We offer daily 2 tank guided dive trips in Kona...

[redrover]

thanks for the intro... i was only talking hawaii a few mins ago

so where exactly is Kona? as there are so many islands do we have to catch another flight once we land in hawaii or is it a roadtrip??

i know i could google but gives OP to talk up Kona a bit

Auntie, how you talk Hawai’i? Nice talk, I bettah heah.

Depends on where you land in Hawaii. It’s confusing I know, there is a state of Hawaii and island of Hawaii. The island, being the largest in Hawaii, is often distinguished as ‘The Big Island’ - of Hawaii. For example; I live in Hawaii, on The Big Island. So, if you land at Honolulu (HNL) as many, many, many people do, it is another flight (past 4 islands) to get to Steve. If you’re coming, try for a direct flight to Kailua-Kona (KOA) (which is not to be confused with Kailua on the same island as Honolulu - Oahu.) They don’t fly over any from HNL to KOA, it’s just ocean out the windows.

Luckily the Big Island’s main airport, receiving more sunlight than any costal point in the US at Keahole Point, is just down the Queen Kaahamanu Highway from Kona - and Steve. The Hawaiian alphabet has less than half the usual English letters so they get a lot of use. Oh, unless I'm providing my full address....I live in Kona. (How can any of this be confusing? )

And be sure to dive Pu’uhonaua O Honaunau. And, if you keep going south past it, you will end up at the most southern point of the United States of America, conveniently named South Point.

In case it isn’t confusing enough yet, Kidspot is on Maui. I can see his island FBI (From the Big Island).

Does that help? :blinking:

 

[kidspot]

Now even I'm confused ... and I know exactly what you're talking about -lol

Almitywife - do you know which island you're visiting yet? If the B.I. (Big Island) then definitely work in some diving with Steve. I dove with him once when he was vacationing on Maui and he was great to dive with, Ricks impressions above were the same I came away with - he enjoys diving, I never would have guessed he ran a dive boat unless I'd known ahead of time... too many folks that dive every day around here (for work) get burnt out pretty quick, but not Steve


Aloha, Tim

 

[almitywife]

heheheh - and i thought when aussies talked we were confusing!

no plans just yet - but we were talking last night about how nice it would be to have a Kona Chrissy so im guessing we would land in Honolulu first.

all good info to store in the memory banks - now to start working on the trip fund....again

thanks!

 

[Ann Marie]

Hi Steve,

I just booked a flight today to head out to Kona with some friends for a weekend of diving in March. I came onto the Board to check out dive ops. Then as the date gets closer, I'll look for somewhere to stay. Priorities right!?!

I was there a couple years ago and dove with Jack's but want to go with someone that will let me dive (not bring me back when I have 1400 psi left ). I ran across your thread and am glad that you decided to spam the board. I hadn't heard of you before but will definitely email my buddies your website!!

Hope to see you in March!

 

[Lopaka]

I was there a couple years ago and dove with Jack's but want to go with someone that will let me dive (not bring me back when I have 1400 psi left ).

Sure you are not confusing your dive trips? 1400psi sounds like a Carib operation. Jack's does not limit your dive time if you are on a computer.

That said, I have seen Steve's boat out there, and it always looks to have a happy group on it. And the Jack's guys always wave to him, unlike some other ops that do not coexist so well I imagine. He has a good rep.

 

[friscuba]

To Lopaka, Jack's has a decent bunch of people working their crew. Most of the operators seem to get along fairly well, I try to make it a habit to wave to other operators and there are a couple who aren't in the habit of waving to anyone but it's not the norm here.

To Ann Marie, we always try to let one dive their air if it doesn't break computer profiles and it's not a day where we've got one exceptional breather and several others getting sick on deck (luckily that's a very rare event here). Bob's usually good for 80-100 minutes most of the time, Cathy's the same, I'll need to work on my breathing to get back to that point once I get back in the water as I've had a sinus thing for a month or so. I would recommend you nail down a place to stay as March is spring break/Easter break time and things can fill quickly.

Aloha,

 

[Lopaka]

Ah, rental cars: if you are renting, do it online well in advance. You are $crewed if you just show up at the counter and ask for a car. Major price difference.

 

[Daiika]

friscuba,

we always try to let one dive their air if it doesn't break computer profiles and it's not a day where we've got one exceptional breather and several others getting sick on deck (luckily that's a very rare event here). Bob's usually good for 80-100 minutes most of the time,

You do dives 80-100 minutes- one tank? Isn't that kinda long? I usually go 50-55 minutes.

Rod

 

[Lopaka]

You do dives 80-100 minutes- one tank? Isn't that kinda long? I usually go 50-55 minutes.

Rod

Not for Hawaii Rod. Never gone to 100", but did manage 80" once. Not a shallow dive either, just leisurely, deep first, and a lot of time near the boat to offgas and use up the air. Warm water and relaxed diving will do that.

Only dives less that 60" I recall were deep 100'+ stuff were NDL limits stopped the fun.

 

[friscuba]

friscuba,

You do dives 80-100 minutes- one tank? Isn't that kinda long? I usually go 50-55 minutes.

Rod

80-100 is kind of a long dive, but there's people that can do that if the DM's decent and isn't rushing around and the profile allows. Part of the deal here is that even if you pop down to 70'-90' or deeper, you often spend most of the dive in 25-35 feet of water as nearly every dive site here has both deep and shallow water. While many of our newer or out-of-practice divers do only last 35-50 minutes on their first dives, 55-70 is a lot more common for experienced divers or ones that have been diving a couple of days this trip. If we get someone really really good on air that I can't keep up with, Bob's leading the dive. I used to be good for 80-100 minutes, but during the 5 months our boat was in for the overhaul I didn't dive nearly as much... gotta build back up.

Dive companies are all over the board as far as how long they'll let you dive. Some let you dive your air, some seem to have a magic way of ensuring diver's air is nearing 500 psi at an hour or so (it can be done), and others flat out limit dive times to table schedules or set limits (I've filled in as a DM for two operators here who limited dives to as little as 35-40 minutes). It always pays to check on their policies.