"I want to describe one of the most fantastic diving experiences
I have ever shared with my family. We spent a week diving with the
Kona Coast Divers of Kailua-Kona, on the Big Island of Hawaii. We
were very well treated, by their excellent staff to a night dive to
view Manta Rays. The dive masters placed two banks of underwater lights
about 150 yards offshore. There was one Manta Ray in the area when
we arrived. Before long, four more rays joined the group feeding on
the plankton blooming as the evening progressed. The largest ray was
estimated to be about eight feet across, wing tip to wing tip. They
were swimming directly toward us and overhead, within inches of us.
They performed what looked like loops and dives directly over our
heads. Kona Coast Divers has a videographer, who taped the whole evening,
providing a truly unique souvenir of our trip to Hawaii. The actions
of the rays were set to music that seemed to catch the rays in their
own ballet. We noticed
other dive companies advertised night dives to view Manta Rays, but
only Kona Coast Divers provided the bottom lighting to attract the
rays to the dive site. My daughter and I strongly recommend
Kona Coast Divers of Kailua-Kona and their unique night dive to see
Manta Rays as a premier diving experience." Dennis Riendeau,
Lewiston, ID
"Staff was professional and supportive of new divers, but did
not limit the experience of others. The Manta Ray night was breathtaking
and their orientation was excellent." Michael Lejarza, Felton
CA.
"Staff humorous, safety conscious, personable, friendly efficient.
Put our gear together and carried it to the boat each time. Manta
dive outstanding and awesome. Professional videos to quality- bought
three of them. Boat is functional, speedy, and easy to dive from.
Good outfit." Marilyn Broughton, La Place, LA
"Boats were top and staff top notch. " Bernie Horton,
Arroyo, CA
"Having dived in 5 different countries, Kona Coast divers is
the best operation I have found. Staff professional, relaxed, helpful
and full of good advice. In-house video of your dives is excellent.
Package that mix boat with shore diving is an excellent idea. Two
dive boats have plenty of space even at full capacity. Well worth
going halfway around the world for!" Jeff Ware, Cottingham, England
"Professional and organized. Concerned that divers were safe
and had the best dives. Arches, caves, different or unusual marine
life. Most sites offered varying degrees of difficulty so a beginner
would be safe and experienced diver could be challenged. All the divers
did not have to end their dive when the first dive ran out of air.
The equipment was ell maintained and the shop had a fully equipped
repair facility. Took an excellent PADI photography series of classes
from Bob Jensen." Ann Van Goethem, Kirkland, WA
"Go with divemaster or your buddy, diving your own computer
profile. Many tropicals, morays, octopus, lobster, crabs, turtles.
Viz: 70-100 feet. Four people on small boat, 14 on larger; equipment
efficiently set up for both dives. Dolphin cruised by at 35 feet.
Manta Night Dive: lights set at 30 feet and divers form triangle around
lights. Mantas glide in (6) swooping among everyone, busily eating
plankton. Looking down the throat of an 8-10 foot manta, which swerves
at the last minute to dodge you is awesome. Down for an hour. A 24
minute video sold for reasonable prices." Rick Glider, Tucson,
AZ
"This is the best organized dive operation that we have experienced.
Boats designed especially for diving." - Robert Oswald, Poway,
CA
"Very well-run; prompt, efficient, and helpful-- but even more
impressive is their concern for safety. The dive sites were quite
varied, and the experiences were fantastic!"- K.M. McNamara and
M.P. Munger, Dayton, OH
"As a PADI instructor who runs dive trips every other weekend,
I can appreciate the services of a quality dive operation. The Diver
Two is perfectly laid out for divers and is very fast. Entry and exit
were effortless and the ride wonderful." George R. Jenson, Tuscon,
AZ
"Have done 100+ dives with Kona Coast Divers-- crews are friendly
and helpful. KCD provides excellent services."- Charles A. Spitz,
West Long Branch, NJ
"Dive operation very professional, with snorkeling almost as
good as diving." R. Scott Dufford, Dallas, TX
"Kona Coast Divers also very helpful. They have one of the
best classrooms for scuba certification I have seen. Their facilities
are spacious and dive equipment is well-displayed." Harold Kit
Carson, Berkeley, CA
"Great service, varied trips depending on divers' abilities.
Careful attention to sea life." Carol A. Cunningham, Bakersfield,
CA
"All the staff members were professional, friendly, and went
out of their way to assist or answer any questions. I felt like I
was diving with a group of my friends. Both the large and small boats
used by Kona Coast Divers are maintained in top shape. Your gear is
handled and set up by the crew. Safety is stressed, and your dive
times in and out of the water, along with your PSI and max. depth
are requested at the end of each dive. Air fills were always 3000+
psi. You have the choice of diving with the very knowledgeable dive
guides or going off alone with your buddy. On most dives you could
get nearly an hour of bottom time, air & computer permitting.
Encountered whales to and from most dive sites and heard them underwater,
a special experience!). Kaiwi Point was quite nice. Turtle pinnacle
had lots of large turtles which allowed you to approach them within
inches. The Manta Ray dive is not to be missed!" Gayle Van Leer,
Escondido, CA
"Kona Coast Divers were the most professional on the phone,
and I had dive package information in my hand within a week. Their
professionalism extended beyond the first phone call. Their dive package
selection, equipment, dive boat, and personnel were all first class,
all geared toward my hard earned diving enjoyment. In all my years
of diving from boats, live-aboards, shore, and package dive trips,
Kona Coast Divers were the best, a 'Five Bubble' facility." Jeff
P. Stone, Zephyr Cove, NV
