Dive Ni'ihau
Full day, three tank, diving adventure for experienced and seasoned divers only. Incredible wall dives, lava pillars and enormous caves. Includes 3 dives, breakfast, lunch, snacks. (Summer Months only)
Some of the most pristine and dramatic diving available in the Hawaiian Islands takes place off Ni'ihau. Incredible wall dives, soaring lava pillars, and enormous caves combine with bountiful fish, numerous pelagics, and unlimited visibility to dazzle even the most discriminating diver. You are likely to see spinner dolphins; large schools of butterfly fish: pennant, milletseed, and pyramid; bandit and potter angel fish; tiger cowries; spotted eagle rays; octopus; monk seals; lobster; and possibly manta rays and sharks: tiger cowries; white tip reef, tiger cowries; and Galapagos.
Ni'ihau is accessible from Kaua'i by way of the Kaulakahi Channel. Ni'ihau Island lies seventeen miles southwest of Kauai, and Lehua Rock rests just a "stone's throw" northwest of Niihau. The northern tip of Ni'ihau and the crater at Lehua Rock are dive sites that are considered to be the ultimate in Hawaiian diving. We begin at 6:00am with the boat trip from Kaua'i's South Shore. The 20-mile crossing takes about 2½ hours and is not for the faint of stomach though it is usually calm and clear for the morning ride over. Breakfast is served as the view of beautiful Ni'ihau grows closer and closer. The morning's first dive is a deep one, typically Vertical Awareness or Keyhole. Large Schools of Pennant Fish cluster about the top of this 280 foot wall. The lava shelves are home to lobsters, pillow stars, octopus, reef fish and hunting monk seals. At about 100 ft deep, with unlimited visibility, the dive is short and spectacular.
A regularly frequented 2nd dive site is known as the Super Highways. Maximum depth for this dive is 60 feet and the prominent feature is the towering lava formation resembling a highway super structure. White tip reef sharks, tiger cowries, octopus, and enormous yellow margin eels as well as numerous small caves and swim-thrus make this location a virtual playground for the divers. While the divers are down on this dive, our captain is busy preparing lunch. A little sun, a lot of food, and a dolphin or two to entertain us and we're ready to get back in the water.
With sites like the Drive-through Cave or a drift along Lehua Rock, the 3rd dive of the day is never a disappointment. Shallow and relaxed is the theme of this dive. The currents and waves are often on the rise at this time of the day but under the water is still the place to be.
As the boat heads back toward Kaua'i it is time for everyone to get dry, warm and ready for the ride back. This part of the ride can get a little exciting as the afternoon channel is a bit bumpier than the peaceful lake encountered that morning. Once we tuck in beside Kauai it is back to napping and watching the beautiful scenery.
Passage across Kaulakahi Channel, from Kauai to Ni'ihau and back, can be rough at the best of times. Seasport Divers' Ni'ihau trips are, therefore, only scheduled from late spring through early autumn, the normally calmer period.
Includes tanks and weights, BC & Regulator.