Franko's Dive Map of Hawai'i, The Big Island
Printed on waterproof, rip-proof plastic. Available folded or flat laminated (like a placemat)
Map size: 14" x 21"
FM-HF (Folded $6.00) ISBN 1-931494-13-4
FM-HL (Laminated $10.00) ISBN 1-931494-38-X
Franko's Dive Map of Hawaii, The Big Island
SIDE ONE
Side 1 shows Franko’s Map of Hawaii with an amazing shaded relief depiction of the island as it ascends from the sea to nearly 14,000 feet on Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. These volcanoes, plus the very active Kilauea, as well as Hualalai and the inactive Kohala mountains (in the very northern panhandle of the Big Island) are clearly shown, along with the roads that circumnavigate and cut across the island. Shaded in a gray tone, the major lava flows from the last 200 years are depicted, indicating just how volatile the underlying volcanoes of Hawaii are in this era.
The various scuba diving and snorkeling sites that are the delight of millions of tourists are shown. Most of them are along the leeward side of the island, from Kawaihae and Kohala, down through the Kona Coast to South Kona. They include places to see the magnificent Manta Rays at night, as well as sites to see an absolute myriad of tropical reef creatures (almost everywhere along the coast). A few dive sites are also shown in the Hilo area. As a prominent dive shop owner said, Well, the water does go ALL the way around the island, you know. Yes, there is good diving over there too.
Dozens of colorful tropical reef creatures swimming amid the corals of the reef are depicted. They include the Humuhumu Nukunuku Apua’a, the Hawaii State Fish, of course, plus many butterflyfish, surgeonfish, wrasse, unicorn fish, and many more. The Na’ia, Hawaiian for dolphin, and the Kohola, which means whale, are also shown.
Dive site and other descriptions on Side 1 are as follows:
MAHUKONA 15' - 30' (5 - 9m) Beg. - Int.
Snorkel or scuba off cement dock just N of Lapakahi Historical Park. Ship & barge wreckage. Friendly brown spotted moray. Huge yellow-margin moray. Many reef fishes. Invertebrates inhabit wreckage
BLACK POINT N & S 55' - 100' (17 - 30m) Adv.
Boat dive. Sheer wall drops-off to 100' (30m) just W ofmooring. Fragile corals along wall. Lots of reef fish. Large pelagics cruise by. aka MALA'E PT.
KEI KEI CAVERNS (HORSESHOE) 30' - 70' (9 - 21m) Int. .
Boat dive. Huge horseshoe-shaped coral reef. Sand patches and corals on bottom. Very clear water. Caverns inshore. All kinds of reef fishes. Urchins. Lobsters
ULUA CAVERNS 15' - 100'+ (5 - 30m+) Beg. - Adv.
Boat dive. Big swim-through cave. Rock ledges. Corals. Lots of butterflyfish. Puffers. Deep drop off W of mooring. Caution: Currents can be strong
FROG ROCK 10' - 65' (3 - 20m) Beg. - Adv.
Boat dive. Lots of interconnecting caverns shallow. Porcupine puffers. Sand patches. Octopuses. Lots of invertebrates. Caution: Currents can be strong
LAVA DOME ROCK (THE DOME) 30' - 100' (12 - 30m) Beg. - Adv.
Shore or boat dive. Giant head of "Porites Rus" coral. Valleys of coral formations & sand patches. Reef sharks common
CRYSTAL COVE 30' - 75' (9 - 22m) Beg. - Adv.
Boat dive. Protected from wind. Clear water. Black sandy bottom. Lots of sea shells. Invertebrates. Green sea turtles. All kinds of reef fish. Spinner dolphins. Garden eels
KAUANOA BEACH ("MAUNA KEA BEACH") Best Beach on the Big Island. Great swimming beach. Superb bodyboarding when surf is up. Limited parking at hotel
PUAKO 10' - 30' (3 - 9m) Beg. - Adv.
terrain & sealife. Urchins. Stinging anemones. Colorful coral. Small sandy cove entry. Lava shelf. Holes. Tunnels. Diverse Squirrelfish. Trumpetfish. Huge jacks. Eels everywhere
MAKAIWA BAY 25' - 40' (8 - 12m) Beg. - Int.
