Page 235 - Hawaii: Diving, Surfing, Pearl Harbor, Volcanoes and More

The East Shore Detail on Franko’s Dive Map of Kauai shows the area One of the greatest attractions on this map is not the beautiful is-
from Kapaa on the north to Nawiliwili Harbor on the south. It in- lands, the golden roads, the ocean blues or the dive site details, but it
cludes the airport at Lihue, plus the downtown of Kauai’s government is the Hawaiian reef creatures guide on the face of the map. My maps
city, plus the area of Wailua and the Wailua River where tourists kayak are waterproof, because they are printed on synthetic paper. A tourist
up the river and visit fern grotto. There is a photo of a tour helicopter discovered this a few years ago and I heard from a dive operator in
in front of a beautiful waterfall on the map. Kauai, if you didn’t already Kauai that my maps were being taken underwater by tourists to use
hear, is fantastically beautiful. You may think you know how beautiful for fish identification. This was partially what led me to create Franko
Kauai is, as I once did. Then one day you will get aboard a tour heli- fish cards, which consist of a mini-map of the island on one side, and
copter, possibly at Lihue airport, and you will take off for a one hour all of these reef creatures on the other. It is designed to go underwa-
tour. If you have not seen Kauai from the air, you really don’t under- ter. However, the map of Kauai will still hold up come rain, wind,
stand just how incredibly beautiful it really is. That is more of a subject water and about anything a customer might do to test its durability.
for my Guide Map of Kauai, but I just can’t express it enough. I love I’ve been making waterproof maps since 1993, and now all kinds of
Kauai, and I feel its spiritual vibe, but the air experience makes it all companies do it. I guess it was a good idea!
complete. Do it! Meanwhile, there are only two significant dive spots
on the East Shore of Kauai, mainly because this is the windward side
of the island and the water is so often wavy and choppy. These sites are
Lydgate Park and Akukini Landing. I’m sure there is a lot of undersea
life off Kauai’s East Shore, but the advice of most is to dive somewhere
else. The currents are also quite strong on this shore, so it is not just a
casual, kids-jump-in-the-water kind of a place. It’s a little too danger-
ous to take lightly. The two descriptions of Kauai’s East Shore on the
Franko Map are as follows:

LYDGATE STATE PARK 0’ - 10’ Beg. .Shallow beginner shore dive.
Good easy snorkeling. Near resort hotel. Lots of fish. Usually calm
except in E wind.

AKUKINI LANDING 15’ - 70’ Int. – Adv. Shore entry at harbor jetty
in poor visibility. Reef strewn with dumped WWII ordnance. Big ea-
gle rays. Good place to have a guide. Caution: Tradewinds make it
rough.