Bubbles Below Scuba Charters, Kauai
Niihau Dive Sites

         

Take a swim through the WILD SIDE, and dive Niihau and Lehua Rock (Crater). This all day trip departs at 6:45am from Port Allen and returns around 5:30pm. It is a 3 tank trip for experienced adventuresome divers to the forbidden island 25 miles west of Kauai. This trip involves a major open ocean channel crossing between islands and the ride home is usually rough going. It takes approximately 1 1/2 hour to get there, with the return taking about 2 hours. People with a tendency towards sea sickness should consider taking medication. People with bad backs or physical restrictions should consider diving with us around Kauai. Divers should be in good physical condition and should be comfortable diving on vertical drop-offs, huge underwater caverns, in possible choppy surface conditions, significant currents, as well as sharing water space with resident sharks. Many sites do not lend themselves for dropping an anchor. Divers need to be comfortable descending, ascending, and performing safety stops without an anchor line. Niihau is exciting, excellent, world class diving, but it is not for everybody due to the conditions and the type of diving. Bubbles Below began running the first regularly scheduled Niihau trips in 1984. This trip is offered twice weekly (Wed./Sat.) in the summer only (May-Sept). The cost of the trip is $245.00 and includes tanks, weights, computer, a complete lunch buffet, drinks, and a marine guide to the undersea world of Niihau.

Puu Mu

Pronounced "Pooh ooh Moo". Awesome caverns, some as large as 150ft. by 100ft. The height of the ceilings can be as high as 40 to 50ft. The ceilings are an unique habitat world with huge black coral trees hanging down and large Mother of Pearl shells. White tips generally wake up with the commotion of divers and circle around divers. Endemic Hawaiian Tiger cowries litter the floor along with scurrying lobster. The depth range is 20ft to 70ft.

Key Hole Drift

Generally we do this dive as a drift dive due to the current, however we have stayed stationary if conditions permit. This area is known for the packs of sharks. Grays seem to come in 6packs and more. More pyramid butterfly fish than one can count. Lots of Jacks and pelagic action. Beautiful Tubastraea coral along the wall. Depth range is surface to beyond, we usually dive it to a max. of 80 ft.

Pyramid Point

A spectacular vertical wall with many cracks in the wall. This is an excellent cruise-by location with many tropicals to keep divers occupied all the while. Adjoining the wall is a shallow, calm area with one of the nicest stony coral beds I've seen. This is often our lunch site which allows divers another chance to snorkel. Depth range is 8 ft. to 175ft.

Vertical Awareness

Depth range is 35ft. to 350ft. Swim bys are common. Home to Tinkers Butterflyfish and Hawaiian Anthias as well as large Uluas. The vertical topograpghy is mind expanding.

Niihau Arches

This is a beautiful series of arches near a vertical wall. The swirling lava formations enhance the imagery as your eye follows the swirls and lines to sink holes and pinnacles. The lava here is excellent. Depth range is 20ft to 80ft+.

Lehua Gardens

Want action? Find a corner with current and there will be a Grandaddy gray in residence. The bottom here is covered with Sinularia, an octocoral. This soft coral rules the bottom with many wrasses living among it's convulsions. The largest Teardrop Butterflies live here. The Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins hang around frequently at or near here so seeing them is common. Swimming with them occurs frequently too. Depth is a perfect 45ft to 150ft+ .

Stairway To Heaven

Unusual topo with the emphasis on Large formations. Much of this dive is blue water diving around a pinnacle. Schooling game fish with their care-takers are common. Also rays. Depth is 50ft to 180ft+.

East Side Drift

There are several locations where one can drift along in blue water for pelagics, or locations where you can be on the bottom in 50ft. with the drop close by. Lots of tropicals in the shallows as well as the surge species. This area has a very wild feel to it and the unexpected can certainly happen here.

Shauna's Canyons

Named after our daughter who was with us when we found this area. There is an excellent swim through tube here choked with U'u, (squirrelfish) as well as pelagics. And don't forget the packs of grays. On one dive here, the sharks solidly outnumbered the divers. Though that is pretty typical, their behavior was different here. It's obviously their home. Depth range is 50ft to 110ft.

South Point

Located at the Southern end of Niihau, the lava juts up to 700ft from sea level. Underwater, it is a mirror image (though 700ft. is on the outside). Divers dive here for the sharks and their buddies, the Jacks. This is another corner with the current. Spear fishing here is the equivalent to ringing the dinner bell. I actually recommend a little action, perhaps bring down a fish head.

Help Us Discover More Sites

 This is a compilation of sites that we have developed for divers. Our list continues to grow because we aren't at all tired of diving. We believe exploration is what diving is all about. Please come and join us for some diving on the Wild Side. Click here for reservations to a once in a lifetime chance to dive pristine ocean waters.

Back
Home