Saturday, May 20, 2006

Did some scuba diving off Lanai out of Lahaina, Maui...

Just a quick blurb while I have a fast connection (sorry no pictures). We did a couple days of diving off Lanai. The diving there is fairly similar to Kona for the most part. We dove "menpachi", "wash rock", "first cathedral" and "fish rock".

My assessment of these sites is that they are pretty similar to what we dive in Kona, but the structure at these particular sites was larger than the more frequently dove sites near Kailua. Kona seems to have a bit more in the way of hard corals, finger and lobe corals in particular, and better access to deeper diving at the sites - then again, it's not fair to make a judgement based on just diving four dive sites. I guess you could say the diving was similar, but slightly different... it's all good.

The ride back wasn't a joy though. So far all the diving I've done off Maui over the years has involved a bumpy, and often wet, return ride. The trade winds pick up in Maui as the day progresses, so most of the dive ops seem to get an early start so they can get back early... I'm spoiled by the flat water we have off Kona most of the time. The water at the dive sites themselves off Maui/Lanai/Molokini has been calm, it's just the return trip that is rough.

We dove with Extended Horizons on this trip. The did a good job, had a nice crew and such.

We went to the top of Haleakala Crater yesterday. It's interesting and definitely worth one trip, doubt I'll return to see it again anytime soon though.

Current highlight of the trip... The "fantasy burger" at Moose Magillicuddy's -A pound of beef, cheese, red onions, grilled onions, bacon, mushrooms and such. I've had more french fries in the last 5 days than in the last 3 years.... my stomach's showing it a bit... Oh well.

Later,

Steve

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