Dive Review of Explore Kauai Scuba/Kauai Shores in
Hawaii/Kauai-Niihau

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Explore Kauai Scuba/Kauai Shores: "Niihau Bucket List was fulfilled with Monk seals, Sharks and Caverns", Sep, 2023, by Frank G Postillion, AZ, US ( Reviewer 5 reports with 1 Helpful vote). Report 12585.
Photos Submitted with this Report Click on an image to see an enlarged version and captions
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	I have read a lot about how Kauai has mediocre diving, since it is so far north, and unlike the Big Island has less coral,fish and pelagics. However, if you can brave the early one hour morning 17-mile and more difficult 1.5 hour return trip from/to the Kikiaola small boat harbor in southwestern Kauai to Ni'ihau and Lehua Rock, then you are in for quite a treat. Owners Captain Nick and Jessy, our divemaster, were excellent guides for six divers and were there to treat us to some incredible diving. Our first dive, Vertical Awareness, near the southern Lehua Rock tip, gave us 100+ foot of viz and some nice walls and topography. But the highlight were the monk seal, who came up to our boat and then visited us under water, so curious and unafraid; and the the 8-foot gray reef shark who wanted to find out more about us. The coral was sparse, but healthy, and many endemic fish surrounded us. We viewed a flat worm too. Our second dive, Ni'hau Arches, was a series of lava tubes and caverns with some screaming drift. Jessy guided us through 8 formations with orange cup corals, lobsters, octopus and, at the end, another monk seal and white tip shark greeted us. What a blast! These young guides were so knowledgeable about the habitat, fish, mammals, birds and the whole area. This is their specialty and they are very good at it. In fact, they picked up an injured tropic bird from the water to take it back for rehabilitation. Nick also gave us tips to go see the Kilaeua lighthouse and National Bird Preserve and other areas. They did warn us about the bumpy ride back and it was. Nick was good at slowing down when needed and the the twin 250 HP Suzuki engines did fine. Other dive shops ship off at ports further north and take 2 hours one way to make the trip. We just did 2 dives instead of some other shops that offer three. However, each dive was 60 minutes+ and allowed us plenty of time to see what we needed. We had a good lunch with a longer surface interval. For us, we started at 5:30 am to get to the harbor by 6:30am. We arrived back at the harbor by 3 pm and had another hour+ to rinse off and get back to our hotel. Makes for a long and rewarding day. Explore Kauai aims to please and I highly recommend their services.
Websites	Explore Kauai Scuba
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	501-1000 dives
Where else diving	Hawaii, Cabo Pulmo, San Carlos, Puerto Penasco, Belize, Bonaire, Curacao, Aruba, BVI, St. Croix, St. John St. Thomas, Cozumel, Akumal, Florida springs and Atlantic coast,
Closest Airport	Lihue	Getting There	Phoenix to Lihue non stop
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	currents
Water Temp	81-81°F / 27-27°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	60-120 Ft/ 18-37 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	700 psi inform divemaster
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	no
What I Saw
Sharks	1 or 2	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	None	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities
UW Photo Comments	No fresh water tank but allowed plenty of time for UW photos

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Dive Review of Explore Kauai Scuba/Kauai Shores in Hawaii/Kauai-Niihau

Explore Kauai Scuba/Kauai Shores: "Niihau Bucket List was fulfilled with Monk seals, Sharks and Caverns", Sep, 2023,

Photos Submitted with this Report

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Explore Kauai Scuba/Kauai Shores in
Hawaii/Kauai-Niihau