Advanced Open Water

As a part of my journey towards Rescue Diver and eventually Dive Master, I had to pick up Advanced Open Water. Here's the info about the various dives I did for my certification. Check back next week, because this weekend I am doing my dives for Rescue Diver! All of my exceptional education comes from Aloha Scuba Divers.

Underwater Navigation

May 7th 2011
Dive: 37
Location: Shark's Cove, North Shore, Oahu
Visibility: 25 Feet
Max Depth: 31  Feet
Bottom Time: 52 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time:  1594 Minutes
Weight: 18lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Full, Boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Shore Dive/Waves
Note:

Image Borrowed* I didn't feel it was prudent to bring a camera on my certification dives.
Search & Recovery

May 7th 2011
Dive: 38
Location: Shark's Cove, North Shore, Oahu
Visibility: 25 Feet
Max Depth: 25  Feet
Bottom Time: 49 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time:  1643 Minutes
Weight: 18lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Full, Boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Shore Dive/Waves
Note:

AWARE Fish Identification

May 7th 2011
Dive: 39
Location: Shark's Cove, North Shore, Oahu
Visibility: 25 Feet
Max Depth: 34  Feet
Bottom Time: 49 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time:  1692 Minutes
Weight: 18lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Full, Boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Shore Dive/Waves
Note:

Deep Diving

May 8th 2011
Dive: 40
Location: YO-257/San Pedro, Waikiki, Oahu
Visibility: 80 Feet
Max Depth: 96  Feet
Bottom Time: 29 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time:  1721 Minutes
Weight: 18lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Full, Boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Boat Dive/Waves
Note:

Image Borrowed*
Boat Diving

May 8th 2011
Dive: 41
Location: The Pipe, Point Panic, Oahu
Visibility: 15 Feet
Max Depth: 58  Feet
Bottom Time: 41 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time:  1762 Minutes
Weight: 18lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Full, Boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Boat Dive/Waves
Note:

Three Tables

April 25th 2011
Dive: 36
Location: Three Tables, North Shore, Oahu
Visibility: 40 Feet
Max Depth: 33  Feet
Bottom Time: 60 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time:  1542 Minutes
Weight: 18lbs
Exposure Protection:Rash Gaurd, boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Shore Dive/Waves
Note: First time diving this spot, I went with my buddy Matt Guynes. This was an exceptional dive, I believe we actually wandered to a neighboring dive site known as "Fire House", We followed an underwater canyon for about 500 pounds before returning and noticed a 5 foot White Tip Reef Shark in a cavern at the end. I also tested out my new dive camera and strobe with awesome results including a fantastic picture of a Honu (Green Sea Turtle).

Shit just got real...

Matt being Matt



Shark's Cove

April 17th 2011
Dive: 35
Location: Shark's Cove, North Shore, Oahu
Visibility: 20 Feet
Max Depth: 28  Feet
Bottom Time: 50 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time:  1482 Minutes
Weight: 20lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Wet Suit, boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Shore Dive/ Night Dive/ Waves

Night Dive with the father-in-law, papa Clarke, from Big Island. Conditions weren't great but still had a good dive. I saw my first 7-11 Crab!

Second Reef

April 9th 2011
Dive: 34
Location: Electric Beach, Waianae Coast, Oahu
Visibility: 20  Feet
Max Depth: 30  Feet
Bottom Time: 65  Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time: 1432  Minutes
Weight: 20lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Wet Suit, boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Shore Dive/Night Dive
Wildlife: White tip Reef shark

Before dropping we noticed a White Tip following in a group of spear fisherman returning from a night dive. I thought that was pretty funny. I left my camera behind because you always see better stuff when you leave your camera in the car. The sealife was outstanding. We saw a Triton's Trumpet and a large Honu, but by far my favorite was the Jeweled Anemone Crab.

