The lights on your dive boat have been dim and with a red filter since you left port about 30 minutes ago. Looking out to the sea around you, there are no signs of anyone else in the world, total darkness. You arrive at what you are told is the dive site. The dive briefing has given you the safety procedures and the fact that the water is over 6,000 feet deep at this point. You tether to the dive boat, you do not want to drift away and enter the water with a small dive light. You start your dive and at first see nothing, dropping to about 45 feet (ca 13 meters). After a few minutes, you see objects in the water below you that are glowing, bioluminescent creatures. Now small creatures are being attracted to your light, and then larger ones are attracted by the small ones. Manta Rays and deep-sea creatures pass within your view. Many of these creatures you have never seen before and likely will never see again unless you dive here again. Welcome to scuba diving the Big Island, Hawaii.
Scuba diving the Big Island, Hawaii, is something very special. The Hawaiian Archipelago stretches some 1,500 miles and consists of 137 volcanic islands. There are eight major islands, with the rest uninhabited or having a small, isolated population. The State of Hawaii consists of the Hawaiian Archipelago, minus the Midway Atoll. The largest island is named Hawaii; however, it is more commonly called the Big Island. The Big Island is twice as large as all the other islands combined. The Big Island has six regions: Hãmãkua Coast, Hilo, Puna, Ka’u, Kona, and Kohala. Hilo, on the east coast, and Kona, on the west coast, are home to the two major airports on the island. Most of the interior of the island is undeveloped mountains and includes vast jungles and a couple of active volcanoes.
The coast provides a wide range of water-based activities, including snorkeling and scuba diving. The majority of tourists visiting the Big Island list these two activities as the primary reason for visiting Hawaii. Snorkeling and scuba diving the Big Island Hawaii is in a class of its own.
What is So Special about Scuba Diving the Big Island Hawaii?
What is so special about scuba diving the Big Island Hawaii?
Everything! While there are a few shipwrecks for divers who prefer these, the real draw for scuba diving the Big Island Hawaii is the coral reefs and the deep-water diving. There are over a hundred excellent dive sites, many of which are shore dives. There are also excellent dive sites that are reached by boats. While diving from both coasts of the Big Island is outstanding, many divers prefer diving on the West Coast. Visibility on the east coast can sometimes be limited, while the west coast normally exceeds 100 feet (ca 30 meters) of visibility. The West Coast has some of the best shore dive sites as well. The Big Island is credited with the most species of fish in Hawaii, with a staggering population of over 1,100 species, including 129 that can only be found in Hawaiian waters.
Dive sites for the Big Island Hawaii
Here is a sample of just a few of the over 100 dive sites around the Big Island.
Pu’uhonua O Honaunau / Two step: The Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park is an important Hawaiian ceremonial site that dates back over 450 years. A Great Wall protects two sides of the site, and the ocean protects the rest. In ancient Hawaii, wrongdoers and defeated warriors who reached the site could seek refuge and pray for forgiveness. In times of battle, families could retreat here and be protected from harm. You should visit the National Park Service website for a description and an outstanding video overviewing this outstanding National Park
Two Steps is one of two diving/snorkeling sites in the National Park. It is considered the best shore dive on the Kona coast. It is a site that is suitable for novice divers and interesting for even very experienced divers. The name of the site comes from the entry point, which has two layers of lava that seem to be steps into the water. The entry point is technically outside the park; however, the water is not. Divers are reminded that Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park is a cultural site and advised to respect the significance of the park.
Suckem Up: A strange name for an unusual dive site. This is one site where you will want to go with an experienced dive guide. Suckem Up is a lava tube. Lava tubes are tunnels or caves formed when hot lava reaches the ocean waters. Generally, they form tubes as the lava rapidly cools. This one has several small openings in the top allowing sunlight to enter. Incoming waves can propel you into the tube. You will want a guide who is experienced with this site to time your entry into the tube and be assisted by the waves. Also, to time the surge so that you are “Sucked” out of the tube.
Kealakekekua Bay / Captain Cook: Kealakekekua Bay State Historical Park is an important cultural and historical site. The site has a sacred temple to Hawaiian god, Lono. It is also the site where the famous explorer James Cook landed, the first contact between a Westerner and the Hawaiians. It is also where he was killed a year later. The bay itself has outstanding diving and snorkeling. The portion of the bay near the Captain Cook memorial is considered some of the best snorkeling in the world. It is also an outstanding dive site for novice divers. If you enjoy kayaking, this is a must-do destination as well.
Garden Ell Cove aka Manta Heaven: Garden Ell Cove is often described as a humble dive site. The dive site gets its name from the Hawaiian garden ells that make the black sandy floor of this site their home. The ells add to the many reef fish that you can watch, and spinner dolphins are known to make late afternoon appearances. The average dive here is 30 feet (ca9 meters). Most dive operators do two dives here. The first is a late afternoon dive, that gives you some experience with the site. During the surface interval, Divers can watch a sunset as they set up their gear for their second dive, a twilight/night dive. Divers will enter the water with their guides settled onto the bottom and chill. This is where the second name for the site, Manta Heaven, comes into play. As the underwater nightlife comes alive, giant manta rays come to feed and play. They will glide around you, paying little attention to you as you sit there mesmerized. This is one of three sites used for night manta ray dives. While the manta rays are found here most nights, being wild animals, their appearance cannot be guaranteed. However, this site is one of three where the occurrence is most likely.
Blackwater Diving
While there are a few other places besides Hawaii where you can go Blackwater Diving, it is said that Kona is where the experience was first created, and it is still the best place to explore it. The Hawaiian Islands are mountaintops of mostly submerged volcanos. Still active volcanos. Unlike most coasts worldwide, there is no continental shelf or long gentle slope to very deep water. The population on the Big Island is relatively small, which reduces the number of ocean freighters visiting the island as well. A thirty-minute boat ride will not only bring you to deep water but will also take you out of sight of any light pollution. The introduction gives an insight of what your dive will be like. Most dive operators will want divers to be advanced divers or have some experience. While the depth is only on average 45 feet, the deep dark requires a skilled diver. Divers should have night diving experience, and most require you to have a recent night dive with them. Deepwater diving is a unique style of diving, and you need to be well-prepared for it. These dives will form a lasting impression that will likely become your most shared diving experience.
Special note:
If you are diving in Kona, you need to pay close attention to the “no fly” rule as you plan your non-diving activities. If you plan on going north of Waikoloa, south of Captain Cook or east towards Hilo you may find yourself limited by the “No Fly” rule. While we associate the “no Fly” rule with aircraft, it also applies to mountains. Traveling higher than 1,000 feet (ca 300 meters) in a car asserts the same concerns as flying in a pressurized aircraft. Divers doing night dives in Kona who are staying in Hilo will need to make alternative accommodations for the night of the dive, as it will not be safe to travel back to your accommodations.
