Difficulty
beginner
Viz (last reported 14649h ago)
Max Depth
30ft
Snorkeling and Scuba Diving at Black Rock
Black Rock was formed from one of the last-gasp lava flows on this side of the island. It is a rocky outcrop at the far North end of Ka’anapali Beach and blocks off access (from the beach) to the lesser-known Ka’anapali Resort beach called Kahekili Beach Park. The Hawai’ian name for Black Rock is Pu’u Keka’a, and ancient Hawaiians believed that this was the place where their spirits went to jump off to join ancestors forever. Unlucky souls who could not be shown the way by their family ‘aumakua (guardian animal spirit), would wander and attach themselves to rocks in the area. This is likely where the “it is bad luck to take a Hawai’ian lava rock” superstition comes from.
This is also a popular spot for cliff jumping. If you are cliff jumping, swim to the far side of the rock and climb up from there. It's much more challenging and dangerous to reach the rock by click up it from shore.
Access
shore
View
Nearby Shops
Tide Report
5
4
3
2
1
(61)
Currently viewing a specific review. View all reviews
EnjoysWater
Jan 4, 2007, 12:00 AM
scuba
My dive buddy and I snorkeled above his dad and bro while they dove. This was fun, we would dive down and snap shots of them sucking their air away. The current can get going out at the end of the rock. This would make for a good drift dive from the other side (north) back to the heavily snorkeled spot. If you want a great dive, and a notable place, don't go to the Black Rock. Yes, it has a cool wall reef structure, but the Mala wharf/ramp/old concrete pier will excite you more. It gets you away from the same reef/fish/turtle dive that many shore dives on Maui offer. These are great, but Mala is a good place to save for a day you want a fresh dive. Beware of snorkelers and other divers at black rock. You just might trip over someone on the beach, too. There are a few parking spots, but it is quite a pain to access this area, unless you are staying at a resort/hotel on the beach. Snorkeling was fun, but if you are in the area, hit up the old Mala pier.
Other Locations Nearby
