Drifting the Barges 5/14

On this excellent Hawaiian morning we began our day with a ripping current, so we decided that we were going to drift barges. We started out at the shark cave at the baby barge and ended in shore of the New barge. The visibility was incredible 120 +, we had some massive turtles and some large moray eels. After doing a 30 minute dive we surfaced, getting picked up by the smiling Captain Joe. After a 45 minute surface interval we hopped in at Anglers’ reef. Utilizing the lines on the way down and then disconnecting the boat we drifted a quarter mile and a 42 minute dive. A big thanks to all our divers that came out today it was an excellent day to go diving.

Crown of thrones

Crown of thrones

Baby Barge Zach and Dennis checking out the reef and Mark looking at the camera

Baby Barge Zach and Dennis checking out the reef and Mark looking at the camera

White mouth eel checking out my go pro

White mouth eel checking out my go pro

Mark and Crystal hanging out above a large coral head

Mark and Crystal hanging out above a large coral head

Weather Conditions:Light trade wind and 2 to 4 foot swell.
Dive Sites : Drift the barges Baby barge to New Barge, Anglers’ reef
Dive Conditions: Drift Baby barge to New barge max dept 95 ft, 30 minutes, 74 f, strong east current
Anglers’ reef: max dept 45 ft, 42 minutes, 74 f, strong east current
Marine life observed: white mouth eel, turtles, and starfish
Staff: Captain Joe, Crew: Parker, Instructor: Maxine

MAGIC CARPET RIDE !! May 13

wow, fun day today!  blue skies and the return of the trade winds made for smooth sailing out to our Baby Barge mooring.  Matt hooked up the line and said, with a smile, that there was some ‘moderate’ current.  haha!  jumping in, i discovered that his idea of moderate was the same as my idea of pretty darn strong!  super-manning our way down the line, we saw turtles swimming hard to get anywhere!  then you know!!  finding some shelter in the bulk of the barge, we explored around the wreck  (no chance for shark cave today!) finding huge turtles and whitetip sharks! plus morays and banded coral shrimp.  after a bit of bottom crawl into the current, we rose up for a nice ride on that magic carpet of current right back to the down line and back onto the Sea Fox! out today were a nice group of folks from california, DC, NYC, and Utah!  all experienced divers who rode the current with no problems.  2nd jump was a drift of spitting caves.  after a nice drop by captain joe, and clean descents by all, we grouped up and drifted along that spectacular wall!  turtles, sharks, schools of fish, and 3 scorpion fish appeared , despite the viz being a bit green.  thanks to all for great diving,  larry2 greens-imp whitetipp tom

Returning from the deep

Returning from the deep

Returning from the deep

Perfect Conditions for a nice long rEvo CCR dive.

Perfect Conditions for a nice long rEvo CCR dive.

Good to go on his rEvo

Good to go on his rEvo

rEvo REBREATHERS
The rEvo rebreather is the brainchild of Paul Raymaekers, and is available in a number of configurations, which include different models, different electronics packages, and different case materials. Here we will try to make the explanation of the units as clear as possible.

rEvo I, rEvo II and rEvo III

The rEvo I was the original prototype units that were made to ‘work the kinks out’ when the rEvo was still in development. The rEvo II was the first production unit, and has also since been discontinued. While the II is no longer available, hundreds of them are out in the market being active dove, and many appear for sale in the secondhand market.

The rEvo III was designed and released to meet CE specifications, and today the only units for sale new, are rEvo III. The rEvo III is available in several different versions, in which the main differences are size and weight.

CO2 Scrubbing

All rEvo rebreathers come standard with back mounted counter-lungs, and dual 3 pound scrubber cassettes. These scrubbers are used in series, and increase the safety margin, reducing the risk of channeling and bypass.

As an option the RMS system allows for monitoring of your scrubber capacity, and provides a real-time estimate of how much time you have remaining.

For ultra-long dives, an optional radial scrubber system brings the absorbent capacity up to 8.8 lbs of absorbent.

PO2 Monitoring

The rEvodream is the standard PO2 monitoring device and head’s up display which comes on every rEvo unit. It can monitor your choice of one or 2 oxygen cells.

PO2 is displayed on a digital display which mounts to the submersible pressure gauge. The revodream will also display a range of PO2’s using a simple 3-LED display which clips to the DSV of the rEvo, always in view of the diver’s peripheral vision.

The rEvodream has no switches, and is operated by using a series of taps which actuates an internal accelerometer. Powered by standard CR2450 coin batteries, this simple design makes the rEvodream a very robust and reliable solution.

