Big Island of Hawaii - Kailua-Kona

Big Island of Hawaii

Adventures on Water - Diving

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Kona is reputed to have the best visibility – typically at least 100 feet – and diving in Hawaii. While we also love diving in other parts of the state, there’s no denying the clarity of the Big Island waters or the splendor of the roughly 75 dive sites along the coast. The manta ray night dive seals the deal –watching their underwater ballet is a truly phenomenal experience. We’d been diving in the Big Island for over a decade before we tried the manta dive, and we’ve been wondering why we waited ever since. There’s simply nothing like it. “From birth, man carries the weight of gravity on his shoulders. He is bolted to the earth. But man has only to sink beneath the surface and he is free. Buoyed by water, he can fly in any direction – up, down, sideways – by merely flipping his hand. Underwater, man becomes an archangel.” – Jacques Cousteau Safety Reminder: Don’t forget that for 24 hours after your last dive, you shouldn’t fly or even drive to higher elevations, like Saddle Road or Mauna Kea.

Sandwich Isle Divers (75-5729 Alii Dr, 329-9188, www.sandwichisledivers.com). You’ve gotta love the little guys with big hearts, and that’s Sandwich Isle Divers. This is a very professional yet personal mom-and-pop store run by Steve and Lara Myklebust, who limit groups to six divers (probably because the boat couldn’t possibly fit more). They like to stay shallow so that dives can last an hour, another nice trait, and both have been diving in Kona for years; Captain Steve has logged over 12,000 dives in the past 25 years, and has a degree in marine biology. They purposely want to stay small – quality over quantity. Twotank dives, including gear, are $115. They do some manta ray dives ($125 incl. gear and light), and night dives ($85 for one tank and gear). They also have certification classes and gear rentals (or sales) – even you snorkelers can rent snorkel gear for only $8, or boogie boards for $8.50. Open 8 am-6 pm daily. Your weight belt: You’ll want to ask for additional weights (we like at least four extra pounds) for the manta ray night dive. The dive is usually only 30 feet deep or shallower, and you’re pretty much stationary for the entire dive. The last thing you want to worry about is being blown around by surge while the mantas are somersaulting overhead.

Some dive companies offer a “long range boat dive.” This usually involves three dives in the southern section of the coast, including a trip to the amazing Au`au (“ow-ow”) Canyon. Other nearby sites are Paradise Pinnacles, where you explore the coral, fish, eels and other life around two lava pillars, one of which is over 80 feet tall, and Three Room Cave, a chance to float through a lava tube consisting of three major rooms filled with brilliant lobsters and Spanish dancers. If you have the time and extra
money, we highly recommend this trip to some of the best dive sites on the island.

Jack’s Dive Locker (75-5813 Alii Dr, 329-7585, www.jacksdivinglocker.com). These days, Jack’s is the biggest scuba company in town, having expanded a shop to include a training pool with a window, so the public can watch scuba certification classes aquarium-style. They have four boats and over 40 employees, usually taking groups of 12-14 divers (though they can take up to 23). Smaller dive shops around town (and many divers) cringe at how many people they’ll take on a dive, and vow to avoid letting what happened to Jack’s happen to them. Jack’s was a small operation when it started in 1981, with a staff of laid-back divers.We used to dive only with Jack’s. But we just can’t bring ourselves to do it anymore – got a case of the “good ole days,” and things just ain’t the same. We miss the small boats and the mellow vibe. Still, it’s a professionally run outfit with all kinds of dives (two-tank morning dive $99,
advanced two-tank $145, two-tank sunset and manta $115) and certification classes (open water $425). The price to rent their “state-of-the-art” equipment is high – regulator $15, wetsuit (per piece) $10, BC $15, weight belt $6, mask and fins $7.50. Open 8 am-9 pm daily.

Dive Tek Hawaii ( 329-1004, toll free 877-885-DIVE,
www.divetekhawaii.com). There are a lot of positive attributes that make Dive Tek Hawaii stand out, and that have won them excellent word of mouth among locals. Owner Keith Keizer customizes each dive trip to the needs and tastes of his guests, from separating advanced and beginning
divers into different groups instead of sending them all down with one dive master (even if there are only two in a group!), to asking what you’d like to see or photograph on your dives, to whether you want sushi or deli sandwiches for lunch. One extremely unusual feature is that Dive Tek is kidfriendly – kids are allowed to ride along, which is not permitted by most other companies – and they can arrange for onboard child care. The company’s 36-foot boat is large – and equipped with a bathroom, another excellent attribute. Groups usually consist of two-eight divers (though private groups of up to 22 people can be accommodated).

