Underwater Wreckage of the old Mala Pier

November 10, 2011

I am always looking for great shore dives here in Maui. Being able to go scuba diving from the shore is a great way to have a laid back, flexible dive where you don't have to worry about catching a boat or paying alot of money to charter a dive cruise. $4 a tank is all you need if you have all of your own gear like I do.

The wreckage of the old Mala Pier is one of my favorite shore dives on the west side of Maui. The water is always clear, is doesn't get much more than 35ft deep, which means you can stay down for a long time. Plus there is the added benefit of seeing turtles, sharks, and eagle rays on almost every dive. Maybe I have just gotten lucky.

The wreckage at the site makes it very similar to a shipwreck dive. The hard concrete pillars from the old pier gave the coral something to attach to which in turn attracts all forms of life. With all of the big animals roaming around sometimes it is hard to remember to look for the small stuff. But here at Mala there are tons of shrimp, nudibranchs, and other hidden treasure waiting to be found.


My first Red Lionfish!

White Margin nudibranch

My buddy Pat and I went for a dive the other day before our All-Star baseball game and searched out some of these small treasures. Here is what we found...