Maui diving

JKT

Member
Hi fellow divers,

I just joined the site a few days ago and not only do I own a SW tank, I dive as much as I can.

I've gone diving on Maui a few times, but I'd love to hear of any cool dive sites you guys may have visited.

So far I've been to Molokini crater and the back wall as well as Black Rock shore dives, the Cathedrals off of Lanai and a couple of random small wreck dives.

I'm going back for a week at the end of June and I'd love to know of any cool sites I didn't list.

thanks,
Jesse
 

Paul B

Well-Known Member
I was on Hawaii a few months ago, Maui, Lanai and Kauai, I dove all those places as well as the ones you mentioned. I have to say as diving goes I was very disappointed with diving there. I was there 40 years ago on my Honeymoon and I think it was much better then. The visibility is terrible (but no where near as bad as where I live in new York) The fish populations were dismal but there were plenty of turtles and I am happy about that. The predominant fish are Moorish Idols as most of the large schools of tangs are gone. I have dove in Tahiti which was so many times better, there is no comparism at all. If I ever get back to Hawaii, I won't dive there again.
I do love Hawaii though and have friends there. It is one of my favorite places, the outer Islands anyway as it is to crowded now.
The first dive I did this time in Hawaii was that Black Rock you mentioned. That is really the worst place to dive but it is right in the middle of a touristy hotel with swimmers above you. But it is a beach dive so I was not expecting much.
These are all from those Islands













I saw no large fish or sharks. In Bora Bora there are so many sharks that you have to be careful jumping off the boat that you don't jump on one. The visibility there is also almost unlimited and you can easily see the bottom clearly in 120 feet of water.
Manta rays and sharks predominate as with the great viability you can see them and they are very diver friendly.
This is Tahiti




For me the Caribbean is close and cheap and I have dove on almost every Island there but they are fished out and no large fish there.
 

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
The best site I dove on Maui (this was in 2005) was a beach dive on Palauea Beach, one of the lesser known Maui Beaches to tourists, a locals beach. Stay to the right side of the beach and follow the rocks out, lots of corals on large boulders. Located just south of Wailea. Great fish dive (back then, so hope it still is). Here are some shots I got using 35mm film.


Do you see the puffer in this one?





This was nice big guy!



 

JKT

Member
Thanks for the replies guys,

I enjoy going to Maui itself, and getting to dive there is a huge bonus as I love the island itself.

I definitely want to go dive in Tahiti. I hear that it's amazing.
 

wscttwolfe

Active Member
We dove kauai last winter and it was fantastic. 100+ vis, calm seas, corals, fish, a few sharks, and tons of turtles.

But, the real highlight was that we dove during humpback whale season, and could hear their songs frequently as we were diving. Even had a humpback breach within 100 yards of the boat, as we were drifting to let a pod pass

Would also highly recommend hiking the na pali coast if you're on the island:

_-8.jpg by wscttwolfe, on Flickr
 

PSU4ME

JoePa lives on!!!
Staff member
PREMIUM
We dove kauai last winter and it was fantastic. 100+ vis, calm seas, corals, fish, a few sharks, and tons of turtles.

But, the real highlight was that we dove during humpback whale season, and could hear their songs frequently as we were diving. Even had a humpback breach within 100 yards of the boat, as we were drifting to let a pod pass

Would also highly recommend hiking the na pali coast if you're on the island:

_-8.jpg by wscttwolfe, on Flickr

Awesome....I would love to hear humpback whales!
 

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
I've dove on Oahu ('93), the big Island ('97), Maui ('05), and Kauai ('10). I found the best diving in terms of coral cover were on the big island. Not sure what it is like now on the big island since it is ~20 years later from when I dove on it. Each time I go back to the these islands I saw more bleaching occurring with each successive trip. Pretty sad really, the coral loss happening globally.

On my Maui trip I heard the humpbacks singing underwater, a completely mesmerizing experience. Agree that if you plan a trip to the these islands do it during humpback breeding season. Here is more info on the humpback's winter breeding season, scroll down the page.
 

Paul B

Well-Known Member
I dove Oahu, Maui, Hawaii, and Kauai in 1974 when it was pretty good. I dove on Maui, Kauai and Lanai last year and It was the worst dives of my 300 or so.
 
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