Maxine Markert

The Grand Night Life 05/06

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On this warm summer night, we were delighted to start our dusk dive with Kahala Barge, or Big Barge. Down at the wreck Nick and Carl and I were able to enjoy a quick peak inside the wreck exiting from a rooftop hole. After 25 minute dive at the Barge we started to make our way in shore for on next dive. I decided to drift between Koko Anchor to Pa’awa, on our entrance we landed on a roaming slipper lobster. After we carried on our way I found a Redmargin Spanish dancer with two imperial shrimp some of the most unseen shrimp on this island because they live on large nudibranchs. At secret ledge we rang into a giant moray eel freelancing it, trying to push his way into various holes, a couple hundred yards away from that we ran into a sleepy sponge crab devouring a banded urchin. The rest of the dive a saw several more variations of crabs, red swimming crab, rainbow swimming crab and brown guard crab. It was a very adventurous night dive, I am so glad that Nick and Carl were able to join me on this wonderful evening. You were an absolute treat, and I can’t wait to see you guys again real soon, even that means another year from now! Thanks again for coming guys!

 

Spanish Dancer egg

Spanish Dancer egg

Banded Urchin

Banded Urchin

Sleepy sponge crab

Sleepy sponge crab

Weather conditions:  4 foot south swell, South  wind
Dive sites: Kahala and Koko Anchor to Pa’awa
Dive conditions: Kahalas; max depth 98ft, 25 minute, temp 78 f, light West current: Koko Anchor to Pa’awa’s; max depth 42ft 40 minute dive, temp 78 f, light west current
Marine Life observed: Redmargin Spanish Dancer, Yellow moray eel, imperial shrimp, Sleepy sponge crab, and banded urchin
Staff: Captain Joe, Crew: Parker/ TJ, Instructors: Maxine

Kellan Bernhardt

5/06 My Neighbor To(ron)toro

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Tuesday – Elliot and Sarah were on the boat finishing up Day Three of our Three Day Open Water course.  They’re from Toronto and have been enjoying the beautiful weather we’ve been having lately.  We jumped into back crater at Koko’s, and swam around for a bit, seeing a couple green sea turtles and a spiny king snail.  Then we did some compass navigation and the CESA and then came out.  From there we jumped in to Turtle Canyon, where we saw a huge turtle and some eels, and Elliot and Sarah worked on practicing Buoyancy control.  Congratulations Elliot and Sarah, nice work out there.  Everyone else, practice your buoyancy control, and stay safe.

Elliot Snagging Some Weight

Elliot Snagging Some Weight

Elliot and Sarah

Elliot and Sarah

Sarah Rigging Up

Sarah Rigging Up

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, Horned Snail, Green Turtles
Staff: Captain Kendall; Crew: Parker; Instructors: Kellan

Mark Savel

Small Group Flexibility 5/6

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We had a small group of divers this morning on the Sea Fox and surface conditions were great. There was little wind and small swell as we tried for the Corsair, but the current was a little strong so we went to the LCU.  The current was weaker at the LCU and visibility was great. There was a turtle leaving the site as we got to the bottom. There was also a frogfish on bottom right under the mooring. As we swam around the area there were goatfish, butterflyfish, and wrasses all around the wreck. There was a large eel hiding out in the blocks on the top of the wreck. Soon it was time to end the dive and head to the next site.

For the second dive we headed over to Portlock area but with the water looking a little green at Spitting Caves so we dove Fish Gardens.  There was very little current and we swam around the reef. There were fish all over the place with schools of butterflyfish and damsel fish too numerous to count. There were a couple turtles swimming through the area and eels hiding in the coral. It was a great day to be on the water.

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Larry Hogan

STRAIGHT FROM THE CANADIAN ROCKIES May 5

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a gorgeous day, with mild breezes, and blue skies as our backdrop for today’s adventures!  with old friend Kiwi Harry wanting to see some sharks, we decided to moor up at baby barge and visit the shark cave (70 feet), as i had seen some there recently!  no sharks, but we saw several morays, including a green head getting his teeth cleaned by a banded coral shrimp.  fantastic to watch this symbiotic relation as the shrimp climbs around and into the moray’s unfriendly  jaws!  over at the wreck we found turtles napping and turtles grabbing some air.  out with me today, besides harry and greg, were Calgary natives Chad and Brooke .  with this being Brooke’s first salt water dive!  she had a blast seeing the huge turtles close up and personal on our drift of Fantasy Reef (Chad was happy to be hands-on with a juvenile spiky sea urchin, although handling a cushion starfish didn’t appeal to Brooke!! see photo below).  a mild current at 50 feet, with a lot of plankton in the water column gave us a real ocean experience as we saw more eels (zebra moray!! see photo), spiky puffer fish, barracuda (good eyes Harry!), lots of reef fish, and beautiful topography!  thanks to all for diving safe and smart!!  Larry

 

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Matt Zimmerman

4 Things You Should Know Before Going Scuba Diving for the First Time in Hawaii

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4 Things You Should Know Before Going Scuba Diving for the First Time in HawaiiBefore venturing into the deep blue for your first Hawaiian underwater excursion, there are a few things you need to know. First up: safety should never be compromised, as being properly prepared is the best way to enjoy a safe and secure dive. We want to make sure you feel relaxed and ready to explore the vast treasures of our beautiful underwater world by giving you a few tips before you venture forth.

