Hawaii is known to have some of the best diving in the world, and where better to get the facts from than the scuba experts there on the Big Island itself, Hawaii Eco Divers. Everything you need to know about Scuba Diving in Hawaii is right here, what are you waiting for? Dive in!
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Oahu Hawaii, a Scuba Divers Paradise
All levels of diving can be catered to all levels of divers. Diversity in terrain combined with an abundance of sea life make any diving experience in the crystal clear and blue waters of Oahu memorable for novice and seasoned divers alike.
Hawaii Eco Divers specializes in the world of scuba diving the island of Oahu. As divers, surfers and all around watermen and water women, their knowledge of local waters are unparalleled. They custom cater their dives based on environmental conditions the day of diving as well as their customers experience and comfort levels.
Having deep knowledge of diving the north, south, south east and western shores of Oahu allows them flexibility in scheduling while offering their customers the best sites the island has to offer. From the shallow reef sites brimming with endemic and exotic species of fish, to the deep and beautiful wreck dives located off the south shores of Waikiki and the western shores of Waianae, diving with Hawaii Eco Divers will be forever memorable.
The Hawaii Eco Divers Team
Their staff prides themselves on safety, quality and exceeding customers’ expectations. They also love to educate divers through eco-tourism and love to share laughs and new experiences with their divers.
Hawaii Eco Divers main priority is to educate all of their dive customers and students about the importance of ocean conservation. Marine life education and preservation is a must on all of their tours and classes.
So much so that staff members have made local news for their efforts in promoting ocean conservation and are active in the community assisting and promoting both reef and beach clean-ups. They are constantly donating time, efforts, and resources to ensure a better and healthier tomorrow for the reefs, waterways and the creatures inhabiting them in Hawaii. What a team!
Scuba Diving Oahu’s North Shore
Scuba Diving Oahu’s North Shore is the bread and butter for the Eco Scuba Divers team. Home to the Pupukea marine life conservation district, Sharks Cove and the surrounding dive sites (3 Tables Beach, The Firehouse and Cathedral Caverns) have been labeled some of the finest shore dives in North America.
Because of its conservation rules, boating, fishing, hunting, and poaching are prohibited here, making it a true marine sanctuary.
These sites are great for beginners. Summertime waters are gentle, visibility is clear and the team know these reefs inside out. Literally!
Cavern dives at Sharks Cove and Cathedral caverns offer incredible, breathtaking views and are home to Ulua, schools of goatfish, Cardinalfish, snapper, trumpetfish, and many more. Just outside the caverns, lie some of the island’s favorite sea creatures, Green Sea Turtles, more affectionately known on the island as Honu.
Green sea turtles are routinely spotted just outside the caverns where they form symbiotic relationships with butterflyfish. These butterflyfish eat the algae growing on the turtle’s shells. The dive guides give thorough and detailed briefings explaining these interactions as well as the interactions of the marine life all throughout the marine life conservation district. Diving the Malama Pupukea Marine Life Conservation District is a must while on vacation in Oahu during summertime months.
Scuba Diving Oahu’s South Shore (Waikiki)
Boat Diving off of Waikiki during the winter month’s offers unique views of the city and an opportunity to experience the wonders of diving deep shipwrecks and WWII history.
The Sea Tiger is Oahu’s largest and deepest wreck. She lies at approximately 110 feet deep and is MASSIVE. Every inch of this wreck is littered with sea life.
As you descend down the anchor line, often white tip reef sharks are spotted on the sand. Commonly, green sea turtles are there to greet you on the deck.
Octopus, eels, damselfish, butterflyfish, snappers, Moorish idols, pennant fish, and nudibranchs call the Sea Tiger Home. This dive is run as a multi-level dive and bottom times typically stretch between 25-35 minutes.
The YO-257 is a wreck divers dream. She’s a WWII refueling boat with her primary mission to refuel battleships from the US Navy during WWII. The YO stands for Yard Oiler. Currents can get strong here, but she’s a beauty of a wreck and as an added bonus, the San Pedro shipwreck lies just a few hundred feet off her side. That’s right, you can visit both wrecks on the same dive!
In addition to their advanced deep wreck dives, the south shore offers easy diving on shallow reef fingers for beginner and non-certified divers. Many experienced divers prefer to dive these shallow reef sites because they offer 45-minute bottom times and are a photographer’s paradise due to natural lighting and the sea creatures a diver often encounters.
Non-Certified divers can take a DSD course (Discover Scuba Diving) with one of the instructors from Hawaii Eco Divers. They will give you a brief rundown on dive theory, how to operate the equipment, discuss hand signals, and then complete a short series of skills.
After the skills are completed, off you go to view an underwater world of wondrous beauty. Diving the south shore during winter months offers a chance to view Humpback whales migrating to the warm, tropical waters of Hawaii.
Scuba Diving Oahu’s South Eastern Shores (Hanauma Bay and Hawaii Kai)
Hanauma bay is a favorite shore dive destination for many shore divers due to its shallow depths and confined waters. Entry to the park requires you to watch a video explaining guidelines and safe diving practices while diving this state park.
Hawaii Kai is home to shallow reef sites and the only real wreck on Oahu – the Corsair airplane that went down in 1946 on a training mission. Hawaii Kai is also home to some of Oahu’s finest drift diving located off China and Portlock walls.
Scuba Diving the West Shores (Waianae)
Boat dives off the coast of Waianae offer views of the Makaha valley and a chance to dive shipwrecks. The Mahi is a World War II minesweeper that divers from all over the world come to visit. Deep wall dives, caverns, and drift dives are possible off the coast of Waianae when conditions permit.
A shore dive at Electric Beach is a favorite amongst both staff and customers alike. A pipeline used to cool the electric power plant is covered with hard corals and is home to many species of reef fish. On the shallow reefs adjacent to the pipeline they have been able to spot white tip reef sharks, moray eels, and even the endangered Monk seal. Shallow depths provide long dive times and easy diving.
The conclusion is that all scuba diving in Hawaii Oahu is incredible. The best location to dive will depend on the time of the year that you are planning your dive trip to Hawaii. Keep in mind that during the winter months diving conditions can be very rough on all North and West shores of the Hawaiian Islands.
Hawaii Eco Divers leads both diving tours and training in the most exclusive sites on the North Shore of Oahu and all over Hawaii. If you are thinking of booking a dive holiday then check out their website for more information.
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