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Dive Review of Kona Honu/Paniolo Greens in
Hawaii/Kona, Big Island

Kona Honu/Paniolo Greens, May, 2004,

by Paul Lima, TN, USA (Sr. Contributor Sr. Contributor 27 reports). Report 1073.

No photos available at this time

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

Accommodations 3 stars Food 3 stars
Service and Attitude 3 stars Environmental Sensitivity N/A
Dive Operation 4 stars Shore Diving 5 stars
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ N/A
Beginners 5 stars
Advanced 4 stars
Comments Signed up for 2-tank manta ray dive at Garden Eel Cove which is where the mantas come since the closure of the Kona Surf Hotel to the south. The Kona Honu is a large, new, clean boat with good set-up and lots of room. Briefings were thorough and entertaining. We were free to move about the boat as we wished while underway. It was a short ride to the site and we saw mantas as we attached to the fixed moorings. First dive was the evening dive and we saw our first daylight sighting of mantas above us. Went to 51 feet and watched the garden eel colony in the sand. Refreshments during the surface interval were very good with sandwiches, chips and a variety of soft drinks available. The night dive with the mantas was incredible. People had to time their giant strides to avoid landing on a ray. We were bumped repeatedly while on the surface waiting to descend. There were 15-17 mantas feeding at the lights set up on the bottom in about 30 feet of water. Each diver was provided a high illumination light source and several lights were set up on the bottom to draw plankton to the site. A wonderful dive and highly recommended. The only drawback was that the divemasters did not seem to value the beautiful coral in their backyard. They had guages unsecured and repeatedly bumped,touched, leaned on and kicked off the coral. If they had been more environmentally responsible I could enthusiastically recommend this operation. As it was our group left with a bitter-sweet memory.

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 51-100 dives
Where else diving Florida Keys, Caymans, Maui, Lanai
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny Seas surge
Water Temp 78-80°F / 26-27°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 80-100 Ft/ 24-30 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile no
Enforced diving restrictions [Unspecified] accompany divemaster
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas Squadrons
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles None Whales None
Corals 3 stars Tropical Fish 4 stars
Small Critters 4 stars Large Fish 1 stars
Large Pelagics 5 stars

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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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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