March 2014 - Page 5 of 6 - Island Divers Hawaii

Safe Scuba Diving Excursions Near Oahu, Hawaii

March 11, 2014/in Uncategorized/by Lauren Smith

If you’re visiting Honolulu or Waikiki and looking for great scuba diving excursions, check out Island Divers. We are a small company of experienced divers who love to share our love of underwater exploration with you, whether you are a seasoned diver or a first-timer.

Rule Number 1: Good Training Equals Safety

Island Divers puts an absolute priority on comprehensive pre-dive training in order to make dives as safe and enjoyable as possible. When you train with us, you will receive the best dive training available on the island of Oahu. We are listed as a 5-Star PADI Instructor Development Center and we offer training from introductory courses to Master Scuba Diver certification. Hawaii Scuba University, which operates parallel with Island Divers, is the most active instructor training facility in Hawaii. As part of our commitment to safety, we guarantee you that all Island Divers training occurs with the latest scuba equipment, including integrated weights and dive computers.

Beginners: Start in Confidence with the Island Divers Experts

Our afternoon dives are ideal for people who are trying diving for the first time, getting back into diving after a break, doing open water referral dives, or simply want to take their time in the morning before heading out for underwater adventure. Our expert divers and divemasters always make sure that safety and expert knowledge are integral to every dive excursion. We select an itinerary based on the day’s dive conditions, and take you to the best dive sites around Oahu. All our diving guides possess in-depth knowledge of the sites, local flora and fauna, and of course – are very experienced divers themselves. The afternoon dives generally consist of two 30- to 40-foot dives, and pick-up time is 11:30am with a 5pm drop off. You’ll want to arrive at the shop at noon if you are driving yourself. Lastly, you also have the option of doing a morning pool session to prep yourself for the afternoon charter.

A Variety of Dive Sites Around the Island

At Island Divers, we like to explore a variety of locations around Oahu and always offer new and different diving opportunities to you. This means we don’t set a rigid schedule for locations – instead, we change up the dive sites often. In order to stay safe while exploring, our divemasters always base their decisions on the diving and weather conditions of the day. They take many factors into account before deciding the day’s itineraries. Clients are always welcome to make specific scuba dive site requests when signing up for a scuba charter, and divemasters will take those requests into account. You also have the option of booking a private boat to charter a visit to a particular site. In every case, we make it a priority to provide clients the best and safest possible dive experience by taking into account the daily weather and diving conditions along with all other relevant safety considerations.

Get on Board – and Dive In!

Diving is an unforgettable experience into the incredible beauty of underwater worlds. Our trained, experienced, and certified divemasters and diving teachers at Island Divers are here to make your Hawaii vacation all the more memorable. Contact us today to schedule a dive!

Eel mania 03/10/2014

March 11, 2014/in Dive Reports/by Maxine Markert

We departed on time at 8:30 on a bright sunny day. Where we took a half hour to get to our first dive site The Baby Barge. We were lucked out and had minimal current and light trade winds and good visibility. We got down to the wreck and saw at lease three turtles, with the current being so slight we got to go off shore to the cement pilings where there was a white tip reef shark and several moray eels. We did a thirty minute dive once we got back on the boat we did a thirty minute surface interval and got to do some whale watching. Our second site was Spitting Caves where we did a 40 minute dive, and had a baby turtle and a baby frog fish with some more moray eels. Eels on eels on eels they were everywhere. After our dive we got back to the dock at 11:30 on schedule like always when you dive with Max!

