this moment... I'll get back to you

 

[sloyota]

I will keep an eye out on the thread...most likely game for whatever, although West Coast might be out due to the high surf advisory PLUS my kayak-toting vehicle has 37" tires and a 7 inch lift and no a/c...not fun to drive far distances...

I am new with scuba, but comfortable in the water and with my gear. I noticed certain dive forums say the lookout is not for beginners. Since I have never been there, I just wanted to let you all know...

 

[mrjimboalaska]

vehicle has 37" tires and a 7 inch lift and no a/c...not fun to drive far distances...

ah.....sloy.........
where do you get long distances on Oahu, I haven't found that road yet.......

 

[rockjock3]

I will keep an eye out on the thread...most likely game for whatever, although West Coast might be out due to the high surf advisory PLUS my kayak-toting vehicle has 37" tires and a 7 inch lift and no a/c...not fun to drive far distances...

I am new with scuba, but comfortable in the water and with my gear. I noticed certain dive forums say the lookout is not for beginners. Since I have never been there, I just wanted to let you all know...

I am leaning towards the South coast as well. The conditions say 0-1 feet for Sunday.

I have dove Lanai lookout twice and it was great. My first dives there were 3-4 foot swells (mostly due to the wind) with large waves crashing over the ledge. It was still aawesome. I know of people that have been taken on it when they had as little as 10 ddives. Our first dive was a little interesting (we came out at the wrong place--The same place you came out Jimbo).

As long as you are with somebody the has dove it before, and conditions are good, there should be no problem. As long as you go into the dive with the knowledge that it can be hairy at times. Not a shore dive you want to just jump (pun intended) into with no prior knowledge of.

Here is a synopsis.

You will first hike down with your gear on (not a bad hike, but running across the highway can be fun), then you will giant stride from lava ledge anywhere from 1-5 foot down to the water. Once in you will swim through a large cavern (light all through) that is under the lava ledge. Next, you will swim along a wall for awhile. There is on area that is a false exit, keep on swimming. Now once you get to the exit there are two ways to get in. First, you can swim into the exit channel (heading of 310), or second (my preferred route) swim past the entrance and around the next finger and there is a cave (about 150-200 feet long). There are no branches off it is just a straight shot. You go in and down to a low spot, then you swim up a little and then over the next rise you will see the next low spt and light coming out. Once you arrive at the opening you swim out a few feet and you are in the exit channel and past the hairy part. This is my preffered exit and very easy to do. Ensure that you carry a light though as you cannot see light at the other end of the tube when you swim in.

All in all I would have to agree with most people that this is the absolute best shore dive on Oahu.

 

[Sloth]

Since it is a shore dive count me in.

Anyone have any reccomendations on a good place to get nitrox fills around Diamond Head?

 

[sloyota]

From what I gather, Oahu has 2 places for Nitrox:

Dive something near Kewalo, or Sea In Sea in Kakaako. I know Sea In Sea's number is 528-2311. They're cool and I hang there a bit.