diving in Hawaii

jnc324 · 03/23/2017, 11:32 PM

Im coming from NZ on the 20th - 3rd june/july.

I am a PADI Spec Instructor and want to do 4 days of solid back to back diving. Get the most out of it as its been a while since ive been in the water and ive only done NZ diving (cold water)

So...
I want to do a great white dive and I want to do some awesome reef/shark diving including nights...
Who should i go through ect.

DivingTheWorld · 03/24/2017, 11:39 AM

Hopefully someone from Hawaii can chime in. The first question they'll probably ask is what island(s) you're going to.

I think finding White Sharks in Hawaii might be a bit difficult though due to them being generally a cold water shark. IMO your best bet would be your home country, Australia or South Africa. Here in the San Francisco, CA area there is white shark diving but from what I've heard, it's very low vis and not as nice as the other three locations I mentioned.

I've done a fair amount of diving around Maui, Molokini and Lanai. Diving is excellent with lots of fish and turtles to see. Sharks, not so much. You may see white tipped reef sharks. I've heard you can sometimes see gray reef sharks or mantas on the backside of Molokini, but I never have.

jrdonnellyjr1 · 03/24/2017, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jnc324

Im coming from NZ on the 20th - 3rd june/july.

I am a PADI Spec Instructor and want to do 4 days of solid back to back diving. Get the most out of it as its been a while since ive been in the water and ive only done NZ diving (cold water)

So...
I want to do a great white dive and I want to do some awesome reef/shark diving including nights...
Who should i go through ect.

If youre going to maui I always dive with http://www.mikesevernsdiving.com/.
They don't have a great white dive , but we usually see white tips,black tips,and grey reef sharks and a few times seen a tiger. They don't do night dives but they can tell you who does. There is also some excellant shore dives as wel.

jnc324 · 03/24/2017, 10:34 PM

im going to the main island. Honolulu

KingOfAll_Tyrants · 03/29/2017, 10:55 PM

Best Diving on Oahu/Honolulu is on the western shore (I'm told), and Hanauma bay (I've seen) on the east (my recommendation would be to stay at an AirB&B on the eastern shore, Kailua or Hawaii Kai area; but 100,000s of people a year stay in Waikiki so you can't really go wrong there). Check out the "Oahu Revealed" guidebook.

If you're going there to dive, I would NOT recommend diving with the usual Waikiki dive tour operators who generally take you to various decent sites or wrecks on the south shore of Hawaii. Frankly, going to Oahu just to dive is not worth it.

Instead, if you want to visit to dive (and want to pick Hawaii vice other south/central pacific sites), Maui, Molokini (definite must), and the Kona coast (Place of Refuge, Kealakekua Bay and the Manta night dives are three great possibilities) of the Big Island of Hawaii are the places to go.

Finally, I'm not aware of any tourist operators in the US state of Hawaii that do shark dives. I've not heard of any publically/easily accessible places where White Sharks can be found.

trae · 03/31/2017, 10:08 PM

There are lots of dive clubs that go out at night too in Oahu. Look up Pearl Harbor divers.

ace_92101 · 04/01/2017, 01:10 AM

I'm also not aware of shark diving in Hawaii. I know of shark dives in Northern California, although they're controversial (I'm not a supporter). As it'll be summer, you might want to look at the North Shore.

jrdonnellyjr1 · 04/01/2017, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jnc324

im going to the main island. Honolulu

If you get a chance you really need to go to maui.

Harpo · 04/15/2017, 07:46 AM

Shark dives are available at Haleiwa on the north shore of Oahu. You'll see mostly Galapagos and Grey Reef sharks. A small chance of a Tiger.

I don't remember the business name but I believe they are in Doughty's Oahu Revealed book.

Mark

hogfanreefer · 04/17/2017, 07:44 PM

We dove Kona last year and it was great. Only shark we saw was a glimpse of a tiger shark. The night Manta dive was worth the trip.

malady · 04/17/2017, 08:43 PM

Its not quite a sharks dive but definitely go to sharks cove.

I went last year and barely went out past the rocks and saw a giant turtle as well as schooling fish everywhere.

Despite the name I was told there are few shark sightings.

I recommend being a strong swimmer because the tide gets pretty crazy.

Also the food trucks everywhere are not bad either. ^_^

eastlake · 04/18/2017, 07:27 AM

that manta ray video is down right haunting! they're like specters gliding through an abyss, awesome video

jrdonnellyjr1 · 04/19/2017, 02:28 PM

I have seen both mantas and tiger sharks diving molokini in Maui.

matthew1089 · 04/24/2017, 04:38 PM

I live here on Oahu and I would recommend Electric Beach on the West Side just past Ko' Olina. It is a great spot with white tips and your everyday Green Turtle and Dolphins.

ace_92101 · 04/24/2017, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matthew1089

I live here on Oahu and I would recommend Electric Beach on the West Side just past Ko' Olina. It is a great spot with white tips and your everyday Green Turtle and Dolphins.

Electric Beach (Kahe Pt) is nice, with good coral coverage. Be careful, as I had my rental car broken into there.