Boat dive. Shallow. Lots of colorful corals cover bottom. Rock ledges,ridges, archways & caverns. Numerous reef fish. Green sea turtles
HAUNTED CAVERN (FINGERS) 20' - 50' (6 - 15m) Beg. - Int.
Boat dive. Called "FINGERS" because of long lava finger ridges extending seaward. Arches. Caverns. Valleys. Unicornfish. Surgeon Fishes. Many kinds of corals. Green sea turtles
PENTAGON 10' - 35' (6 - 12m) Beg.
Boat dive. Excellent shallow dive. Excellent snorkeling. Superb cavern network. Best fish variety in region. Can be snorkeled from beach
ROBERT'S REEF 20' - 60'+ (6 - 18m) Beg. - Adv.
Boat dive. Lava shelf. Colorful coral heads. Pyramid butterflies. Sergeant majors. Octopuses. Spinner dolphins. Caution: deep drop-off. Currents
GARDEN EEL COVE 30' -80' (21 - 24m) Beg. - Int.
Beach or boat dive at Kona Internat'l. Airport. Rocky & sandy bottom with garden eels. Surrounding reef. Great boat dive at night to see manta rays (Franko loved this dive)
GOLDEN ARCHES 30' -50' (9 - 15m) Beg. - Adv.
Boat dive. Archways & bridges in lava rock. White sand. Corals. Various Butterflyfish. Potter's angelfish. Blueline snapper. Photogenic staghorn coral on S side
PYRAMID PINNACLE 65' - 100'+' (20 - 20m+) Int. - Adv.
Boat dive. Rapid drop-off into clear, deep water. Scattered boulders. Scattered coral heads. All kinds of reef fish in large numbers. Note: Kona Coast fisheries management area zone - No collecting or feeding
SUCK-EM-UP CAVERN 30' - 60' (9 - 18m) Beg. - Adv.
Boat dive. 100' (30m) long lava tube with skylights. Corals. Moorish idols. Puffers. Threadfin butterflies. Trumpetfish. Eels. Lobsters. Shells. Good cave for beginners
TURTLE HAVEN. TURTLE PINNACLE to 60' (18m) Beg. - Int.
Beach or boat dives. Both areas are haven to green sea turtles. Cleaning station for turtles with rainbow cleaner wrasse. Parrotfish. Octopuses. Eels. Scorpionfish
KAIWI POINT (FISH ROCK) 15' - 60' (5 - 18m) Beg. - Int.
Rocky shore dive. Large boulders. Finger coral. All kinds of tropical reef rish. Huge schools of black durgon & milletseed butterflies. Reef triggerfish. Whitetip reef sharks. Manta rays. Whale sharks
OLD AIRPORT 20' - 30' (6 - 9m) Beg. - Int.
Entry on sand & paho'oehoe (smooth) lava 300' (90m) N of parking lot. 2nd entry 750 further N on paho'oehoe shelf into 20' (6m) deep water. Small caves & holes. Lionfish. Cleaner wrasse servicing fishes. On S side is lava archway. Moray eels. Eagle rays. Manta rays. Lots of shellfish
MANTA RAYS 20' - 40' (6 - 12m) Beg. - Int.
Boat night dive. Favorite Kona Coast dive to view manta rays at night. Mantas to 14' (5m) wingspan. Excellent for scuba or snorkeling. Divemagazine rates this amongst top 10 dives in the world
MAGIC SANDS Kona's best bodyboarding at White Sands Beach – site of annual Magic Sands Bodysurfing Contest. Good surfing at "The Banyan" just north of beach. Site of ancient surfing
FANTASEA REEF 12' - 50' (4 - 15m) Beg. - Int.
Boat dive. Whitetip reef shark give site alternate name, "MANO POINT". Large Christmas tree coral. Large skylit cavern to south
LONG LAVA TUBE (AMPHITHEATER) 25' - 40' (8 - 12m) Int. - Adv.
Boat dive off "RED HILL" area. Entrance to 120' (36m) long cave at 35' (11m) depth. Cave has sunlit holes. Lots of fish. Corals. Nudibranchs. Cowries. Pipefish. walls with nooks & crannies. Yellowmargin eels
KEALAKEKUA BAY 5' - 100'+ (2 - 30m+) Beg. - Int.
