Dive Travel Noob - Give me some advice!

Mattleycrue76 · Post by **Mattleycrue76** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 11:59 am

Ok so I wouldn't really consider myself to be a noob to either diving or traveling but this will be my first dive trip. Due to a deal that was simply too god to pass up I will be headed to Maui (Kihei I believe) on December 3rd. The plan is to do a mix of shore diving (surf permitting) and boat diving. We have one day of boat dives booked with Lahaina Divers and plan to figure the rest out once we get there. We will have a rental van so getting around shouldn't be much of a problem.

My questions are regarding what equipment changes I should make. I'm thinking 3mm full wetsuit? Also I can imagine the combination of Turtle fins and an AL80 hard to trim out and heavy to shlepp. Should I be thinking about a different set of fins? Should I take or leave my can light? (leaning towards taking it) Do I need to get yoke adapters for my regs ahead of time or do the dive ops have some? (or pro valves)

Anything else I should know?

BDub · Post by **BDub** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 12:22 pm

I usually use a 3mm in Maui I'm fine for 2 90 minute dives. If I do a 3rd, I start to get chilled.

If you're staying in Kihei, Maui Dreams Dive Co rents AL100's. They trim out nice and plenty of gas for some nice long dives.

I brought my can light on my first trip to Maui. Overkill, IMO. Since then I've left it at home and haven't missed in 80 or so dives without it, even night dives. A good backup is plenty, even for night dives, imo. I'm sure others will disagree.

As far as fins go, I used XL Jets for quite a while and was a little foot heavy, but manageable. The last trip or 2 I used Slipstreams and they were much more comfortable.

Have fun!

ArcticDiver · Post by **ArcticDiver** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 1:37 pm

First: Be sure you understand the rules affecting your rental vehicle. I've seen some folks get soaked big time for wet carpet and/or sand, even in the cargo area or trunk. It seems to depend on what company you use and the person who checks in the returns. I always use a plastic table cloth or shower curtain liner to carry wet gear and then throw it away when I pack to come home.

Lighter fins may be in order, if you already own them or can borrow a pair. Or, you can do what I did on my trip a couple weeks ago; put a 2 lb trim weight on the top cyclinder cam strap. That and moving the cylinder a bit higher than usual took care of the minor problem.

If the airline you use is stinky about weight, like American, you might want to be sure you leave some weight allowance for the extra weight of wet gear. Or, just plan on ponying up the extra cash. Either works.

I always carry a pretty good light to peer in crevices, etc. My current favorite is a DiveRite LED that can be used as a can light or a standard flashlight. Amazing what it does for colors and finding little thingies at depth or inside holes.

Water temp a couple weeks ago was 76F. That is a bit cooler than usual and they were already seeing whales. At that temp I'm comfy in a 4/3 or a 5 depending on how much diving I'm doing. But, in the past couple years I've started to become a real wuss about the cold so that may not apply to you.

Other than that; you are dealing with a very well regarded dive operation, in fact I think you'd be hard pressed to find one in business on Maui that isn't very customer oriented and professional, so you should have fun.

Norris · Post by **Norris** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 2:08 pm

I have some light fins for you to use if you need them Matt. Worked great for me in Jamaica. I also would switch out your 7' for a 5' as not wearing the light leaves some routing challenges, unless you just want to tuck. I still had to move my tank pretty high in order to trim so the cam band weight might make it a lot easier.

ArcticDiver · Post by **ArcticDiver** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 2:15 pm

Norris' comments reminds me that I use a 40" hose under the arm setup for my single rig. If you can't visualize it I think there are several pictures around. I've found that even a 5' hose is just too cumbersome for that kind of diving. I can still donate and operate normally, if a bit more cozily, and it is lots more streamlined for boat diving there.

ljjames · Post by **ljjames** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 2:21 pm

i just survived my first warm water dive trip

to maui no less...

1) get good wetsuit boots, not the cheap ones. 7' hose was fine.

