Maui Diving Advice

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Diver Doug
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Maui Diving Advice

Post by Diver Doug »

I'm going back to Maui in Feb., anybody know of some good shore diving in the Napili area. I usually go to Kihei area and dive Makena, Molikini, Ulua, etc... This time we are staying up north. I am not real familiar with what is there.
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Re: Maui in Feb.

Post by Linedog »

Lots of great shore dive there, hopefully Lynn will chime in as she goes a lot more than myself. About all I'm going to throw out there is 5 caves/graves.
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Re: Maui in Feb.

Post by Diver Doug »

I have been to Maui several times and always went with ProDiver and shore diving on the south end. But this time we are going to the North end and I get lost even finding the beaches up there.
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Re: Maui in Feb.

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Jdailey777
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Re: Maui in Feb.

Post by Jdailey777 »

I've done a bit up near kapalua north of Kanapoli but was mostly small fish nurseries. I spend most of my time shore diving south by Mekena. I've heard there is some decent diving at milepost 14 where everyone snorkels if you go out a bit and go deep. Supposedly that is where tigers hang out sometimes, so I've heard. I will be over there the first week of February myself hoping to bring my scooter so I can just drag myself out to where the boats go :partydance:
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Re: Maui in Feb.

Post by Jdailey777 »

I've done a bit up near kapalua north of Kanapoli but was mostly small fish nurseries. I spend most of my time shore diving south by Mekena. I've heard there is some decent diving at milepost 14 where everyone snorkels if you go out a bit and go deep. Supposedly that is where tigers hang out sometimes, so I've heard. I will be over there the first week of February myself hoping to bring my scooter so I can just drag myself out to where the boats go :partydance:
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Re: Maui in Feb.

Post by Diver Doug »

That is my experiance also. Makena, white rock, molakini, red hill and ulua beach. Just trying to explore other parts of the island since we are staying up Napili way.
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Re: Maui in Feb.

Post by LCF »

Honolua Bay is a lovely dive -- there's a good-sized wall on the left, and you can swim out at the base of it, and if the tide is high, swim back over the top. It's a fair walk from anywhere to park to the water, though, and the last time we were there, parking was scarce.

That's the only place that far up the island where I have dived, but you can check out alohashorediving.com, a site put together by a friend of mine, to see if there are other sites that Tim had found. There are a number of good sites around Lahaina, including the Mala Pier, which is my favorite Maui dive.
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Re: Maui in Feb.

Post by isac777 »

Old lahaina pier is rad as long as no boats run you over
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Re: Maui in Feb.

Post by Diver Doug »

So, dive buddy wanted for a couple of shore dives. Feb. 15 through feb 25th. Going to be 5 nights in Lahaina and 5 nights in
Kihei area.
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Re: Maui Diving Advice

Post by Tangfish »

Now I'm headed to Maui next week and I thought instead of starting a new thread I'd co-opt Diver Doug's here (hope you don't mind I changed the topic heading so that it's reusable).

Any new info on Maui diving folks, any awesome dive sites or words of caution not already mentioned here?

I'll be staying in Kihei the whole time and plan to do shore dives all or most of the time (being spoiled rotten by the value for quality of diving in Southeast Asia makes me shudder at the thought of boat dives and what they cost in Hawaii).
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Re: Maui Diving Advice

Post by LCF »

Ulua Beach is a very pleasant dive. Decent parking, easy entry. Follow the rocks on the right-hand side of the beach out to their end, then swim the same heading (IIRC about 240) for about 50 feet or so, and you'll find the second reef. That one is extensive and shallow. We've done 90 minute dives poking around, looking for little stuff.

Polo Beach has some of the best corals in the area. Go in at the far right of the beach (it's a bit of a walk). When you come back, watch carefully for the outrigger canoe that the hotel runs.

Mokena Landing is a super easy entry and short surface swim, and you can follow the undulations of the reef northward as long as you want. A scooter is awfully nice there :)

Ahihi Bay is another easy entry, and the diving is good at both ends of the bay, but the viz always seems to be a bit worse there, and the parking is limited.

