Training Dive: SDI Open Water Certification Dive #1/4. Instructor Joe Silvia, SDI #10638, Alaska Scuba Instruction, Lahaina, Maui, HI. Dove off shore at recreational beach among dive resorts just north of Black Rock. The resort has a certain number of parking spots available to the public so this is a popular site for dive instructors with open water students. The bottom was 25 feet and sandy. There are a series of reefs running parallel to the beach. We dove in sand between the first and second reefs. There was a slight current at the surface going from North to South toward Black Rock. After training we took some time on the first reef. Some fish but not too much life this trip.

Training Dive: SDI Open Water Certification Dive #2/4. Instructor Joe Silvia, SDI #10638, Alaska Scuba Instruction, Lahaina, Maui, HI. Second training dive on this site this day. We continued to complete the skills assessment including tired diver tows, CESA, mask removals, stuck regulator breathing, and other skills. Since the instruction was one on one we had time to practice skills repeatedly even after the skill requirements were met. After training we some exploring and saw some typical reef fish.

Training Dive: SDI Open Water Certification Dive #3/4. Instructor Joe Silvia, SDI #10638, Alaska Scuba Instruction, Lahaina, Maui, HI. Boat dive with Hawaiian Rafting Adventures (Lahaina, Maui, HI). Dove with Hawaiian Rafting Adventures (Dive Maui) http://www.goscubadivemaui.com/. Rolling backward boat water entry off of dive boat side was a lot of fun. Had to swim on surface switching between snorkel and regulator repeatedly to satisfy SDI skill req. Used a tag line and then a mooring line to bottom depth 60 feet. Used Oceanic Veo 2.0 computer to monitor depth and allowed bottom time. Dive computer is required on all SDI OWD Certification Dives unlike PADI. Repeated some key skills to build confidence. Completed exercise in Underwater Navigation that I requested outside SDI req. When re-boarding the boat the Dive Master pulled out my integrated weight pockets making re-boarding easier. Used a steel cylinder so that I could stay at depth longer than an Aluminum Cylinder. Wore an Aqua Lung Shorty exposure suit size 3X. Boat: Hoku is a 11.3 meter (37’1”) Naiad built in Rhode Island, delivered May 2009. Is powered with twin 250hp Mercury 4 stroke Verado engines. The boat was custom built for the tank storage and seating on the boat and the rear entry ladders and dive doors with the opening in the transom. Steve Owner, Jason-Son, Hawaiian Rafting Adventures, 1223 Front Street, Lahaina, HI 96761 (808) 661-7333

Training Dive: SDI Open Water Certification Dive #4/4. Open Water Certification Complete!! Instructor Joe Silvia, SDI #10638, Alaska Scuba Instruction, Lahaina, Maui, HI. Boat dive with Hawaiian Rafting Adventures, Lahaina, Maui, HI. Joe Silvia instructor. Seas were becoming much rougher. Made the backward rolling entry off the boat with more ease than the first dive. Re-boarding was more difficult with 3 foot waves but not too bad. Bottom depth 60 feet. Our entire dive focused on using the dive computer and exploration. Instructor required me to lead the descent and the ascent including the safety stop. Instructor’s tank strap came loose from entry so I fixed it for him at the bottom. Later he took his whole BCD and tank off and adjusted it on the bottom to show how easy it could be done. Divemaster pulled my weight pockets when I boarded ladder which was helpful. I used steel tank over filled once again and stayed down 20 minutes. Maximum depth recorded on computer was 60 feet. Instructor pointed out different types of marine life and wrote names on dive slate for me. Very nice dive and a lot of fun. 3XL Shorty exposure suit. Used Steel 95 Low Pressure Tank.

Mala Wharf (Pier), Lahaina, Maui, HI. Great recreational dive. Dive is around an old concrete pier that was destroyed by a hurricane. Large concrete blocks form great habitat for a wide variety of sea life. The site is considered a "wreck" because it is a man made object. The old pier stretched far out from shore so larger ships could be used to transport pine apples to market. Recreational Dive. My first recreational dive after finishing the SDI Open Water Diver Certification. Did half a tank and took a break to do the next dive listed. Fourteen pounds weight was barely enough to descend. added more weight on second dive same site. No exposure suit. Walk out entry across rocks hard on feet. Other divers had solid sole boots on feet. Saw turtles and a Reef Shark along with many other sea creatures. Took some great pictures Great dive site that is very popular. Free parking with restroom and shower at parking lot. **Found out later that the BCD had a problem with a valve and was not releasing all the air. That is why I needed so much weight. **Photos were taken by Joe Silvia and another diver named Jennifer Blaine.

Mala Wharf (Pier), Lahaina, Maui, HI. Second dive on this site this day. Recreation Dive. Used second half of tank after a break from the first dive at this site. No wet suit on dive. Added two pounds of weight which made the dive much easier than the first where I had too little weight. Walk out entry across rocks hard on feet. Other divers had solid sole boots on feet. No exposure suit. Saw Reef Shark again and a group of Rays swim by together.