Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
What makes this dive so fantastic is not only the chance to see turtles, but also pelagic
species such as manta rays, spotted eagle rays, bottlenose dolphins, and large
'awa.
Throughout the winter, divers are surrounded by whale song. For those more interested in
macro photography, there can also be nudibranchs, harlequin shrimp, flying gurnards, slate
pencil urchins, and a wide range of eels. On calm days the visibility can often reach 100
feet, although on days where there is a south swell (usually in the summer), visibility can
be reduced to 20 feet at best.
While many dive boats frequent this area, the easiest place to enter from shore is the
parking lot by Makena Landing park. Once in the water, turn to the right and follow the
coastline until you reach a long finger of lava. This is what's known as the South Finger,
and the depth here is only about 15 feet. Follow the South Finger away from the shoreline,
and halfway to the end you will notice a large cave which you can swim through from be-
low. There are numerous turtles that hang out in here, and there is almost always a whitetip
reef shark under a ledge. Emerging on the other side of the cave, you can kick your way
parallel to the shoreline across a field of peculiar coral formations, whereby you will even-
tually reach the North Finger after three minutes of swimming. If you somehow haven't
seen a turtle yet, there is another large cave on the north side of this finger where turtles
are known to hang out.
Since this area is popular with charter boats, arrive early before the crowds, and always
dive with a dive flag. For an alternate entry on calm days, park at the small beach access
on Makena Road on the north side of the hill past Makena Landing park. There will be a
few dirt parking spaces on the right, and the small beach access trail that leads past the five
graves.
Another nice shore dive is the
Ahihi Kinau
cove 1.5 miles past the first entrance for
Big Beach. The depth here goes to about 40 feet. Since this cove is protected from the
wind, it offers pristine diving conditions as long as the surf isn't up. Expect to find green
sea turtles and the rare spinner dolphin if you're on the outer edge of the reef. The entry
into the water can be tricky since you have to navigate your way over slippery rocks, but
you don't need to worry about boats in this cove, although it can often be packed with
snorkelers as the morning wears on, making parking an issue.
