Images Archives - Island Divers Hawaii

Three Tanker Bliss! 8/28

August 28, 2016/in Dive Reports, Diving Courses, Images/by Mary Christensen

The last three tanker of August was hands down fantastic. We had nice weather, slight wind and sunny skies. The LCU wreck had amazing visibility of 150+ feet and no current. Everyone had quite the shark adventure down there. We saw big white tips and baby white tips, several hundred barracuda and to many kinds of reef fish to count. Some of the divers were doing their PADI Enriched Air class, so they got to extend their bottom time. We also have a “Try Nitrox” program so several of our other divers just got to sample what it’s like. This made for some epic dives.

Schooling Barracuda

Diamond Head is always so majestic to see from the ocean vantage point. With a back drop of blue sky and white billowy clouds it was breath taking. The YO 257/ San Pedro wreck was super today for sea life. As we came down the line there were four turtles right at the mooring. Everyone was pretty excited about this. It was a bit cloudy down there but we made our way around with zero current. The turtles and morays were everywhere this morning. We also got to make some of the Atlantis Submarine riders happy, waving to them as they went by. Always see the flashes going off as they are very interested in our diving. As we were exploring the bottom of the sea Capt Joe and Mikaela were busy preparing our lunch and getting all our fresh tanks out.

Spitting caves is one of the favorite dive sites of customers and staff alike. We did a very nice long drift dive here. Our favorite frog fish have returned to the sight and this was fantastic because many of our divers had never seen one before. We were also graced with quite a few other fun things including sharks, turtles, eels everywhere and a scorpion devil fish. Weaving in and out of the rock formations and small caves on the nice Diamond Head current. This was a great dive for all. Again Capt Joe and Mikaela worked their magic topside with fresh pineapple and chocolates which everyone really enjoyed! It was a great day out on the sea. Congratulatios to Ken on completing his PADI Advanced Open Water class, he did excellent. Also Congratulations to Chris and Ken on their PADI Enriched Air Specialties! You both really did awesome today.

Frog Fish

devil fish right in middle…look close

white mouth moray

White mouth Moray…Look close you can see teeth.

LCU: Max Depth 95 feet, Viz 150+, Wreck dive. YO-257/San Pedro: Max Depth 90 feet, Viz 50 feet, Wreck

Spitting Caves: Max Depth 50 feet, Viz 100 Feet, Drift

Awesome Divers: Celine, Chris, Eric, Emma, Greg, Kate, James, Janet, Ken, Matt, Renee, Bruce, Tessa, and Craig!

Amazing Dive Crew: Capt Joe, Dive Instructors Mary and Sarah, Crew Mikaela!

April 9th Afternoon Fox

April 9, 2016/in Dive Reports, Images/by Kevin Cloud

Another beautiful and easy going day has come and gone, but on this day many divers have come to Island Divers with the same goal. And that goal is to see firsthand the many wonders of the Pacific Ocean, some of these divers want to broaden their knowledge and skills, others are merely here for the enjoyment, but then we have the newcomers who have the honor of visiting these underwater ecosystems for their very first time, I am blessed to be the person to show them this amazing world. So I would like to thank Sarah, Jeremy, and Miche for trying out this course with us, in addition I want to congratulate Nkosi on his Advanced Open Water Diver certification. Great job guys, hope to be diving with you again soon.

Amazing Philippines Trip 2016!!! Jan 31-Feb 06

February 29, 2016/in Dive Reports, Dive Travel, Images/by Mary Christensen

Just have to start this out with WOW!!

What a great group of divers, a great dive staff and a beautiful resort. Magic Island in Cebu, Philippines was recommended to our shop and boy did they deliver. From the excellent diving, smiling staff that became friends, amazing food, comfortable bungalows, and fun adventures.

We would start our days with coffee or tea that was prepared magically all the time for us. Breakfast was served starting at 7 am every morning. There was always several choices but if they didn’t have something on the menu….all you had to do was ask and they would make it happen with a smile. After breakfast we had time to get ourselves together and headed to the dive area which was just steps away. They had your gear prepared and loaded on the boats. Had the dive briefings and off we went. Our group was 19 people, we were divided into smaller groups and had our own boats and dive guides.

