| Manta Ray Night Dive |
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| Manta Ray Night Dive |
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Manta Ray Night Dive |
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Here's your chance to experience Kona's famous manta ray night dive, which has been featured in National Geographic and rated by Rodale's Scuba Diving Magazine as one of the world's top ten large marine animal dives. |
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Manta Ray Night Dive
Experience an incredible night dive on the Big Island's Kona coast! Watch as the Manta Rays circle just above you. If you are still, these gentle giants may come close enough to brush against you as they are feeding on tiny plankton. You will enjoy an hour in the water observing these fascinating creatures.
The Boat:
This adventure is launched off The Manta, a 2006 custom-built luxury dive boat, which was specifically built for comfort and style. The vessel is 40 feet long and 15 feet wide and very stable during cruise as well as at anchor. Powered by a quiet Cummins turbo diesel motor, the boat also features great amenities, such as a sun deck, shaded areas, an oversized swim platform for easy entry/exit, freshwater showers and camera tables. There's even a 20-inch flat screen TV to preview the video footage from your underwater adventure. Although The Manta is Coast Guard certified to carry up to 30 passengers plus the crew, they rarely let more than 15 passengers aboard at a time. They maintain a ratio of 1 crew member to 6 passengers in order to ensure high quality service, safety and space.
The Manta Rays:
Pacific Manta Rays are truly amazing creatures. The Manta Ray's wing span averages 5 to 8 feet but can reach well over 14. But no need to be scared of them. They have no real teeth and no stinger. Their only defense is to flee.
These huge and gentle animals feed on microscopic organisms called plankton. At night, light attracts brine shrimp, a form of plankton that they feed on by using their cephalic fins like big scoops to funnel water into their wide-open mouths, filtering out these organisms. Dive lights, if used properly, can enhance this "dinner buffet" for the rays.
Manta rays are very shy creatures. Keep in mind that touching, grabbing or just being in their flight path can cause them to be even more shy and avoid divers or leave the area altogether. Touching rays could also remove the protective coating on their skin and leave them susceptible to infections. |
If you remain calm and passive, the rays will gradually overcome their shyness of you. If you are patient, they will often grow so trusting they will brush lightly against you as they swoop in to feed.
Guidelines for your manta ray encounter:
Divers should stay on or near the bottom. An open water column is necessary to give the manta room to maneuver.
Form a circle or semicircle on the bottom. However, avoid contact with sea urchins, reef, or marine life. Dive lights should be directed upward toward the center of the group. Avoid the shallow water.
Avoid exhaling bubbles directly into the face of an approaching ray.
Do not ride, chase, touch, grab, or harass the mantas!
Move lights slowly with the surge in an effort to gather a concentration of plankton in the light beam.
Photographers, videographers and other fellow divers: Please be considerate! Stay in your group and the rays should provide plenty of photo opportunities. Occasionally the rays may be absent or not in a feeding mood. On these rare nights, there is plenty of other nocturnal marine life to be enjoyed. |
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Stay with your group. Since it is more difficult to tell "who is who" underwater, you should make a mental note of your group and a distinguishing feature of your guide (chem-lite, color of fins, etc.) Most people want to return to the same boat they arrived on.
This activity also has a snorkeling option. Divers and Snorkelers both go out together, so if there are divers and snorkelers in your party, you can stay together. Please check out Manta Ray Night Snorkel (available for purchase separately).
Important Health Information:
People with the following health conditions will not be allowed to participate in this diving activity for their own safety:
high blood pressure
asthma or any other respiratory problem
any heart conditions or cardiac problem
ear problem
seizures
recent surgery
other serious medical conditions |
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| Map, Location and Schedule |
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Kailua-Kona, Big Island, Hawaii |
Here's what the reviews said:
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Departures are one hour before sunset and vary seasonally. |
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No timeshare presentations... and guaranteed lowest price! |
| Details |
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Activity Highlights:- The total time for this activity is ~3 hours. Time to the dive site is about 20 minutes (both ways). Time in the water is ~ 1 hour, the rest of the time is spent on the boat, including a 10 minute briefing.
- This is a one tank dive at a single location.
- Launched from the state-of-the-art vessel The Manta
- Professional and certified instructors and divemasters
- All equipment is included: BCD, regulator, wetsuit, dive light, mask, fins, tanks and weights. RX masks are also available at no extra charge.
- Drinks and snacks
When? - Departure: 1 hour before sunset
- The earliest departure is 4:30PM in wintertime, however other departures times may vary by as much as 2 hours according to sunset time.