White tip reef shark at cement pilings off shore of Baby Barge

Not so happy to see my happy bubbles

Spitting cave adorable baby frog fish

Advanced divers descending for a drift dive

Baby barge sea life

Weather Conditions: Light trade winds, light west current and 80+ visibility
Dive Sites: Baby Barge, Spitting Caves
Dive Conditions: Baby barge 80+ vis., max dept 80 ft, time 30 minutes, water temp 76 f, West current; Spitting caves 60+ vis., max depth 56 ft, 76 f, light west current
Marine life observed: White tip reef sharks, frog fish, Moray eels, Crown of thorns, and Turtles
Staff: Captain Joe Crew Dave Instructor Maxine

Sunday Funday with Island Divers, 3/9/14

March 10, 2014/in Dive Reports/by Amy Bossler

Weather Conditions: Winds East 10-15, Seas choppy 2-4
Dive Sites: Corsair, LCU, and Fantasy Reef
Marine Life Observed: Green Sea turtles, moray eels, large frog fish, and sponge crabs
Staff: Capt. Joe, Amy, Everrett, and Lauren (on deck)

Aloha,

Thanks for choosing to dive with IDH today. Lauren and I were very lucky ladies and had a boat full of great divers. Captain Joe lead the Fox today. We headed out for an early morning dive on the Navy F4 Corsair. We had minimal current and great viz. Saw some soldier fish, a giant moray eel, garden eels, and a sponge crab. After some Red Vines, chocolate chip cookies, and hot chocolate, we headed back into the water for our second dive at the LCU. We saw two really nice frog fish, turtles, reef fish, and some small moray eels. We cruised around the bay during our lunch break before heading to Fantasy Reef. Saw some whales in the distance over lunch too! On our final site, Fantasy, we swam through some nice swim-throughs, saw 6 turtles, and lots of eels. Overall, it was a great day to be on the water. Thanks again for joining us. Until next time, dive easy!

Aloha,
Amy

Grumpy Frog fish

Trio of Men

Corsair

Turtle Lovin’

Morning Frog Fish Delight – March 6, 2014

March 8, 2014/in Dive Reports/by Davy Eleen Vercoe

Purple Snowflake Coral

Yellow goat fish highway

Cave of Wonders

Sea Fox BABY!

Weather Conditions: Light winds, surface was smooth like a lake

Dive Sites: LCU-Maunalua Bay/Sea cave-KoKo Head

Dive Conditions: Slight current, good viz (60-80ft)

Pulling up to the LCU it was super flat with a slight current. After tying the Sea Fox off and really getting a good look at the crystal conditions we plummeted down the water column to the wreck without a moments hesitation. Well, except for Bob Fleckenstien who still sports an old school film underwater camera and savored every minute of his dives. Thanks Bob for your positive energy from beginning to end of the our day no matter what.

Under the sea I immediately found Frog Fish Delight. SEE VIDEO CLIP- I believe that is a pregnant frog fish, please let me know what you think divers. My divers, Stu, Robert, Sam, Bill, Ronald, Kaytlyn, and Brent, were a chill group of divers as comfortable in the water as an moray eel hunting octopus. Thanks guys.

After exploring the LCU wreck, watching Sam try on boots, finding nudibranchs, and snowflake coral, we came up to grab some snacks and hot chocolate.

Sam, boot shopping

After, we motored on over to Sea Cave, dropped in negative, and found a pleasant current speed to drift with. Along the way we found nudibranch’s, huge one eyed puffer fish, turtle juniors, schools of butterfly fish, cowries and hawk fish in and out of the cave. The temperature on the dive was 74 degrees Fahrenheit so after about 50 minutes all the divers were back on the Fox for hot pours, and tea. Even after arriving back to the dock, cleaning the boat, and getting my divers back to Waikiki, Bob and I were still raving about the gorgeous dives at LCU and Sea Cave.

God Bless & Safe Diving

Davy

Audio clip is by Funkadelic- Nappy Dugout

Sunny Afternoon at Koko Craters

March 8, 2014/in Dive Reports, Uncategorized/by Kellan Bernhardt

It was a sunny Saturday afternoon and the sea was as calm as it ever gets. All the divers on the boat were looking forward to getting into these nearly-perfect conditions. We had Jake, Scott, Steve, Mendy, Lucas, Brock, Sydney, Jessica, Brook, Peter, Bob, Joanie, amd Blake all on the boat. Some people were doing the first couple days of their certifications, some people were finishing up our brand new 2 DAY OPEN WATER COURSE, and some people were just doing what we do best, which is diving for fun. I personally was getting to work with Jake and Scott, the former of who was getting certified, and we had a great time. The video is us playing rock-paper-scissors on our 3 minute safety stop, which is a game I highly recommend any time you have time to kill under the water. If you have a slate, tic-tac-toe works well. Jake crushed me, btw. RPS world champ? Maybe.