Learn How All Your Dive Gear Functions

If this is your absolute first dive, you’ll be diving with equipment you have never used before. You need to become familiar and comfortable with each piece, and no question is a dumb question – so make sure you ask any questions to be sure. Our experienced dive team will help you identify and use all the necessary equipment that is required for scuba diving.

Techniques for Safe Diving

When diving with PADI-certified Island Divers Hawaii, you will get complete instruction in the basic skills for safe diving. From learning how to breathe through a scuba regulator, clear your mask of water, using hand signals, and other basics, you will feel totally comfortable before you do that first dive.

Mastering the Basics in a Controlled Dive Site

At Island Divers, you will first learn the basics in a morning pool session. After this we take you on a two-tank afternoon dive from one of our dive boats, where you’ll be in good hands with a professional PADI instructor all the time. Dives typically last from 35 to 45 minutes, in water no more than 40 feet deep.

Getting Certified

If you want to get certified, you can do so with our three-day PADI Open Water Certification course, which includes academic work online or via book followed by a pool session. The second day will include a checkout dive from a boat in the afternoon and then a training dive at a selected site, which you will do again on the third day.

Before you dive for first time, you will need to know the weather conditions, including the state of the ocean currents in the area in which you want to dive. We always make sure that the coast is clear – no pun intended – with conditions that are conducive to your experience. We will also find the best location for your dive.

In general, it is always best if you consult with a local dive shop before you go out in order to determine if there are regular storms in a given area. It is also best if you go out with an experienced dive instructor to help orient you and keep you safe until you become a more proficient diver.

Fall in Love with Underwater Wonders

Your first dive is a lot like your first love. Seeing the underwater world for the first time will knock your socks off and rock you from your mask to your fins. Surrounded by wildly colored and mysterious marine life, along with familiar faces from photos and film, such as eels, eagle rays, octopi, and more, you’ll be clamoring for your next dive! Give us a shout today to schedule your adventure with Island Divers Hawaii!

Larry Hogan

SUBMARINE SPOTTED AT YO 257 WRECK! MAY 4

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how often do you get to see a !SUBMARINE! when you go diving? NEVER!,  is the answer almost every diver will give, no matter how experienced or traveled, they are.  But here on Oahu, we at Island Divers get to see one at least once a week!  And it is a fantastic experience!!  The wreck of the YO 257 is on the route of the tourist submarine off Waikiki, and while on that dive the sub captain will stop and give the tourist and the divers the chance to wave hello to each other, and maybe shoot a few photos! the wreck itself is also spectacular, rated one of the top wrecks to visit in the world!  schools of bannerfish and barracuda often surround the wreck.  while loads of reef fish – big eyes, hawkfish, butterfly fish, tangs etc are all over the nooks and crannies of the wreck.  not to speak of sharks, rays, and turtles.  just a great dive, with viz up to 150 feet, and the deck only 75 feet deep, and the wheel house even shallower.  definitely a must see if you dive hawaii!  Our first dive was another world beater dive site, the Corsair airplane, sitting in sand and surrounded by garden eels, at 107 feet.  good viz and mild current gave us a great dive, and with two huge morays in the cockpit, not a good day for a photo while sitting in there!  our 3rd dive (every sunday we do a 3 tanker) was a drift of Fish Garden, with captain joe letting us drift in the opposite direction we usually do.  i loved it!  viz was a bit green, but we saw 1000’s of fish and several huge turtles!  thanks to all for good diving!  larry, flora, and captain joe

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Matt Negaard

An Intrepid Trio-5/3

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It was bright and sunny as the Sea Fox pulled away for the afternoon charter with 3 Divers and a Surface Observer. We started off at Koko Craters where the water was moving a bit, but still we made the rounds and found a few Green Sea Turtles, a Leaf Scorpionfish, a Panther Flounder, and the usual variety of abundant reef fish. After looking around at some new dive site possibilities, the next stop was a drift dive at Hawaii Loa. The small group dropped down with no difficulty and kicked around ( there was only a mild current to help us out ) the reef. Here the Eels were the stars with several White Mouth Morays and even a Yellow Margin Moray showing their smiles. A couple of Octopuses were also observed, but, alas, no pictures of these beauties. There is some really gorgeous coral and topography in this seldom dived location, so we were reluctant to surface after our 50 minutes beneath. It was a nice end to another great day in Paradise with a fantastic group of Island Visitors! Mahalo for venturing out with us today, come back any time..

Expert Napper

Expert Napper

Cheese..no, really, where's the cheese?

