Page 196 - Hawaii: Diving, Surfing, Pearl Harbor, Volcanoes and More

KEEI 15’ - 100’ (3 - 30m) Beg. - Adv. Lava shelf entry just south PUHI BAY 10’ - 60’ (3 - 18m) Beg. - Int. Beach dive. Good alternate
of underwater park. Clear water, colorful corals, many tropical reef if Leleiwi is no good. Small lava tubes, caves, walls, colorful cor-
fishes, whitetip reef sharks, turtles, seastars, morays, garden eels in als, green sea turtles, variety of tropical fish, invertebrates. Caution:
sand at 90’ (27m), stonefish. North swell, no good during & after heavy rain.

MILOLII BAY 6’ - 65’ (2 - 20m) Beg. - Adv. Wharf or sand and rub- RICHARDSON BEACH <20’ (6m) Inside, to 100’+ (30m+) Outside
ble beach entry. Tide pools. Good snorkeling over shallow pahooe- Beg. - Adv. Excellent snorkeling, beginner scuba or scuba tune-ups.
hoe lava. Small corals, lots of fish. Marine Life Conservation Dis- Also good for bodyboarding. Green sea turtles, sergeant majors,
trict. Caution: Boat traffic, currents on outside, surf. trumpetfish, unicornfish, variety of surgeonfish, whales. Caution:
North swell, strong currents outside.
PLACE OF REFUGE 0’ - 100’ (0 - 30m) Beg. - Adv. Most diverse,

accessible, excellent shore dive site on Hawaii. Easy beach entry. RAINBOW FALLS One of Big Island’s best waterfalls, best seen in
Many reef fish, yellow tang, Moorish idols, achilles tang, green sea morning. Cave behind falls where some say Kamehameha I buried
turtles, crown of thorns seastars. Sandy flats at 80’+ (24m+) Depth. his father’s bones. LAVA FLOW DIVE It is no longer possible to
Caution: This area is sacred - please be respectful! scuba dive the lava flow in bathtub-warm water 100’ (30m) from
molten shore. Divers formerly witnessed the snapping, crackling,
INSIDE ILLUSIONS 30’ - 80’ (9 - 24m) Int. Boat dive with two rumbling, bubbling water where lava invades the sea. Scary!
huge pinnacles, many canyons & holes inshore, lionfish, pipefish,
rare yellowfin squirrelfish, razor wrasse, ghost shrimp, garden eels, PUNALU’U (BLACK SANDS) 5’ - 60’ (2 - 18m) Beg. - Int. Beautiful
tiger cowries. Black Sands Beach with coconut palms & freshwater lagoon. Lots
of hawksbill turtles, colorful corals, reef fishes, moray eels. Whales
MILOLII BAY 6’ - 65’ (2 - 20m) Beg. - Adv. Wharf or sand and rub- in Winter & early Spring. Caution: Waves & strong currents. Good
ble beach entry. Tide pools. Good snorkeling over shallow pahooe- surfing on S swells.
hoe lava. Small corals, lots of fish. Marine Life Conservation Dis-
trict. Caution: Boat traffic, currents on outside, surf.

LELEIWI 10’ - 70’ (3 - 21m) Beg. - Adv. Hilo’s best shore dive. Six
lava arches, large coral heads, variety of hard corals, all kinds of
reef fish, green sea turtles, spinner dolphins, whales in Winter and
Spring. Caution: North swell, strong currents.