Scuba diving has become one of the most popular hobbies in the UK and surprisingly attracts people of all ages, not just super-fit twenty somethings. In fact any dive trip will often feature a smattering of healthy 50, 60 and even 70 yr olds. Non-smokers of course!
Scuba diving is something a few of us at Active You had always wanted to do, so freshly armed with a PADI advanced diving qualification (painfully achieved after wrestling with Stoney Cove’s freezing waters over a number of days) we spent some time deciding where best to dive. Egypt’s red sea and coral reefs? Mexico’s Cancun with its hammerhead sharks? The Caribbean’s Turk & Caicos islands? Australia’s Great Barrier Reef?
Nope.
The crystal-clear waters of the Hawaiian Islands were our choice. Located plum in the centre of the Pacific, a good 4 hours flight away from mainland USA, Hawaii offers scuba divers fantastic diving opportunities so we opted to travel there.
What’s good about diving in Hawaii?
Just below the blue surface of the Pacific is a magical world of colourful coral reefs, caves, lava tubes, sandy bottoms and precipitous drop-offs. You can also go “wreck diving” to spot underwater ship and plane wrecks. Hawaii has it all, with its famous underwater lava outcrops creating one of the most jaw-dropping aquatic environments on earth.
In fact the underwater lava makes the sea very mineral-rich and teem with aquatic life, many of which are unique to these islands. You are very likely to come across parrot fish, puffer fish, needle fish, eels, reef sharks and also the famous Hawaiian humuhumunukunukuapuaa, which was once the state fish.
Monk seals, sea turtles and dolphins can also be seen throughout the year, and if you’re lucky, you may also be able to listen to whale songs under the water surface. Night diving is another popular variation, and the best way to spot manta rays.
It’s an aquatic zoo, perhaps not as colourful as the Red Sea but certainly more engaging. Like everything American, Hawaiian scuba diving is best summed up in one word: BIG.
Hawaii, as you probably know, is a group of islands... and they each have their own unique diving attractions. Oahu in central Hawaii has some of the most popular dive spots, thanks to calm waters and good underwater visibility. Maui is famous for huge lava rooms and fantastic variety of aquatic life. Those who prefer to dive away from the crowds will find the remote Na Pali coast on Kauai an excellent location.
Our favourite? Maui, simply because of its huge lava rooms and range of water life. Maui is also famous for one of the top surfing waves in the world - Jaws – which means you can dive and then relax watching perhaps the best surfing scene anywhere in the world. With waves as high as a small block of flats, Jaws is deadly – hence its name – but in the safety of the nearby cliffs it really is one of the most jaw-dropping sights on earth. Forgive the pun.
Some final words of caution before you say “Aloha” and set off. Although coral reefs in Hawaii are brown, they aren’t really dead... so still refrain from touching them; cuts on the reef often take a long time to heal too.
Also, just remember that the monk seals and sea turtles are protected by the Endangered Species Act, and if the authorities suspect you’re harassing them in any way, you’ll be in trouble. Given US cops penchant for 50,000 volt tasers for the most minor infringement, I’d therefore lay off the fish.
Hawaii? A scuba diving paradise.
P.S. For a cheap flight to Hawaii try Cheap Flights and get a few extra days diving in from the money you save.