- Tour duration: 3 hours
Where? - Honokohau Harbor boat ramp, Kailua-Kona
Note: - Manta Ray Dives Hawaii are members of the Professional Association of Diving Instructors since 1977 and adhere to all PADI safety standards.
- No minimum age restriction. Anyone with scuba certification may participate.
FAQ:
How long is the boat ride out to the dive sites? - Rarely more than 30 minutes depending on the destination. That's the beauty of island diving - no continental shelf!
What's the water temperature in Hawaii? - Year-round water temperatures average 80 F (26.6 C). You'll also be provided with 3 mm long sleeve shortys or full wetsuits for your comfort and protection from scrapes.
I haven't been diving in a long time. Is that ok? - All dives are accompanied by an instructor or divemaster and classify as "easy dives". Most are no deeper than 60 feet (18 m) and strong currents are rare. The average diving depth is 45 feet (13.7 m).
Can I bring my own equipment? - Yes if you prefer, except for tanks and weight belt, of course. Many divers understandably feel more comfortable bringing along their own equipment, especially if you are difficult to fit for fins or wetsuit. (sizes range from XS to XXXL).
What's the best time of year to dive in Hawaii? - Year-round diving is enjoyed on the Big Island's leeward coast because it is mostly protected from high winter surfs and summer's south swell. Between December and March, we are occasionally prevented from scheduling due to high winds and choppy seas.
My companion does not dive. Can he/she come along? - Yes - All of the locations we dive at are shallow reefs that have an abundance of corals and tropical fish, perfect for snorkeling as well. If someone just wants to ride-a-long and be a part of the family outing and relax on the boat, that's totally fine.
I lost my C-card. May I still go diving? - We can verify a PADI certification by phone, but to save time, we suggest you contact your certifying agency before your dive, especially with agencies other than PADI. Your dive log is not a sufficient verification for insurance purposes.
Are the manta rays always there on the night dive? - We cannot guarantee that the mantas will show up. We estimate the odds at roughly 90 percent favorable based on our logs from the past five years. Normally, the dive lights attract plankton which the rays come in to feed on. If, after 15 minutes or so, they do not show up, we make a regular night dive out of it and explore the area for other interesting nocturnal marine life.
Additional Information - All PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) safety standards are strictly followed. You need to be a certified diver to go on this dive. If you are not certified, you may do this same activity as a snorkeler (please see the "Manta Ray Night Snorkel" activity).
- All dives are accompanied by an instructor or Divemaster and are classified as "easy dives". Most are no deeper than 60 feet (45 feet average) and strong currents are rare.
- For non-certified divers or companions wishing to participate in this activity, it is possible to snorkel at all of the dive locations.
- Scuba divers must be at least 10 years of age. Non-swimmers and others not wishing to get in the water may ride along at a reduced rate.
- The presence of manta rays on this excursion is not guaranteed. Sighting odds are roughly 90% favorable. In the event the mantas do not show, participants are invited to follow the guide on a regular night dive to view other nocturnal marine life.
- People with the following health conditions will not be allowed to participate in this diving activity for their own safety:
- high blood pressure
- asthma or any other respiratory problem
- any heart conditions or cardiac problem
- ear problem
- seizures
- recent surgery
- other serious medical conditions
- By booking this activity, you are affirming that you and everyone in your party do not have any of the listed health conditions. Participants who are found to have any of the listed health conditions will not be allowed to participate in the activity and no refunds will be issued.
- Sometimes a doctor's note may be required before you can participate in a diving activity. Please list any medications that you or those in your party are currently taking, and we can determine if you will be eligible to join the dive.
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- Divers cannot fly in a plane or other aircraft within 18 hours of their dive.
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| Driving
Directions |
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The boat departs from Honokohau Harbor. Honokohau Harbor is 4 miles south of the Kona International Airport at Keahole.
From the Airport, take Highway 19 (Queen Kaahumanu Hwy) to Honokohau. Look for signs for the Honokohau Bay Marina. At 4 miles from the airport, turn right (toward the ocean) onto Kealakehe Parkway. Go straight for 1500 feet and then take the first right. A small shopping center will be on your left. After the shopping center, take the first left. Go to the boat launch ramp and look for a 40 foot boat on a trailer. The boat will say Manta Ray Dives on the back. Please check in at the boat.
There are restrooms right next to the boat ramp. |
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| Reviews |
Write your own review
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GREAT DIVING on THE MANTA!
Reviewer: jon
(Big Island, USA)
January 28, 2007
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Diving with Mark on the MANTA couldn't be any better. He's very knowledgeable and personalizes the dive for you. The MANTA is a geat (roomy) boat. If you want an excellent manta ray night dive.... this is the way to do it! |
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