Molokini Scuba
The Molokini Crater is a short boat ride from Mauai. It’s only 2 ½ miles away and located within the Alalakeiki Channel. A volcanic cinder cone caused the Molokini Crater and the part of the crater above water boasts a crescent moon shape. The crater is 23 acres and has a diameter of .4 miles.
The visibility within the Molokini crater is at least 100 feet and in some places up to 150 feet or more. Within the crater there is a lagoon that is protected by the crater wall. This results in calm water and perfect snorkeling conditions as there are no currents or waves. The protected crater is also home to a wide selection of sea life, too, and is frequently referred to as a life sized aquarium due to the 250 species of fish and other marine animals.
Anytime is a good time for a Molokini SCUBA dive. However, the best time is in the early morning hours before the trade winds pick up. The best views are within the crater’s center, but the depths are not significant here. The best Molokini SCUBA dive for advanced divers is on the outside wall of the crater.
A Molokini SCUBA dive on the outside wall can reach up to 350 feet or more. On the back wall any type of sea animal may be encountered and quite often are. The currents on the back wall are stronger and some days an outside wall Molokini SCUBA dive is not an option. The water on the outside wall is a deep blue with high visibility.
A Molokini scuba dive will land you in the middle of a life sized aquarium. There are more than 250 species of fish that call the crater home in addition to seals, manta rays, Hawaiian sea turtles, monk seals, dolphins, garden eels, white tip sharks, whale sharks, and during the right season, humpback whales. Outside the crater in deeper and more turbulent waters a Molokini scuba diver might see cliff moray eels, spiny lobsters, and other sharks.