Snorkel with Turtles is the snorkeling company associated with the dive shop Island Divers Hawaii.
We have 20 years experience taking scuba divers to see turtles underwater, and there is a site close to shore where we see them every day. As we received more and more requests for just viewing the turtles in their natural environment, in May of 2021 we dedicated our largest, most stable vessel to visiting that site. Just to Snorkel with Turtles!
Why should you choose us?
Maunalua Bay is Special
We snorkel with turtles in Maunalua Bay is on the east side of Diamond Head. It is part of the Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. We are the only snorkeling boat in Maunalua Bay as permits are restricted there. Chose Maunalua Bay if you prefer to be away from the crowds. Most turtle snorkeling tours visit a place called Turtle Canyons off Waikiki, there is nothing wrong with that site except that it is mobbed with snorkeling bots up to 12 at one time, and some of those boats hold 49 people. If you perfer a less crowded location, we got you.
Safety Is Our Priority
We strive to make your experience as safe and enjoyable as possible. All of our boats are Coast Guard certified with licensed captains. Our guides are CPR and water safety trained. We also employ positive flotation for everyone for safety and visibility in the water. Our powered rescue floats help even weak swimmers have an excellent experience.
Experience Is Our Trademark
While dedicated snorkeling tours are fairly new to the operation, we have been conducting scuba courses and dive tours on the island of Oahu for 21 years. We know the area intimately and love it for the unique and beautiful place that it is. Your guides are extremely experience water people. We love the place, the turtles, and will do everything in our power to help you have a fantastic experience.
FAQs
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Your Snorkel with Turtles experience begins at your confirmation time. You should leave enough time to arrive and sign a boat/excursion waiver prior to boarding at depature time. An extra 30 minutes is recommended in case of a traffic event. The boat safety briefing begins promptly at departure time. (This 5 minute briefing is your only grace period). The short boat ride to the snorkeling site will entail instructions on how to properly use snorkeling equipment, as well as the required floatation vest. The boat will be moored at the snorkeling site and guests will start entering the water approximately 30 minutes after the listed departure time. There will be at LEAST an hour to snorkel and have close up encounters with turtles. By 2 hours past departure time the boat will be headed back in, and approximately 2.5 hours after departure time you will leaving the vessel.
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Everyone age 6 and up. We are quite aware that not everyone knows how to snorkel, or even swim that well. We got you. First, you are going to get instruction on use of the snorkeling equipment. Second, everyone is getting a snorkeling vest. Kind of life a life jacket, but it can be deflated if you want to skin dive during the tour. Most people just leave it inflated for comfort. Finally, for those that don’t swim well we have the option for you to just hold onto the large rescue float. This float is attached to an underwater scooter that the guide can power around the site.
Snorkel with Turtles is probably your best company choice if you don’t swim well, because of the power assited rescue float. You just might have to wait your turn if the boat has all weak swimmers.
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Snorkel with Turtles is a snorkeling only excursion associated with the scuba diving shop Island Divers Hawaii. It has a dedicated wide bodied trimaram used to access the turtle resting and feeding station close to shore in Maunalua Bay. It is a dedicated tour for snorkelers wishing to view the green sea turtle up close. Starting in May of 2021 is has had a 100% success rate on over 300 tours as of this update on Dec 2021.
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Snorkel with turtles is an affiliate of Island Divers Hawaii. Please visit Island Divers Hawaii‘s website for more information on scuba diving charters. Island Divers Hawaii is also affiliated with Honolulu Scuba Company, a training center in downtown Honolulu. If you would like to try scuba diving the program consist of pool training in the morning and two scuba tank instructor guided dives in the afternoon. You can get more info on that here.
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We’ve thought about it, and some day we might. We have a 100% success rate since May of 2021. But we are not taking you to a zoo, you are going to be interacting with the green sea turtle in its natural environment. So the reality is that we can’t gaurantee anything, but the turtles are there every day and have been for the past 20 years. Here are some other things that we don’t guarantee with a best guess percentage chance you migth see them: dolphins (20%), whales in season Dec to April (50%), eagle rays (5%), monk seals (5%) and sharks (1%).
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Island Divers Hawaii also offers daily trips catering to novice and advanced recreational divers. The advanced morning charter often visits one of of Oahu’s many beautiful wrecks that lie around 90 feet, followed by a drift dive through beautiful 40-50 foot reefs inhabited by large Green Sea Turtles. You can check out all the trips they offer here: scuba trips calendar.
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Any tip should be based on the quality of the service received. $10 is probably average. It is industry standard to tip an excursion guide, though not required. Any size tip you do leave, regardless of size, is greatly appreciated!