Blow Hole

Blow Hole, called Pinball Machine by the locals has a tumultuous surge near the rocks. The beach is also known as cock roach beach by locals. One should only attempt diving here when conditions are near perfect. If you see only white water at the entrance of the small inlet do not dive. The surf being up to 3 feet makes it a tough dive for even the more experienced diver. The Molokai Express runs offshore and can be a dangerous and fast current. It is advised to stay within 100 feet of shore and to try to dive Blowhole at slack or incoming tide. Visibility is generally quite good and one can see some amazing ledges that drop up to 60 feet. Marine life in this area includes goatfish, Spanish Dancers, large sea turtles and Butterfly Fish. One can also view whales and dolphins at certain times of the year. Be aware of the rocks and cliff edges at the entry and exit points. To dive here go to the road and you will see a path down the rocks to cockroach beach. Be careful climbing down. Once at the beach you enter/exit at the beach. You can also enter and exit on the rocks (if you out to sea the left hand side) only if it is calm (very rare here). Once in the water swim to the entrance of the inlet you will pass sever large rocks between the walls of the inlet (hence the pinball name). Be conscious of the walls as the waves can easily push you on them. Once you clear the mouth of the inlet there is a large rock. Drop there. If it is still rough there swim out a little ways to a large clearing area where you will see prison breaks fish grazing. Drop here. There is two paths to dive. You can swim a little ways out to a outcropping of reef on your right. This rock is tapers to a very large rock as you go around it. Swim around it on the seaward side (don't stray to far as the current starts to rip the farther out you are). The rock will turn into a large wall. Swim all the way around. Check all the nooks and crannies as crab and lobster are common here. Once you come almost all the way around you will see several ledges in the rock. Swim back toward the main wall of island. Swim up and over some huge boulders and you will see a canyon in the rocks. There is old lawn furniture here and fishing lures are common here (along with rods). There is also a small cave here, be careful as it is tighter than it looks and will just take you to the other side of the rock and back to the sandy area. As your come toward the end of the canyon it is sheer wall to the surface (be careful of active fishing lines here, the fishermen will snag you). Follow along the wall and you will come to an inlet. Explore all over it (if surge isn't too rough, if it is stay out of the inlet). You will see large fish and rare crab here if you look in all the nooks and crannies. Turn around at half a tank and make your way back. Take the route between the large rock you swam around and the large rocks to your left. Explore all the ledges, nooks and crannies. You will come to a small valley. Pass up over some rocks and you will come to 2 small outcroppings of large rocks with reef on top. Make your safety stop here as the surge is less here. Once done make your way to where you dropped (either large rock or flat area with the prison breaks), these areas will be a little ways straight and the mouth of the inlet will be to your left. The other route to explore is to drop and go left and take the wall all the way around the site. Explore around all the outcroppings of rocks as there is lots to see. You can take the canyon or the sandy area to the wall. This is not a huge site, but there is lots to explore and see. Pics with all the beer bottles makes for some great goofy pics.

Blow Hole Dive Info: Key Characteristics and Details