2) big mesh gear bag a must

3) small drybag

4) x shorts

5) i got chilled after 2 X 1hr plus dives in a 5mm full suit. i would have been happier on the 1.5 hr dives with a 7mm or drysuit or at very least i'll get a hooded vest next time

6) trade winds = better diving in am, a lot of the boats leave insanely early. scuba shacks boats do 45-50mph, so you can get to molikini in 10min flat. scuba shack has nitrox, and also doesnt charge 'vacation' prices on stuff... as in a belt buckle is same price as back home. Michelle who works there will give you awesome beta on sites and current conditions

7) sunscreen makes your mask fog. if yer catching the boat at 5:45, you dont need it yet

8) did i mention get good boots? lava rocks = slippery, and hurt when you fall on them. get tropical gloves, dont cut off finger tips... big help for shore entries...

9) maui shore dives book has lots of good sites, we did 3 days of shore and 2 days off boat. we barely scratched surface of shore diving... there are a ridiculous number of shore dives.

10) make sure your fin/boot combo work, or you end up like me stuffing washclothes in my finpocket.

have fun!!! i can put you in touch with some locals

7)

Norris · Post by **Norris** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 2:26 pm

ljjames wrote:i just survived my first warm water dive trip to maui no less...

1) get good wetsuit boots, not the cheap ones. 7' hose was fine.

2) big mesh gear bag a must

3) small drybag

4) x shorts

5) i got chilled after 2 X 1hr plus dives in a 5mm full suit. i would have been happier on the 1.5 hr dives with a 7mm or drysuit or at very least i'll get a hooded vest next time

6) trade winds = better diving in am, a lot of the boats leave insanely early. scuba shacks boats do 45-50mph, so you can get to molikini in 10min flat. scuba shack has nitrox, and also doesnt charge 'vacation' prices on stuff... as in a belt buckle is same price as back home. Michelle who works there will give you awesome beta on sites and current conditions

7) sunscreen makes your mask fog. if yer catching the boat at 5:45, you dont need it yet

8) did i mention get good boots? lava rocks = slippery, and hurt when you fall on them. get tropical gloves, dont cut off finger tips... big help for shore entries...

9) maui shore dives book has lots of good sites, we did 3 days of shore and 2 days off boat. we barely scratched surface of shore diving... there are a ridiculous number of shore dives.

10) make sure your fin/boot combo work, or you end up like me stuffing washclothes in my finpocket.

have fun!!! i can put you in touch with some locals

7)

Good point about the boots. Mine were all boat dives so no need for boots and I was barefoot so these fins wouldn't work for you. Also didn't use wetsuit, gloves, hood, nothing. 78 degree water was awesome and even at 70+ feet. Shorts and anti-rash shirt and BAM! Can't wait to do that again.

ArcticDiver · Post by **ArcticDiver** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 2:38 pm

Agree on the boots. I bought a pair of hard soled booties. TUSA I think. But, I found they geve me blisters so I added a pair of dress socks, the nylon/poly kind. Combo works great. If you have a sensitive toe or two some new-skin in advance works great.

Also, gloves of some nature are almost a must with all the stuff growing on lines and for the lava.

Sunscreen. Down in the Keys a few years ago my feet got so sunburned I had to stop diving. Never gave sunburn a thought before then. But, coming from AK or the foggy part of WA to sun country and wearing sandals instead of shoes did me in. Now I pack sunscreen and spray my feet liberally and frequently.

mz53480 · Post by **mz53480** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 2:47 pm

Mattleycrue76 wrote:...Anything else I should know?

If you are going via Kona for flights: TSA inspections coming from Kona back to the US was a PITA.

ArcticDiver · Post by **ArcticDiver** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 2:59 pm

mz53480 wrote:
Mattleycrue76 wrote:...Anything else I should know?
If you are going via Kona for flights: TSA inspections coming from Kona back to the US was a PITA.

Really? I wonder how that compares to HNL?

In January when I got home I had luggage connecting straps like are used to fasten a small case on top of a wheeled larger case in my luggage. The only problem was they weren't mine. At the same time I was missing a strap that was mine.

Last trip I was missing a folding, locking knife and my mask box was broken. The mask was OK but the box is cracked. The TSA agent did not replace the straps on my duffle. Instead she (I saw her opening my bag) just passed them through the handles and tied them. They didn't get lost but they didn't do what they are supposed to do, hold everything in place. I've filed a claim with TSA. We'll see how that goes.

