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The Back Side

Hawaii, United States
AOW suggested15–30 m depthBoat entryRash guard or 2mm shorty typical

Boat dive — see Entry & access.

The Back Side at a glance

The Back Side is an advanced boat dive site in Hawaii, United States with depths of 15–30 m (49–98 ft). Typically most favorable Oct · from 3 years of archive data. Divers commonly see Pyramid butterflyfish, Nudibranch, and Grey reef shark. Recent reports put the water around 28°C (82°F). Check the latest conditions and entry details before you go.

Marine model · graded 2h ago
1.1 mwaves — about a meter expected

Tap a factor for its source and model point · Forecast 28°C · seasonal avg 27°C

Site hazards: Exposed back-wall seas, current/drift, vertical depth drop, depth creep, boat separation, surge, and rapidly changing wind/afternoon conditions.

Read the full hazards ↓

Dive windows this week

Best: Fri
Fri8:00–10:00
Sat7:00–17:00
Sun7:00–13:00
Mon7:00–15:00
Tue7:00–19:00
Wed7:00–11:00
Thu7:00–19:00

Favorable windowModerate window— no window

First light 5:50 · Sunrise 6:12 · Sunset 18:32

Source: Open-Meteo marine · model point 4.8 km from site · graded 2h 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.

Dived here today — did the forecast match?

What Divers Say

Known for: Pyramid butterflyfish, Black coral, Whitetip reef shark
Best time: Best on calm early morning back-wall conditions with a boat crew experienced in Molokini current and wind patterns; operators should cancel or reroute when exposed conditions are unsafe.

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. Jan53%25°C1.6 m
  2. Feb26%25°C2.0 m
  3. Mar43%25°C1.7 m
  4. Apr37%25°C1.8 m
  5. May29%26°C1.8 m
  6. Jun27%26°C1.8 m
  7. Jul35%26°C1.6 m
  8. Aug35%27°C1.7 m
  9. Sep49%27°C1.5 m
  10. Oct70%27°C1.4 m
  11. Nov48%27°C1.7 m
  12. Dec61%26°C1.6 m

October 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

  • Aulostomidae recorded here Feb (1 record)

    most recent 2009

  • Bothidae recorded here Feb (1 record)

    most recent 2009

  • Diproctacanthus xanthurus recorded here Feb (1 record)

    most recent 2009

  • Histrio histrio recorded here Feb (1 record)

    most recent 2009

  • Pomacentridae recorded here Feb (1 record)

    most recent 2009

  • Scyllarus americanus recorded here May (1 record)

    most recent 2012

  • Triaenodon obesus recorded here May (1 record)

    most recent 2012

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.

The underwater calendar

When these animals are most recorded around Hawaiʻi — from open sighting data, not a promise.

Watch the whole year animate on the Migrations map

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.

Data updated July 2026

Site details

The Back Side is Molokini's exposed outside wall, a classic advanced wall/drift zone with vertical relief, clear water, and larger pelagic encounters when conditions cooperate. It is not a beginner or snorkel-focused site. Buoyancy and depth control are central because the wall drops far below normal recreational depths.

boatdriftreefwall

Exposed back-wall seas, current/drift, vertical depth drop, depth creep, boat separation, surge, and rapidly changing wind/afternoon conditions.

Reviews

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