Every diver remembers his or her first few dives – some with fondness, others with regret that they had nowhere good to go when they were first starting out! If you are lucky enough to be new to diving, and you’re looking for some easy dive sites in Oahu, then you are in for an enjoyable introduction to all the splendor that awaits beneath the ocean’s surface. So, grab your favorite instructor, pay close attention to the dive briefing, and get ready for a lifetime of enjoyable diving. Let’s go!
Horseshoe Reef - Hawaii Dive Sites
Named for its shape, which is just like a horseshoe, this reef is located a short distance from the Kewalo boat basin, and though the reef can be accessed from the beach, there is a lot of boat traffic in the area, which is hazardous, particularly as not all boaters watch for divers’ bubbles! Your best option is to take a trip with a quality dive operator – there are plenty to choose from on Oahu, and many of them take first-time divers straight to this reef.
Maximum depth here is 65 feet. You begin your dive by dropping down the mooring line in the center of the reef, then swimming to one side of the reef or the other, and simply following its contour, exploring as you go. Look for well-hidden frogfish, moray eels, manta rays, and even tiger sharks, as well as stingrays, turtles, and plenty of fish here, and once you’ve got a handle on buoyancy control, you’ll find that taking photos underwater is both easy and addictive!
Koko Craters - Hawaii Dive Sites
While maximum depth at Koko Craters is only 40 feet, the site is occasionally not suitable for beginners due to current – if that is the case, then you’ll be taken somewhere else to enjoy a dive. This disclaimer having been taken care of, it is important to note that the site is usually accessible! Here, you’ll find two semicircular craters, as well as two main craters, all fairly close together. The sandy bottom here is peppered with beautiful volcanic rocks, and you’ll find plenty of striped belly puffer fish, parrotfish, angelfish, Moorish idols, and other Hawaiian tropicals, as well as turtles, which enjoy sleeping beneath the lip of the crater. There are also lots of eels, and though you may be tempted to touch them, don’t try it – they bite, and their teeth are razor sharp!
Last but not least, be sure to stay with your divemaster. It is easy to become completely mesmerized by a fish or turtle, and lose track of your group. The landscape here is fairly barren, and there are boats and parasailers overhead that can cause you serious injury or death if you end up surfacing away from your boat!
Turtle Canyons in Waikiki - Hawaii Dive Sites
With massive lava rocks, coral heads, and beautiful boulders, the underwater geology here is spectacular. Best of all, it is home to some incredible turtles, which you can swim right up to. You’ll be reminded in your dive briefing, but this bears repeating: never touch, grab, harass, or try to ride a sea turtle. The fines for doing so are steep, and a turtle which has been traumatized will not normally return to its home.
Besides the turtles, you will find viper moray eels, snake eels, and perhaps even dolphins, as well as butterfly fish, sergeant majors, parrotfish, angelfish, and even Hawaii’s state fish, the humuhumunukunukuapuaa (humu-humu for short!)
Use caution as you surface. The area is very popular with wakeboards, jet skis, and other watercraft!
Corner Pockets Reef - Hawaii Dive Sites
This fantastic reef bears a resemblance to a pool table; with a flat top and pronounced corner “pockets”. Look for large amounts of butterfly fish, which eagerly await the arrival of divers. These fish don’t want food from you – they are waiting for you to move close to the nesting sergeant majors, and once those fish leave their nests unguarded, the butterfly fish will sneak in to snatch the eggs from their nests! In addition, you’ll find stingrays and eagle rays, plus quite a few reef sharks and tiger sharks. Be sure to look beneath the reef – there are lots of large holes where turtles like to nap!
Maximum depth is 55 feet at the bottom of the reef, but the top is at only 40 feet. Though there is usually very little current here, there can be a strong tide around the time of the full moon, in which case you can enjoy a drift dive. Watch for gobies, sunfish, Moorish idols, and parrotfish, as well as lots of smaller creatures among the coral.
Kewalo Pipe - Hawaii Dive Sites
The Kewalo Pipe is a fun dive, which is located about a quarter mile straight out from the Kewalo boat basin. Though experienced local divers often access this site from the beach, it’s quite a swim for a new diver, so the best and most relaxing way to enjoy the dive is to go with a charter.
The pipe itself is part of an old storm drain system that runs all the way from Oahu’s city streets out into the bay. Its opening is 65 feet below the surface, and though it looks big enough to swim into, entry is absolutely not recommended, as you could become stuck – also, there is no way to turn around.
The pipe acts like a miniature reef, and is covered in coral where little crabs, eels, and other creatures like to hide. Fish nibble at the corals, and on occasion, you’ll find a dragon moray eel, as well as a shark or two. As the area is wonderfully sandy, it is not uncommon to encounter flights of sting rays, eagle rays, or even manta rays here, and between January and May, you can often hear whales singing in the distance.
Be sure to plan your trip in advance, as scuba diving in Oahu is very popular. Even many landlocked locations have dive shops that offer lessons, so do all you can to prepare yourself for your first few adventures! You’ll be glad you did.