03/23/2017, 11:32 PM	#1
jnc324 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Posts: 12	diving in Hawaii Im coming from NZ on the 20th - 3rd june/july. I am a PADI Spec Instructor and want to do 4 days of solid back to back diving. Get the most out of it as its been a while since ive been in the water and ive only done NZ diving (cold water) So... I want to do a great white dive and I want to do some awesome reef/shark diving including nights... Who should i go through ect.

03/24/2017, 11:39 AM	#2
DivingTheWorld Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: San Ramon, CA Posts: 1,963	Hopefully someone from Hawaii can chime in. The first question they'll probably ask is what island(s) you're going to. I think finding White Sharks in Hawaii might be a bit difficult though due to them being generally a cold water shark. IMO your best bet would be your home country, Australia or South Africa. Here in the San Francisco, CA area there is white shark diving but from what I've heard, it's very low vis and not as nice as the other three locations I mentioned. I've done a fair amount of diving around Maui, Molokini and Lanai. Diving is excellent with lots of fish and turtles to see. Sharks, not so much. You may see white tipped reef sharks. I've heard you can sometimes see gray reef sharks or mantas on the backside of Molokini, but I never have. __________________ Current Tank Info: LeeMar Rimless (40x24x22), ATI 8x39 Dimmable w/Reefbrite XHO, 2x Vortech MP40w QD w/ Battery Backup, Apex Gold, Trigger Systems Ruby30S, Reef Octopus POV-DC1 w/Auto Waste Collector

03/29/2017, 10:55 PM	#5
KingOfAll_Tyrants Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: East Coast US Posts: 95	Best Diving on Oahu/Honolulu is on the western shore (I'm told), and Hanauma bay (I've seen) on the east (my recommendation would be to stay at an AirB&B on the eastern shore, Kailua or Hawaii Kai area; but 100,000s of people a year stay in Waikiki so you can't really go wrong there). Check out the "Oahu Revealed" guidebook. If you're going there to dive, I would NOT recommend diving with the usual Waikiki dive tour operators who generally take you to various decent sites or wrecks on the south shore of Hawaii. Frankly, going to Oahu just to dive is not worth it. Instead, if you want to visit to dive (and want to pick Hawaii vice other south/central pacific sites), Maui, Molokini (definite must), and the Kona coast (Place of Refuge, Kealakekua Bay and the Manta night dives are three great possibilities) of the Big Island of Hawaii are the places to go. Finally, I'm not aware of any tourist operators in the US state of Hawaii that do shark dives. I've not heard of any publically/easily accessible places where White Sharks can be found. __________________ Purple tyrannosaurs. Yes.... Current Tank Info: In planning stages. Kessil 360we, eshopps rs-75 sump

03/31/2017, 10:08 PM	#6
trae DR Octopod Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Honolulu Posts: 380	There are lots of dive clubs that go out at night too in Oahu. Look up Pearl Harbor divers. __________________ For a fish today, i will gladly pay you Tuesday. What tha Frag! Current Tank Info: 240gal mixed reef build in the works

04/17/2017, 07:44 PM	#10
hogfanreefer Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Conway, AR Posts: 2,117	We dove Kona last year and it was great. Only shark we saw was a glimpse of a tiger shark. The night Manta dive was worth the trip. __________________ DSA 155,Custom Trigger 42" sump/refugium, MP40 X2, MP 10 X 2, AI Hydra 52 X3, Apex controller, Tunze ATO Current Tank Info: DSA 155 gallon, mixed reef, SPS and wrasse dominant

03/24/2017, 10:34 PM	#4
jnc324 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Posts: 12	im going to the main island. Honolulu

04/01/2017, 01:10 AM	#7
ace_92101 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Cebu, Philippines Posts: 763	I'm also not aware of shark diving in Hawaii. I know of shark dives in Northern California, although they're controversial (I'm not a supporter). As it'll be summer, you might want to look at the North Shore.

04/15/2017, 07:46 AM	#9
Harpo Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Butte Valley, Ca Posts: 698	Shark dives are available at Haleiwa on the north shore of Oahu. You'll see mostly Galapagos and Grey Reef sharks. A small chance of a Tiger. I don't remember the business name but I believe they are in Doughty's Oahu Revealed book. Mark

04/17/2017, 08:43 PM	#11
malady Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: fl Posts: 204	Its not quite a sharks dive but definitely go to sharks cove. I went last year and barely went out past the rocks and saw a giant turtle as well as schooling fish everywhere. Despite the name I was told there are few shark sightings. I recommend being a strong swimmer because the tide gets pretty crazy. Also the food trucks everywhere are not bad either. ^_^

04/18/2017, 07:27 AM	#12
eastlake Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: willoughby Posts: 648	that manta ray video is down right haunting! they're like specters gliding through an abyss, awesome video

04/19/2017, 02:28 PM	#13
jrdonnellyjr1 Moved On Join Date: Mar 2017 Posts: 65	I have seen both mantas and tiger sharks diving molokini in Maui.

04/24/2017, 04:38 PM	#14
matthew1089 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Makakilo, Hawaii Posts: 2	I live here on Oahu and I would recommend Electric Beach on the West Side just past Ko' Olina. It is a great spot with white tips and your everyday Green Turtle and Dolphins.