Niihau Scuba Diving Adventure
Imagine incredible wall dives, soaring lava pillars, and enormous caves, bountiful fish (numerous pelagic species) and unlimited visibility to dazzle even the most discriminating diver. Some of the most pristine and dramatic diving available in the Hawaiian Islands takes place off Niihau and you can do it to on the Nihau Scuba Diving Adventure.
The dive sites at the northern tip of Ni'ihau and the crater at Lehua Rock are considered to be the ultimate in Hawaiian scuba diving. The morning begins at 6:00am with the boat trip from Kaua'i's South Shore. The 20-mile crossing takes about 2½ hours and is not for those who easily get seasick, though it is usually calm and clear for the morning ride. Enjoy your breakfast as the view of beautiful Ni'ihau grows closer and closer.
Our first dive is a deep one, typically Vertical Awareness or Keyhole where large schools of Pennant Fish cluster about the top of the 280 foot wall. The lava shelves are home to octopus, pillow stars, lobsters, reef fish, and hunting monk seals. At around 100 feet deep, the dive is short but spectacular with seemingly limitless visibility.
Our second dive site is called the Super Highways. At 60 feet, its not nearly as deep as our first dive. Divers consider the towering lava formation resembling a highway super structure a virtual playground. White tip reef sharks, octopus, tiger cowries, and enormous yellow margin eels are often seen amongst the numerous small caves and swim-thrus. While you're under, our captain is busy preparing lunch so the next surface interval is a long one. A little sun, a lot of food, and a dolphin or two to entertain us while we eat, and we're ready to get back in the water.
The currents and waves are often on the rise at this time of the day but under the water is still the place to be. With sites to choose from like the Drive-through Cave or a drift along Lehua Rock, the third dive of the day is never a disappointment. Shallow and relaxed is the theme of this dive.
As the boat heads back toward Kaua'i it's time for everyone to get dry and warm and ready for the ride back. This part of the ride can get a little exciting as the afternoon channel is a bit bumpier than the placid waters encountered during the morning ride, but once we settle in beside Kaua'i, its back to napping and watching the beautiful scenery as the late afternoon sun bathes Ni'ihau in its golden glow.
Passage across Kaulakahi Channel, from Kauai to Ni'ihau and back, can be rough at the best of times. Seasport Divers' Ni'ihau trips are, therefore, only scheduled for the normally calmer period that runs from late spring through early autumn.
Ni'ihau is accessible from Kaua'i by way of the Kaulakahi Channel. Ni'ihau Island lies 17 miles southwest of Kauai, and Lehua Rock rests just a "stone's throw" northwest of Niihau.