Each rEvo is sold with 2 PO2 monitoring devices, which includes 1 rEvodream PO2 monitor and HUD, and your choice of the following:
rEvodream PO2 monitor and HUD
Shearwater Predator trimix computer and PO2 monitor (hardwired)
Shearwater Predator trimix computer and PO2 monitor (Fischer cable version)
Shearwater Predator trimix computer and setpoint controller (hardwired)
Shearwater Predator trimix computer with RMS setpoint controller (hardwired Digital CAN bus)

Manual Gas Addition

Manual gas addition can be done in one of 2 ways, either through manual addition buttons found on the bottom of the rEvo case, or through a 3-gas addition block.

The 3-gas addition block hangs over the diver’s chest, and allows for ambidextrous addition of either diluent, oxygen or an offboard gas to be plumbed in through the lower quick-disconnect. The 3-gas block comes standard with the rEvo III Micro FT, and is an option on the rEvo III Mini and Standard models.

The case mounted manual addition buttons are found on the bottom of the rEvo III Mini and Standard models. These can be removed as an option. The rEvo III Micro FT does not have these buttons on it, and they cannot be installed as an option.

Automatic Oxygen Addition

Gas can be automatically added to the loop by either a constant flow orifice, and absolute pressure oxygen 1st stage. As the diver increases in depth, the absolute pressure regulator reduces the flow.

In addition, an optional solenoid via a Shearwater Predator controller may be added, providing automatic setpoint control in addition to the constant flow. Utilizing both a solenoid and constant flow creates a ‘hybrid’

On hybrid models, the constant flow orifice can be plugged, and the absolute pressure regulator may be replaced with a standard compensating regulator to allow for true eCCR operation.

Please contact us to setup  your pool demonstration today.

5/12 We’re Attacked By Scorpions!

Monday – A warm Sunny afternoon, we jump in a Koko craters.  There’s diving to be done, and we’re the best candidates for it.  A little fiddling with weight and ears and we make our way down to the little buddha.  A quick jaunt through one of the craters and a turtle comes and swims underneath us!  It’s blitzing.  After I get all my divers back, we head over to the big buddha and pass a moray on the way.  From there we bounce over to Turtle Canyon where we see two Devil Scorpionfish!  I didn’t even know the second was there!  Thanks everyone, stay wet.

Turtle Swims Under

Turtle Swims Under

So excited to dive maybe

So excited to dive maybe

Ready

Ready

Devil Scorpions

Devil Scorpions

Just keep Swimming...

Just keep Swimming…

Weather conditions:  Windy 10 kts, Small wind waves, Medium trade winds, Sunny.
Dive sites: Koko Craters, Turtle Canyon
Dive conditions: Koko’s: Light easterly current, 35ft, 78F; Turtle’s: No current, 40ft, 78F
Marine Life observed: Moray Eels, Scorpions! Green Turtles
Staff: Joe; Crew: Max; Instructors: Kellan

Personal Turtle Diving 5/12

Another nice morning to be out on the water of southeast Oahu today. We had a small group of divers on the Sea Fox with Tom, Corey, and Sarah and decided to dive the Corsair for the first dive.  There was a mild current and excellent viz as we headed down the line.  There were large schools of milletseed and pennant butterflyfish swimming about as well as garden eels in the sand around the area.  There was also a spotted eagle ray cruising by the wreck but didn’t stay long. Soon it was time to head up and work our way to the next site.

For the second dive we headed to Fantasy Reef and again had great viz. There was a slight current and tons of life around the area. Right away we were finding turtles about the reef, most were resting under ledges and wedged into the rocks. There were also a few eels hiding about the reef and fish swimming about everywhere. We had a nice long dive before we ran low on air and had to call it a day. It was a wonderful way to start the week.

IMG_4863 IMG_4867 IMG_4869

6 Underwater Cameras for Scuba Diving in Honolulu, Hawaii

Nikon_D7100_aSo you’ve been planning a trip to Honolulu – an unforgettable adventure. Whether you’re a beginner, an intermediate, or a seasoned diver, you owe it to yourself to document the experience! So make sure to bring the right equipment to photograph your underwater exploration: if not for memory’s sake, then at least to make your friends and family members at home sea-green with envy.

