WEST MAUI - Maui: Including Molokai and Lanai - page 77

All gear is included, and as an added convenience, Tiny Bubbles will pick you up from
wherever you're staying on the West Side.
Also operating out of Honokowai, Scorpion Scuba (3600 Lower Honoapi'ilani Rd.,
808/669-1710, www.mauifish.net ) is another trusted operator with years of experience on
the shorelines of West Maui. The dives here are an exceptional value: Introductory dives
are offered for as low as $89 and certified beach dives for as low as $70. All gear is in-
cluded. Inquire about their certification classes, night dives, and scooter dives. The scuba
operation is run out of the All About Fish store in Honokowai where you can pick up any
gear you need or ask about conditions and dive sites.
KA'ANAPALI
Dive Sites
The northernmost dive site in Ka'anapali and the one most preferred by independent in-
structors is Kahekili Beach Park. The depth here is shallow and rarely exceeds 35 feet,
and the coral begins immediately the moment you get in the water. The reef here parallels
the shoreline, with the greatest diversity of life found at 15-25 feet. While the beach itself
is long, the healthiest amount of coral is found right off the beach park and is uncrowded
compared to neighboring Ka'anapali Beach. There is also easier parking here for lugging
all of your gear from the car, and showers and restrooms are conveniently located in the
middle of the beach park.
The best dive in Ka'anapali, however, continues to be Pu'u Keka'a, otherwise known
as Black Rock. Despite the relative ease of the dive and the fairly shallow depths, the rocky
promontory has an inexplicable way of drawing in all sorts of marine life. Although not
always a guarantee, dives here can frequently involve sightings of sea turtles, reef fish,
eels, octopuses, or perhaps something strange such as squid or cowrie. The best way to
dive Pu'u Keka'a is either to do a drift dive from the southern end of Kahekili Beach Park
and swim around to the front of the rock, or enter the water in front of the Sheraton, swim
partway around the rock, and then double back the way you came. Don't swim directly
beneath the impact zone of children jumping off the rock; a juvenile habit of island youth
is to dive bomb the scuba divers as they send bubbles up from below. This is a great dive
for those who have just been certified. For a real treat, consider a night dive.
To dive away from the crowds, head to the large reef at Ka'anapali Point, stretching
from the Marriott down toward the Hyatt. The depth here ranges 10-30 feet. You'll likely
see a large number of turtles, corals, and technicolor parrotfish.