Which dive company for night manta dives on Big Island?

[SeaTurtle42]

Hey. I'm an instructor on Oahu right now, about to go to the Big Island for a little vacation. I want to do the night manta dives, but have no idea which company to go through. There are so many to choose from! Preferable a company that will not make me come up after the first person is low on air and one that does not have big groups. Anyone have any tips out there? Thanks!

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

I did a day trip and then the dusk/night trip with Jacks Diving Locker. Pretty nice facility, would consider working for them. The price was the highest but by the time of the manta dive the crew was comfortable with me. Let us go in early (w/day trip buddy) for a 7 minute semi-private show.

There was a pretty strong swell, so when the others finally made it, they got tossed and tumbled quite a bit. The mantas kept up their feeding passes, even as 4 divers surged back and forth totally out of control, one of the best shows I have ever photographed (tightly gripping boulders with forarms and knees).

Filled up my card, backed off to review and deleate about 7, then quickly fired them. It's shallow so after 40 minutes we moved out to deeper water, with most following the guide for a night dive. I chose to cut my dive short and surface in the manta haze.

If it's calm you might stay longer but it was hard work in strong surge and the night dive part is anticlimatic, unless no mantas show up.

That's not much of an answer but I couldn't just leave you hanging.

 

[friscuba]

It's a shallow dive and it's rare that anyone runs low on air, if that does happen most of the operators will shuffle the LOA diver to the boat and let everyone else stay.

The night dive is generally a timed dive here, with most operators giving you a 50-60 minute dive. There are two or three operators that seem to cut it at about 35-40 minutes, so you might want to ask how long the dive is when you are setting up your trip. If they tell you less than 50 minutes, try elsewhere.

 

[Wildcard]

Look for one that will do a blackwater dive after the manta. Big Isle Divers and Konaquatika are doing them, may be others. Most awsome dive!