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Dive Site: Sharks Cove
Depth: 15-60 feet
Location: North Shore
Visibility:
50-100 feet
Level: Beginner - Advanced
Sea Life:
Shells - Leviathan, Eagle Rays, Parrot Fish, Turtles |
| Sharks
Cove is the second most popular shore dive on Oahu and is located
right off the Sunset Beach Fire Station. There are a couple of sources
for its name: from the air, the rocks forming the cove look like
a shark, or the cove looks like a shark took a bit out of it. Whichever
name you choose doesn't really matter since sharks do not frequent
this area. The site ranges from 15-60 feet with lots of arches and
open-ended lava tubes, allowing much light penetration and easy
access. The main caverns are all in 30 feet or less. Large boulders
are interspersed with sand and lava formations in the shallows,
and large schools of convict tangs and baby mullets. The "Elevator"
is a hole 10 feet in diameter, allowing a descent to 20 feet, and
then exits through one of three different tubes. One is 40 feet
long and four feet in diameter - 90 degrees to the left. The other
two are almost interconnected, and exit straight into the sea. The
top one is in 10 to 15 feet, and the bottom one is in 20. One tube
allows divers to come up into an enclosed dry chamber large enough
for three to four people. Caution: This dive is for experienced
divers only, and requires a guide to safely lead you through the
"Elevator". |
Diver Reviews:
Review
this dive site. |
| Reviewed By; Brad Tyson,
Honolulu, Mar 26, 2006 (rating 5 out of 5) |
My favorite
dive site on Oahu. Shore access, short swim. If you like ledges, walls and tubes this is the place. Not named for the sharks,
but I did see a juvenile whitetip there. Lots to look at. Only a summer dive.
(date of dive summer 2005) |
| Visibility: 70 ft |
Access: Shore |
Skill level: Beginner |
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| Reviewed By; Rodney
Price, Oahu, August 26, 2005 (rating 5 out of 5) |
| Don't enter
at the cove; it's always crowded with snorkelers. Instead walk down
the right side of the cove and out on the flat lava shelf; there you
giant stride into about 15'. Diving left, right or straight out will
give you a very nice dive; my favorite is left (towards Three Tables).
As a marine sancuary, there is normally something interesting to see
during an easy, relaxing dive here. Facilities are close to the Firehouse
on the left side of the cove, and there is also a great entry point
on the tiny beach to the left of the Firehouse. Really, it's hard
to go wrong diving anywhere on the North Shore! Just not in winter...
(dived on July, 2005) |
| Visibility: Good-Very Good |
Access: Easy-Fair |
Skill level: Beginner |
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| Reviewed By; Paul, Oahu,
August 8, 2004 (rating 2 out of 5) |
| Not worth the
hassle of getting down to the cove and then fighting the crowd of
snorkellers and other divers. Sparse sea life but interesting lava
formations and tubes. (dived on August 2,2004) |
| Visibility: 50-80 ft |
Access: Beach |
Skill level: Intermediate |
| Water Temperature:
70/75 F, 21/24 C from November to April
75/80 F, 24/27 C from May to October |