Cheese..

You like my snake impression?

You like my snake impression?

Weather: Light Breeze, Sunny, Seas Calm, Light Current.
Dive Sites: Koko Craters, Hawaii Loa Reef
Dive Conditions: Koko Craters – Vis 40ft., Depth 35ft., Moderate Surge.
Hawaii Loa – Vis 60-70ft., Depth 40ft, Light Current.
Marine Life: Octopus, Panther Flounder, Green Sea Turtle, Leaf Scorpionfish, Whitemouth Moray, Yellow Margin Moray, Porcupinefish, Stripebelly Puffer.
Staff: Captain Joe, Crew Kelsey, Instr. Matt

 

 

Mark Savel

Beautiful Saturdays 5/3

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It was a wonderful Saturday morning for diving on the southeast side of Oahu. It was a calm day on the water as we headed to the LCU for the first dive. There was little current and great visibility as we headed down the line. There wasn’t any big animals around the site but lots of fish life swimming around the wreck. There were schools of goatfish and butterflyfish all about. There was also a large undulated morey sitting on the top of the wreck.

For the second dive we went to Sea Cave, the surface was a little choppy but the dive was great. The current was really strong today but for a drift dive it was perfect. We hung in the current as turtles and reef fish went by us. There were a few eels about the reef hiding in the corals. It was a great drift and we made it all the way to Hanauma Bay before we surfaced.IMG_4809 IMG_4812 IMG_4828 IMG_4834

Lauren Smith

Wet ‘n Wild on Baby Barge and Angler’s – May 2

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We were 7 divers today on the morning Sea Fox. Lew, Steve, and Rill, some local club divers who happen to join us for some dives at least once a month. And a few visitors from Texas, Tom, Monte, and Amy. Tom was diving with some sweet Nitrox enriched air and got some extra time.

Just a reminder to all you out there that haven’t taken the EANx Nitrox PADI Specialty Course yet. Think off all the extra time you could be spending underwater at our beautiful dive sites.

Our first dive took us down to Baby Barge where we checked out all the wreck’s inhabitants including some great big Green Sea Turtles and tons of Blue Dragon Nudibranch. I even managed to catch a couple hard at work in the act of mating. Fun Fact: Nudibranch contain both male and female sex organs. Some nudi species even have a special regrowing ‘detatchable’ penis which detatches and after mating and then regrows, fascinating!

Our next dip was a drift on Angler’s Ledge. We cruised along with the current and explored the ledge. We found all kinds of cool animals. A great big morray, a tiny little cleaner shrimp on the underside of a cushion star, and a Day Octopus peering out from inside his lair. When the group ran low on air we hopped back onto the Fox and headed to dry land.

Great day dudes! See ya next time!

-Pete

Cushion Sea Star Shrimp

Cushion Sea Star Shrimp

Pencil Urchin

Pencil Urchin

Morray

Morray

Mating Nudis

Mating Nudis

Octopus

Octopus

Staff:

  • Captain: Joe
  • Boat Crew: Erika
  • Dive Guide: Pete& Pete

Weather Conditions:

  • Weather: Mostly Cloudy
  • Swell: High
  • Winds: Mild ESE Kona Winds

Dive Sites:

  • Baby Barge
  • Angler’s Ledge

Dive Conditions:

  • Visibility: Great
  • Current: Strong Koko Head

Marine Life Observed:

  • Humuhumunukunukuapua`a
  • Cushion Sea Stars w/ Cleaner Shrimp
  • Mating Purple Dragon Nudibrach
  • Yellow Margin Morray
  • White Mouth Morray
  • Hawaiian Sergant Major
  • Moorish Idol
  • Day Octopus
  • Green Sea Turtles
Larry Hogan

FLYING GURNARDS ARE HARD TO FIND!

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Yes they are!  especially since they never really fly, but instead just mostly hide on the bottom, when not crawling around searching for snacks.  We did find one on our second dive at Turtle Canyons and it was a real treat (photo above)!  We had beautiful conditions, 100 plus foot viz, and mild current. We also saw several species of morays – vipers, white mouths, stouts, and yellow margin!  a great dive for eel fans! vipers are my favorite!  also loads of reef fish, as turtle canyons is a nursery for the juveniles of many species.  Congrats and great job to both  Britt (from alaska – brr! – but on her way to sunny Spain) and always smiling Akemi, both of whom are now certified Open Water divers!  also along were a great group of divers from Utah – Greg, Linda, Aaron, Jeff, and Randi all loving their first dives in Hawaii!  First stop at Koko craters was also a real treat, as besides the huge turtles and eels, we had a large pod of spinner dolphins cruise right by us as we made our way back to the Sea Fox!  there were at least 30, all bunched together, just swimming silently by, probably napping!  beautiful sight!  Instructor Marnie got some awesome footage of the same pod on her morning dive, hopefully she’ll post it!!  thanks to all for a great day of diving in Oahu!  Larry and Captain Kendal

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