Selecting the Right Camera

There are a lot of cameras out there, and choosing the right one for underwater shooting can be a bit daunting. We have a few favorites, from compact to mirrorless, to some really great dSLRs that will help you get that underwater shot just the way you want it. Here are the basic categories to choose from:

Compact Underwater Cameras

Because of their small size, compact cameras create very little drag underwater. This means you can shoot macro, wide-angle, and video all in one dive. They are generally the least expensive of the three types, and one of the reasons is because they have smaller sensors, which also means less range and more noise when shooting. They also have lower-quality optics, fewer selections for good quality lenses, lower battery life, slow RAW write speeds, and less control over your depth of field. With that in mind, there are definitely some good models out there, along with good-quality UW housing. Look for one that provides full manual mode, the ability to take wet and fisheye lenses, low shutter lag, longer battery life, manual white balance, and the ability to fire strobes via sync cord so you don’t have to use pop-up flash or find a fiber optic solution. You will also need a solid auto focus capacity and an easy-to-adjust aperture and shutter speed UW. Try either the Sony RX-100 or Canon S120.

Mirrorless Underwater Cameras

These cameras are a more high-end alternative to compact versions. They provide a smaller size, a larger sensor to give a greater dynamic range, less noise when using high ISOs, and an excellent depth of field. With small lenses, HD video with autofocus, and a larger zoom range for telephoto, we recommend the Olympus E-PL2 or the Panasonic GX1.

dSLR Underwater Cameras

The digital single-lens reflex camera combines the optics and other aspects of a single lens reflex camera with a powerful digital imaging sensor. This brings excellent image quality with larger pixel sizes and less grain. dSLRs also deliver faster shutter speeds, less noise, greater depth of field, the ability to be fitted with many high quality lenses, depth of field, and manual controls. They also tend to hold on to their value throughout the years. Nikon D7100 gives the best image quality, ergonomics, and high ISO performance. The Canon 6D is another excellent choice.

Document Your Dive with Us

For more information on underwater photography, as well as everything you want to know about diving with Island Divers, drop us a line today!

Fantastic Fantasy 5/11

On this peachy keen Saturday morning we departed with the idea to dive Big Barge, Kahala barge. Hopping in the water to tie up Flora informed the group of the incredible site conditions no current with 100+ visibility. With the slack current I indulged in trying something new taking a group of divers to the cement pilings to the west of the wreck. Hundreds of different types of fish and several different types of eels, making our dive as incredible as the conditions we were given. After our scenic surface interval we tied up again at Fantasy reef, descending right on a nesting octopus, enjoying his little peek a boo game, after swimming the length of the site and arriving back under the boat we had an epic eel fight, a viper moray and white mouthed eel, absolutely enthralling. After a 45 minute dive we surfaced watching the turtles surface around the boat. Thank you all so much for coming out with us today it was a real pleasure diving with each and every one of you, with such excellent conditions. A special thanks to Larry Hogan and Flora Lee for being such a big help and having such great attitudes all day long, I could not have done it with out you!

Getting ready for Kahala Barge

Getting ready for Kahala Barge

Looking from inside the wreck

Looking from inside the wreck

DSC00034

7/11 crab

7/11 crab

Weather conditions: 1 to 2 foot south swell, Light east wind
Dive sites: Kahala Barge and Fantasy Reef
Dive conditions: Kahala ; max depth 98 ft, 30 minute dive, temp 79 f, no current: Fantasy Reefs; max depth 42 ft, 45 minute dive, temp 80 f, light west current
Marine Life observed: Green Sea turtles, Yellow moray eel, cleaner shrimp, viper moray, Horned helmet and Cushion star fish
Staff: Captain Joe, Crew: Kelsey, Instructors: Maxine, Larry  Dive master: Flora

5/09 Shark City, Jellies Everywhere, And Then Turtles Come Look At Us

Friday – Darren, Joy, Bill, Andy, and a bunch of guys from both Sunshine Scuba and Alohana were on the boat this morning as we headed out to Baby barge.  The ocean was glassy, lake Maunalua, because we’ve had some awesome Kona winds the last two days.  Perfect diving conditions.  Sunny, low swell, no wind.  Plunging on the Baby barge we made our way over to the shark cave and saw…. a shark!  Mama shark, (doo doo x3).  Then back at the barge itself Andy and I jammed ourselves into a tiny cave where there’re usually turtles and saw… another shark!  (Doo doo, 3 more times) The video is below.  On the way up the surface looks amazing and the top 15 feet is jellies rolling in the current.  From there we move over to Fantasea and the current is basically dead.  But we drift it anyway!  Why not?  The swell almost puts Darren to sleep and at the second swim through we see… a baby shark! (Doo doo… you get the idea.) All through the dive we just hang out with turtles.  Literally I was hanging from my SMB at the end of the dive and a turtle just came over and stared at me. He was maybe wondering why I wasn’t trying to eat him.  Or if I looked tasty. I never can tell. Thanks errbody for making it a fun trip.  Stay safe.

