Manta dive on the big island..

[Cera]

I was wondering if anyone has done this dive, who they went through and how their experience was?

[PapaZ]

Good evening,

My son and his wife did the manta dive from Kailua-Kona the first week of July.

My wife and I did the dive on July 24th.

We went with Kona Honu Divers. www.konahonudivers.com
They have a great boat and were very good.

Each of us took pictures and posted a video.

Just do a 'search' for mz53480 and PapaZ to see our postings here with the video links.


PapaZ

[mz53480]

I was wondering if anyone has done this dive, who they went through and how their experience was?

Yep, it was great.
Here's a link to the report/video:


As PapaZ said, I went through Kona Honu Divers and they did a good job, would definately go again if I had the chance.
Happy diving!
MZ

[edm81363]

I'm on the Big island now. We did the dive with Jack's Diving Locker and had a great time. The north site has been skunked lately so they're down at the Sheraton site now.

[Sockmonkey]

There are mantas in Hawaii?

-Eric

[Narkd]

2 thumbs up on the Manta Dive with Jack's Diving Locker. Try to go out when Keller is on the boat-he is the Big Island's Manta expert and founder of the Manta Pacific Research Foundation, http://www.mantapacific.org/mantapacific/ and also created the PADI Manta specialty course. His briefings about the mantas really enhance the dive. It's pretty amazing to be in the water with 20+ mantas that he can name by sight. On my last visit in April, we had 8 on the afternoon dive and 23 that evening. The plankton was so thick that the mantas were following our dive lights back up to the boat. For an relaxing evening on shore, drive down to Keauhou (go south from town on Alii Drive) and visit the Sheraton. You can watch the Mantas in the surf from the patio, not far from the bar. Also, don't miss morning coffee in town at Java on the Rocks...

[Sockmonkey]

I do the manta dive about once a month volunteering for Manta Pacific... here's my take on the scene.

I'm quite torn as to which dive op to recommend for the Manta dive.

Jack's Diving Locker
Jack's Diving Locker employs Keller and Eli who are founding members of Manta Pacific and both sit on the MPRF board. I think Keller reliably works weekend nights. Eli is mostly part time at the moment. (For the sake of full disclosure I went to high school with Eli. When we moved here my wife realized that she and Keller also (randomly) went to the same high school... although a few years apart.) Keller really provides the best manta experience. He's a manic high energy stand up comic of a dive guide, although it might be time for him to find a few new jokes for his briefings.

The bummer is that when you go with Jack's to do the manta dive they do a two tank dive at the same site. Both dives are usually at the northern site called Garden Eel Cove. The first dive is at dusk where they tote you around the reef. If you dive often here in Kona you'll find this first dive totally boring. I've been free to explore the site without a DM and I was still bored. For those who are just plain stoked to be in clear warm water then GEC won't disappointed.

Big Island Divers
However other dive ops come to the manta site first and then head out for the blackwater dive. That's totally worth it. You basically hang from a rope off the boat in really deep water and watch the coolest macro creatures go by. Big Island Divers offers a trip to mantas first and then to deep water. Sadly Jack's does their Pelgaic Magic black water dive as a single tanker.

Wanna Dive
For more personal service when diving with mantas I suggest calling Steve (friscuba from Scubabored) from Wanna Dive who has a small boat in Kona and is a super duper nice guy. Don't let his crap website scare you away. I'm all for supporting the little guy.

Shore Dive with Mantas
Or if you're a total cheapo you can crash the manta dive site from the sheraton keauhou. Just walk right into the water and swim straight out to the edge of the reef. Then make a left and look for the lights. I haven't done it yet because diving Kona is a bit of a trip for me but I know someone who has. Free is better.

Kona Honu Divers
Kona Honu Divers is also a great dive op from what I hear but they offer the same stuff as Jack's so I can't see a reason not to dive with Keller.


There are few other dive shops in the area and they're all mostly the same, and largely pretty good. I also suggest reading reviews over on the Hawaii forum on Scubabored. Please don't post a question without reading the countless other "Who do I dive with in Hawaii?" or "What thickness wetsuit do I wear?" posts. There are plenty of each already. Just don't forget that like tripadvisor many people only post reviews when they've had a bad experience.

Here's what you need to know about the manta dive....

• You'll be led around like cattle and placed in a circle around a milk crate full of dive lights.
• Every dive boat goes the same spot. There could be up to 50 divers or more in the water at once.
• You actually sit on the ground or on a rock.
• You'll be surrounded by a crapload of new divers flailing about.
• Wear extra weight. I'm trimmed out to be neutral when my tank is empty. You really want to be super negative or you'll end up straddling a rock to keep on the bottom.
• Bring the brightest light you have. My 21W salvo is popular among the manta community.
• If your fellow travelers don't dive they're able to snorkel and be just as wowed. Just be prepared to be kicked often by 30 other people who shouldn't be in the water at all, much less at night.
• The dive is worth every penny and more or less the only reason to come dive the Big Island.

If you have more questions about mantas or diving the Big Island of Hawaii feel free to PM me.

-Eric

[mz53480]

...There are mantas in Hawaii?... Eric

I thought there were only 's

[Cera]

Hey, the dive was good. We ended up going with jacks and keller was our DM. We saw 14 mantas on the night dive and it was quite croweded down there! Overall I would say it was worth it but there were 20+ people on the boat and not enough people to help you off/on. Both dives I had to throw my stuff on board and hoist myself out (which I am used to and isn't a big deal..). Part of the problem was they had some "high maintenance" divers who were hogging the help. Nearly everyone on the boat were "cold water divers" (and boy did we hear about it!) so most people knew what they were doing. Keller was so funny.. his joke" Why do mermaids were sea shells? because b shells are too small and d shells are to big. " ba-dum-dum.
Any who- overall it was cool, so thanks for the recommend!

[BASSMAN]

Sounds Like a great dive! It is one that I have put on my bucket list!
Thanks for the repot Cera!

[Sockmonkey]

Glad you had a great dive. Keller is a pretty special guy.... even if he tells the same jokes over and over again. Although his material gets better when there aren't paying customers around. Did you buy one of his videos of your dive? He's maybe the best around.

Some people ( ) come all the way here and don't see any mantas so consider yourself lucky.

Aloha hard,

-Eric
Manta Pacific Research Foundation

Hey, the dive was good. We ended up going with jacks and keller was our DM. We saw 14 mantas on the night dive and it was quite croweded down there! Overall I would say it was worth it but there were 20+ people on the boat and not enough people to help you off/on. Both dives I had to throw my stuff on board and hoist myself out (which I am used to and isn't a big deal..). Part of the problem was they had some "high maintenance" divers who were hogging the help. Nearly everyone on the boat were "cold water divers" (and boy did we hear about it!) so most people knew what they were doing. Keller was so funny.. his joke" Why do mermaids were sea shells? because b shells are too small and d shells are to big. " ba-dum-dum.
Any who- overall it was cool, so thanks for the recommend!