It's Cheaper to Jump from the Bow of Your Liveaboard

Helicopter skiing is pretty popular, but helicopter diving not so much, especially when it's illegal.

Last June, Hawaii environmental officers on Oahu saw four tourists in wetsuits jump into the ocean from a helicopter. Ten days later, another saw a similar incident, with people jumping from a helicopter with Trident Adventures branding. The blades created significant turbulence, affecting nearby ocean users.

Trident holds a permit for helicopter jumping on the south and west shores of Oahu, but not the heavily protected north shore. In February, they were fined $10,000.

Want to try helicopter diving, well, in reality, jumping from a helicopter before you get in the dive boat? Here's what Trident has to say.

"Arriving at Trident Adventures 2 hours ahead of departure time, guests will be given a complete briefing of the day's activities from their Cast Master . . . guests will receive a wetsuit for buoyancy and a pair of sanitized slippers to wear on the tarmac. Upon completion of the safety briefing, all guests participating in the Helicopter Jump will be escorted by bus to the Magnum Helicopters headquarters and hangar . . . Time provided, guests will have a few minutes to explore Magnum Helicopters and even get some photos inside the famous Ferrari from the original Magnum P.I. television show. The helicopter pilot will provide the standard FAA safety briefing before the Cast Master will begin the practice sessions for the jump itself. Guests will then climb aboard and buckle in for a thrilling ride over the famous Waikiki coast before the rendezvous with the Trident Adventures boat, Trident 1. It's time for the jump!

Accompanied by safety swimmers in the water, the guests will be able to jump anywhere from 10 feet to 65 feet, pending Cast Master's clearance for safety. After all the guests and the Cast Master have jumped, guests will be taken by boat to the selected scuba dive/snorkel site to enjoy a thrilling in-water experience."

All this for $1299/person. And if you want an ex-Navy SEAL in the water with you, it's another $400. www.tridentadventures.com Compare that to Grand Cayman, where, for not much more, five people can be helicoptered the hundred-plus miles to Cayman Brac and Little Cayman for three dives and returned to Grand Cayman in time for dinner: $6999 for all. Just don't expect to jump out of the helicopter. https://bit.ly/3NgpuuJ

from an article in Hawaii News Now and other sources