From the minute we would splash in the water we had some of the most fantastic dives. Each dive was different and if you are a photographer it was a dream vacation spot. There was so many things to see, my mask was in a constant state of flooding because I could not stop smiling. Each day we did a different dive area, unless of course we asked to go back somewhere. Between dives our boat captains and dive staff would have our gear switched over before you even knew it. They served us fresh mango, pineapple and banana’s, accompanied with hot coffee, tea or cool fresh water. Never once did they hurry you on the dives or surface interval. Personally I never did a dive that was under 70 minutes!!!!

tiny crab

firedart

nudi

After a three course gourmet lunch we had several choices….Go for another guided boat dive, Go for a shored dive on the house reef, Get a massage (available at all hours and every day), Head out for local adventures on motor bikes, Lounge by the pool, Have adult refreshments at our private bar….the choices were endless. The nice thing about it was everyone could do exactly what they wanted to do. The staff was so happy and smiling all the time and just wanted to make you happy.

We all would gather around 7 at night to share dinner, again 3 course meal with an amazing deserts. We shared stories of our daily adventures, shared pictures, shared so many laughs. After dinner which was usually finished around 9ish because we couldn’t stop talking we would have again our different choices of things….Go have a drink at the bar, get a massage (offered at any time of day your heart desires) or just relax doing your own thing.

frogfish

Nudi

small shrimp

That was a few of our nights but we also had night dives, specialty dives to see the Manderin fish, a Flora Dive which lights the reef up in a way you can’t imagine. Dive boats to Pescador Island or just doing your own night dive on the house wall reef.

Night Dive Crab

On the last day we were all offered a chance to go dive and snorkel with the Whale Sharks!!!! AMAZING! What a great day! WHALE SHARKS! Need I really say more? We woke up early and had a lovely breakfast, loaded up the vans and off we went. They set our dive gear up and diving we went…..WOW WOW WOW! Came out and were greeted with towels and beverages. Then we got ourselves together and went snorkeling with them…..I have never been much of a snorkeler but this sure changed my mind. They are so big yet so gentle and graceful. One of the best dive experiences I have ever had. When we returned back to shore this time we were met with a bbq lunch, salads and fruit. All our gear was broke down and taken back to dry out for packing in the morning. This place really took care of us. We all piled in vans and head to a waterfall hike. This hike was an easy one and had three different spots with falls. Some of our more adventurous gang jumped in the water, more of us stayed up and watched. On the hike down we enjoyed conversation about our week of adventures and how we were looking forward to the party the resort was having for us that night. We also got to see Monkey’s up in the trees.

Whale Shark

The last night at the resort they sorted out our rides for the airport in the morning. Then we had a very special dinner prepared for us. After our dinner they had a small fun awards ceremony for us. We all got very good laughs out of it…thank goodness divers have such good senses of humor. The had live music and there was dancing until the late hours. What a Magical Dive trip we all had. We came together as just a group of divers, we left as bonded friends. Everyone was sad to say good byes….and on that note we really saw what this did for us and Matt Z. made the choice that this is somewhere that needed to be shared with everyone.

We have booked next year with Magic Island Resort the week of Feb 19-26. Super excited that we are going back there once again because I think so many of our divers will absolutely love this dive trip. We will have another fun filled adventure next year!!

Looking forward to having you join us!!

Amazing Rescue! Feb 28

February 29, 2016/in Dive Reports, Diving Courses, Images/by Mary Christensen

It was such a great weekend for a PADI Rescue class. They all did really well on the reviews and written test. Then we made our way to the pool. We went over skills until we had them all down. Lots and lots of learning of all good things. Including self rescue, divers with issues, and or being unconscious above or below water. They all listened intently but mastered their skills.

We then took our skills to the water the next day. We had a nice sunny day and the waters were calm but they all quickly understood the difference doing the skills in the pool and in open water. Current and waves all add in to the mix, I have to say they all handled the changes like pro’s. I am proud of all of them for all the hard work they invested into their diving knowledge!

Newest PADI RESCUE DIVERS……Courtnie, Emma, James and Loretta!!! CONGRATULATIONS!

A special thank you also to our Island Diver’s DMC Matt. He did an awesome job helping with the class!

Dive Instructor: Mary

Abundant Macro Aquatic Life and Spanish Dancer Egg Ribbons 2112015

February 11, 2015/in Dive Reports, Images/by Manolo Cabasal

It was another beautiful morning today in Hawaii Kai. The wind was out of the west at a mild 10-15 mph and the surface was slightly choppy with 2-3 foot waves. None of that, however, deterred 17 divers from boarding the Enzo this morning. If it’s a little rough up top, you can bet that the bottom is much much nicer!