**Photo borrowed, as I said I left my camera.

Electric Beach

March 5th, 2011
Dive: 33
Location: Electric Beach, Kahi Point, Waianae Coast, Oahu
Visibility: 20 Feet
Max Depth:22  Feet
Bottom Time: 40 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time: 1367  Minutes
Weight: 20lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Wet Suit, boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Shore Dive

Electric Beach

February 12th 2011
Dive: 32
Location: Electric Beach, Kahi Point, Waianae Coast, Oahu
Visibility:15  Feet
Max Depth: 19 Feet
Bottom Time: 60 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time: 1327  Minutes
Weight: 20lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Wet Suit, boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Shore Dive/Night Dive

Makaha Caverns

February 12th 2011
Dive: 31
Location: Makaha Caverns, West Shore (north of makaha), Oahu
Visibility: 30 Feet
Max Depth: 43 Feet
Bottom Time: 46 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time: 1267  Minutes
Weight: 20lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Wet Suit, boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Boat Dive
Dive Company: Aaron's Dive Shop

I was really impressed with this dive. The surge was a little strong moving through the overhead enviorments, so you kinda got a free ride. It was pretty freaking fun. There was also this species of butterfly fish that was all about getting up in my face, it was at this point that I really wished I had not murdered my strobe batteries.

Ulua Cave (Black Rock)

February 12th, 2011
Dive: 30
Location: Ulua Cave (Black Rock), Lohi Lohi Point, West Shore, Oahu
Visibility: 30 Feet
Max Depth: 85 Feet
Bottom Time: 29 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time: 1221  Minutes
Weight: 20lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Wet Suit, boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Boat Dive
Dive Company: Arron's Dive Shop

This was a pretty sweet dive, interesting to see fish swimming upside down on the roof of the cave. I started off the dive and went to turn on my camera's strobe and realized it had been on for days, so needless to say I didn't take any pictures.

Keanu Reef (Smitty's)

January 16th
Dive: 29
Location: [Blank] Reef, South Shore, Oahu
Visibility: 70 Feet
Max Depth:68  Feet
Bottom Time: 22 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time: 1192  Minutes
Weight: 24lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Wet Suit, boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Boat Dive
Dive Company: Aaron's dive shop
Wildlife: 4ft white tip reef shark

the Sea Cave

January 16th 2011
Dive: 28
Location: The Sea Cave, South Shore Oahu
Visibility: 70 Feet
Max Depth: 53 Feet
Bottom Time: 24 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time: 1165  Minutes
Weight: 24lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Wet Suit, boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Boat Dive/Surge
Dive Company: Aaron's Dive Shop
Note: Rare experience...AMAZING Dive

Point Panic

January 8th 2011
Dive: 27
Location: Point Panic, Honolulu, Oahu
Visibility:15  Feet
Max Depth:25  Feet
Bottom Time:40  Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time:1141  Minutes
Weight: 24lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Wet Suit, boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Shore Dive/
Note: Jay (lil bros) first official dive after PADI open water course

Point Panic

January 2nd 2011
Dive: 26
Location: Point Panic, Honolulu, Oahu
Visibility: 15 Feet
Max Depth: 23 Feet
Bottom Time: 25 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time: 1101 Minutes
Weight: 24lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Wet Suit, boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Shore Dive/

Point Panic

January 2nd 2011
Dive: 25
Location: Point Panic, Honolulu, Oahu
Visibility: 35-40 Feet
Max Depth:.35  Feet
Bottom Time:58  Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time: 1076 Minutes
Weight: 24lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Wet Suit, boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Shore Dive/

Point Panic

January 1st 2011
Dive: 24
Location:  Point Panic, Honolulu, Oahu
Visibility: 35-40 Feet
Max Depth:23  Feet
Bottom Time: 38 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time: 1018 Minutes
Weight: 24lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Wet Suit, boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Shore Dive/
Note: Went out for my brother's open water cert dive, got him hooked and stoked on diving!! Too bad he has to go back to Texas.

