The one thing about a club dive out of a one man dive shop in Hawaii is that things sorta happen on Big Island time. The shop doesn't have a boat and caters to mostly local folks who want to shore dive. He's the only instructor and the shop itself is about the size of Bubbles on Alki. I arrived early because I have no idea how long it takes to drive anywhere. I showed up about 0845 for a 0900 meet at the shop. Once people showed up, woke up, called, called back, and got organized it was 1030 by the time we got in our cars to go. It was 1115 when we finally made with the splishy splash (as Kate would say). I wasn't impatient or annoyed and sorta enjoyed the process, or lack there of. Other local folks stopped by the shop and retold tales of a pool party the night before. I guess part of the problem of the late start was many members of the "club" were hungover. The town is small enough that one or two parties can create a totally different morning social dynamic. And to be totally fair these folks weren't really part of a club per se... just a bunch of local folks that the dive shop owner is friends with and he enjoys diving with them. I can dig it.
Here's the dive shop:
It was decided to hit a spot called the Lava Dome. On site there was some debate on why it's called that, but from what I've read on the Internets it is because of the huge ass mushroom shaped coral covered lava formations. Of which none of my photos came out. On top of one is one of the many moorings that are placed up and down the coast to stop folks from destroying the coral with their anchors. You can see one of the local dive boats tied up to it in one of my photos of the site. At one point I guess you could just drive your 4x4 down to the site but a housing development put up some fencing recently so we were forced to walk down to the water from the parking lot. This part of the Big Island is known to be the driest in the whole state. Total desert. I pulled my wetsuit to my waist and threw my rig on and marched on down with one of the dudes. I'm sorry I didn't take more photos of the way up and down because it was pretty fun.
Site survey from on high. You can just make out one of the guys laying around in his wetsuit cooling off in the water. Also on the opposite side is signs of progress. Someone building a house in this pristine area. Progress sucks:
Trixie the dog hanging out waiting for her owner to stop fooling around in the water. The lava is pretty dramatic no? The dive boat is visible in this photo.
The rest of the gang making their way down to the water. For some reason they chose a different way to get in so we met them around the point and dropped down all together in 30 feet of water.
Looking back at the entry... uh... soon to be exit:
The site is like the other Big Island sites I've been to. Lava ridges encrusted with coral. In and around these ridges are of course caves. I didn't venture into any this time. I figure I'll get to know these folks better before I find myself in an overhead environment. Plus by the time someone found a sleeping white tip my camera had run mostly out of batteries and I didn't want to use the flash. We dropped down in 30 feet and headed deep quickly. Actually everything they did was kinda quick compared to the pace I'm used to. Early on one of the guys sat right down on the sandy bottom in 50 feet of water and grabbed his fin tips to stretch. I didn't get over him fast enough to get him stretching but here he is relaxing:
The good doctor asked for a picture of a trigger and a wrasse. I wasn't fast enough for the wrasse and the flash didn't go off for the trigger. But here ya go buddy:
Here's a parrot... man are these fish fast! I'm going to need a camera that takes pictures faster than I can click:
My dive buddy:
The site dropped down to 80 feet and probably continued deeper. I wasn't interested in wasting my gas laying around the sand so as my dive buddy swam around in 80 feet I hung out 30 feet above him not being narced on 21%. In this photo I was about 25 or so feet above him as he noodled around:
Dr. Eelenstien:
Crown of thorns starfish. The most Tim Burton animal ever. The huge version of this photo has nice detail of it's colorings and markings:
Halfway up the walk back to my truck. Purdy sky no?
Getting out was kinda fun. The rocks I slid down on my bum to get in were slightly more awash as we climbed out. I ended up sliding on my stomach making seal noises and waiting for a wave to deposit me on a lava rock. I'm sorry I didn't have the thought to take a photo of the exit. I could see that being tricky in any sort of swell action.
I was able to finally use a DIN AL80 and I was psyched because my new DIN converter was bruising the back of my head. I'm still not quite trimmed out properly or maybe I just miss my doubles. It also could be the H STA sits so high up that I feel tippy. Maybe a DSS wing sans STA is in my future to keep the tank lower to my body. I think this site is going to become a staple of mine. Close to work and in spite of the walk pretty easy to get in and out. Rumor has it that the mantas really dig this spot so I'm totally bringing 21 watts of salvo love here very soon.
I'll keep trying to get a wrasse on film... which I enjoy saying because it rhymes with ass. I've got some shark footage that the video dude took earlier this week I'm slowly editing together. And some show-off scenes of me swimming around to show my mom.
Aloha and stuff,
-Eric
I am REALLY enjoying your reports / writing. Honestly! The first paragraph of your report is one of the best statements / perspectives I've read from any diver - let alone a UTD / DIR diver - on diving with folks that don't "Do It Like You Do". Well written, great attitude, well done sir! 
I think I'll have to cue the tape of Doug calling someone a stroke just to feel "normal"!
and people were laughing at the old bearded fat white guy with the slung pony and PNW whiteness 
on his legs?) I still remember the dutch guy at Bari Reef calling Doug and I "Techie Boys" as we walked down the dock carrying the bottles we would be slinging. At the same time I have found that all it takes is one OOA drill and the lights start going on. It quickly makes sense to most people, and even if they choose not to dive that way they are quick to understand.
