A lush, tropical island chain surrounded by the deep blue of the Pacific…what’s not to love about Hawaii? A scuba trip here offers the chance to see an amazing array of corals, undersea plants, tropical fish, and vibrant marine animals. You can find plenty of fabulous shore diving in Oahu, which means no long boat rides to endure before you’re underwater enjoying the sights.
Hanauma Bay
This is the home of Oahu’s most famous nature preserve and is closed to boat traffic, making it an excellent location for beginning divers. There is plenty to draw experienced divers as well, with excellent visibility to view the many schools of reef residents like spotted eagle rays, convict tangs, parrotfish, and moray eels. Hanauma is also home to the endangered Hawaiian green sea turtle. You can snorkel the shallower areas of the reef on your way to the deeper sections, which go down to about 30 feet.
Sharks Cove
Don’t let the name fool you. Sharks Cove is actually named for the shape of the cove rather than its residents. This relatively shark-free area does feature large schools of tangs and mullet, as well as many arches and open-ended lava tubes. This is the place for more seasoned divers looking for a unique experience. Depths range from 15 to 60 feet, with a series of caverns at depths of about 30 feet. It also features a site called the Elevator, a 10-foot diameter hole that descends to 20 feet before branching into three additional tubes of varying lengths. One of the tubes leads to an interior chamber large enough for three to four people.
Lanai Lookout
The fact that you’re shore diving doesn’t mean you can’t get to some serious depths. The lanai lookout goes down to 107 feet. It’s a bit of a walk to the site, and is recommended for advanced divers only, but it can be quite exhilarating. You’ll take a plunge of about five feet from the elevated ledge to the water’s surface, which is about 35 to 40 feet deep at the start. Whitetip reef sharks, octopus, green sea turtles, and spotted eagle rays are frequent flyers to this area.
