Wild, Wild West Side – 8/2/14

This was our first 3 Tanker aboard the South Seas II on the West Side, and what a great day for it! First stop was Kaena Point, pretty much the end of the Island where the West and North Shores meet. Being anchored and with a significant current (ok, it was quite strong)j, we only got to explore a small area before heading back to the surface. But what we did see was some really great topography from old lava flows with lots of cuts and channels in the reef that are certainly worth exploring..we will be back.

After a leisurely cruise, Captain Mike set us up at Stars, another new site for us. With a large swim thru sky-light formation, again we were treated to wonderful West Oahu topography, along with several varieties of reef fish and a couple octopus. A mild current here made for a nice relaxing second dive, and the views were spectacular.

After refueling with excellent BBQ burgers prepared by Capt Mike and Divemaster Howard, we headed for our last dive of the day. It’s called Oz, and sits just a bit West of Makaha. Again with a mild current and fantastic visibility, we explored the large, dramatic reef formations. A great dive with Turtles, Eels, Reef Fish, and even an Oriental Flying Gurnard(see video above).

A huge Mahalo to all of our Divers for joining us at some less frequented dive sites and for making this adventure a great one! We hope to see you in the water again soon.

Weather: Mostly Sunny, Winds 10-15, Seas 2-3 ft., Temp. 89 f.
Conditions: Kaena Point – Strong Current, Vis. 80 ft., Max Depth. 70 ft., Bottom Temp. 78 f.
Stars – Mild Current, Vis. 50 ft., Max Depth 60 ft., Bottom Temp. 78 f.
Oz – Mild Current, Vis. 100 ft., Max Depth 55 ft., Bottom Temp. 78 f.
Marine Life: Octopus, Turtles, Eels, Oriental Flying Gurnard, White Tip Reef Sharks.
Crew: Capt. Mike, Divemaster Howard, Instructor Matt