Yonegan Pro-Diver Maui — Local services in Maui

If you are a beginner this place is probably not the best choice. The molokini back wall dive was not for beginners due to current and depth and instructor was not very patient.

I booked Molokini back wall dive after Prodiver Maui told me it’s ok for beginners. I asked if they pair up single divers or have the instructor as diving buddy and I was told the whole group will stay close together.

First dive was great, Burch asked how I was after the dive. I explained my ear is not very comfortable that day and I may take longer to adjust in the beginning. I didn’t expect it to be an issue. I took a bit longer to adjust the pressure but I kept up with the group shortly after. In my previous dive, I didn’t have this issue but when others did, the instructor always waited the whole group to descend.

Second dive was horrible. I was not able to equalize my ears as fast as others. Burch instructed me to dive above the group. I was at 20 ft and the group was 40-50. I kept up swimming with the group while adjusting the pressure. However, I found myself having difficulty catching up with him since there was a current at my level. Burch was rushing (he explained he wanted to get to the next place ASAP after the dive). He failed to notice how far away I was. There was a point where I can barely see the group so I assume the distance was over 50 ft. I was not very comfortable since I don’t have a diving buddy around and I started thinking about ascending but I had no way to signal the instructor. At that point I noticed he finally slowed down but started ascending. I was able to adjust the pressure and reached the same level as they ascend (40-50ft). I thought he stopped bc he noticed me but I was wrong. It was because a couple in the group had difficulty breathing. One of them was not able to keep up in the current, she had a minor panic attack and had to ascend. Fortunately her diving buddy was nearby. Everyone got back to the surface due to this accident. Burch started yelling at me ‘come over here I need talk yo you’. He said I need you to keep up with the group. I explained there was a current at my level and i tried my best to keep up. I was not comfortable going back with him again so I went back to the boat with the couple.

It was very windy and there were a lot of current at the back wall. I’m glad I ended the second dive. Burch came up with the rest 4 divers after the dive and he explained to the couple and me about what happened and why he was rushing. But still there was no reason to rush and leave 2 divers behind. It’s a recreational dive, safety always come first. He also told me that I’m supposed to end the dive when I take longer to equalize my ears in a ‘take away lesson’. I asked him how I can signal him when he’s almost invisible. I should have just ascend and think about my own safety first. I had my tips ready but I decided to not tip at all due to what happened.

I talked about my experience to a few friends who were asking recommendations for dive shops and they were shocked after hearing my experience. Divers should not be left behind no matter what. Either signal or send them back or wait a few more...

Nov 2022 experience Summary: Day 1 Prodiver did a no-call no show, and day 2 was no-show, we were alerted to the cancellation by a call 15 minutes after our 6:00am meeting time. Various other communication difficulties along the way. Notably, Prodiver changed ownership summer or fall of 2022 and talking to others, it seems that organization has been a challenge since then.

We called a few weeks in advance to book two days of diving with Prodiver and all seemed well until day of first dive. Day 1: Altho we realized the email directions weren't very specific as to where at Makena Landing to meet, we waited in the park near other scuba/snorkel tours. The email also listed a nearby address, which turned out to be a private home nearby not affiliated with the business at all; the young man was a little alarmed by our presence but remembered that oh yeah, a few divers had come by recently and he didn't know why. We couldn't reach the dive company for several tries, and eventually reached the office, where the woman who answered said she didn't know where tours met, or how to contact any divemasters, but did give us the owner's phone number. Eventually he answered and said that conditions were poor that day (didn't actually say dive was canceled) and that he couldn't talk now but would call back in 15 minutes. We chatted with some divers emerging at Makena Landing who said they had a fantastic dive with excellent visibility. Its being a sunny day without much wind, we decided to make it a beach day nearby. Owner did not ever call back, but we called him again several times and reached him later that afternoon. He was able to convince us that in the unlikely event that the following day's trip had to be canceled, we would receive appropriate advance notice.

Day 2: No-show. Lots of other dive companies in the parking lot at Kihei boat ramp, some said Prodiver had been showing up late recently so not to worry, they're probably on the way. 15 minutes after meeting time, we got a voicemail (missed call due to poor cell signal) saying that conditions were poor again. 50 minutes after meeting time, employees came by in person to let people know the dive was indeed cancelled. We were luckily able to have a wonderful dive by jumping on with another company last minute. They did mention they would be looking out for potentially choppy water and modifying the dive sites as needed for conditions/weather, but everything ended up going very smoothly without modifications.

We called the office and were able to get a full refund for both dives.

Finally, a week after returning home, we got a voicemail and a text message saying that our payment for the trips had not gone through, could we please call to complete payment? We were able to explain why we did not...

I have a lot of wonderful things to say about Prodiver Maui! If you're looking for a tl;dr, here it is: Prodiver Maui gets every aspect of the diving experience right, and will exceed all of your expectations involving service and quality. Don't hesitate to book with them!

Some context I've been diving all over Hawaii with my family now since 2011, and have also done quite a few dives in other places around the world. I have over 20 dives under my belt, including "speciality" dives like night diving and scooter dives. The rest of my family is also quite experienced, and we'd all agree that Prodiver hits it out of the park in ways no one else has.

What impressed me so much This trip to Maui consisted of my family, and my girlfriend, who's a beginner diver. She ended up having some panic attacks and claustrophobia on our trip, due to some traumatic experiences with water earlier in her life and a poor certification process back home.

All those panic attacks happened while we were on the boat with these guys. And let me say, every single member of the crew were incredibly supportive, helpful, patient, and encouraging. They went above and beyond in so many ways to make sure my girlfriend felt comfortable and had the support and assistance she needed to enjoy herself and walk away with a positive experience!

My hat's off to you guys. Jen, Scott, Kerri, Paul, & Keoni you guys seriously rock. Your expertise, confidence, experience, and willingness to make not only her trip, but all of our's trip, made us lifelong customers as long as you're around on the island.

What you can expect These guys take care of it all -- from managing your gear, to providing treats, drinks, and snacks in between your dives, to getting you in the water and back safely, all the while having a great time. It feels like luxury diving!

The boat is smaller and more personal which works in their favor. The big cattle-call boats can't deliver in quality the same way these guys can. You also get broken up into smaller groups with your own dive master to guide you around and show you all the hard-to-spot wildlife you would miss otherwise.

They also get a much earlier start (meet time for us was 6:15 am at the docks) than others, but you also get the most perfect conditions available that day before all the other people show up. We were leaving Molokini when everyone else was just getting there!

Final thoughts All in all, you can't go wrong with Prodiver Maui. From quality of gear, to knowledge and experience, to above & beyond service, and to great people who really enjoy sharing Maui's diving, you'll be in for a real treat.

If you book one boat dive, be prepared to find yourself booking more after...