In other news: Went WAY too long without diving- found out in December that the wife is preggo!!

Electric Beach

December 11th 2010
Dive: 23
Location:  Electric Beach, Kahi Point, Waianae Coast, Oahu
Visibility: 5  Feet
Max Depth: 18 Feet
Bottom Time: 25 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time: 980 Minutes
Weight: 20lbs
Exposure Protection: Boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Shore Dive/Waves/Surf/Surge/Current
Note: Terrible conditions which forced us to retreat early; basically muck diving.

Electric Beach

November 20th 2010
Dive: 22
Location:  Electric Beach, Kahi Point, Waianae Coast, Oahu
Visibility: 20 Feet
Max Depth: 22  Feet
Bottom Time:  45 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time: 955 Minutes
Weight: 24lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Wet Suit, boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Shore Dive/Waves

Point Panic

November 7th 2010
Dive: 21
Location:  Point Panic, Honolulu, Oahu
Visibility: 20 Feet
Max Depth: 28 Feet
Bottom Time: 72 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time: 910 Minutes
Weight: 24lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Wet Suit, boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Shore Dive/Current
Wildlife: Plethora of eels and a spotted eagle ray

Electric Beach

November 6th 2010
Dive: 20
Location: Electric Beach/ Kahi Point, Waianae Coast Oahu
Visibility: 20 Feet
Max Depth: 22 Feet
Bottom Time: 62 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time: 838 Minutes
Weight: 24lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Wet Suit, boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Shore Dive/ Wave/Night Dive
Wildlife: Hawaiian Sting Ray

Electric Beach

October 30th 2010
Dive: 19
Location: Electric Beach/ Kahi Point, Waianae Coast Oahu
Visibility: 15-20 Feet
Max Depth: 28 Feet
Bottom Time: 72 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time:776 Minutes
Weight: 24lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Wet Suit, boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Shore Dive/ Wave/Night Dive

Electric Beach

October 24th 2010
Dive: 18
Location: Electric Beach/ Kahi Point, Waianae Coast Oahu
Visibility: 10-15 Feet
Max Depth: 20 Feet
Bottom Time: 52 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time: 704 Minutes
Weight: 24lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Wet Suit, boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Shore Dive/ Waves

Electric Beach

October 23rd 2010
Dive: 17
Location: Electric Beach/ Kahi Point, Waianae Coast Oahu
Visibility: 15 Feet
Max Depth: 22 Feet
Bottom Time: 61 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time: 652 Minutes
Weight: 24lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Wet Suit, boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Shore Dive

29 Down

October 17th 2010
Dive: 16
Location: 29 Down, Oahu
Visibility: 50 Feet
Max Depth: 71 Feet
Bottom Time: 22 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time: 591 Minutes
Weight: 24lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Wet Suit, boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Boat Dive/ Deep Dive
Dive Company: Captain Bruce's

Two Holes

October 17th 2010
Dive: 15
Location: Two Holes, Oahu
Visibility: 50 Feet
Max Depth: 97 Feet
Bottom Time: 20 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time:569 Minutes
Weight: 24lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Wet Suit, boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Boat Dive/Deep Dive
Dive Company: Captain Bruce's

Cruised with 3 White Tip Reef Sharks

Shark's Cove

October 16 2010
Dive: 14
Location: Shark's Cove, North Shore, Oahu
Visibility: 15 Feet
Max Depth: 30 Feet
Bottom Time: 45 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time: 549 Minutes
Weight: 24lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Wet Suit, boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Shore Dive/ Night Dive

Now, this was an epic dive filled with a juvenile white tip reef shark, green moray eel, and an octopus.

Electric Beach

October 10th 2010
Dive: 13
Location: Electric Beach/ Kahi Point, Waianae Coast Oahu
Visibility: 25 Feet
Max Depth: 24 Feet
Bottom Time: 50 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time: 554 Minutes
Weight: 24lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Wet Suit, boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Shore Dive

Spotted and enjoyed swimming with four green sea turtles (honus).

