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Afraid of the dark?
Our Blackwater night dive is a Kona original. Join us for a unique experience in thousands of feet of crystal clear black water. See creatures that haven't evolved in thousands of years, tethered to our boat, with only your dive light and the black void around you.
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1 TANK BLACKWATER DIVE
Pelagic SCUBA Charter
Our Blackwater night dive is a true Kona original - we helped invent it! Thanks to the underwater topography of the Island of Hawai'i, deep water isn't far from shore. We take our boat 2-3 miles offshore at night, in deep water, where a diurnal vertical migration occurs (meaning wild animals from the deep dark sea come to the surface). You'll have a chance to see various ctenophores, siphonophores, salps, larval-stage critters, squid, octopus, hunting dolphins, sharks, and sometimes things we can't even identify. We tether guests to a 50' line below the boat, supply you with a dive light, and the fun begins... If you aren't afraid of the dark, join us for one of the most wild dives on Earth. Photographers, this charter is a dream - and a true challenge.
Prerequisites
Open Water Diver certification, ability to speak and understand English for safety reasons, a minimum of 25 logged dives, and a night dive with our crew within the past 12 months.
*Since our guide will be taking the group on an advanced drift dive in thousands of feet of dark water, the prerequisites are set for safety reasons and concessions are not made*
Included
- Mask + fins
- Air tanks + weights
- Light snacks + filtered water
- A dive light
Please Bring
- Any additional snacks or non-alcoholic beverages you’d like.
- Dry towels and something cozy to wear on the ride home.
- Guests who are prone to motion sickness are encouraged to use an anti-emetic such as Bonine or Dramamine before boarding the boat.
- Rental gear is available if you aren’t bringing any equipment.
Covid-19 Operating ProceduresGuest safety is our top priority. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our captains routinely disinfect all touch surfaces on our boats. Hand sanitizer is available. Our dive groups are kept small & our charter capacities are in line with current Hawaii County rule. If you have any questions or concerns, please give our shop a call!
$199
Terms & Cancellation Policy*Not inclusive of tax or gear. Peak pricing subject to change.
All Trips Include
Professional snorkel & dive guides, dive lights (for night dives only), snacks, drinks, dry towels, tanks, soft weights, and the best customer service in Hawaii!
Please remember to bring dry clothes and a jacket or sweatshirt for night charters, as the ride home can be chilly.
Cancellation Policy
All reservations cancelled with at least 48 hours notice will not be charged.
Reservations cancelled with less than 48 hours notice will be charged the full cost of the charter, unless Big Island Divers is able to fill the seat(s) on the boat.
Lastly, all Charters require a minimum of 3 participants to go. While charters are rarely cancelled due to a lack of participants, Big Island Divers will make every effort to reschedule customers to another day or with another company.
Fitness Medical Considerations
SCUBA Diving and snorkeling are physical activities that require you to be able to swim and be in good physical health.
If you consider yourself overweight, or have any medical conditions, please consult with your doctor and complete the PADI Medical Waiver. Your doctor can advise you on the safety of these activities given your health.
If you are not an avid snorkeler, we suggest you first work on those skills before snorkeling at night on our manta charter, or on our more advanced morning dolphin charter. You will be in the ocean, and divers will be in water up to 40ft of depth. Our dolphin charter is in the open ocean and requires swimming skills.
If you are incapable of completing the charter, or we determine that in your and our best interest you do not go or allowed on the charter, we have the right to refuse services and still make applicable charges for the booking, at our discretion.
English Language
We require that all participants be able to understand and communicate in English for the safety of our other guests and crew. Please be advised that should we feel that we are unable to effectively communicate with a guest, we may not permit the guest to continue on the charter.
About Marine Life & The No Manta Guarantee
Manta rays, dolphins, whales, and other marine life are wild creatures and their presence is affected by surf conditions, seasonal changes and the quantity of food in the water. They are wild animals and we cannot guarantee their presence.
Manta Rays (and all other marine life) are wild animals, and no guarantees can be made for their presence. If no Mantas are seen on a Manta Ray charter, Big Island Divers will offer EITHER a 50% discount to guests for a guaranteed seat on another manta charter, OR a 100% discount on standby availability seats for another one-tank manta charter. Standby availability is not guaranteed and is determined by management the day of the charter.
SCUBA Refreshers
Divers that have not dove within the last 2 years are strongly encouraged to take a refresher course, however we do not require a refresher to dive with us. Regardless of dive history or experience, we have a 10 minute time limit on your first decent – if you are unable to comfortably descend, we’ll ask you to sit the dive out and consider a refresher. Pricing for refresher courses is the same as adding a private divemaster to your charter – $200 plus the cost of your dives.
All Other Policies
Our charters can be enjoyed by anyone age 10 and up who feels comfortable with mask, snorkel and the following guidelines (any exceptions require management approval).
Snorkeling and ride along participants that are under 18 years of age must be under the direct supervision of their parent or guardian on all charters, at all times.
Any scuba participant under 18 years of age, must be accompanied while on the vessel by their parent or guardian OR a minimum of 2 BID employees.
Our “minor divers” policy is that any diver 10-11 years old must be accompanied by a parent or guardian and have a private divemaster on the charter ($200 per charter). Divers age 10-11 are not permitted on Long Range, Advanced, or Black Water charters.
Divers 12-17 years of age must be accompanied on the charter by their parent or guardian at all times. Any minor under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times. If the minor has to leave the regular dive group for any reason, they must be accompanied by their parent or guardian at all times.
For private charters, we can accommodate guests under the age of 10. Please contact us for more information.
Safety
All Big Island Divers’ crew are trained & practiced in Emergency First Response, AED, and emergency oxygen provision. Our captains are United States Coast Guard certified. All vessels are Coast Guard inspected & equipped with AEDs, emergency oxygen kits, EPIRBs, life jackets, throw rings & first aid kits.
Carbon Offset
We make every effort to run our fleet as efficiently as possible, and pay to offset our carbon emissions. When you book your charter you may contribute to our offset fund- help us protect our precious ocean ecosystem. Learn more about our carbon offset.
Good Practices
We do not allow touching or harassing wildlife on any of our charters. We do not use hull lights on our vessels to avoid harming manta rays. We adhere to community-established manta tour operator guidelines. We utilize the west Hawaii mooring system to avoid anchoring on the coral reef.
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Gear Rental And More
How should I tip my crew?
Tipping is common in the recreational dive industry. Gratuities in appreciation for excellent service are greatly appreciated. The general recommended amount is 20% of your charter fee.
Sport Diver: What To Tip Your Dive Guidewhat is nitrox?
Breathing Nitrox, or enriched air, allows you longer no-decompression limits.
Get Certifiedalready certified?
Nitrox is $12 per tank, available when booking your dive online.
gopro hero9
Enjoy more control and stabilized footage with the new GoPro Hero 9. Divers can take this camera to 130'. 32GB SD card and float handle included. $49/day
More Infoneed gear?
BCD - $10
Reg w/ Computer - $20
Wetsuit - $10