leach@fortune.UUCP (Geoffrey Leach) (09/10/84)
I'm considering spending some vacation time in Hawaii. I'd appreciate any suggestions as to sites, boat operators, etc. Thanks in advance, Geoff Leach @ Fortune Systems
eve@ssc-bee.UUCP (Michael Eve) (09/11/84)
... I went diving off the Kona Coast (on the Big Island, Hawaii) last April with Dive Makai. My travel agent, Bob Godess at Tropical Adventures, Seattle, booked them for us since I had no idea who to use. Dive Makai was great. They have a dive boat which can take out 6 divers plus the two guides Don and Lisa. Before each dive, Lisa lays out the bottom profile using a fin to mark a reef here, a dive knife to show a lava tube there. Don and Lisa will also review several hand signs to identify the more interesting fish. They go out for a full day (8 to 3) and do two 1-tank dives. Price is about $60/day which does not include equipment except tanks. Dive Makai has also been reviewed and highly rated by Undercurrent. I don't have their number, but they may advertise in Skin Diver. If not , send me mail and I will find the address. Now about the diving: The largest fish I saw was a 2.5 foot parrot fish. There are numerous small (10") colorful fish, and several lionfish. Even saw two stonefish (or the Hawaiian equivalent). No sharks. Two small eels. I don't recall seeing any hard coral, but the bottom is very interesting with lava tubes and canyons to swim through. Shore diving is also possible. Snorkeling recommendation: A nice safe place to get started is Capt. Cook's monument a few miles south of Kona. Also, don't overlook snorkeling in front of your hotel. We stayed at the Kona Reef, and found excellent snorkeling in front of the condo. The BEST snorkeling we found is at the far end of the old, Kona airport. Walk out on the lava shelf which is in three feet of water. Put your gear on and swim straight out. Soon you will come to a 15 foot drop where the lava shelf abruptly stops. Follow the dropoff south and explore the many canyons formed by the uneven entry of the lava in the water. Many colorful fish here. The only drawback was limited visibility (50-60') because of the surge action. I am told if you swim north the water improves, and you may see *sharks* there. mike eve ssc-vax!eve@ssc-bee -- Mike Eve ssc-vax!eve