Dive Review Maui, October 3, 2005

[cruzegirl]

Ok, here is my 2nd dive review of my diving while on vacation... I was on the Pride of America October 1-8, 2005... The dive took place on October 3, 2005 while docked in Maui... This was an excursion that was booked via Pride of America... I didn't book on my own as I had seen reviews of ships getting into port late and wanted to make sure I could make the dives.. The ship was not late and all was on time... Transportation provided by bus to LaHaina where we were taken to meet with LaHaina Divers at their shop....I believe we had 7 or 8 divers from the ship.. Some new ones doing a discover scuba class and mostly experienced divers...

We all met at the LaHaina Divers shop... Must say, very nice people... We all got checked in and loaded our stuff on the truck to go to the dock.. Now some didn't go to the dive shop as it wasn't required and just waited at the dock area...

We boarded the boat and headed out.. They had 6 or 7 divemasters on the boat as we had about 20-25 divers.. Some were experienced & others were students.. they divided us up in groups based on our experience... This was good as I would have been very upset if I'd been with beginners.. they do guided tours and no one goes on their own as they really don't know what your experience is.. It's a safety/liability issue...These divemasters from this shop are very thorough, safe and have strict guidelines.. I was impressed..

Our first dive was at Cliff Rock... Our depth was 39 feet... Our visibility was about 50 feet.. Bottom temp. was 78 degrees. And our bottom was 41 minutes... I was easily impressed as again, it was warm water, awesome fish and a diff. environment... J.C. my divemaster took us all over... We saw great reefs, eels, Frog Fish and he held an Octopus in his hands... amazing.. The only drawback for me is: Listen to your instructor when he talks about bouyancy... I was good on mine but I had people on top of me, kicking me, running into me... Several of them were awful... I finally went and stayed near the divemaster as I was tired of getting kicked around.. That was very annoying... I was very excited too as for once, I wasn't the one with the low air... :p ... I came back with 100 but had too as everyone else was lower.. But quite happy with air useage.....

Then we did our surface interval, had some fruit and such.... Our next dive was still Cliff Rock but a diff. area... Our depth was 35 feet... Bottom temp. was 78 degrees.. Visibility was 50 feet.. And bottom time was 41 minutes again... J.C. was our guide again... We saw Pufferfish, Yellow tangs, Hawaiian Dascyllus... They reefs were amazing.... saw some eels again... Had the same problem with divers and their buoyancy.. so I stayed away from them... But one odd thing down there.... And if anyone has any ideas, share them... while along the bottom, I saw tire tracks.. Yes, tire tracks... the tread marks and dual marks at that...I meant to ask J.C. but was so excited about the dive, I forgot... It wasn't sand changes like with current but distinct tire tracks.....Still has me stumped:confused: ...

While they were great dives, I wish we would of had more dives and more to look at.. And diff. areas... I did feel a little cheated... I like to find the good in most everything and each dive is a learning experience.. But in Calif. when we go out on boats, we get 3-4 dives per day... Would I have gotten more booking the dives myself, not sure... Most of the dive shops do only 2 tank dives.... I don't quite get that but ok......

Now I did take my own equipment as I thought I'd be more comfortable as a newer diver.. I had a suite so no problem rinsing gear... we had a tub, rinsed it, let it drain in the tub and after dinner put everything on the balcony.. Awesome..... :D

I would highly recommend LaHaina Divers for diving in Maui... Very thorough, safe and excellent divemasters... You can't go wrong.....

www.lahainadivers.com

1st photo is of me in Maui on my dive

2nd photo is of a reef with fish over it

3rd photo is of a juvenile pufferfish.. and ignore the date.. Everytime I changed batteries, the date reset...lol...:p

[10X]

Thanks for the review. I have a question though.

 

41 minutes of bottom time in less than 40' of water seems awfully short. Did they give you using AL80 tanks or something smaller?

 

I checked my log book for my last two dives in Maui this year. At 73' I had 47 minutes of bottom time and at 42', the second dive, I had 54 minutes of bottom time. At 6' feet tall and 250 lbs, I'm no small guy, so I've always been a air hog. I'm almost always the first one who needs to surface because of low air so 41 minutes seems pretty short.

 

I'm not an expert at diving in Hawaii, but I do have about a dozen dives there. Most of the dives shops do only 2-tank dives because of the trade winds that begin to kick about about noon. They apparently like to be off the water by the time the winds start. The water can get pretty rough sometimes after the wind starts. Diving on Lania is a longer trip and the return is usually after noon. It's always been a rough water ride on the way back.

 

About once per week some dive shops do a three tank dive but I've never seen anyone do more than that.

[bruce-r]

J.C. my divemaster took us all over... We saw great reefs, eels, Frog Fish and he held an Octopus in his hands... amazing..

Yes, Amazing that a DM would handle the octo. New divers don't know this but handling marine life is harassment. J.C. should have known better.