KAHALA BARGE
83FT – 35MIN
73 DEGREES

After mildy bumpy ride, the mass of divers entered into the water with 80 ft visibility. The silhouette of the wreck was discernible from the surface. Carefully swimming their way into the wreck, the group of advanced divers glided elegantly inside the bowels of the barge. Inside, the divers startled a napping turtle the promptly left the wreck and swam around the group. Along the top of the wreck, elusive spiny stars and coral crabs gave divers an appreciation for macro diving.

ANGLER’S REEF
47FT – 48MIN
74 DEGREES

With the high tide leaving and the current beginning to pick up divers entered the water with a sustained visibility of 60 ft. Swimming steadily into the current a large school of Moorish Idols passed the group. Among the many fascinating aquatic creatures spotted, some of the standouts were Spanish Dancer eggs, an Imperial nudibranch, viper eel, a giant green moray, and schooling squirrel fish.

A special shout out goes to the crew of the Enzo that made this day possible: Capt. Joe, Sarah, and Dave.

Caution: Spinner Dolphins Crossing! Jan 30th

January 30, 2015/in Dive Reports, Images/by Lauren Smith

Fun Dives this morning on the AM Advanced Charter leaving Hawaii Kai. On the boat today we had a couple newly advanced certified and veteran divers, along with our very own Hawaii Scuba University Divemasters in training! Our first dive of the day was the LCU! At a max depth of 91ft this upside down landing craft was home to several large white tip reef sharks this morning. Scattered around the artificial reef the group explored a field of large concrete blocks hiding eels and lizard fish. After a few laps around the wreck we made our way towards the mooring line to find a small spotted puffer fish hovering at the stern.

Our next dive was a drift through Fantasy Reef. At a make depth of 52 feet we made our entries to soon be meet by a very large Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle. Once the group regrouped under the boat we began our drift in the direction of Diamond Head. The current today was mild and gave us the accessibility to stop and check out Imperial Nudibranchs and small a spotted boxfish. After drifting passed a few large swim through we caught up with 3 more Green Sea Turtles, who seems to be acting very friendly towards each other.

After 2 great dives we motored back towards the dive shop, only to be stopped by a large pod of spinner dolphins…not a bad way to end the charter!

Nice diving guys!

W: Bradley (instructor) Sophie (captain)

CONDITIONS: Sunny, 78*F Air, 74*F water, visibility 100+ft

DIVE PROFILES: LCU: 91ft max depth, dive time 32 minutes. Fantasy Reef: Max depth 52ft, dive time 38 minutes.

MARINE LIFE: Imperial Nudibranch, Spotted Boxfish, Lizard Fish, Moray Eel, Spinner Dolphins & Green Sea Turtles!

Birthday Diving 10242014

October 24, 2014/in Images, Scuba Diving Certification/by Manolo Cabasal

Today on the Sea Fox we had a single student and a hand full of certified divers going out on the afternoon dives. The trades were light and the surge and current were moderate in strength. Today’s dive sites were Pa’a’awa and Koko Craters.

The bottom conditions were their normal spectacular selves: 60ft visibility and a warm 81 degrees at the bottom. The surge and current were moderate and noticeable. There were many standout creatures today: a baby octopus, dragon moray, spanish dancer, pincushion starfish, scorpion fish, and a giant Hawaiian Sea Turtle.

Happy Birthday to Lisa! Thank you for spending your birthday week with us on the boat. It’s been a blast to dive with you!

Congratulations to Mike for completing his Open Water Course. Now you’ve got to take your advanced with us so you can keep up with your wife!

A big thank you to the crew: Capt. Joe, Max, & Larry

Rocking a Full House 10132014

October 13, 2014/in Dive Reports, Dive Travel, Images/by Manolo Cabasal

Happy Discoverer’s Day!!! Today at Island Divers the Sea Fox was host to a FULL HOUSE of divers from the around the world. After being loaded up, the boat left @ 0830 and was met with moderate trades from the west and 3-5 ft seas. It was nothing the divers and crew couldn’t handle, this boat was filled with advanced and experienced divers. The first stop: Kahala Barge.

*Kahala Barge: 94ft – 33min*

Descending down the line was quick and easy due to the very light current. At the bottom, the divers were met with 70 foot visibility and tons and tons of reef fish swimming about. Passing through the wreck, the divers spied a white tip reef shark taking a nap. The divers passed with cool and calm demeanor without rousing the slumbering 4ft. predator. Out of the barge and around the back, the divers went through another swim through before enjoying the top of the wreck and it’s many budding coral heads on the way back to the line. With deco time and air running down, the divers ascended to complete a safety stop before returning to the surface. Next stop: Fantasy Reef.

