Lahaina Divers
Lahaina Divers operates from a small shop located within a 5 minute walk from the Lahaina harbor where they have two dive boats capable of carrying up to 22 divers and associated crew. The staff are all very friendly and the shop is well stocked with a good variety of gear for purchase and rental. They operate a regular weekly schedule with morning and afternoon dives at numerous locations around the south west side of Maui including the surrounding islands of Lena'i, Molokai, Molokini Crater and the Carthaginian wreck. Lahaina divers stands out as a well organized dive operation, with a focus on safety and customer satisfaction.
I have been diving with them on numerous occasions with my trip in May of 2013 being my most recent. They provide sandwiches and cookies for food between dives and supply sunscreen, defog and water to stay hydrated. The boats also have 1-2 rinse tanks for camera equipment capable of holding large DSLR housings with strobes. The guides and captain do a great job of planning the dives and explaining the marine life. I would have missed some excellent and rare endemics and behaviors had it not been for the sharp eyed guides pointing them out. If your lucky enough to have Elliott as your guide (he is normally a boat captain) you've hit the jackpot.
The average water temperature is 74º F. (23.3 C), with a summer high of 80º F. Also of note is that there is no thermocline in hawaii. I've been diving around end of December and still had no need of a wet suit even at 80+ feet. Another great quality for photo buffs is the amazing visibility with lengths of 50 to 100 feet very common and at certain sites, like Molokini Crater, you can routinely expect visibility in the 120 to 150 foot range.
Being one of the most isolated island chains in the entire world has led to an amazing diversity of marine life with many endemic species. Currently 23% of the fish, 20% of the mollusks, 18% of the algae and about 20% of the corals in Hawaii are considered to be endemic. Numerous types of parrot, lizard, goby, squirrel, frog, goat, damsel, surgeon, wrasse, cardinal, file, butterfly, and box fish can be readily found on any dive from boat or shore. My personal favorite endemic is the Potter’s Angel Fish with its spectacular coloration. Others include the plentiful white tip reef sharks, and green sea turtles which can be seen on most dives.
