Frequently Asked Hawaii Scuba Questions
Hawaii scuba diving is extremely fun. We but together a list of questions that visitors to Hawaii frequently ask. Of course if you don't see a particular Oahu scuba diving question please email us or call and we will try to answer all of your Hawaii scuba diving related questions.
Q: Is scuba diving on shipwrecks safe
?
A: We get this question more than you think. The most dangerous part
of your Hawaii scuba diving adventure will be the drive to the
harbor.
Q: How many shipwrecks are located off
of Oahu ?
A: There are many wrecks, barges and planes. One must remember that
as recently as a year ago a plane was discovered off of the west
side of Oahu. As of this year there around 12 good wrecks including
barges and planes that you can dive. The wrecks we have listed are
the favorites with higher concentrations of marine life.
YO-257 Shipwreck- YO-257
Q: What kind of ship is the
YO-257 ?
A: The YO-257 was a Navy fuel ship.
Q: What are the dimensions of
the YO-257 shipwreck ?
A: The length is 165ft. and 30ft. wide.
Q: How deep and what are
the usually bottom times while diving the YO-257 ?
A: The YO-257 is roughly 115 feet at its stern location. The main
decks are 75-85 feet with upper decks at 70 feet. Bottom times here
can vary from 20-30 minutes depending on how deep you dive.
Seatiger Shipwreck- Seatiger Wreck
Q: What is the history of the Seatiger
shipwreck ?
A: The Seatiger shipwreck was a Chinese owned vessel that was used
to transport cargo. Unfortunately on a Hawaii bound voyage this ship
was carrying illegal aliens and was promptly confiscated by the U.S
Coast Guard.
Q: What are the dimensions of
the Seatiger shipwreck ?
A: The length is 163ft. and 33ft. wide.
Q: How deep and what are
the usually bottom times while diving the Seatiger ?
A: The Seatiger is roughly 120 feet at its stern and bow location.
The main decks are 85- 90 feet with upper decks at 70 feet. Bottom
times here can vary from 15-30 minutes depending on how deep you
dive.
San Pedro Shipwreck- San Pedro
Q: What is the history of the San Pedro
shipwreck ?
A: The San Pedro shipwreck was a Korean owned long line vessel that
was used for fish catching. This boat was bought by the Atlantis
Submarine company and sunk in a predetermined location for the sake
of an artificial reef.
Q: What are the dimensions of
the San Pedro shipwreck ?
A: The length is 80ft. and 30ft. wide.
Q: How deep and what are
the usually bottom times while diving the Seatiger ?
A: The San Pedro is roughly 75-80 feet at its stern and bow
location. The main decks are 65-70 feet with upper decks at 60 feet.
Bottom times here can vary from 25-40 minutes depending on how deep
you dive.
Corsair Wreck- Corsair Plane Wreck
Q: What is the history of the Corsair
plane wreck ?
A: The Corsair plane wreck is a U.S. Navy WW2 era fighter plane.
This plane was located at Hickam Air Base and was out on a routine
flight where it sustained engine failure. This was in 1947.
Q: What are the dimensions of
the Corsair plane wreck ?
A: The length is 25ft. and 5ft. wide.
Q: How deep and what are
the usually bottom times while diving the Seatiger ?
A: The Corsair is roughly 110 feet deep. Bottom times are roughly 17
minutes.
Varies Questions
Q: How cold is the water in Hawaii,
particularly when scuba diving in Oahu ?
A: This question we get all the time. Water temperatures vary
throughout the year from 74F to 79F in the summer. 5mm wetsuits are
great for the winter while 3mm or just a bathing suit is fine for
the summer months.
Q: What are the usually bottom times for
Oahu scuba diving ?
A: This question we get all the time too. Bottom times will
definitely vary with each person but with a diving computer you can
get exact times. To answer the questions I would say the average
times are around 30-45 minutes.
Q: What kind of fish hang out, are there
any sharks ?
A: This question is among my favorite to answer. There are no nets
or fences around theses Hawaii shipwrecks and Hawaii reefs, so
anything can show up. We have seen, mantas, tiger sharks, Galapagos
sharks, dolphins, rays of all sort and yes whales.
Q: What kind of training do I need for
scuba diving on shipwrecks located in Oahu ?
A: Training in the advanced scuba diving level is a very good thing
but not necessarily a requirement. Being comfortable with yourself
while scuba diving is the key to having a great dive. Remember ,
times do a bit quicker on the shipwrecks in Oahu due to the depth so
you need to a prudent scuba diver.