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Shore entry

Mala Wharf

Hawaii, United States
Open Water suggested3–11 m depthShore entryRash guard or 2mm shorty typical

Mala Wharf at a glance

Mala Wharf is a shore dive site in Hawaii, United States with depths of 3–10.7 m (10–35 ft). Typically most favorable Sep · from 3 years of archive data. Divers commonly see Whitetip reef shark, Green sea turtle, and Commerson's frogfish. Recent reports put the water around 27°C (81°F). Check the latest conditions and entry details before you go.

Marine model · graded 3h ago
1.2 mwaves — about a meter expected

Tap a factor for its source and model point · Forecast 27°C · seasonal avg 26°C

Site hazards: Slippery rocks/dead reef on the wade in (easier at high tide), boat-ramp traffic, occasional brisk current along the pilings, unstable wreckage - no penetration under slabs.

Read the full hazards ↓

Dive windows this week

Best: Thu
Sat—
Sun6:00–20:00
Mon6:00–20:00
Tue6:00–20:00
Wed6:00–20:00
Thu7:00–20:00
Fri7:00–20:00

Favorable windowModerate window— no window

First light 5:34 · Sunrise 5:58 · Sunset 19:08

Source: Open-Meteo marine · model point 2.7 km from site · graded 3h ago

Forecast only — always assess conditions on site.

Forecast · NOAA tide model

Tide & slack timing

Loading tide predictions

Recent diver reports

Dated firsthand observations from divers — not current conditions.

No diver reports for this site yet. — one dated observation helps every diver after you.

What Divers Say

Known for: Whitetip reef shark, Green sea turtle, Bluestripe snapper
Best time: High tide, calm mornings; also a renowned night dive.

Based on community reviews and site data. Conditions vary — always verify before diving.

Best months, historically

What conditions have historically been typical at this site, month by month — not a forecast.

  1. Jan57%25°C1.6 m
  2. Feb35%25°C1.8 m
  3. Mar46%25°C1.6 m
  4. Apr53%25°C1.5 m
  5. May52%25°C1.4 m
  6. Jun48%26°C1.4 m
  7. Jul40%26°C1.4 m
  8. Aug63%27°C1.3 m
  9. Sep70%27°C1.3 m
  10. Oct70%27°C1.3 m
  11. Nov31%26°C1.7 m
  12. Dec42%26°C1.8 m

September hastypically had the largest share of favorable days here. Conditions vary year to year — this is historical context, not a forecast.

Based on 3 years of archive data. Bar height shows the share of days each month whose conditions have historically scored favorably.

Marine life recorded at this site, by month

Recorded observations — evidence of past sightings, not a promise of what you’ll encounter.

Species seen here

  • Whitetip reef sharkCommonly seen
  • Green sea turtleCommonly seen
  • Commerson's frogfishOccasionally seen
  • Day octopusOccasionally seen
  • Bluestripe snapperCommonly seen
  • Nudibranchs (various)Commonly seen

  • Carcharhinus longimanus recorded here Jan, Jun (2 records)

    most recent 2014

  • Chelonia mydas recorded here Jan (2 records)

    most recent 2013

  • Antennatus coccineus recorded here Jan (1 record)

    most recent 2013

  • Gymnothorax eurostus recorded here Jan (1 record)

    most recent 2013

Counts are occurrence records near this site from public biodiversity datasets (GBIF), grouped by calendar month across all sampled years. Sightings vary — past records are context, not a prediction.

Fills & rentals nearby

Facts from OpenStreetMap, corrected by the community — listed by distance only. Details change; confirm with the shop.

Shop facts come from OpenStreetMap and community corrections, shown nearest first. PickADive lists facts and contacts only — no listing is sponsored or ranked.

Site details

The collapsed remains of Lahaina's Mala pier - knocked down by Hurricane Iniki in 1992 - now form one of Hawaii's best artificial reefs in only 10-35 ft of water. The fallen concrete slabs and pilings shelter resting whitetip reef sharks, abundant green turtles, frogfish and dense fish schools. The area was affected by the August 2023 Lahaina wildfire, but the boat ramp and dive site have reopened and diving has resumed.

muckreefshorewreck

Slippery rocks/dead reef on the wade in (easier at high tide), boat-ramp traffic, occasional brisk current along the pilings, unstable wreckage - no penetration under slabs.

Reviews

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