Dive Review of
Dive Makai/Kona Coast Resort (timeshare) in
Hawaii/Big Island

Hawaii, Tahiti, Indonesia, Malaysia, N & S California, E & W
Mexico, Gulf of Mexico, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Bonaire, Aruba, St.
Thomas, Australia (Barrier Reef and Coral Sea)

Dive Conditions

Generally followed dive master, but allowed to remain in water near boat at
end of dive subject to air and bottom time restrictions.  

Small rinse bucket and fresh water hose on boat for cameras; storage was
under seats - no camera table.  No shore facilities available, but could
use boat wash down area for quick rinse after the dive.  

Overall Rating

For the second year in a row we booked with Dive Makai for three days of
diving during our one week on the Big Island of Hawaii, including an
evening and night dive combination culminating in the Manta Ray dive.  Dive
Makai operates out of Honokohau Harbor.  You meet them for the two tank
morning dives at 7:30 am (trade winds make afternoon diving
“uncomfortable”, so dive operators prefer to get an early start and to get
back before the seas pick up).  You drive up to their trailered 34’ boat,
load your gear on board, then walk to the boat launch to board the boat
once it is in the water.  Most of the dive sites are within a 20 minute
boat ride, and the crew will tailor the selection to the interests of the
divers (macro photography, for example).  Most dives we did were in the 60
to 80 foot range, with most of the sea life of interest shallower.  We saw
frog fish, about four species of morays, and multitudes of the colorful
wrasse and butterfly fish for which Hawaii is noted.  The three crew give
detailed dive briefings, and one or two will guide the group to see that
all of the high points are hit, although you do have the opportunity of
dive your own profile and stop to do photography.

The Manta Dive was the highlight, though some divers don’t like it as it is
definitely a staged event.  Divers (and snorkelers) from several dive
operations assemble in Garden Eel cove near the airport on their respective
boats at dusk (Dive Makai does an afternoon dive as a prelude to the night
Manta Dive), then enter the water and add their dive lights to a light
array placed in the middle of a sand patch in about 35 feet of water.  On
our trip last year, two Mantas showed up – this time, at least six put on a
real performance as they looped and swooped through the soup of plankton
attracted by the lights.  We concluded this night dive by following several
hungry morays hunting on the reef – the yellow tang population took a hit.

As an indication of how good Dive Makai is, on the second day of diving we
had five “tourists” on board, three locals, and one Dive Makai Dive Master
on her day off diving from the boat.  We'll be back.
 

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