Scuba Diving

Shore Diving – Seven Days A Week

Take a one or two tank dive at Historic Koloa Landing. Also known as Whalers Cove, it was voted “One of the Best Shore Dives in the Pacific” by Scuba Diving Magazine. This dive site is filled with interesting coral formations and just about every kind of fish you’ll find on a Hawaii Fish chart.  There are also several Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles that call Koloa Landing home as well.  Shaped like a horseshoe it’s the perfect site for a two-tank dive.  Less then 5 minutes from their Poipu shop and an easy walk in site that’s almost always calm. It’s tough to beat a shore dive at Koloa Landing.

Note: A medical questionnaire needs to be filled out and passed to participate in Scuba activities.  If you fail the medical portion a doctor must provide a written statement that Scuba activities are safe and allowed for you prior to going diving.

Optional extras: Gear rental

Dive the Forbidden Island…

(May through September – experienced divers only)

Some of the Hawaiian Islands most pristine and dramatic diving available takes place off the Forbidden Island of Ni’ihau.  Incredible wall dives, soaring lava formations, enormous caves, bountiful marine life and unlimited visibility, will dazzle even the most discriminating diver.

You’re likely to see many interesting sea creatures such as spinner dolphins, large schools of milletseed butterfly fish and the rare bandit and potter angelfish.  Spotted eagle rays, manta rays, monk seals, octopus, lobster, Galapagos white and black tip reef sharks all call Ni’ihau home.  Ni’ihau and Lehua rock lie 17 miles southwest of Kauai and are accessible by way of the Kaulakahi channel.  The crossing takes about 2 hours and while the morning ride over is usually calm and clear, the ride home can be as famous as the diving.

The morning’s first dive is a deep one.  This 280 ft wall is home to lobsters, octopus, pillow stars, reef fish and hunting monk seals.  At a depth of 100-120 ft with unlimited visibility, the dive is short but spectacular.

The next dive site (conditions allowing) is Super Highways with a maximum depth of 60 ft. The prominent feature here is the towering lava formation resembling a highway super structure.  With numerous small caves and the white tip reef sharks, octopus, tiger cowries and enormous yellow margins eels, this site is a virtual playground.

Meanwhile, the Captain is busy preparing lunch for the next surface interval.  After food and a dolphin or two to entertain, you’re ready to get back into the water.   With sites like Drive Through Cave, or drifting Lehua Rock the third dive of the day is never a disappointment. As you head back toward Kauai it’s time for hot showers, fresh towels and everyone to stretch out and get comfortable for the ride home.  The afternoon channel is a bit bumpier than the peaceful lake encountered in the morning and this part of the ride can get a little exciting.

Optional extras: Gear rental, Nitrox

Tuesdays and Fridays

Check-in: 6:00am in Poipu

The Undersea Beauty of Kauai!

These Kauai scuba boat-dives are guided tours led by a Kauai scuba divemaster and the groups are small, no more then 7 divers to 1 divemaster.  All of the divemasters are instructors and most of are Master Scuba Diver Trainers or higher, so you’re in good hands.

The morning trip is for good divers. You don’t have to be an expert, but sometimes they’ll do a drift dive in the morning so good buoyancy control is necessary to perform a safety stop, hovering at 15 ft for 3 minutes.   The first dive is usually 80-90 ft and the second is 60-70 ft.  Dive sites in the morning depend on water quality and customer preference but include Brennecke’s Ledge, Ice Box, Fastlanes, General Store and Sheraton Caverns.  You are usually back at their shop around 11:30am.

On the afternoon trip they take new divers, divers that haven’t dove for a while, and first time divers in the “Discover Scuba Diving” program.  The pace is a little bit slower and the dive sites are a little bit shallower.  Both dives in the afternoon are in the 40–60 ft range. Groups are separated by experience, so certified divers have their own group and their own divemaster with non-certified divers diving together with their own divemaster.  Afternoon dive sites are selected according to water conditions and customer preference and include Nukomoi, Arena, Stonehouse and Sheraton Caverns.  You are usually back at their shop around 5:30pm.

Included: Water, juice and cookies provided on both excursions.

Optional extras: Gear rental, Nitrox

Morning Dive: Meet at 7:30 in Poipu.

Afternoon Dive: Meet at 12:45pm in Poipu.

Note: A medical questionnaire needs to be filled out and passed to participate in Scuba activities.  If you fail the medical portion a doctor must provide a written statement that Scuba activities are safe and allowed for you prior to going diving.