Kukio Bay

This site will involve a lengthy surface swim to the edge of the drop-off point where the reef can be accessed. The general slope of the bay becomes more shallow as you go north and deeper as you go south. I would consider this dive worth the surface swim to the drop-off point if the surf is not high, if it is I would abort your plan to dive this site as it will tucker you out. With surf there is also some current, so expect to fight some current on your way out to the drop-off point, once you reach the drop-off point the current is not bad. Directions: 1. Directions from Kailua-Kona. The dive-site is accessible via the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Ka'upulehu. Pull up to the guard-station and ask for a beach pass for Kukio Beach, turn left immediately after the guard-station and drive to the end of the road. 2. The road leads behind the guard-station and ends at a partially shaded parking lot with nice rest-rooms and outdoor showers mounted on the outside of the restroom building. There is an obvious paved and boarded trail at the end of the road that takes you directly to the beach, it is not a difficult walk, even with heavy gear. Take the trail until you see an exit on your left that leads you directly onto the sand. 3. You can setup on a picnic table that is on the beach, located close to the trail. Once you are setup walk to the center of the Bay with your gear and there should be a less painful entry point over lava rocks and urchins. Otherwise enter to the right, as there is a deep break in the lava that allows for easy access to deeper water, but be prepared for the surface swim of your life. 4. The Reef and actual dive site starts far from shore, if you enter the water at the center of the bay then simply swim out in a WSW direction and eventually you will reach the dropoff to a beautiful reef. You can see the dropoff point on the map. If you entered near the picnic table then you have quite a long surface swim in the south-west direction to the dropoff point. The Topology of this bay is as follows: Towards the North side of the bay you will never get deeper than 12 feet and you will find a little bit of coral and fish and lots of golf balls. Towards the Center of the bay are concrete blocks with lots of coral and fish on them, depth gets to 15 to 18 feet deep. If you head towards the South end of the bay it drops off at a wall to about 40 feet and slopes deeper as you go further away from shore.