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Jake helps scott out with a loose tank, one of the new requirements of the PADI Open Water Course

Spotted Moray Eel (Gymnothorax isingteena)

Pete and T.J.’s Two Day Open Water students hover.

Photo Op. with the Koko Stone Warrior

Weather Conditions: Sunny, air temp 75F

Dive Sites: Koko Crater, Pa’ava

Dive Conditions: 35-40 FSW, water temp 72F, small Koko head current, small wind waves, no swell.

Marine Life Observed: Green Sea Turtles, Spotted Pacific Eel, Homo Sapiens Aquatica

Staff: Captain Joe, Kelsey, Pete, T.J., Matt N., Kellan, Everett

One Awesome Morning with World-Class Conditions at Skimmin’s Reef & Sea Cave – 3.7.2014

March 7, 2014/in Dive Reports/by Lauren Smith

Weather Conditions: Mild SE swell with mild SE Kona wind

Dive Sites: Skimmin’s Reef & Sea Cave

Dive Conditions: 120’+ Visibility, Mild N current

Marine Life Observed: Green Sea Turtles, Blue Dragon Nudibrach, White-mouth Morray Eels, White-Tip Reef Sharks, Giant Hairy-legged Hermit Crabs, Hawaiian Octopus

We were graced with pristine conditions this morning and decided to head out around Port Lock Point (China Wall) to Skimmin’s Reef just off of Sandy Beach in southeast Oahu. Total of total of 14 divers spent 50 excellent minutes exploring the ledge, swim-through’s, and top reef of the Skimmin’s Reef system. After nearly being ran over by a green sea turtle hiding in a swim-through we found a Hawaiian Octopus, some more sea turtles and countless varieties of reef fishes hanging out around the ledge.

After surfacing we had a quick surface interval with some refreshments and snacks with Capt. Joe on the Sea Fox before heading back down again into one of our favorite dive sites, Sea Cave. Inside the cavern we discovered some White Tip Reef Sharks tucked away just inside the entrance near the western wall. After Spending about 25 minutes exploring the cavern of the ancient lava tube the group headed out the same way we came in and drifted east along the wall where we encountered a few green sea turtles, a school of Butterfly fish chowing down on some Hawaiian Sargent Major eggs and an abundance of hard corals thriving on the sea wall.

The Perfect Oahu Morning

March 6, 2014/in Dive Reports/by Mark Savel

Weather: Clear sky, light and variable winds

Dive Sites: LCU to Baby Barge drift and Sea Cave to Baboon Nose Drift

Dive Conditions: Moderate current and 100 ft viz

It was a wonderful day on the water off Oahu today. We had light winds and almost glassy surface conditions as we headed out to the Barges for our first dive. We decided on a Drift over a few of the wrecks with the strength of the current and great conditions. We dropped in on LCU and right away found a frogfish on the wreck. Shortly after we came across a white tip reef shark hiding out under the wreck. We then headed off to New Barge, with whale sound clearly being heard, where there were damsel and butterfly fish along the way and around the next wreck. As we were coming to the end of the dive we drifted over Baby Barge and again had fish life all bout the area.

For the second dive we drifted Sea Cave and again the viz was perfect. There was a turtle resting inside the cave and a few more swimming about outside it in the current. There were also eels all about the area and milletseed butterflyfish following us along the reef. The reefs off of this area are some of the best on Oahu with great coral growth and fish everywhere. The current moved us along at a good pace, so much so that we ended up infront of Hanauma Bay by the end of it. A great day for being out on the water.

