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The Back Side

Hawaii, United States
AOW suggested15–30 m (49–98 ft) 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 27°C (81°F). Check the latest conditions and entry details before you go.

Next window today· 7:00–18:00 · favorable & moderate · sunset 17:54

Forecast for this hour · 2:00 · run 19 h ago
0.9 m (2.9 ft)waves — under a meter expected (waves — about three feet expected)

Tap a factor for its source and model point · Forecast 27°C · seasonal avg 27°C ( · Forecast 81°F · seasonal avg 81°F)

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

Mon7:00–16:00 favorable, 16:00–18:00 moderate

0.9 m waves · 6 kn wind (2.9 ft waves · 6 kn wind)

Tue7:00–18:00 favorable

0.9 m waves · 4 kn wind (3.0 ft waves · 4 kn wind)

Wed7:00–18:00 moderate

1.0 m waves · 8 kn wind (3.3 ft waves · 8 kn wind)

Thu7:00–10:00 favorable, 10:00–16:00 moderate, 16:00–18:00 favorable

1.0 m waves · 7 kn wind (3.1 ft waves · 7 kn wind)

Fri7:00–18:00 favorable

1.0 m waves · 3 kn wind (3.3 ft waves · 3 kn wind)

Sat7:00–11:00 favorable, 11:00–18:00 moderate

1.0 m waves · 8 kn wind (3.3 ft waves · 8 kn wind)

SunNot in the forecast yet

Favorable windowModerate window— no window

Every forecast dive window each day, site-local time, from wave and wind forecasts. Numbers under each bar are daylight averages.

First light 6:03 · Sunrise 6:25 · Sunset 17:54 · some windows run past sunset

Source: Open-Meteo marine · model point 4.8 km from site · updated 25 Oct, 07:21 GMT-10

Forecast only — always assess conditions on site.

Compare this weekend’s windows near The Back Side

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. January, 53% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 25°C (78°F), waves have typically been 1.6 m (5.3 ft), wind has typically been 12 knots
  2. February, 26% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 25°C (77°F), waves have typically been 2.0 m (6.5 ft), wind has typically been 14 knots
  3. March, 43% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 25°C (76°F), waves have typically been 1.7 m (5.7 ft), wind has typically been 13 knots
  4. April, 37% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 25°C (77°F), waves have typically been 1.8 m (5.9 ft), wind has typically been 14 knots
  5. May, 29% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 26°C (78°F), waves have typically been 1.8 m (5.9 ft), wind has typically been 15 knots
  6. June, 27% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 26°C (79°F), waves have typically been 1.8 m (5.7 ft), wind has typically been 15 knots
  7. July, 35% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 26°C (80°F), waves have typically been 1.6 m (5.3 ft), wind has typically been 14 knots
  8. August, 35% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 27°C (80°F), waves have typically been 1.7 m (5.6 ft), wind has typically been 14 knots
  9. September, 49% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 27°C (81°F), waves have typically been 1.5 m (5.0 ft), wind has typically been 14 knots
  10. October, 70% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 27°C (81°F), waves have typically been 1.4 m (4.6 ft), wind has typically been 12 knots, historically most favorable
  11. November, 48% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 27°C (80°F), waves have typically been 1.7 m (5.5 ft), wind has typically been 13 knots
  12. December, 61% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 26°C (79°F), waves have typically been 1.6 m (5.1 ft), wind has typically been 12 knots

October has typically 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

Rough labels: “Commonly seen” usually means two or more recorded sightings near this site in public dive logs (GBIF), “Occasionally seen” one; “Seasonal” and “Rarely seen” come from dive-guide research. Not a measured rate.

  • Aulostomidae recorded here Feb (1 record)

    most recent 2009

  • Bothidae 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

  • Whitetip Reef Shark recorded here May (1 record)

    Triaenodon obesusmost recent 2012

Newest record here: 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.

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