Easy sandy beach entry. Fabulously diverse dive area for snorkeling or scuba. Huge sandy area to right. Barracuda. Ulua. Reef area to right. All kinds of reef fish. Eels. Lobsters. Octopuses. Freshwater springs. Turtles
KE'EI 15' - 100' (3 - 30m) Beg. - Adv.
Lava shelf entry just S of underwater park. Clear water. Colorful Corals. Many tropical reef fishes. Whitetip reef sharks. Turtles. Seastars. Morays. Garden eels in sand at 90' (27m). Stonefish
PLACE OF REFUGE 0' - 100' (0 - 30m) Beg. - Adv.
Most diverse, accessible, excellent shore dive site on Hawaii. Easy beach entry. Many reef fish. Yellow tang. Moorish idols. Achilles tang. Green sea turtles. Crown of thorns seastar. Sandy flats at 80'+ (24m+) Depth. Caution: This area is sacred - please be respectful
INSIDE ILLUSIONS 30' - 80' (9 - 24m) Int.
Boat dive. Two huge pinnacles. Many canyons & holes inshore. Lionfish. pipefish. Rare yellowfin squirrelfish. Razor wrasse. Ghost shrimp. Garden eels. Tiger cowries
MILOLI'I BAY 6' - 65' (2 - 20m) Beg. - Adv.
Wharf or sand and rubble beach entry. Tide pools. Good snorkeling over shallow pahoehoe lava. Small corals. Lots of fish. Marine Life Conservation District. Caution: Boat traffic. Currents on outside. Surf
PUNALU'U (BLACK SANDS) 5' - 60' (2 - 18m) Beg. - Int.
Beautiful Black Sands Beach with coconut palms & freshwater lagoon. Lots of hawksbill turtles. Colorful corals. Reef fishes. Moray eels. Whales in Winter & early Spring. Caution: Waves & strong currents. Good surfing on S swells
LAVA FLOW DIVE It is no longer possible to scuba dive the lava flow in bathtub-warm water 100' (30m) from molten shore. Divers formerly witnessed the snapping, crackling, rumbling, bubbling water where lava invades the sea. Scary!
POHO'IKI 20' - 100' (6 - 30m) Beg. - Adv.
Best shore dive in East Hawaii. Incredible variety of fish & invertebrates. Green sea & Hawksbill turtles. Caution: Big waves. Boat traffic. Surfers
RAINBOW FALLS One of Big Island's best waterfalls. Best seen in morning. Cave behind falls where some say Kamehameha I buried his father's bones
RICHARDSON BEACH <20' (6m) Inside. to 100'+ (30m+) Outside Beg. - Adv.
Excellent snorkeling. Beginner scuba or scuba tune-ups. Also good for bodyboarding. Green sea turtles. Sergeant majors. Trumpetfish. Unicornfish. Variety of surgeonfish. Whales. Caution: North swell. Strong currents outside
LELEIWI 10' - 70' (3 - 21m) Beg. - Adv.
Hilo's best shore dive. Six lava arches. Large coral heads. Variety of hard corals. All kinds of reef fish. Green sea turtles. Spinner dolphins. Whales in Winter and Spring. Caution: North swell. Strong currents
PUHI BAY 10' - 60' (3 - 18m) Beg. - Int.
Beach dive. Good alternate if Leleiwi is no good. Small lava tubes. Caves. Walls. Colorful corals. Green sea turtles. Variety of tropical fish. Invertebrates. Caution: North swell. No good during & after heavy rain
AKAKA FALLS Akaka & Kahuna Falls are over 400' (120m) tall. Bamboo. Giant gingers. Fern tree forest. Great after a rain
SIDE TWO
Side 2 of Franko’s Dive Map of Hawaii zooms in on the Kona Coast, Hilo Area, Kilauea Volcano, and Kailua-Kona, and has a fantastic view of the whole chain of The Hawaiian Islands, as it stretches hundreds of miles across the middle of the vast North Pacific Ocean.
In the wonderful close-up of the Kona Coast, with diving and snorkeling spots located and described, plus locations of many places to see or visit along the Kona Coast, such as the Captain Cook monument, golf courses, or resorts.
The Hilo area with its many waterfalls and other features is detailed with its major roads and features.
The town of Kailua-Kona is shown in detail with the locations of shopping and lodging sites.
