Makena Landing/Five Graves

This dive is most unique among those most accessible along Maui's south shore due to number of lava caves and likelihood of a friendly white tip shark sighting. The Landing is inside a cove which offers some protection from early noon Maui trade winds. Like most of the reefs we dive the coral growth follows the contours of ancient Hawaiian lava flows. Here we also see turtles, eels, octopus, and a variety reef fish including butterfly fish, puffers, trigger fish, Moorish Idols, (Humuhumunukunukuapua'a) and the occasional frog fish. Facilities include parking lot, showers and toilets.

Five Graves is just north and over the hill of Makena. Walk past a grave site to a tiny cove. Follow the path to the right. Wear dive boots.

     Mokapu  /

Ulua Beach

  The most popular refresher and training dive beach on South Maui, Ulua has good facilities (parking can be difficult), and an extensive reef that can be reached with little or no surface swimming.

  We rarely see sharks at this beach but the occasional Manta or Spotted Eagle Ray will cruise by.  Turtles are common as are eels, octopus, and a large variety reef fish including Trigger fish (Humuhumunukunukuapua'a), Butterfly fish, Moorish Idols, many species of wrasse, Puffers and the occasional Frog Fish and scorpion fish.

   For those certified divers with conservative air consumption there are satellite reefs with Bicolor Anthias and cleaner shrimp at a depth of 50 feet.

This dive has been done as a semi-ridiculous surface swim. Keawakapu has only a shower and limited parking as facilities. The reef just off shore is shallow and bare from surf action compared to Ulua's reefs. The sand here harbors interesting creatures such as the Box Crab and Kona Crab. Turtles are scarce but the occasional octopus will show itself.

Keawakapu

One of the most obscure beaches on South Maui, Keawakapu is a good shallow water training site, but is best as a launch point for scooter and kayak dives to the wreck of the St. Anthony, a 65 foot fishing boat in 70 feet of water.