Electric Beach

October 09th 2010
Dive: 12
Location: Electric Beach/ Kahi Point, Waianae Coast Oahu
Visibility: 20-25 Feet
Max Depth: 26 Feet
Bottom Time: 45 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time: 504 Minutes
Weight: 24lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Wet Suit, boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Shore Dive/ Wave/Current/Night Dive

We got to check out a spotted eagle ray out near the pipes, among other things.

Magic Island

October 9th 2010
Dive: 11
Location: Magic Island, Honolulu, Hawaii
Visibility: 15-20 Feet
Max Depth: 17 Feet
Bottom Time: 58 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time: 459 Minutes
Weight: 24lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Wet Suit, boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Shore Dive/ Wave/Current*

* The current near the rocks here can be very dangerous and will constantly try to pull you through them into the Magic Island Cove.

Despite current we saw a juvenile eel, two honus (sea turtles), a large puffer fish, and reef fish.

Electric Beach

October 3rd 2010
Dive: 10
Location: Electric Beach/ Kahi Point, Waianae Coast Oahu
Visibility: 15 Feet
Max Depth: 27 Feet
Bottom Time: 52 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time: 401 Minutes
Weight: 24lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Wet Suit, boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Shore Dive/ Waves

Electric Beach

October 20th 2010
Dive: 9
Location: Electric Beach/ Kahi Point, Waianae Coast Oahu
Visibility: 10 Feet
Max Depth: 17 Feet
Bottom Time: 59 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time: 349 Minutes
Weight: 24lbs
Exposure Protection:2/3mm Wet Suit, boots
Conditions: Salt Water/Shore Dive/Night Dive/ Waves

Project Aware Beach Clean Up

September 25th 2010
Dive: 7
Location: Jameson's, Haleiwa Oahu
Visibility: 5 Feet
Max Depth: 10 Feet
Bottom Time: 45 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time: 250 Minutes
Weight: 24lbs
Exposure Protection:3mm Wet Suit, gloves, boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Shore Dive/


We went out with Aloha Scuba Divers for their annual beach clean up. The conditions were horrible, one of those days when there's so much muck floating all around you that you have no idea just where anything is but we still managed to pull out a whole lot of crap sitting on the bottom [this spot is right next to a harbor, hence all of the tires].

September 25th 2010
Dive: 8
Location: Jameson's, Haleiwa Oahu
Visibility: 5 Feet
Max Depth: 12 Feet
Bottom Time: 40 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time: 290 Minutes
Weight: 24lbs
Exposure Protection:3mm Wet Suit, gloves, boots
Dive Computer: Veo 100
Conditions: Salt Water/Shore Dive/

Electric Beach

September 19th, 2010
Dive: 6
Location: Electric Beach/ Kahi Point, Waianae Coast Oahu
Visibility: 15 Feet
Max Depth: 30 Feet
Bottom Time: 42 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time: 205 Minutes
Weight: 24lbs
Exposure Protection: 3mm Wet Suit, gloves, boots
Conditions: Salt Water/Shore Dive/Waves/Surf/Surge/Current

Although the conditions weren't perfect my wife and I still managed to see an eagle ray, an adult eel, a juvenile eel, and a large assortment of Reef Fish. 

Manta Heaven

August 27th 2010
Dive: 5
Location: Kona Coast, Big Island of Hawai'i "Manta Heaven"
Visibility: 15-20 Feet
Max Depth: 35 Feet
Bottom Time: 50 Minutes
Cumulative Dive Time: 163 Minutes
Weight: 24lbs
Exposure Protection: 5mm Wet Suit
Conditions: Salt Water/Boat Dive/Night Dive
Company: Kona Honu Divers 
Dive Master: Scott Blain

This Dive is so beautiful and so surreal that it's hard to describe, all I can say is you really have to go experience it sometime in your diving lifetime and if you don't dive or you have kids who don't you can  always snorkel- it's still awe inspiring if you snorkel it as well.