Keith still employs the original three full-time staff members he hired when the company opened in 1996; his dive guides are extremely experienced
and highly certified. They will find marine life – from eels and lionfish to
rare butterfly fish and Spanish dancers. Despite all of their knowledge and experience, they don’t have the all-too-common attitude of many dive
guides that lets you know they think they’re cooler than you. They love diving in Kona and want to share it with others.

Because Dive Tek customizes tours for each guest, prices are not listed on the website. Their prices are generally a little higher than other companies, but you get what you pay for, especially if you are an advanced diver. A standard two-tank, open water dive generally costs $130, and the manta ray night dive is $99 for one tank, $130 for two tanks, and $79 for snorkelers. The cost of gear rental is only $15.We joined them for a three-tank, long range dive ($225) and it was one of the best days of our lives. The captain told us to keep our snorkels attached to our masks on the trip down in case we found sharks or whales. Sure enough, he found a pod of pilot whales, and we jumped in the water. Seven of the behemoths swam right by us, then sounded beneath us, disappearing into the deep blue. Dive Tek also offers a lot of certification classes, from advanced levels such as trimix and rebreathers all the way down to intro dives (for people who don’t have the time for a cert class). There are discounts for members of the military, groups of six or more, and people who dive for three days or more.

Bottom Time Hawaii ( 331-1858, toll free 866-GODIVE-N, www.bottomtimehawaii.com). This is one of the newest dive shops, and they’re passionate about scuba. They are conscientious about trying to group divers (six to a guide) by experience level, and allow buddies to do their own dives if they like. Depth is usually limited to 60 feet for longer bottom times. Between dives they serve sandwiches (including veggie ones), sodas and “clean, dry towels.” A two-tank dive is $120, gear rental is $30, intro dives are $130, and manta ray night dives are $119 for two tanks. Bottom Time also offers all the usual PADI courses, and even an internship for dive masters.

Live/Dive Pacific (74-5626 Alapa St Bldg. A-6, 329-8182, 800-344-5662, www.aggressor.com). The Kona Aggressor II is the company’s 80-foot live-aboard boat, which departs Kailua-Kona at the pier. If you’re looking for a week of immersing yourself in scuba diving and living on the water, this is it. The Aggressor takes 14 passengers from Saturday to Saturday, providing 5½ days of diving, usually with five dives each day. There are five deluxe staterooms with queen beds (and a single berth overhead), private head and shower, and one quad that sleeps four. There’s a saloon area for dinner, and an adjacent entertainment center with a television and stereo. But it’s all about being on deck, either at the staging area on the dive deck or relaxing in a lounge on the sundeck, in the hot tub, or at the bar (wine and beer are included in the rates). The Kona Aggressor II trips received a five-star rating from the Handicapped Scuba Association, and many doorways are wide enough for wheelchairs. The deluxe rate is $2,195, and the quad rate is $1,995.

Dolphin Dreams Images ( 987-8660, www.dolphindreams.com). We met Jim and Martina Wing, owners of Dolphin Dreams Images, when they were filming us during manta ray night dives. The underwater photographers/
videographers, whose credits include the Discovery Channel and ESPN, shoot videos of divers and snorkelers for many companies during their tours, selling DVDs and tapes of the dive afterward. Because of their extensive knowledge and experience, they also lead ed-ucational talks about manta rays at the Sheraton several times a week around dusk. The Wings offer internship and volunteer programs for anyone over the age of 18 who is interested in underwater photography. Since their specialty is filming mantas, dolphins, and turtles on the Kona coast, this is a unique opportunity. The internship program (for which college credit is available) includes subjects like video production, underwater photography and videography, scuba diving, photo editing and web design (you don’t have to scuba dive for the internship, but come on! Go for it!). Interns work fulltime for eight- to 10-hour days over four-12 weeks. There is no charge, though there is an option to live “on campus” (they feed and house you) that starts at $2,500 for four weeks. There is a $20/day charge for scuba gear if you don’t have your own. The volunteer program focuses less on training and more on underwater experience. A week of living “on campus” costs $1,000. Visit the Dolphin Dreams website for more information.

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