*Fantasy Reef: 53 ft – 40min*

Tying up on the Diamond Head side of the reef, the Sea Fox positioned herself down current to facilitate a drift dive towards Koko Head. The current was fairly strong, but that didn’t stop the divers from zig zag drifting back and forth across the reef. The first local celebrity spotted: a GIGANTIC octopus! Plucked out of the hole by one of our intrepid guests, the octopus flared out and easily enveloped the upper torso of the diver before swimming off in a cloud of ink. Many a shaka was thrown at the sight of the octopus, but there was still plenty drift and see. Zagging back across, the divers came across some Spanish Dancer eggs and a couple of nudibranchs chilling along the bottom. Zigging in the other direction, the divers swam through schools of triggerfish and pennant monarchs before having a Hawaiian green sea turtle fly by. To top it all off, a spotted eagle ray hung out with the group with they did a drifting safety stop. Another A+ day in the books at Island Divers. A big shout out to the crew: Captain Matt, Lil Chris, Eva, and Manolo!!!

It just comes naturally…

August 16, 2014/in Dive Reports, Dive Travel, how to become scuba diving certified, Images, Scuba Diving Certification/by Manolo Cabasal

Today on the Sea Fox, we had a large group of Discover SCUBA Divers, students finishing their Open Water, and SCUBA Refreshers. The conditions were spectacular as usual in Oahu, 60-80 ft viz at both Koko Craters and Pa’a’awa with mild surge and current.

A whole HOST of aquatic animals came to out to greet the new and refresher divers. Green Sea turtles, sergeant majors, trigger fish, puffer fish, giant green morays, devil scorpion fish, an expired 7-11 crab, and an octopus delighted the undersea heroes.

Congratulations to:

Bryan – DSD 1st and 2nd dives EVER!!
Peter & Mark – 1st dive in 5 & 15 years respectively
Clay & Jake – Completion of the PADI Open Water Diver Course

Many thanks to you guys for coming out. You guys looked great in the water. Diving, for you guys, definitely comes naturally.

Shout out to the CREW!! Capt. Joe, Alex, Marnie, & Jess

Dive Stats:
Koko Crater & Pa’a’awa
36ft – 44min & 40ft – 48min

Want adventure? Just add water.

August 14, 2014/in Dive Reports, Dive Travel, Images/by Manolo Cabasal

This afternoon on the Sea Fox we were joined by James, Jennie, and Erika.

Prior to their afternoon dives, the trio of adventurers started their day at IDH’s Hawaii Kai location at 0900 in the morning. After paper work and a brief video, the trio were whisked away in the brand NEW Island Divers van to the Makaii Research Pier where they would get their confined skill presentation and practice. The confident trio smashed through the skills with ease, much to the delight of their instructor! Having been so impressed with his students, the instructor brought the new divers down a little deeper, 12 feet, for some swim and trim practice. They nailed it, of course, and were back at the shop with plenty of time for lunch.

After lunch the trio boarded the Sea Fox, GoPro in hand. The first site on the agenda, Koko Craters. The trio descended into wonderful condition 60ft visibility with mild to moderate surge & current. Numerous turtles and giant morays were captured on video, sergeant majors charged the divers, and the divers got an up close and personal look at both a pin cushion starfish and porcupine fish.

Angler’s Reef was the second dive site. Visibility increased to 80ft, and the divers saw more and more giant moray eels. Both green and snowflake moray eels. This time the trio swam through large schools of trigger, banner, and cornet fish. Before they knew it, they were back topside enjoying a nice ice cold beverage.

Thank you for coming out to dive with us Jennie, Erika, and James! We certainly enjoyed it. And thank you for the beverages!

Big shout out to Capt. Kendal, Davy, Manolo, and (of course) SCUBA STEVE!

Dive Stats:

Koko Craters & Angler’s Reef
40ft – 39 min & 46ft – 43 min

Three Tanker Bliss! 8/28

April 9th Afternoon Fox

Amazing Philippines Trip 2016!!! Jan 31-Feb 06

Amazing Rescue! Feb 28

Abundant Macro Aquatic Life and Spanish Dancer Egg Ribbons 2112015

Caution: Spinner Dolphins Crossing! Jan 30th

Birthday Diving 10242014

Rocking a Full House 10132014

It just comes naturally…

Want adventure? Just add water.

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