Shipwreck
scuba diving in Hawaii, yo-257, Corsair, Seatiger and the Mahi are located off of Oahu. SCUBA diving
Oahu with OAHUDIVING.COM.
Most people only see shipwrecks or sunken ships on the Discovery Channel or those cool timeless Jacques Cousteau underwater
scuba diving documentaries. Here at Oahudiving.Com we do these kinds of adventures every day ! Daily charters for shipwreck
scuba diving or plane wrecks start at 8AM with a 7:15AM hotel pick up. Early
but well worth it.
Once on the spacious Hawaiian scuba catamaran we will head out to the
scuba diving wrecks.
Here is some samples of what wrecks we dive on daily.
Consider all wreck diving or shipwreck scuba
diving to be an advanced dive and should only be done with a qualified SCUBA instructor
unless of course you are familiar with the dangers. Scuba diving on wrecks
in Hawaii ,out here in Oahu can be tricky if not down right dangerous. Most areas are plagued with strong currents and erratic surface conditions. It is critical that the dive be properly planned and executed in a safe matter considering 120 foot depths are not uncommon.
Deviating from your plan is not an option here.
Be careful, the shipwreck in Oahu are razor sharp , pieces of metal and barnacles that are all over
could cut you. Eels love these types of artificial homes and can be found in almost any hole or pipe raising the danger factor a little bit more. Wearing gloves is a great idea for protection however eels
do have razor sharp teeth; pretty much making those gloves useless.
Bottom times vary on the wrecks located here in Oahu. Take for example the
Corsair plane scuba wreck. Now, this wreck sits at 115 feet and there are not decks or other levels located above the wreck.
Therefore this dive has a very short bottom time of around 15 minutes. Ok, so let's talk about the
YO-257. It bottoms out around 120 feet HOWEVER there are numerous levels to finish up the dive OR start the dive on for that matter. So a YO-257 dive could last 15- 30 minutes depending on where you want to explore and how deep you go to.
Here is a cool video of the San Pedro shipwreck located off the west side of Diamond
Head. The San Pedro sits in 80 feet of water on the west side of
Diamond Head. This is a great dive and usually has plenty of sea life. At
times the Atlantis Submarine actually passes within feet of divers, allowing
us to see everyone one inside.
As you can see being inside this wreck does have several dangers that need to be discussed before entering. Over hangs, sharp poles and of course the marine life can all pose a potential hazard to the unsuspecting diver.
At OAHUDIVING.COM , our instructors know these wrecks better than their wives. If you are
intested in doing any of these dives, or just a few questions , feel
free to call us anytime at 808-721-4210 or just e-mail
OAHUDIVING.COM
A word from the
Scuba Professor
"I
love shipwreck diving in Oahu. On every wreck dive there is a sense of
exploring history and on big ship wrecks you can almost feel the
awesome power the ship once had.
Any
scuba diver can
experience the thrill of diving shipwrecks here in Oahu safely if you follow some
basic guidelines. First off wreck diving is an advanced divers
activity so if you are not an advanced openwater diver go with a
certified instructor (that's
us).
Without specialized
training and extra equipment we need to limit our wreck dives to
surveying the exterior of the wreck or making very limited
penetrations inside. If you decide to take your dive inside, make
certain you always keep an exit to daylight in sight.
The adage “plan your
dive and dive your plan “ is especially important here. Establish
time and depth limits and stick to them. Make you dive plan
conservative and leave a good air reserve to deal with unexpected
conditions (start your return to the line or surface at around 1000
psi). It is a good Idea to wear a full wet suit or dive skin for
several reasons. In addition to thermal protection it protects you
from cuts, scrapes and stings.
Gloves are always a
good idea for obvious reasons. Always carry a dive knife or line
cutter. Wreck are fishing line and net magnets and entanglement
could be a danger if you are unprepared. On a wreck be very careful
where you place your hands. On established wrecks eels often live in
anything hollow. Be careful of currents. In a strong current you can
enjoy the calm on the down current side of a wreck and as you swim
past an opening be knocked for a loop. If the wreck is deep always
descend and ascend along a fixed line.
Enjoy and be safe."
Kidcoral PADI Scuba
Dive Instructor with over 5000 dives shipwreck scuba diving weekly
in Oahu