I would spring for a boat dive to do the Mala Pier at night. It's an awesome dive in the daytime, but at night, it's incredibly good. The legal entry would be a major PITA at night, though, so it's worth the boat fee. We did it with Lahaina Divers, and they did the Carthaginian at dusk (covered in frogfish, lots of good photo ops) and then the pier at night.

Feel free to get hold of me if you want any more detail. We rent our tanks and weights from B&B, who are very nice people, but their boats tend to skew heavily to beginners. If you're going to do any boat diving other than the pier, consider booking with Mike Severns. Pauline is a co-author of one of the guides to Hawaiian marine life, and the focus of the boat is unusual endemic species. They book up FAST.
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Maui Diving Advice

Post by Scubie Doo »

I did solo shore dives from Makena (my favorite), kamaole 2 and 3. All three sites are easy and shallow. Red Rock was my best Hawaiian dive ever, but it was from a boat. Saw crocodile eels and a pod of dolphins. It is near Makena. Here are photos from that visit.

http://www.jessemillerphotography.com/T ... ollection/
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Re: Maui Diving Advice

Post by Tangfish »

Leave it to Lynne to remember the dang heading of a dive site in a different state! Wow, great details. Thanks so much. We do plan to rent tanks from B&B.

Believe it or not but I think I'm gonna BRING our weights! My baggage allowance on delta is six, yes SIX, bags of 70lbs - I've never had such a generous baggage allowance before and so I'm going to make use of it :)

Jesse, thanks for that advice. We are staying right near the Kam beaches so those sound like they'll be easy sites for us to do on the regular.

I'm a wussy and I think I'm gonna be chilly in my 5mm w/ 3mm hooded vest, but I tried on my 7mm suit last night and it was a real pain to get it on and off. Well, maybe I'll bring both since I have the baggage lol.
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Re: Maui Diving Advice

Post by LCF »

I dive dry in Maui. Water temperature is often below 80 degrees, and we tend toward long, slow dives that don't keep me warm. I honestly find it easier to get in and out of a dry suit with minimal undergarments than to get in and out of a heavy wetsuit.

(Oh, and btw, my in-laws lived on Maui for the first 7 or so years I was diving, so I've done Ulua Beach a LOT.)
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Re: Maui Diving Advice

Post by Gdog »

Calvin, B and B scuba is very accomodating for whatever your scuba needs are. Why bother with weights?
I have dove there several times in a 3mm wetsuit, havent really ever been cold. As I recall, temps are mid to upper 70's.
Mala Pier really is a great dive too, but like Lynn said, from the shore you would want to do it as a day dive. The entry is long, shallow, and it would be easy to break an ankle.
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Re: Maui Diving Advice

Post by Tangfish »

Yeah dude, I just talked to Blessy at B&B, the rentals are pretty darn cheap. Maybe we'll save the hassle, half of me wanted to bring weights just because I can, but now that I'm looking at all the stuff I'm like heeeeeeell no!
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Re: Maui Diving Advice

Post by Gdog »

Tangfish wrote:Yeah dude, I just talked to Blessy at B&B, the rentals are pretty darn cheap. Maybe we'll save the hassle, half of me wanted to bring weights just because I can, but now that I'm looking at all the stuff I'm like heeeeeeell no!
Arlene had her Air2 serviced just before our last trip there, 2014. On our first shore dive, when I turned on the air pressure, the Air2 blew apart internally. B and B worked to try to fix it, and when they couldnt, they loaned her a entire bcd and reg set. NO charge. We also enjoyed their boat dives, and lynn is right, they do tend to have many novice vacation divers. But that is true of most dive ops, many of the divers are vacation type divers. And HEY....the surface interval sandwiches they have are BOMB>..on hawaiian sweet bread. Awesome!
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Re: Maui Diving Advice

Post by Tangfish »

I can't wait to get some Hawaiian lunch plate goodness while we're there.

Does B&B do fills well or any shop known for good or bad fills? (as in short-fills)
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Re: Maui Diving Advice

Post by Gdog »

I dont recall any bad fills.
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Re: Maui Diving Advice

Post by LCF »

We've never had bad fills. And they have set up DIN tanks for us, too.

Check out Maui Tacos for great lunch stuff. We always make a point of eating there several times each trip.
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Re: Maui Diving Advice

Post by Tangfish »

Did you say TACOS?!
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Re: Maui Diving Advice

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