Dive Review of AAA Diving/Doubletree Alana Waikiki in
Hawaii/Oahu

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AAA Diving/Doubletree Alana Waikiki, Feb, 2006, by Craig Wood, PA, USA ( Top Contributor 54 reports with 48 Helpful votes). Report 2279.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$	N/A
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	It's always difficult choosing a dive operator when you're going to visit a new and unfamiliar dive destination. When I found out I had the opportunity to visit Oahu, I did my homework and chose AAA Diving based on a good review in the 2006 Chapbook, an informative website, and quickly responsive email. I was not disappointed in my choice. AAA picks up and delivers from Waikiki hotels. I came down to the lobby for my 7 AM pick up on the 1st day and Alex, the operation's owner, was waiting for me in the van. The on time pick up continued for the remaining 3 days of my diving, a rare treat. The boat, Elysium, is a newer, custom 38 foot dive boat. We dove with no more that 8 divers, the boat could easily support more. It has a nice cabin area for protection from sun and wind and very easy exit and reentry. AAA does not sell commercial boat seats to other operators, a practice unfamiliar to me that appears to be very common on the island (details on website). I never felt the trips were rushed to make schedule. Departure and return times were flexible depending on the passengers and surface intervals were leisurely. AAA supplies dive computers at no additional charge to customers without them. Divemasters accompany the group on every dive but are not overly controlling and they give experienced divers appropriate leeway after skills are demonstrated while they take care of less experienced divers. During my stay, I dove with Alex, Chris (Captain for most of the time), and Kirsten. All knew the dive sites and sea life very well. Dives were allowed to individual no decompression limits and back on board with 500 PSI. Cylinders were 80 cu ft aluminum and were always appropriately filled. I dove the AM 2 tank dive on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and dove the 3 tank dive on Sunday. We dove many of the best and well known local dives including the wrecks of the Sea Tiger, YO-257 and San Pedro and The Ledge, 100 Foot Hole, Kewalo Pipe, Turtle Canyons, Runway Reef and Nautilus Reef. My expectations of diving off Oahu were not very high but my actual experience was substantially better. The visibility was very good and sea life much more prolific and varied than I expected. There were turtles on literally every dive and many moray eels, several unfamiliar to me from my Caribbean diving. Hawaiian reef fish were innumerable including butterflyfish, wrasse, grouper, parrotfish, triggerfish, and puffer. Individual sites almost always held surprises such as eagle rays, octopi, white tip sharks, leaf scorpionfish, amberjacks, scribbled filefish or incredible turtle cleaning stations. Several passes by the Atlantis submarine while we were on the YO-357 made for an interesting diversion; the passengers appeared quite entertained by the scuba divers. I had a very good time diving off Oahu, if lucky enough to return, I'll certainly be looking up my new friends at AAA Diving.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	101-250 dives
Where else diving	Grand Cayman, Bonaire, Maui, Key Largo
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, cloudy	Seas	calm
Water Temp	75-76°F / 24-24°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	75-125 Ft/ 23-38 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	No decompression, back with 500 PSI
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	1 or 2	Mantas	None
Dolphins	Schools	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	1 or 2
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter	N/A	Boat Facilities	N/A
Overall rating for UWP's	N/A	Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	[None]

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Dive Review of AAA Diving/Doubletree Alana Waikiki in Hawaii/Oahu

AAA Diving/Doubletree Alana Waikiki, Feb, 2006,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of AAA Diving/Doubletree Alana Waikiki in
Hawaii/Oahu