Top Places To Dive In Maui - Molokini Crater

Overall Rating = 3.75 out of 5

Diving Molokini Crater is at the remains of an extinct volcano. The remaining curved rim of the volcano "cone" rises above the sea some 165 feet. The small island lies in Alalakeiki Channel between Maui and Kahoolawe islands. The inside wall of the crater faces the northwest and only a short boat ride from the Wailea side of Maui. For those who are interested in some of the history around Molokini Crater there is a brief expose written by Edward L Caum, entitled "Geology of Molokini" and published in 1930. There are a couple of "plate" pictures included in the article and it is fascinating to compare with the crater today. Molokini Crater has been a Marine Preserve(MLCD) since the summer of 1977 and features probably the most untouched hard reefs in Hawaii and is a fabulous spot for underwater photography.

Getting to the dive site is easiest from Wailea however the boats are small and in many cases the dive operators dive the second dive along the coast of Maui and not on the crater. The boats out of Lahina Harbor are much preferred but it will take almost 50 minutes to get to the dive site The key is to be sensible vis--vis the dive operator which you select. Be certain that you read the assesments and the gear utilized by each one of the dive operators. The boats which depart from the Wailea area are usually fairly small and crowded if the number of divers is greater than ten on a boat furthermore on most of these boats there is not much if any room to move about.

Overview of the Dive

Access - Moderate to Moderately Difficult to reach the site; boat only (You should not take a boat from Lahaina if you get seasick - 45 minute boat ride);
Depth to 125+ft
Visibility - good to excellent
Current - mild to extremely strong at the edges of the crater
Marine Species variety - good; normally White-tip Reef Sharks at about 110 feet on the eastern side of the crater
Reef health - good to very good

Scuba Diving Molokini Crater is definitely the finest boat dive on the Maui. You need to go to Lanai or Molokai to locate better deep water dive sites. The clarity of the water is generally quite good at Molokini and there are a a number of dive sites on the volcano on the exterior of the crescent-shaped crater and on the inside of the volcano.

Enenue - Inside eastern tip of the crescent, Middle Reef - Inside just to the east of the middle of the crescent and closer to the cone, Tako Flats - Inside on the western side of the crescent, Reef's End - Far western end of the crescent and The Back Side - Outside or on the back of the crescent

Once scuba diving within the crater one of the best spots is on the eastern rim of the volcano - Enenue. On this scuba diving site at approximately 120 feet there is a succession of overhangs that have a tendency to house a few White-tip Reef Sharks. As you are swimming down and back up after visiting the "condos" there is an excellent variety of marine species. You may discover Butterflyfishes, Wrasses, Damselfishes, Eels, along with Crustaceans throughout the crater. You will also find sea turtles on a customary basis and on a very extraordinary occasion Humpback whales have been observed by divers at Molokini crater.

The current may be very strong on the outside sides of the crater, consequently do not go outside the crater for any reason if your group is scuba diving the "inside". The current at the edges will take a scuba diver quite a distance in an incredibly short time. For that reason you must have an emergency flotation device for this dive site and be acquainted with how to operate it. If you are scuba diving inside the volcano you should rarely have a great deal if any current and even if the sea is rough the volcano protects the interior dive sites very well.

In sandy areas around the volcano you may frequently find Freckled Snake Eels, so take your time during this dive and in addition make certain you "look" into the vast expanse of the ocean away from the volcano where you can often observe different varieties of sharks and during an especially awesome dive you may even see a Humpback Whale. If you are diving in whale season (December to April/May) be sure you pay attention for the whale song. In February to early April you may hear many different whales singing to each other. Listening to Whale Song is undoubtedly a marvelous way to pass the time during your dive.

View additional underwater images on Smeltzer's website or visit his blog or follow him on Twitter @ images2inspire. The pool is open...