How did these things happen? Manual bag search in crowded conditions means stuff gets comingled.

LCF · Post by **LCF** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 3:19 pm

I dive dry in Maui . . . just saying. I'd recommend at least a 5 mil suit, but then, I do get cold easily.

Some shore dive entries are over lava rocks where good footgear is key. (I don't do them.)

I take my can light. It's not terribly useful for looking at things (although good in cracks and holes) but even in bright water, if you can catch the edge of your buddy's mask, you can signal with it. I DON'T use my can light on night dives (which can be logistically difficult, due to park rules, but are REALLY worth doing).

Take a DIN-yoke adapter. They are virtually unfindable on Maui. If you forget, B&B has a couple of Al100s that at least USED to have DIN valves on them (they put them on for us, when we forgot OUR adapters).

As far as balance goes, I use my Jets in Maui, and I've found I've got plenty of room to bend my knees and balance just fine, in anything from a 3 mil to a drysuit. But lighter fins mean lighter luggage.

For diving, I'd highly recommend Mike Severns for Molokini -- they tend to attract a more experienced clientele, and segregate experienced from novice divers. The owner is a marine biologist, and the focus is on endemic species. For shore diving, check out http://www.alohashoredivers.com -- lots of information there.

spatman · Post by **spatman** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 7:07 pm

Lots of good advice so far. Here's a few from me that echo some of the others'.

- skip the can light, it's overkill in the clear waters and a really good backup light or two will be plenty of light and weigh a lot less in your luggage.

- definitely invest in hard/thick soled wetsuit boots.

- I used a 3 mil full suit and was fine until about the 90 minute mark. Next time I'm adding a 2 or 3 mil hooded vest underneath.

- Aloe Gator gel is the best sunscreen, period. Stays on through a lot of water contact and won't fog your mask. REI usually has it.

- lastly, pack light and bring a credit card. If you forget something you really need, the credit card goes to work, otherwise relax and have a good time.

ArcticDiver · Post by **ArcticDiver** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 9:22 am

Well, you certainly have received a lot of suggestions. I think I'd call over and see what the water temp is before I packed. How much exposure protection a person needs is pretty personal and depends a lot on how much movement and how cold tolerant you are. I've dived (dove) in 73F water where people were wearing all the way from shorts and a T-shirt to 7mil with a hood all at the same time and all claimed to be comfy.

The light thing really depends on the water that day and how much you peer for thingies. I've seen visibility all the way from 10' to 100' in the islands. Last trip we had 50' until a swell came through and it went down to 15' in just a few hours. I was happy I had my light. Other trips I've taken it and never turned it on.

Benoit · Post by **Benoit** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 9:33 am

Wet suit: full 5mm, boots and lightweight hood (3mil) for me works best. With the hood I'm comfortable and the air consumption stays very low through multiple dives. A few "sink the stink" packets can be a lifesaver if you don't have a good way to dry your gear everyday... and I didn't find a store selling those on the island!

Fins: I bought Oceanic Vipers for dive trips. They are extremely light which helps with packing... and quite powerful.

Shore diving: Stop by something like wal mart and buy cheap plastic tubs. I think they had them for $3 or so. They are not durable, but that's a lot more practical when moving your gear around and it'll save you a bunch compared to the car rental charges you risk otherwise...

B&B has the cheapest/most practical tank package around. I think it's $40 for 10 filled tanks that you can pick and drop as you wish. Great bunch anyway. Still, for molokini, the Mike Stevens 3 tanks is a lot better.

ktb · Post by **ktb** » Sun Nov 14, 2010 7:54 pm

DBrown and I just got back last week. A few observations . . .

Since my wetsuit boots are too small for my Slipstreams, I used neoprene socks and just wore my BARE boots. I got funny looks from the other divers on the boat, but who cares? (We also had to explain our long hoses A LOT.)

We both wore 3mm full suits, but I was much more comfy after I decided to add my 7mm hood . . . and DBrown wished he had just packed his 7mm full on those cloudy, windy days.

On BDub's rec, we used Maui Dreams for tanks. I *LOVE* those guys!! I even had an issue with my regs while we were there, and Ron spent an hour going over everything and only charged me for a single o-ring.

