SCUBA Hawaii November 2005 Hints please

Hi there, we are planning an November trip to Hawaii. Can someone
recommend (or warn from ..) a good operator / outfitter there ? We
are certified but not very experienced.

Many thanks !

D


Operators : instead of getting flamed mail me
druehlmannNOSPAM@hotmail.com (remove NOSPAM)

"Splat" <druehlmann@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1119745685.885879.257700@g14g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> Hi there, we are planning an November trip to Hawaii. Can someone
> recommend (or warn from ..) a good operator / outfitter there ? We
> are certified but not very experienced.

You do know that there's more than one island in Hawaii, don't you? Or did
you mean the Big Island?

Hey, yes, didn't specify : Big Island it is.

"Splat" <druehlmann@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1120010632.007218.254850@g14g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> Hey, yes, didn't specify : Big Island it is.

Oh. In that case, Jack's Diving Locker probably won't kill you, though I
believe they're about as expensive as it gets and assuming you're driving
distance from Kona (it really is a Big Island). Friendly folk, nice shop
(with free parking) and boat (they had better be for their prices), but I
found a few of their dive guides rather annoying underwater. That may just
be me. I'm easily annoyed, especially when the guide hogs all the good
photo ops, scaring away the rare fish before the paying customers get a
chance. Whatever you do, don't miss out on the Manta night dive. It's a
other-worldly experience and due to the shallow depths and the dusk warm-up
dive in the same spot, a great intro to night diving if you haven't before.

November is getting into the winter season, so boat rides may be rougher
than usual. Hawaii is always bouncy. Also the water is a bit cooler than
Caribbean conditions and may warrant a full 3 to 5 mm suit at that time of
year.

"Splat" <druehlmann@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1119745685.885879.257700@g14g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> Hi there, we are planning an November trip to Hawaii. Can someone
> recommend (or warn from ..) a good operator / outfitter there ? We
> are certified but not very experienced.
>
> Many thanks !
>
I'll have to disagree with Greg. I lived in Hawaii for two years and dove
year around with a Polartec and no hood. Unless you chill easily, you don't
need more.

AFA Jack's Diving Locker, they used to be top notch, but friends tell me
they are no longer the big dog. They recommend Aloha Dive Company. I have no
experience with them, so can only forward the recommendations.

Buck

"Randy Buckner" <Randybuckner@nospamaol.com> wrote in message
news:NzTye.393087$cg1.312932@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...

> I'll have to disagree with Greg. I lived in Hawaii for two years and dove
> year around with a Polartec and no hood. Unless you chill easily, you
> don't need more.

And MHK dove around here in a T-shirt and shorts so obviously no one needs
more than a Polartec for Southern California waters either. Unless you
chill easily.

Surface temps of Hawaii waters are rarely in the 80s, most often in the
mid-to-upper 70s, though occasionally colder than that. Certainly it can be
colder at depth. Lots of people "chill easily" diving a Polartec when it's
75 degrees.

"Greg Mossman" <mossman@qnet.com> wrote in message
news:11d8amal6d1dj14@corp.supernews.com...
> "Randy Buckner" <Randybuckner@nospamaol.com> wrote in message
> news:NzTye.393087$cg1.312932@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
>
>> I'll have to disagree with Greg. I lived in Hawaii for two years and dove
>> year around with a Polartec and no hood. Unless you chill easily, you
>> don't need more.
>
> And MHK dove around here in a T-shirt and shorts so obviously no one needs
> more than a Polartec for Southern California waters either. Unless you
> chill easily.
>
> Surface temps of Hawaii waters are rarely in the 80s, most often in the
> mid-to-upper 70s, though occasionally colder than that. Certainly it can
> be colder at depth. Lots of people "chill easily" diving a Polartec when
> it's 75 degrees.
The coolest I've seen the water in Hawaii was at Shark's Condos, around
130' -- it was 73 degrees. I was snug as a bug in the Polartec. Just
anecdotal evidence.

"Randy Buckner" <Randybuckner@nospamaol.com> wrote in message
news:LLEBe.421828$cg1.19481@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...

> The coolest I've seen the water in Hawaii was at Shark's Condos, around
> 130' -- it was 73 degrees. I was snug as a bug in the Polartec. Just
> anecdotal evidence.

"Unless you weigh more then 200 pounds or are very warm blooded, don't even
THINK of wearing just a fleece dive skin!"

-- http://www.mikesevernsdiving.com/

73 degree water requires at least a 5/3 with hood and gloves, but
preferably a drysuit. Brrrrrr.

*, now diving puget sound - today was 51*F

"Greg Mossman" <mossman@qnet.com> wrote in message
news:11deni5rl18ahb7@corp.supernews.com...
> "Randy Buckner" <Randybuckner@nospamaol.com> wrote in message
> news:LLEBe.421828$cg1.19481@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
>
>> The coolest I've seen the water in Hawaii was at Shark's Condos, around
>> 130' -- it was 73 degrees. I was snug as a bug in the Polartec. Just
>> anecdotal evidence.
>
> "Unless you weigh more then 200 pounds or are very warm blooded, don't
> even THINK of wearing just a fleece dive skin!"
>
> -- http://www.mikesevernsdiving.com/
>
>
That is directed to reptile lawyer types who need sun to control body heat
....