Dive Review of Kona Honu Divers/Hilton Waikaloa in
Hawaii/Kona

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Kona Honu Divers/Hilton Waikaloa, Feb, 2006, by Lori Brown, Chris Green, WA, USA ( Sr. Contributor 22 reports). Report 2280.
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	This was our first trip to Hawaii and we dive with Kona Honu Divers. Due to respiratory illness, presumably not avian influenza, I only went diving with them once during our 10 day stay. On the way out to the dive site, we spotted 3 humpback whales, one a calf. The calf repeatedly breached, as if it was playing. We could have watched this all afternoon but... on to the dive. This was a twilight/night dive set that was in a bay within stone throwing distance of the Kona Airport. This was the area’s signature manta ray dive. The first dive at twilight was on the coral. It is not a reef but just coral growing on volcanic rocks. I found the colors to be pretty ho-hum- mostly yellow and tan. We saw a few colorful flatworms, a few butterfly fish, and a few colorful wrasses, but not exactly swarms of fish. As the time for the manta ray dive approached, a half dozen boats showed up. In preparation for the manta ray dive, boxes of lights were placed in a sandy area about 30-35 ft deep. The idea is to get the plankton hopping to attract the manta rays (these rays feed on plankton). We went down with plans to wait about 10 minutes and if the mantas hadn’t shown up, then tour the coral area and return to the sandy area to look for manta rays at a later time. After waiting, the group retreated to the coral. As we were leaving, we spotted a manta ray and headed back to the sandy area. There were about 50 divers and one solitary manta ray, about 8 ft wing-span. The lights had pumped up the plankton to a blurry frenzy and the manta twirled and flipped through the dense plankton. The divers were practically dancing about and it was a joyous site - the delight over a single feeding manta ray. While the manta ray was the center of attention, we also saw 2-3 free-swimming spotted viper morays. They were hunting with the help of the light. Overall we were pleased with Kona Honu Divers. Our dive master/guide, Scott, was attentive but not intrusive. There were 20 divers on the boat which was a bit crowded. However, they worked to separate more experienced divers from newer divers which enhances everyone’s experience. Between dives, they served soft drinks and sandwiches. The briefings for each dive were appropriate and there was a safety briefing before getting on the boat.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	251-500 dives
Where else diving	Cozumel, Bonaire, Fiji, Jamaica, PNG, Indonesia, Irian Jaya
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather		Seas	surge
Water Temp	75-75°F / 24-24°C	Wetsuit Thickness	5
Water Visibility	40-60 Ft/ 12-18 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	Really restricted by the shallow depth of the site. We were told to start back after using half air. Also for the Manta Dive, we were told it was a 40 minute maximum.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	None	Mantas	1 or 2
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	None	Whales	>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
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	There was a rinse tank specifically for cameras and the crew was helpful getting cameras on and off the boat.

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Dive Review of Kona Honu Divers/Hilton Waikaloa in Hawaii/Kona

Kona Honu Divers/Hilton Waikaloa, 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 Kona Honu Divers/Hilton Waikaloa in
Hawaii/Kona