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Lahaina Pier (Mala Ramp)
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Submitted By:
Bryan Heit
Submitter Comments:
This dive is located on the wreckage of the old Mala pier, which was destroyed during a storm in the early 90's. Corals and fish have since taken over the wreckage of the pier, and the odd turtle can be found. Enter at the boat launch and swim around the breakwater. All of the interesting stuff is to the north of the remaining pier (i.e. where the wreckage is). Avoid swimming under the remaining pier as there is little to see and many swimming hazards. The wreckage itself is covered in corals, and most species of Maui's reef fish can be found here. Bring a light as there is a lot to see under the wreckage, including some reef sharks resting in the deeper depressions under the wreckage. This dive is less then 30' in depth, with great visibility. This site is not sheltered so it should be avoided during periods of heavy surf. Bathrooms and an outdoor shower can be found by the parking lot.
Directions:
This site is located to the south of Mala Warf. Take highway 31 to Lahaina, and turn onto front street at your first opportunity. Follow front street to the access road for Mala wharf. If coming from the north this is immediately after the Lahaina Cannery Mall. Park in the parking lot. Access to the site is from the boat ramp.
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02/19/2008 Kendall Roberg (Avg: 3.76 Review) - I was very impressed with Mala. This is a great change of pace site on the island and the twisted wreak of the collapsed pier is very fun to dive on. This site maxes out at around 27-28 feet, but should not be skipped. The reef growing on the pier pieces is very nice. We saw white tip reef sharks and even 2 sponge crabs. I found a snorkel and several fishing weights, too, which is always fun. I have been advised to not walk down the ramp, so climbing out on the break a little and then under the pier (watch for falling pier pieces) may be the way to get in these days. But several divers enter from the beach as well (watch for shallow reef). Have fun, great site, but a little tricky entry.
10/30/2007 Bill Stohler (Avg: 3.15 Review) - AKA, the Mala Wharf...is a twisted wreck of a disintegrating concrete pier / dock. Underwater, it makes for a great habitat of fish, eels, and even some white tip reef sharks! This is a shallow dive, and getting out to deeper (divable) water is a bit of a trek through a rough bottom...but, it's worth it! Probably a good idea to bring a flag.
03/04/2007 TT (Avg: 4.06 Review) - I have dove different places on Maui and Kona - including boat dives. Mala Ramp is by far the best site in all respects. Forget about Black Rock. It is too expensive to park there and a long walk (1/2 mile) to the beach with the tank and gears. This is particularly difficult for an underwater photographer like myself to carry things back and forth. The surf can also be bad at Black Rock. Old Airport Rd and Mile 14 are not that great either. Nothing special about them. During my Mala dive, however, I saw 2 white tips, lots of fishes, at least 3 different turtles, and eagle rays. This is a good beginner dive site, but an advance diver will enjoy this also (I am a dive master myself). The depth is shallow, less than 30 ft. The current is almost non-existent. This makes picture taking very easy and with clear water. Entrance is very easy and simple. However, I would highly recommend that new divers to this site follow a dive tour during the first dive since there is boat traffic and you need to know the swim path to avoid boats. There are 2 shops nearby that can arrange the dives with reasonable price. The visibility is excellent. Some of my best Maui pictures were taken in this place. This should be the first dive of your Maui trip.
01/04/2007 EnjoysWater (Avg: 3.78 Review) - This old concrete pier that has fallen into the water is a great dive! My instructor suggested it as an alternative to Black Rock (famous or infamous for massive crowds) and I would strongly agree. Save it for a day you want some new scenery and a fun time. Most of the pier is in pieces under water. Great fish/plant/turtle life. It is a fairly new reef so don't expect the rainforest, but the best part are all of the little swim throughs and nooks and crannies to check out. The outdoor shower and restrooms are quite handy. I would think twice before you dive here with the surf up, but definitely make time to check this place out. Nearby, in Lahaina, you could grab a bite at Bubba Gumps Shrimp Co. The smoothies are tasty and they have some of the best ribs on the island.
09/06/2006 Stephen Scott (Avg: 3.81 Review) - Had a great dive here. The wreckage is really neat with lots of overhangs/caves to look into. The light also filters nicely through the wreckage when you're on the opposite side of the sun. Saw a couple resident reef sharks, some turtles and there was a good variety of fish life. Just make sure you have a dive flag over you as there is some boat traffic overhead.
08/16/2004 Bryan Heit (Avg: 3.64 Review) - This is a good dive, quite shallow (max 30'), with a lot to see. All types of fish, green sea turtles, and the occasional reef shark can be found here. Because the reef is relatively young a lot of the wreckage is still visible, adding another interesting component to this dive. Be careful of entanglement - there is a lot of rebar hanging around.
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Mala Wharf.
Submitted by Bill Stohler
Diver
Averages for Lahaina Pier (Mala Ramp) (1=worst,
5=best) |
Number of reviews for this site: 6
1319-1-1-34
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3.17
4.17
2.67
3.70