Bonus Video!

Darren swims!

Darren swims!

That turtle is as big as Lauren!

That turtle is as big as Lauren!

Joy conducting? Casting a bubble charm? Pointing?

Joy conducting? Casting a bubble charm? Pointing?

Dapper Bill with an awesome/outrageous mustache

Dapper Bill with an awesome/outrageous mustache

So many cameras!

So many cameras!

Weather conditions:  Not Windy, Small Swell, Unbearably sunny.
Dive sites: Baby Barge, Fantasea Reef
Dive conditions: Baby: Medium current, 90ft, 78F; Fantasea: No current, 45ft, 78F
Marine Life observed: White tip reef shark x3! Green sea turtle, Stargazer eel
Staff: Captain Joe; Crew: Erica; Instructors: Kellan

Kahala Barge & Fantasy Reef – May 8

Crowded boat today with 15 divers including guides Pete and Kellan. First stop was Kahala barge for a great dive with great visibility. The divers had a great time exploring all the swim throughs and checking out all teh cool sea life that the barge had to offer. After about a 25-30 minute dive the group headed back up to the Sea FOx and hung out while Capt. Joe tried with no luck to catch us a nice fish.

Second dive was a drift at Fantasy Reef where the divers were joined by sever green sea turtles and a white tip reef shark! Plenty of really cool coral and rock formations to explore and lots of great sea life on Fantasy. One of our Best dives. After a 45 minute dive the Sea Fox headed back in to the marina.

Little Puffer Man

Little Puffer Man

Turtle

Turtle

Turtle

Turtle

White Tip Reef Shark

White Tip Reef Shark

 

Staff:

  • Captain: Joe
  • Boat Crew: Mia
  • Dive Guide: Pete & Kellan

Weather Conditions:

  • Weather: Mostly Sunny
  • Swell: Very Calm
  • Winds: Mild S Kona Winds

Dive Sites:

  • Kahala Barge
  • Fantasy Reef

Dive Conditions:

  • Visibility: Great
  • Current: Mild Koko Head

Marine Life Observed:

  • Humuhumunukunukuapua`a
  • Crown of Thorns Sea Star
  • Purple Dragon Nudibrach
  • Yellow Margin Morray
  • White Mouth Morray
  • Hawaiian Sergant Major
  • Moorish Idol
  • Eagle Ray
  • Green Sea Turtles

5/07 Sunny Day With Some Big Waves

Wednesday – Elliot, Brandi, Joe and myself departed the dock to medium swell and some big clouds.  We made our way over to the LCU, one of our best-condition wrecks.  Visibility was about 85 feet, and there was a really interesting thermocline at about 80 feet, making sitting in the sand a cold prospect.  The entire time we listened to the beautiful whale songs that seemed like they were coming from right overhead.  From there we came up in to sunshine, (finally) and as we pulled off the mooring had a some excitement as Capt Joe almost caught a fish. We also learned Dene is a terrible driver.  On the way over to our next site, spitting caves, we saw the whale that was singing to us earlier, just a quick tail as it dove to nearly 600 feet. Spitting caves was pretty interesting as there were a bunch of big waves crashing into the wall basically right above us, and a huge set rolled in halfway through our dive dropping the visibility to around 10 feet. I probably scared Brandi and Elliot half to death, but everything was perfectly safe.  We saw some turtles and a giant hermit crab that I helped free from some fishing detritus, and we made our way in.  Nice work everyone, come see us again.  Until then, be safe.

Joe and Brandi at the LCU

Joe and Brandi at the LCU

Joe is magic

Joe is magic

Brandi

Brandi

Carter with a starfish

Carter with a starfish

Joe

Joe

You can't see me!

You can’t see me!

Carter on Deck

Carter on Deck

Weather conditions:  Medium swell, Small wind waves, Sunny.
Dive sites: LCU, Spitting Caves
Dive conditions: LCU: Light easterly current, 90ft, 78F; Spitting Caves: Small easterly current, 45ft, 78F
Marine Life observed: Starry Eels, Hermit Crab, Green Turtles
Staff: Captain Joe; Crew: Dene; Instructors: Kellan