Yoke adaptors made life easy. If you need to borrow 1 or 2, just ask.

We didn't take our can lights, but I wished we had--or at least a really decent back-up. I would have liked it as a focus light for my camera and to check out under ledges.

And once the trade winds kick-up, the seas can get rough. If you even *think* you might need Dramamine, start taking it the night before. TRUST ME ON THIS.

Sounder · Post by **Sounder** » Sun Nov 14, 2010 10:50 pm

Erica's family has a place in Maui (Kamaole Sands, Kihei) and I echo most of the above advice. ProDiver has a great 2-tank trip on a 6-pack boat (much nicer than the cattle boats). For fins, go with XL Slipstreams (I have a pair you're welcome to borrow if you'd like) and I run a 3mm full. For boots, the harder the sole, the better they are - I have a pair of hard-soled thin boots you're welcome to borrow too (I'm assuming they'll fit - they're size 11 or 12).

Sounder · Post by **Sounder** » Sun Nov 14, 2010 10:53 pm

Oh, and don't ask "silly questions" like how to navigate to the reef when you drop... the DM will simply have you put your face in the water and look 120fsw down to where the reef is. Oh, and don't be shocked if everyone drops to 120fsw on air and 95% of the customers turtle on their backs all the way down. Good times.

Benoit · Post by **Benoit** » Mon Nov 15, 2010 5:33 pm

Sounder wrote:...For fins, go with XL Slipstreams (I have a pair you're welcome to borrow if you'd like) ...

Slipstreams are good - but as a travel fin I was looking for the lightest one that could afford any kick style with enough power. Slipstreams 4.7lbs vs Viper's 2.8lbs per pair. When you have 2 divers + 2 young kids, every pound matter! (last year I had 150lbs of total gear in Maui) I even use rubber straps!

Sounder · Post by **Sounder** » Mon Nov 15, 2010 6:29 pm

Benoit wrote:
Sounder wrote:...For fins, go with XL Slipstreams (I have a pair you're welcome to borrow if you'd like) ...
Slipstreams are good - but as a travel fin I was looking for the lightest one that could afford any kick style with enough power. Slipstreams 4.7lbs vs Viper's 2.8lbs per pair. When you have 2 divers + 2 young kids, every pound matter! (last year I had 150lbs of total gear in Maui) I even use rubber straps!

Rubber WHAT?!?!

It's a wonder you survived.

Pez7378 · Post by **Pez7378** » Mon Nov 15, 2010 10:16 pm

Sounds like they covered pretty much everything except that when you go through the TSA screening, it's now mandatory that you break out in song................

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kjt0zRPr ... r_embedded[/youtube]

Mattleycrue76 · Post by **Mattleycrue76** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 11:40 am

Thanks everyone for the great advice. As it turned out i wasn't sure whether I was going to be able to go until the last minute so I ended up having to just go with what I had instead of borrowing/buying gear that may have been more suitable.

I figured I'd add my experiences here for others who may be reading this thread for future vacation plans.

Exposure protection: I ordered a full 5mm suit but it ended up getting delayed and arrived after I had left so I used my 3mm shorty. Water temps were 79 degrees and I was fine for two 1hr dives a day only getting a little chilly on the final dive of the last day. If i was going to do more or longer dives I would opt for a full 3mm at least. Also despite my best efforts at not touching anything there were some situations involving swell that ended up with me being bashed against some rocks pretty good. Full 3mm would have been nice there.

Light: I brough my can light, and while it was awesome at lighting up the cathedrals at Lanai I'm not sure it was worth the schlepp and the risk of TSA breaking it. Next time I'll probably just bring a good backup.

DIN vs Yoke: As to the yoke adapter, I wasn't able to get one before the trip so I went looking for one to buy one Maui. I didn't find one for purchase but B&B offered to lend me one for free for the duration of the stay.

Fins: I just dove my turtles with neoprene booties. Worked like a charm. I had an STA on my BP/W as well as cam band pockets whitch resulted in no weight belt and a nice trimmed out rig, even with AL72s/80s

Shore diving is awesome, although the entrances can be a little challenging and the viz isn't quite as spectacular as it is off the boat. Definitely a way to save some money and still get in some great dives.

Northwest Dive Club