Many people come to the island of Maui to dive. But when we took them out diving, many of the divers expected different kinds of things. So, to clarify what is expected. Here is a little information about diving in Maui.
Water temperature:
I remember when I first came to Maui and jumped in the water. It felt warm, compared to the California water he was used to. Maui’s water temperatures range from 74 in the winter to 81 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer, much warmer than the 52-54 degree water you were used to.
Divers accustomed to the warmer waters of the Bahamas or the Caribbean come to Maui and find it much cooler than they expected. So if you want warmer water, plan your trip in mid to late summer, around August to October. Most divers are comfortable in a short 3mm wetsuit, but if you tend to get cold, wear a 4-5mm wetsuit.
Marine life:
Maui has unique diving topography due to lava formations. Hawaii’s endangered green sea turtles find these formations ideal for resting as they crawl into the nooks that were formed when the lava formed. Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles can be seen on almost every dive. They are very used to seeing people. Most of the time, they will get very close to divers and snorkelers. It is a law that the turtles should not be touched, nor should they be impeded from advancing towards the surface.
Due to the location of the Hawaiian Islands, many fish here are endemic to Hawaii. About 30 percent of Hawaii’s fish are endemic (found only here).
monk seals:
Which are extremely threatened with an estimated population of around 1,300 individuals. They saw them return to the same places on Maui over and over again. We see them in many of the caves we dive. They find in these caves a good place to rest for hours and sometimes days. They allow people to get close, but this is not recommended and is also illegal.
Eagle stripe spots:
It can be seen on occasions and mainly between September and February. They are suspected to come ashore during the mating season.
Stingray:
It can be seen too. There is one particular location (cleaning station) where they have been seen by divers and cleaner fish pick up dead skin, algae and growths. The Mantas will parade back and forth as if they were going through a car wash.
Whale sharks:
Comes from time to time, but is mostly seen in the deep waters of Molokini Crater. Molokini, which rises from depths of 300 feet, is an extinct caldera located approximately 2.5 miles from the southern part of Maui.
Tiger sharks:
Although lately it has been in the news because of the Shark attacks. They are VERY rarely seen by divers. I have over 10,000 dives under my belt in Maui and have never come across one.
White tip reef sharks:
They are very common in the waters of Maui. These sharks are very docile and will allow divers to get close but not too close before swimming. They will turn around and swim back to where they were resting on the sand. White Tips are one of the few sharks that can remain motionless and still be able to pass water through their gills.
Here is a video of Mala Wharf. This dive site is where White Tips are most often found. Mala Wharf http://www.in2scubadivingmaui.com/mala-wharf-video