 

Personally, I think I would avoid this dive operator based on: Short bottom times, Large groups, and DM's with no respect for the marine life.

[cruzegirl]

10X,

yes, that was a short bottom time... Everyone including myself were having some air useage... And the winds were kicking up so they decided to get going.. But more so because of air useage.... I'm used to going out at 7am in California and getting in 3-4 dives and being done by 3-4 in the afternoon... awesome to get in so many dives...

Bruce-r,

Your right, that was marine harassment.... Which is why I didn't take the offer to hold the Octopus... My instructor was very firm on that... And for those who think it's no big deal to pick up a sea star, when that is done, the tenticles can die on them when they are picked up... FYI.. But as far as the large groups part, it was a divemaster with small groups though alot of people on the boat... there was 6-7 people per divemaster....

It's kind of odd how he would pick up that Octo yet they were so firm on safety.... but I had great dives so that was good.......

[cruzegirl]

And does anyone know why my photos I'm trying to post are showing up as clickable links instead of photos?? Hmmm

[nho9504]

Sounds like an operator I would not go with for all the reasons posted above.

 

But I am mostly amazed by the congested condition you experienced - since each divemaster only handled 4 persons based on your description - shouldn't the groups spread out some so you would not be kicked around ?

 

The bottom time is WAY too short - I would think at 39ft, you should get at least an hour of bottom time.

 

Visibility is poor for 50ft, but probably it is the limit of Hawaii water.

 

Handling an Octopus is not nearly as bad as pick up a Star Fish. At least the Octopus would not die or anything. Though it is harassment but it is not very harmful. However the divemaster should really explain this to his divers about not to touch coral, etc.

[cruzegirl]

Well they did spread the groups around... It was my group that did the kicking around business... I happened to dive with many people about 1-2 times per year and they weren't good with their buoyancy...So I just got closer to the divemaster....

Yes, the 41 min was short... But as I said above, mostly divers who don't dive that often and were air hogging.. I came up with 800 but with the winds and most of the divers low on air, we decided to finish the dive......

I still think this is a safe dive shop... Very strict rules... Yes, large groups but they seemed manageable.....I would have liked diff. spots for more to see....

[bruce-r]

Well, in the end you did got to dive, so that is definitely a good thing.

 

You're lucky to live in CA. I thought the diving in the Channel Islands was great in September.

[cruzegirl]

Bruce,

your right.... I am lucky..... We have so many options in calif. It may not be warm water diving but you can almost every weekend and during the week too.. As someone cert. only since May, I have 25 dives:p .... I love it.... Which boat were you on?? Next time you come dive the Catalina Islands too..... It's great out there...... And if your here for a couple of days, a couple of the boats do overnight trips to further out islands that includes night diving and day diving..... haven't done that yet......Don't feel I'm experienced enough... YET! lol...... I'm going diving next Saturday, the 10th... We'll see how cold it is.. they said it had been 64-68 degrees but we'll see........ :D

[bruce-r]

.... Which boat were you on??

Truth Aquatic's Vision for a 3 day liveaboard. Compared to what I am used to, water temps in the upper 50's to 60 is warm. I could easily do hour long dives w/o getting the least bit cold. I think if I was to go back to Hawaii in the late winter to spring time, I'd take my drysuit. I wouldn't care if anyone laughed, I'd be warm.

[Hilary]

We dive with Lahaina Divers often when we're in Maui, and for the reasons stated above we rarely do afternoon charters. We've also never seen any of the DM's/guides handle marine life, and I agree that JC should have known better. I hope you stopped at the shop and let the owners know that JC was holding and passing around an octo....

[cruzegirl]

Hey Bruce,

I heard those boats are good.... And I'm sure your used to much colder water.... I'm going this weekend and hoping it's not too cold for me to handle.....It's my first year diving so I don't know what the winter is like.... Hopefully not too bad...:)

Hilary,

No, I did not tell Lahaina divers... I'm a newer diver, it was one of my first dives away from "home" and didn't want to get anyone into trouble...... The bad thing is I have a photo of him holding it.... Just didn't want to make waves.... Call me chicken but I guess I am..

[Hilary]

Cruzegirl,

 

If you were uncomfortable telling them in person, would you consider at least e-mailing them with the picture attached? They really should know if their DM's are manhandling the marine life, and hopefully will put a stop to it.

 

One things certain, when we're there in April, I'm going to ask again about their marine life policy. If their policy is still hands-off, I'm going to say something to JC's older brother since he's a captain with Lahaina Divers and can make more of an impression on JC than me. ;)

[nho9504]

in the 6 years we live here :)

 

I guess I am too picky - if there are not much new things to see, if the visibility is not over 80ft at least, if this and that ... then there is not an incentive for me to go ... though occasionally I am tempted by the yearly mini season for our spiny lobster when thousands and thousands divers went out to catch the critters !