Quick Details
Certified Diver
Priced per person
$ 269
Dive Rating
Advanced
This dive is rated advanced every day, even when it is calm. Two back roll entries and two ladder exits in open ocean take endurance, and conditions can change between the first dive and the second. Our captain and divemaster read conditions every morning, pick the sites, and make the call before we leave the harbor.
Book at your level. Check the rating and the local weather before you book. Be honest about your experience.
Our Dive Spots
The captain and divemaster choose the site each morning. These are the reefs we run to from Hilo.
About the Dive
Two tanks, two sites, one morning on Mālama i ke Kai, Hilo’s only commercial dive boat. We run out past the breakwall to reefs along the east side coast that you can only reach by boat. There is no set site. The captain and divemaster pick both dives the morning of, based on swell and wind. The map above shows where we go.
The first dive usually goes deeper. Expect lava pinnacles, ledges, and coral-covered shelves. After a surface interval on deck with snacks and drinks, the second dive is usually shallower, over sloping reef. You back roll in and climb out by ladder on both.
This is open ocean on an exposed coast. Surge, current, and surface chop are part of diving here. You need real logged dives and to be comfortable managing yourself in moving water.
Price & What’s Included
Certified Diver
$269
Included
- Captain, crew, and boat
- Divemaster guide, small group
- 2 tanks of air
- Weights
- Site briefing before each dive
- Snacks and drinks during the surface interval
Dive Gear Rental (Per Day)
Rent only what you need. Full set is $69.
- $18: BCD
- $28: Regulator and computer
- $13: Wetsuit
- $5: Mask and snorkel
- $5: Fins and booties
Need prescription lenses?
Prescription masks are available at no extra charge. Note it when you book.
Bringing your own gear? Make sure it has been serviced in the last year. Our service department can help.
Ready for the deeper side?
Pick your date and add the gear you need when you book.
Requirements & What to Bring
Requirements
- Open Water certified, or equivalent from another agency, with at least 15 logged dives.
- Open Water divers stay within 60 ft. Advanced or Deep certification to join the deeper part of the first dive.
- Ages 12 and up. Minors dive with a parent or guardian. Junior divers dive to their certified depth limit.
- Last dive within 2 years. If not, book a Refresher first.
- Comfortable with a back roll entry and a ladder exit.
What to Bring
- Your certification card (physical or digital)
- Swimsuit and towel
- Reef-safe sunscreen
- Seasickness medication if you need it, taken before the trip
- A warm layer for the surface interval
- Your logbook
Dive Details
- Boat: Mālama i ke Kai, departing Wailoa Harbor.
- Check-in: At our shop, 1717 Kamehameha Ave, 45 minutes before departure for gear fitting.
- Duration: About 4 hours.
- Sites: Two, chosen the morning of by the captain and divemaster, based on conditions.
- Visibility: Usually 40 to 80 ft, depending on rain and surf.
- Depth: 40 to 100 ft, set by the site and your certification.
- Group size: Up to 6 guests total.
- Water: 75 to 80 °F (24 to 27 °C). A 3 mm wetsuit year-round.
- Marine mammals: Dolphins and humpbacks are protected. We never chase or approach them.
What You’ll See
Here is what divers commonly see on these reefs.
- Lava pinnacles, ledges, and overhangs from old Mauna Loa and Kīlauea flows.
- Soldierfish in the shadows and trevally hunting the reef.
- Moray eels, octopus, trumpetfish, and nudibranchs.
- Green sea turtles (honu) resting on the reef.
- Wrasses, Moorish idols, butterflyfish, and yellow tangs over the coral.
December to April: listen for humpback song underwater. Spinner dolphins sometimes ride the wake on the way out.
Guided by Local Divemasters
You get a site briefing on deck before you gear up. Your divemaster leads the dive, sets the pace for the group and the conditions, and points out what you would swim right past. You get a fresh briefing before the second dive. The captain stays with the boat and picks you up when you surface.
We dive with fin awareness and reef-safe sunscreen, and we expect the same from you. Read about our conservation work and help us mālama i ke kai, care for the ocean.
Flying & Elevation
This is a two dive day. Wait at least 18 hours before flying or going to elevation. That includes driving Saddle Road to Kona, Mauna Kea, and Volcano. Plan your dive day around it.
Go Past 60 Feet
The best of the first dive sits below Open Water limits. Advanced Open Water or Deep Diver gets you there.