Dive Sites

When talking about diving or snorkeling the Big Island, it is the Kona and Kohala coast along the that most people consider. It is the west side of the island that offers sandy beaches, sheltered water and extensive reefs. Much of the eastern coast is a realm of rough water, subject to strong currents, generally quite unfriendly to swimmers. There is one exception, a wonderful place to get into the water south of Hilo. A place where clear water, schools of fish and rich coral can be found... Kapoho.

This is a place where dozens of large pools in the lava hold a plethora of fish and coral, protected from the surf by an old lava flow. Abundant fresh water carries the nutrients that create a rich reef environment where thousands of juvenile fish can be found using these sheltered waters. The results are much like a series of large aquariums, open to anyone with a mask and snorkel to enjoy. The calm waters are accessible to swimmers of a wide range of skill levels, a friendly introduction to a reef environment.

The fresh water is most common in the shoreward ponds, creating swirling distortions where the fresh and salt water mix. As you get closer to the open ocean the amount of fresh water diminishes and there are clearer views available.

It can be a bit of a challenge to find, local residents prefer to keep it that way. You will see few signs to offer clues and gates on some of the roads that lead to the shore. But there is a public access, you just need to know where to find it. Check out the map at the right, some of the island guide books also contain directions. Basically just keep heading towards the ocean from the highway, even if you make a wrong turn, it isn't far to backtrack and try again.

When you do find the parking place, simply walk out across the lava to the pools. The closer to the ocean the more coral and fish you will find in larger pools. Avoid getting to close to where the waves break over the outer rocks to avoid being knocked about the the lava and coral. There are plenty of protected pools where the waves reach only in the worst storms.

Make certain you leave no valuables in the car, there have been break-ins here. I take nothing along but my camera, and that goes into the water with me, leaving an empty car with little to tempt thieves.

When snorkeling the outer pools, be sure to look up from the coral to the water near the surface. You can usually find some needlefish hovering just under the ripples, nearly invisible until you look for them. Schools of these slim, fast hunters are common in the pools. Their silvery bodies blend with the moving waves to create an effective camouflage, concealing both shape and movement.

In many places the water over the coral is quite shallow, requiring swimmers to use small flutters of the fins to skim over the sharp surface. Care is required to avoid contact with the coral that will injure the little animal the build the reef and degrade the pool environment. Deeper pools offer easier maneuvering, but it is easy to get disoriented with your face towards the coral. The lava at the edges of the pools of covered with algae, and can be walked upon and used safely to enter and exit the pools.

Heading north from Kawaihae there is some of the best diving in the islands. Most of the sites along this rugged coast northern are best dived from a boat. You can reach many from shore, but access can be tricky and a matter of knowing which 4WD road will get you to a usable put in point. There are a couple exceptions where access is easy, the best is Mahukona.

What you find here is a small port from the days in which sugarcane and cattle were put on small steamships that plied the waters up and down the Hawaiian Islands. A substantial pier and other facilities were built in a small cove to serve the north end of the island. A railway terminated here, allowing products to be brought in from much of Kohala. Most of that is gone now, replaced by good roads, semi trucks and the large port at Kawaihae. What is left is a sleepy little cove with perfect water and great diving.

Hapuna is one of those idyllic Kohala beaches. A wide crescent of perfect sand coupled with equally perfect blue water. No wonder that Hapuna regularly makes top ten lists of best beaches in the US or even the world.

Hapuna is a major public beach with a full array of facilities; good parking, bathrooms, fresh water showers and manned lifeguard stations. If you are not familiar with ocean conditions Hapuna makes a good choice for that last reason. I have helped tow inexperienced swimmers who pushed too far out, back into the beach here

Looking for a nice beach that offer a great beach experience while also allowing the more adventuresome in your group to so a little snorkeling? There are a few to choose from on the Kohala Coast; Mauna Kea Beach, Hapuna, Spencer are all great choices, but not my favorite... Waialea Bay. Also known as Beach 69 this place used to be found by locating an unmarked path through the woods at telephone pole #69. These days Waialea Bay features public bathrooms, a freshwater rinse, and easy parking without a long walk to the beach. There are also several large patches of coral reef that provide decent snorkeling. Maybe not the spectacular snorkeling of the open reef at nearby sites like Puako, but a good experience in shallower water and a partially protected bay where the sea conditions will be a little friendlier.

This site allows access to the extensive reef along the waterfront of Puako. The dive sites along this reef are among the best in the islands, I have even seen Puako on a list of the best dives sites in the world. It is certainly popular with local divers and any given day will see both shore divers and the local dive boats using the area.

The reef is a wide shelf as it slopes off gently from the shallows near shore to a depth of 20-40ft at the edge where it begins to steeply slope downwards. This upper section is a coral garden where you can find eels, octopus (he'e in Hawaiian), constant schools of fish and turtles. Scattered coral heads, small caves and overhangs add to the possible habitats to explore.

At around 200 yards from shore the reef makes a distinct break and descends steeply to deeper water. This is not a wall, but a steep slope of coral heads, coral rubble and a different community of fish and animals to explore. Different coral species live here on the slope and the character of the reef is different. Exposed to open water there is less cover but probably more to eat as the gentle current sweeps past.

The lower section of the wall is sand and coral rubble at 70-90ft where a shelf of sand begins. The sand slopes into the abyss from here, with deep blue as far as the eye can see. On the sand shelf numerous garden eels can be found, making this the destination for many divers. The church site is one of the shallowest points along the waterfront for this sand shelf.

Possibly one of the best dive sites in the islands and certainly a favorite with local divers. The reputation stems from two factors, great diving in interesting terrain and easy shore access. The diving here can range from acceptable to spectacular with stunning water clarity and spectacular views of the coral.

Just north of the cove where you will enter there is a series of deep canyons into the coral. These start near the surface in 6-10ft of water and descend to 25-30 ft. At the head of several of the canyons are a series of arch caves and skylights to explore. Large arches lead into a wide cavern with a skylight. A second arch leads to a smaller cavern, and so forth until they are too small to enter. Look into the side ledges and caves for squirrelfish and sleeping turtles. Much of the interesting diving is shallow allowing for long dives. If you want to go deeper just swim out further from shore as the reef continues to descend.