Congratulations to Duncan Pattenden who renewed his PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor membership for 2016 and has been selected as the winner of our 2016 Renewal Prize Draw. Duncan, from South Africa, is the lucky winner of a Suunto D6i … Continue reading →
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Dive Oahu
Ewa Pinnacles
Location: Southern O’ahu, Hawaii
Depth: 50-80 ft
Visibility: 100’
Who it’s For: Intermediate and Advanced Divers
What Makes it Special:
This spectacular site is located just off O’ahu’s southern coast, and boasts beautiful lava formations and incredible overhangs. Hard and soft corals blanket the volcanic rock, providing ample shelter for cleaning stations and small reef fish. Divers can spot whitetip reef sharks, puffers, eels, octopi and schools of fish beneath the protrusions. Sea turtles and manta rays occasionally glide by the site’s lava tubes.
With its great visibility—100 feet or more in all directions—Ewa Pinnacles delivers incredible sights. Being a deep reef site, bottom time usually run around 25 minutes.
Dive Oahu offers premier diving charters right from Waikiki. To book a dive to Ewa Pinnacles, visit diveoahu.com/divenew.
Dive Alongside Volcanic Rock at Ewa Pinnacles in Oahu Read More »
Jackie Haeger
Harlequin Shrimp
Location: Makahuena Point, Kauai, Hawaii
Depth: 60-90 ft
Visibility: 15-30’
Who it’s For: Intermediate Divers
What Makes it Special:
If kicking past volcanic rock and massive lava formations make you smile, Brennecke’s Ledges is your next destination dive site. A huge lava shelf gives this site its name, running parallel to Kauai’s southeastern shore for several miles until it finally drops off a 90-foot wall. The ledge is peppered with pink and white cauliflower coral—homes for several hermit crabs and other small crustaceans. Pincushion sea stars and Triton’s trumpet shells also stud the shelf.
Matthew Haeger
Divers at Brennecke’s Ledge.
The real fun begins when you drop down the wall. Black coral trees wave from the rock face. The shelf’s many overhangs are spackled with vibrant orange cup coral (be sure to bring a flashlight!). Numerous species of nudibranchs, and even the rare orange-banded cowry, nibble on the corals and polyps. Other residents include reef crabs, lobsters, banded angelfish, bluestripe snapper and snoozing reef sharks.
Visit the Brennecke’s Ledges with Seasport Divers, who charters two custom-built, Coast Guard-certified dive boats to this site and others near Kauai.
Visit www.seasportdivers.com to book your dive today.
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Dive Maui
First Cathedral dive site.
Location: Southeast of Hulopoe Bay, Lanai, Hawaii
Depth: 25-60 ft
Visibility: 80-100’
Who it’s for: Beginner to Intermediate Divers
What makes it special:
First Cathedral features a huge, two-story tall underwater cavern – or lava tube – consisting of tunnels, ridges and passageways. A portion of the roof collapsed, leaving a large hole in the top. On a sunny day, rays of light enter the opening and create a spotlight affect inside the cavern on the fallen lava rock that’s appropriately called, the Altar. Rays of light also enter through tiny holes in the back of the cavern, creating a stained glass effect reminiscent of windows in a cathedral.
Dive Maui
Bandit Angelfish
The site can be entered through an archway and tunnel leading into the cavern. Depths are 50’ at the bottom of the archway and 25’ at the top. Exiting is done through a small opening at the back of the cavern, called the shotgun or torpedo tube, but you have to time it just right to exit with the surge.
Turtles, sharks, lobsters and an array of fish, including the endemic Bandit Angel Fish are seen inside the cavern and along the wall in front.
To book a dive on First Cathedral, visit www.goscubadivemaui.com.
Lanai’s Most Popular Site: First Cathedral Read More »
Dive Maui
Blue Striped Snapper at Second Cathedral
Location: Southeast of Hulopoe Bay, Lanai, Hawaii
Depth:15-50 ft
Visibility: 80-100’
Who it’s for: Intermediate Divers
What Makes it Special:
Second Cathedrals is huge underwater cavern outside Lanai. Like it’s sister site, First Cathedrals, Second Cathedrals features numerous swim throughs, multiple archways and a 6’ long black coral fan growing downward from the roof of the cavern.
Dive Maui
Harlequin shrimp and baby.
The site is best reached with Hawaiian Rafting Adventures, who recommends diving it second on a two tank morning dive. This gives divers a chance to get comfortable with their divemaster before finning through the caverns and swim throughs.
Timing your dive well — entering the site around 11:00 am, for instance — is crucial to getting the best experience. On a sunny day just before noon, the sun radiates down through the cavern washing the sea floor with dazzling rays of light. But Second Cathedrals is more than just caverns and light shows. The dive is packed with all sorts of marine life like harlequin shrimp, frogfish, and incredible schools of bluestripe snapper. Several hundred yards long and thousands of fish strong, these schools wind through the caverns and over the reef like giant yellow ribbons.
To book a dive on Second Cathedrals, visit www.goscubadivemaui.com.
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