The bottom-line is that Makena Coast Dive Charters (MCDC) caters to both snorkels and scuba divers, and the trip is really not satisfactory to either.
I am both an experienced snorkeler and certified NAUI diver. I have been to Hawaii at least 20 times over the past 30 years, and been to most of the islands many times (exception Ni‘ihau and Kaho‘olawe). This was to be my first trip to Molokini to complete my Hawaii bucket list. I booked this trip via Airbnb thinking that this would be a small outfitter, with a smaller boat, more intimacy. Wrong!
What went well?
#1 Daniel! Daniel was assigned to help the snorkelers. (The dive master guided two scuba divers) Daniel was patient, kind and helpful to everyone. He helped people get fitted into masks and fins. When we arrived at Molokini he advised my wife that the best snorkelling would be due west of the boat location along an underwater wall (where the scuba divers headed.) Unfortunately, the captain told me don’t go there due to strong currents, and stay in the deep water zone away from any coral that would attract fish. At Turtle Town (way better snorkeling than what we got at Molokini) Daniel pointed out a turtle (the only one we saw that day), he also brought up an octopus for us to see. He let it go near the surface and squirted ink as it swam away. Nice!
#2. Safety. As much as I didn’t like the captain not letting my wife and me swim over to better snorkeling waters, I do know it was in the interest of safety. The captain also insisted we have a snorkeling buddy. Water noodles were available for buoyancy.
#3. Food and water. The Airbnb trip description stated that only water would be provided. To my surprise the dive master handed out chips of various flavors on our way to Molokini and there were Subway wraps of various kinds when we left Turtle Town. Since we didn’t have time for an early breakfast, this food was appreciated!
There were four notable problems with our trip:
Problem 1. Finding “Yuri”. Airbnb sent me a half dozen emails from “Yuri and Floyd” that were written in a personal warm tone. When I arrived at the Kihei Boat Ramp I went from boat to boat asking for “Yuri”. Finally the dive master on The Getaway yelled at me saying “We don’t have a Yuri here. There are over 100 Molokini snorkel booking agents, which boat are you booked on?” Searching my emails I found reference to “The Getaway”. So Airbnb bot-based personalization is obviously phony. That wasn’t Makena Coast Dive Charters fault per se, but they should check to see how they are represented by their 100 booking agents!
Problem 2. Makena Coast Dive Charters is the runt of the Kihei Boat Ramp “fleet”. All the boats going out of Kihei Boat Ramp are towed in by a trailer, and there is a pecking order of who’s boat gets launched first. The Alpha Kihei Boat Ramp operator apparently is the Redline Rafting Company . They had two (maybe three) boats that were put into the water first, loaded with passengers and were off. Second in line was Blue Water Rafting. Last and final was MCDC’s The Getaway; we were off at 7:11 AM, we were told 7:00..
Problem 3. Makena Coast Dive Charters’ Molokini mooring location is inferior to snorkeling specialists. Since MCDC was the last out of the harbor, it was no surprise our Molokini mooring site was far away from decent snorkeling. We ended up at GPS location 20.633825, -156.497452 about 444 feet from the crater wall (see photo with our location on it attached.) Redline Rafting Company and Trilogy have moorings in shallow water near the crater wall. Needless to say, we were dropped into deep water into a school of black triggerfish near the surface, and away from the coral. What’s my Molokini take away? Molokini has white sandy crater bottom with fairly clear water. When I ventured towards the Trilogy boat snorkeling zone, our Captain yelled at me to come back, he even sent Daniel out to bring me back. The mooring site was adequate for the two scuba divers on our boat, but I didn’t talk to them. I will note that the currents were strong that day and the boat captain contained us in a small area (in deep water, away from coral) for safety’s sake I am sure. However, the Molokini snorkeling specialists have moorings for snorkelers that are protected from the current.
Problem 4: The trip is shorter than advertised. We were back at 10:41, exactly 3.5 hours, not 4 hours. Trucks and trailers from the Redline Rafting Company and Blue Water Rafting were still in the parking lot. MCDC’s The Getaway was the last boat to leave the dock (7:11) and the first boat back in (10:41).