We went out from Honokohau Harbor on the Kona Coast of the Big Island of Hawai'i. My wife's father is a boat Captain for  Kona  Honu Divers so we are lucky enough to go diving with them every chance we get when we go to the Big Island. I had cruised out on the boat before and gone snorkeling but was yet to dive with them and we were going for it this trip, Manta Heaven Night Dive...it couldn't get any better.

Conditions were serene and perfect for the dive.

We descended into the darkness and gathered around an underwater "fire pit", a rock pit filled with underwater dive lights. These lights attract plankton which the Mantas feed on and before we knew it the Mantas were swooping down and all around us.

We were also joined by Frank the Eel...a striking green moray eel that has been showing up at Manta Heaven since divers started exploring it. He's extremely docile and, as you'll see in the video, swam right across my wife's mouth. I was a little more hesitant and wasn't going to lose a finger but I later found out that he'd never shown one ounce of aggression towards divers.

Video by Scott Blain.

We were joined by thirteen Manta's that night eleven of which Scott was able to ID (my wife's been diving this spot since she was fifteen and has never seen more than six at once).

Mantas ID'd:

1. Lefty (the first Manta ever ID'd in 1994, she got her name from her missing left mandible)

2. Captain Kirk (now that's just awesome)

3. Vinny

4. Doug

5. Grayer

6. Curly

7. Blain

8. Vicky

9. Timbuktu

11. Koir

If you are lucky enough to spot & photo a Manta that hasn't been Identified you get the privilege of naming it.

**Check out Kona Honu Divers, you won't be sorry you did.

Certified.

August 22nd 2010

I was officially certified as a PADI Open Water Diver with Judy Brown of Aloha Scuba Divers, check them out if you're ever on Oahu. They are the BEST local dive shop this island has to offer. They take groups on a FREE night dive every Saturday night...FREE, that's how epic they are. They are also hosting a special right now for Open Water Diver Certs for only $199!!!

And, I was also lucky enough to get certified on the North Shore at Haleiwa and Sharks Cove- only dive-able during the Summer months due to neck breaking Winter swells.

Forbidden Island

July/August 2009

I can't remember the exact weekend but it was about 2-3 weeks before my first deployment and my then girlfriend, now wife, surprised me (I hate surprises but this one was awesome) with a trip to Kauai including an all day Catamaran cruise with Blue Dolphin Charters up the Na Pali Coast and over to the forbidden island of Niihau to go on my first ever scuba dive.

Niihau is a private island at the very tip of the Hawaiian Island Chain and is owned by the Robinson family, it was bought from King Kamehameha V in 1864 by the Sinclair family and has been passed down from generation to generation; it has remained private ever since. The population on this sacred island is about 130 people and Native Hawaiian is the primary language spoken. No visitors are allowed on the island unless special circumstance and arrangements are approved (this approval is extremely hard and is usually only given to immediate family of those living on the island). The only semi-access to Niihau is via boat from Kauai or Helicopter. Only a few companies are allowed to give these tours and the rules are strict.

Enough with history....the dive:
Location: East Ni'ihau at "Super Highways"
Date: July/August 2009
Visibility: 20 Feet
Max Depth: 20 Feet
Bottom Time: 40 Minutes
Weight: 22 lbs.
Exposure Protection: None
Conditions: Salt Water/Boat Dive
Company: Blue Dolphin Charters

Instructor/Dive Master & I ::   I'm Awesome                      

Joyce                                   Napali Coast (Kauai)

This was before my underwater camera so we used a cheapo throw-away camera. I also left my SLR at the hotel in fear that it would get water damage on the boat. 

Note: Niihau is not known for its Reefs but for its underwater volcanic landscape & just the sheer thrill of diving the forbidden isalnd.