No Big Island map could be complete without a detail of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and specifically the Kilauea Volcano. Lava flows from the last few decades of very active eruptions are shown with their flow dates. This detail of Franko’s Dive Map of Hawaii has to be frequently updated, because the lava keeps rearranging the landscape! You will note the extensive and on-going lava flows rolling down the flanks of Kilauea to the Pacific Ocean. This is a fascinating look at America’s literal growth, as acres are added to the Big Island every year. The constant eruptions and vast lava flows have caused a considerable revamping of the Kilauea map detail each year.
Dive site and other descriptions for the Kona Coast inset on Side 2 are as follows:
PENTAGON 10' - 35' (6 - 12m) Beg.
Boat dive. Excellent shallow dive and snorkeling. Superb cavern network. Best fish variety in region. Can be snorkeled from beach
ROBERT'S REEF 20' - 60'+ (6 - 18m) Beg. - Adv.
Boat dive. Lava shelf. Colorful coral heads. Pyramid butterflies. Sergeant majors. Octopuses. Dolphins. Caution: Deep drop-off. Currents
HOOVER'S TOWER (OTEC) 30' - 60' (9 - 18m) Beg. - Adv.
Boat dive at Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion site (Franko worked on "OTEC" here). Lava rock. Cauliflower and antler corals. Scorpionfish. Eagle rays. "Hoover" the mustacheod conger eel
GARDEN EEL COVE 30' -80' (21 - 24m) Beg. - Int.
Beach or boat dive at Kona International Airport. Sandy areas with garden eels. Boat dive at night to see manta rays
HIGH ROCK, PHANTOM RIDGE, CARPENTER'S HOUSE
10' - 60' (6 - 18m) Beg. - Adv. Boat dives. Lava pinnacles. Arches. Caves. Heller's barracuda. Pyramid butterflyfish. Shrimp. Octopuses. Turtles. Caution: Currents. Deep drop-off
GOLDEN ARCHES 30' -50' (9 - 15m) Beg. - Adv.
Boat dive. Archways and bridges in lava rock. White sand. Corals. Various butterflyfish. Potter's angelfish. Blueline snapper. Photogenic staghorn coral on south side
PINE TREES POINT 15' - 60' (5- 18m) Beg. - Adv.
Boat dive. Arches. Lava tubes. Colorful corals. Trumpetfish. Eels. Eagle rays. Jacks. Caution: Currents. Surge. Deep drop-off
PYRAMID PINNACLE 65' - 100'+' (20 - 20m+) Int. - Adv.
Boat dive. Rapid drop-off into deep water. Scattered boulders. Scattered coral heads. All kinds of reef fish in large numbers. Note: Kona Coast fisheries management area zone - No collecting or feeding. Adjacent sites include SKUNK HOLLOW and KALOKO ARCHES
SUCK-EM-UP CAVERN 30' - 60' (9 - 18m) Beg. - Adv.
Boat dive. 100' (30m) long lava tube with skylights. Corals. Moorish idols. Puffers. Threadfin butterflies. Trumpetfish. Eels. Lobsters. Shells. Good cave for beginner
LONE TREE ARCH 20' - 60' (6 - 18m) Beg. - Adv.
Boat dive. Large archway aka "BIG ARCH". Lava rocks. Sand chutes. Coral heads. Orange cup coral. Coral shrimp. Frogfish. Yellow tangs. Cleaner wrasse. Caution: Surgy by shore
TURTLE HAVEN. TURTLE PINNACLE to 60' (18m) Beg. - Int.
Beach or boat dives. Both areas are haven to green sea turtles. Cleaning station for turtles with rainbow cleaner wrasse. Parrotfish. Octopuses. Moray Eels. Scorpionfish
MORAY EEL COVE 30' - 60' (9 - 18m) Beg. - Adv.
Beach or boat dive. Green coral reef. Sandy bottom. Yellow margin. White mouth, zebra & dragon morays. Spanish dancer. Eels breeding site. Butterflyfish. Dolphins
KAIWI POINT (FISH ROCK) 15' - 60' (5 - 18m) Beg. - Int.
