Getting ReadyWhen you are diving, especially in new locations, it is great to have a dive guide and especially one that knows the local area well and also understands the diving environment. When traveling to various locations around our planet, in search of that ever illusive photograph, I actively seek out local dive professionals that can help me get to those “great” spots and who can also help me understand the local conditions and what to expect on the dive. There are almost always a number of dive operators in every location from which to choose. So invest a little time to find out about local operators before your trip.
In Maui, there are a number of good companies to choose from when you dive so I thought I would profile a great smaller company that highly tailors your dive based upon your level of experience and your goals for the specific dive and your trip.
In2Scuba provides a little more personal touch as a smaller company, check out their website here – In2Scuba. This shop is located in Lahaina and is run by Ty Burnett. Ty has been diving in Maui since 2001 with various dive companies until he decided to branch out on his own. Ty is both a skilled instructor and dive guide and also an underwater photographer (a man after my own heart). Ty can provide a highly tailored dive experience and excels at providing excellent shore diving experiences.
Remember dive conditions change very rapidly and constantly so whether you dive with In2Scuba in Maui or not, please at least consult with a local company regarding conditions before you hit the water. You will certainly benefit and it will help ensure your diving is safe and enjoyable.
Dive Operator Rating Guide:
– Experience: This is the most critical criteria that I look for in a dive operator. I rate experience not just by numScuba Diving Molokaiber of years diving but also by the attention to safety given by the instructor prior to each and every dive. I know those “briefings” can get a bit boring but they are extremely important. So pay attention…you never know when you might have to react to an emergency situation.
– Knowledge: This is another key criteria for me as I want a dive guide to be at least somewhat knowledgeable regarding the marine species that we can potentially see. They should know the habits of marine creatures in their area and how to best approach these creatures so we can enjoy them but also so we do not cause additional stress to the animal. For example, I hate being on a night dive and the guide is shining his or her light directly on everything in site and causing tremendous stress on the animals and resulting in a poor experience for the diver and the creatures being observed. I don’t expect every dive master to be Jacques Cousteau but I do expect at least a minimum level of training. I should not have to lead the dive guide.
– Equipment: If you are renting gear this is also an extremely important criteria. I carry my regulator and camera gear everywhere. My BC, Fins, Wetsuit are non-essentials and can be rented reliably and usually fairly cheaply in most dive locations.
– Boat (s): This is an important criteria if you are going for locations that require a boat trip. There are many sizes of boats used by operators with various capabilities. I have been diving out of dug-out canoes in Indonesia, to luxury dive boats in Australia and Hawaii, to pontoon boats in the Caribbean. I had good diving experiences from each (even from the dug-out believe it or not). A key is the “captain” and crew and their relative experience, the level of maintenance on the boat and their attention to detail, yes it is a good idea to count the number of divers before and after a dive.
Number of divers: This is also a key criteria as I do not like to dive with “a herd”. Especially when I am shooting, having to large a group of divers can cause conditions to deteriorate considerably and waste my time. So if I am diving with larger groups, you want to make sure that they divide the groups into manageable sizes and by level of experience. Typically the more experienced divers will be in the water first. This helps to maintain conditions and also makes it more realistic for a guide to effectively manage their group.
There are other considerations that I look at as well when going to a new place to dive and one of the other key requirements would be location. I need a dive operator that is at least relatively close to where I am going to be staying as I don’t want to spend hours on the road each day just getting to the “shop”.
I hope this helps you in determining with whom you would like to dive and remember if you are heading to a specific location and would like a recommendation, just ask and I will see if I can help.
The Humpback whale season is in fully swing in Hawaii as is the Gray Whale season off the coast of Southern California may you be lucky enough to have one swim by you…
A hui hou kakou, until we meet again…
The pool is open……