Frogfish off LCU

New Barge

Baby Barge

Back of Sea Cave

Milletseeds everywhere

Young turtle cruising outside Sea Cave

Dive Report 3/4/14–Corsair and Sea Cave

March 4, 2014/in Dive Reports/by Amy Bossler

Navy F4 Corsair–Nose with divers

Weather Conditions: NE Trade Winds 15 knts, seas 1-3 ft, Sunny

Dive Sites: Corsair, Sea Cave

Diving Conditions: Light current, 100 ft. vis

Aloha! Thanks for joining Island Divers for a great morning of diving. Captain Kendall led us out to the beautiful Navy F4 Corsair wreck. Once we were moored up, we headed down the 108′ to the Corsair and explored the wreck’s structure, eels, octopus, and soldier fish. Swimming over the sand we watched the garden eels dancing in the sea currents. After :20 we ascended, completed our safety stop, and prepared for our next dive.

For the second dive we dropped in Sea Cave for a drift. We swam around the perimeter of the cave and checked out the resident school of needlefish, gold lace nudibranchs, white margin nudibranchs, hairy-legged hermit crabs, and a large green sea turtle. After :20 in the cave we headed east towards Hanauma Bay! We saw tons of schooling reef fish: sergeants, damsels,and moorish idols. We were greeted by more Hawaiian green sea turtles and located one nice sized Frog fish. Overall, great day of diving! Thanks again for choosing to dive with IDH! Until next time, dive easy!

Aloha,

Amy

DIVE REPORT 03/03/2014

March 4, 2014/in Uncategorized/by Larry Hogan

FLAT SEAS AND NO WIND

BABY BARGE/FANTASY REEF

NICE AND CLEAR UW, GREAT VIZ, ALTHOUGH OVERCAST

WHITETIP SHARKS, TURTLES, EELS, OCTOS, AND BREACHING WHALES

AFTER TYING UP, A MILD CURRENT PUT THE FOX UP ON THE EAST SIDE OF BABY BARGE. HOPING TO SEE SOME SHARKS, WE PUSHED THRU THE CURRENT DOWN TO THE CAVE, AND WERE REWARDED WITH A NICE MEET WITH A GOOD-SIZED WHITETIP. COMING BACK WE SAW A JUVENILE FROGFISH, BRIGHT YELLOW! PLUS SEVERAL TURTLES SNOOZING AND CRUISING AROUND THE WRECK ITSELF. 2ND DIVE WAS A DRIFT OF FANTASY REEF, WHERE WE SAW MORE TURTLES, AND MORE TURTLES, PLUS A BIG OCTOPUS AND LOTS OF BIG AND SMALL EELS.

NOT A TURTLE

DIVE REPORT- Maunalua Bay Diving at its Best

March 4, 2014/in Dive Reports/by Kendal Vercoe

Weather Conditions: NE Trade Winds 15 knts, seas 1-3 ft, Sunny

Dive Sites: LCU, Fantasea Reef

Diving Conditions: Light current, 100 ft. vis

After watching the whales on the ride out to LCU with Capt. Joe and crew members Max and Megan, divers Ponje, Alex, Ryan, Mayuki, Drew, Austin and I descended down 90 feet to LCU and explored the wreck’s cavernous underside (technically the top… it’s upside-down). Swimming amongst the teaming schools of goatfish we came upon a friendly octopus, and later in the dive got to watch some eagle rays as they passed the wreck on their way west. After some farewell swim throughs we ascended and prepared for our next dive.

For the second dive we dropped onto Fantasea Reef for a drift, and immediately were overrun by giant Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles. After watching some yellowtail coris flip over rocks hunting for brittle stars and taking pictures of the nudibranchs we came across another, larger octopus who was very grabby, and got to stare down some yellowmargin and whitespotted moray eels. Towards the end of the dive we were also visited by a massive ulua as he stalked by the eastern end of the site to investigate the streams of bubbles coming from our group. Good times in Maunalua Bay!