Diver Reviews:    (Please share your own experiences by clicking here!)

03/31/2008 Joe Foster (Avg: 3.79 Review) - I dove this site twice with my 2 boys on March 21st, 2008. Really easy to enter and exit. We saw the largest Manta Ray I have ever seen. He was digging a hole on the bottom, and I estimated him at an 8 foot wingspan. The site was so easy to get to that we decided to come back after dark for my boy's first night dive experience. All the locals were fishing off the pier, but didn't seem to mind us being there. (just keep your car/truck lights off as you drive in) It was just as good as the first dive. Saw a few Parrot fish sleeping in their balloon of gel. Another dive not to be missed.

12/18/2007 Sarah Kneisel (Avg: 4.72 Review) - We dove this site two times because it was so easy to get in and out during a period of high surf when every other dive site was off limits. We saw numerous eels, Hawaiian puffers, and fish. It would also make an excellent night dive site. There is a shower in the parking area which is very handy for rinsing out equipment.

02/24/2007 Gonzo (Avg: 4.37 Review) - Truly an amazingly simple night dive with all kinds of unexpected treats. Upon entry, swam with a two foot squid for a while. The dive is simple as you follow an old anchor chain out and back, but if you dive it on a full moon you hardly even need a light. Saw the largest frogfish you could even imagine. Wonderful!

01/06/2007 Brian Xavier (Avg: 4.06 Review) - Dove Mahukona and had a great time here. We went straight off of the swim steps, but I would suggest a giant stride off the dock. Check water depth first. Straight out there is a wreck in about 30-35 feet. We saw old steel wheels and a large chain. Lots of yellow tang and other fish. Also go south around the rocks for a good dive. Overall a great site with absolutely no people. Be careful if the swell is up because it can be rough in the chute or canal.

09/05/2005 Anonymous (Avg: 3.42 Review) - Been diving here several times. Best entry is from the ladder, or simply step off the wall at the NW corner. Vis sucks (for Hawaii; better than any on mainland West coast, though ) until you get out a couple hundred yards. If you follow the anchor chain out, there are the remnants of a sunken freighter of some sort in about 35 fsw. If you don't mind a short swim, follow the shore line south about 1/4 mile and submerge. This area is a protected marine sanctuary, and the sea life is abundant. Visibility is much better also. Current can be a mother out here sometimes, so if you are unfamiliar with this site, I would only dive it when the seas are calm, and always let someone know where you are diving and when to expect you back. Check the tide tables as well, best to dive at slack tide (duh). Some friends of mine tell me there is another wreck in about 70 fsw, but I have not personally tried to locate it. According to them, you simply continue on the same compass heading you were on while following the anchor chain out to the first wreck, and this will get you in the general area. Don't worry, the vis is good at this point, so it shouldn't be a problem.

07/05/2005 Steve Porter (Avg: 3.90 Review) - My wife and I dove this while camping out next door. Had hot water showers and what not. Since it was so shallow, we were able to spend 90 minutes on the bottom. The wreck makes for some interesting pics. Also, with all the bricks, we made a small wall!

08/31/2004 Kathleen (Avg: 2.76 Review) - Paved road takes you down to the park, with stairs into the water. There is a bathroom on the far side of the park. The vis was poor because of all the wave action, and the bottom was beat up compared to most other places I dove. Probably because it mostly runs at 20' and the waves have more affect on the reef.

04/05/2004 Anonymous (Avg: 3.00 Review) - More and bigger reef fish here than anywhere on the Big Island. I need more dives to see it all, chain and boiler are extras for topography. Saw an eagle ray here on my wife's birthday, her favorite present.

11/17/2003 Mark Wilson (Avg: 3.18 Review) - We decided to take a drive without our dive gear. All we had was snorkel gear. But we decided to snorkel Manukona. Very easy to get in and out. The vis was down due to a storm. Large chain in the middle of the dock area at about 25 ft.

09/25/2003 Anonymous (Avg: 3.91 Review) - Easy entry, easy exit, easy road access, good visibility, not very deep, but enough critters to keep your interest, friendly locals, fun dive, what more is there to say about this site.

01/29/2003 Linda Smith Crist (Avg: 3.66 Review) - Easy entry and very clear water. Decent variety of animal life, less variety of plant life. Worth the trip to see the chain and rotor on the bottom in about 25 ft. of water.

08/04/2002 Bill Stohler (Avg: 2.83 Review) - Shallow dive, with lots of interesting reef formations. I've only dove here once, and the visibility was more than an astounding 200 feet (we counted kick cycles to a coral head to estimate the distance). There used to be an old ship's boiler underwater, but it was up on shore the last time I stopped by. Visibility and conditions vary greatly, so if in doubt, dive somewhere else. Great on a calm day.

01/23/2002 Rob (Avg: 3.70 Review) - Nice spot, easy entry down the steps. The dive is shallow , I don't think I hit more than 40 feet. Large anchor chain, and parts of an old ammo ship, prop, drive shaft and motor. Some locals snorkeling, not to many divers during the week. Dive Puako in the morning, get a fresh tank at Kohala Divers, then head up to Mahukona.

09/22/2001 Mae Miller (Avg: 4.59 Review) - Its a weekend party spot for the locals, so I would try to get there early in the morning to do your dives. Usually by mid day, parking gets really tight and you might get blocked in. Access in & out of the water is easy. There might be a slight current coming in & out of the harbor, but once you're past that, the sights of the wreck and plant, fish & coral life is just amazing!!

09/16/2001 Jim Goodenough (Avg: 3.77 Review) - Very easy entry. Nice parking and a warm shower. Locals were OK with us. Dive was shallow, but lots to see. Get Dick Dresie's book for a good description of this site.

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Diver Averages for  Mahukona  (1=worst, 5=best)