Rocky shore dive. Large boulders. Finger coral. All kinds of tropical reef fish. Huge schools of black durgon and milletseed butterflies. Reef triggerfish. Whitetip reef sharks. Manta rays. Whale sharks
OLD AIRPORT 20' - 30' (6 - 9m) Beg. - Int.
Entry on sand & paho'oehoe (smooth) lava 300' (90m) N of parking lot. 2nd entry 750 further N on paho'oehoe shelf into 20' (6m) deep water. Caves and holes. Hawaiian lionfish. Cleaner wrasse servicing fishes. On south side is lava archway. Moray eels. Spotted eagle rays. Lots of shellfish
KAILUA 20' - 35' (6 - 11m) Beg. - Int.
Easy beach entry at the Southern little beach by pier. Stay S of buoys and boats. Coral encrusted anchors. Lava flats w. Shelves. Nudibranchs. Seastars. Crabs. Shrimp. Octopus. Cardinalfish. Whitetip reef sharks. Good night dive
MANTA RAYS 20' - 40' (6 - 12m) Beg. - Int.
Boat night dive. Favorite Kona Coast dive to view manta rays at night. Mantas to 14' (5m) wingspan. Excellent for scuba or snorkeling. Top 10 dive in the world
PAHOEHOE BEACH PARK 15' - 40' (3 - 12m) Beg. - Int.
Enter at tiny beach at north end of park. Rocky, sandy bottom. Blueline butterflyfish. Green sea turtles. 7-11 crabs. Caution: Waves
MILE 4 5' - 50' (2 - 15m) Beg. - Int.
Boat dive or easy entry on rocky beach. Common introductory Dive. Reef triggerfish (Humuhumu Nukunuku Apua'a). Moorish idols
KAHALU'U to 30' (9m) Beg. - Int.
Easy beach dive. Possibly the best snorkeling in the State of Hawaii. Fed by fresh water spring, up to 10 million gallons per day. Almost always calm. Colorful corals. rock formations. 100+ species of fishes. Numerous invertebrates. Green sea turtles. Beach with showers, restrooms, picnic
FANTASEA REEF 12' - 50' (4 - 15m) Beg -Int.
Boat dive. Whitetip reef shark give site alternate name, "MANO POINT". Large Christmas tree coral. Large skylit cavern to South
CHIMNEY 6'' - 70' (15 - 21m) Int. - Adv.
Vertical lava tube may be entered at 60' on calm days, exit at 6'. Reef wall. Lobsters. Scorpionfish. Colorful invertebrates, corals and sponges
LONG LAVA TUBE (AMPHITHEATER) 25' - 40' (8 - 12m) Int. - Adv.
Boat Dive Off "RED HILL" Area. Entrance to 120' (36m) Long Cave at 35' (11m) Depth. Cave Broken with Sunlit Holes. Lots of Fish. Corals. Nudibranchs. Cowries. Pipefish. Lava walls with nooks and crannies. Raccoon butterflyfish. Yellowmargin eels
KEALAKEKUA BAY 5' - 100'+ (2 - 30m+) Beg. - Int.
Easy sandy beach entry. Fabulously diverse dive area for snorkeling or scuba. Huge sandy area to right. Barracuda. Ulua. Reef area to right. All kinds of reef fish. Eels. Lobsters. Octopuses. Freshwater springs. Turtles. Mantas. Great snorkeling at NAPO'OPO'O Beach Park
KE'EI 15' - 100' (3 - 30m) Beg. - Adv.
Lava shelf entry just S of underwater park. Extremely clear water. Colorful corals. Many tropical reef fishes. Whitetip reef sharks. Turtles. Seastars. Moray eels. Garden eels in sand at 90' (27m) depth. Stonefish
PLACE OF REFUGE 0' - 100' (0 - 30m) Beg. - Adv.
Most diverse, accessible, excellent shore dive site on Hawaii. Easy beach entry. Many reef fish. Yellow tang. Moorish idols. Achilles tang. Green sea turtles. Crown of thorns seastar. Sandy flats at 80'+ (24m+) depth. Caution: This area is sacred - Please be respectful
INSIDE ILLUSIONS 30' - 80' (9 - 24m) Int.
Boat dive. Two huge pinnacles. Many canyons & holes inshore. Lionfish. Pipefish. Rare yellowfin squirrelfish. Razor wrasse. Ghost shrimp. Garden eels. Tiger cowries
