I can't remember who my favorite dive operator was but Mike Severns is now my favorite. Booking wasn't smooth but it was worth it to get on this boat. Everyone was nice, fun, helpful, and friendly. First of all, they were the ONLY op to request to see a negative covid test and insisted everyone wear a mask while on the boat. Other ops asked everyone to wear a mask but only enforced it when near the dock. Secondly, Pauline was our DM and a gem. You know she is passionate about diving and the creatures in the ocean. She goes into depth about animal behavior which I found fascinating. Before we jumped in, she told us about an octopus with eggs in a small crevice under a tank. She explained they would be difficult to spot but we really had to get our head down low (and she wasn't kidding). The boat is capped at 6 divers but we only had 5 so we took our time to find them. Everyone patiently waited their turn and no one cut the line. Someone mentioned MS is not patient with newbies but that's not what I observed. They answered all questions and made sure everyone was comfortable before jumping into the water and before we descended. I was a little cold but thoroughly enjoyed each dive. Lastly, they have the BEST snacks. They have fresh baked cinnamon buns, cookies and banana bread. I can't recommend them enough. read more

Mike Severns Diving - Hermit crab Pauline helped me take a photo of. - Diving Near Me

Ya know, at the time we went, which was a week after the tourism opened up, it was rough and tough to find a spot to dive, since I've never dove in Maui before. Pauline from Mike Severn hit me up, not 5 days before and was able to swing me into a dive the day after I arrived. It was really awesome and very informative, it's my first dive of the year and I was super excited, I've also never been to Molokini as well. We saw an octopus, a couple eels and also a friggin shark! which was really cool! They made a good job of keep everyone socially distanced and keeping everyone safe. I also like the fact you head out at like 6AM so beat the crowds! Great company to dive with!! read more

I can't speak highly enough. Pauline took my basic idea of an underwater proposal and turned it into reality. She went way above and beyond, even printing and laminating flashcards for the proposal. And taking the ring and placing it inside a heart shaped shell, topped with a little ribbon. Not to mention just an excellent dive master with incredible knowledge, particularly for the little sea creatures others tend to ignore. Her whole crew was excellent and took COVID precautions serious which we greatly appreciated. Thank you Pauline! read more

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In my very limited scuba diving experience this has to be one of the best scuba diving operators I've ever dived with. Pauline, Andy and Warren made me feel very comfortable even when I told them I was a fairly new diver. I was even offered to use a larger tank so I'd be able to keep up with the rest of the group. Pauline is so passionate about what she does and made sure whatever diving site we were visiting everyone was aware of possible things we can see and also made sure to point them out during the dives. If I'm ever back in Maui I'm definitely going back to Mike Severns Diving. read more

Mike Severns Diving - An octopus we had spotted at one of our dives. - Diving Near Me

Great group to dive with. Very professional, boat was in good shape, small groups, very personable. I could go on but just know that you won't be disappointed picking this company and you'll have a great experience! We did the Molokini Back Wall and Three Anchors off Kihei and what a great day! read more

B+ experience (A- on a good day) with MSD. My husband and I were doing the honeymooners in Hawaii thing and wanted to do a dive while in Maui. Overall we had a pretty positive experience--knowledgeable crew, snacks and supplies well stocked on board, and very safety-informed staff. There were a few hiccups during our trip, however. Staff seemed a bit impatient, especially with my husband who was certified just a year ago but has been trying his best to get as many dives under his belt as humanly possible given life circumstances. The expectations on the ship seemed to be that one had to be pretty savvy and advanced as a diver. A few times we caught some snark from staff, which I surmise was a result of their having to deal with "novices" onboard the vessel. Also MSD had a buddy system in which anyone who came together had to stick together during the dive. This meant that for me, who is generally conservative with air and had a couple years more experience than my husband, anytime my husband was getting low on air, I was ushered back to the surface (without accompaniment from staff) and hurried back to the boat. While I appreciated everything the staff did for us and thought Andy & Warren had great energy, I felt at times there was an "air" of impatience. I would recommend this dive for those with a lot of dive experience and are willing to rough the waters, as well as the unpredictability of not knowing where you're diving that day. For the novices who need a bit more guidance, and I'll admit hand-holding, or simply those dive-certified for a chill honeymoon hangout, look elsewhere. read more

Mike Severns started this business almost 30 years ago, and, although he no longer owns or operates it, the fact that it still bears his name is a testament to the quality of his service, and the high regard in which he is held in the diving community. The first time I went out with him, I was so impressed with his expertise and with the experience, that I purchased two of his superb underwater photography books on the spot. MSD caters to small groups of experienced divers. The dive masters, led by Mike's charming wife, Pauline, are biologists, naturalists, and accomplished underwater photographers. You will not merely experience diving some of Maui's best sites, you will be given a crash course in marine biology of the area's many indigenous species, and the history and geology of the island, so that you can most fully appreciate what you will be seeing. Mike took us to a grouper cleaning station, and showed us how to open our mouths so that the cleaner shrimp would go inside and tickle our teeth. I nearly drowned from laughing so hard underwater. (Don't try this at home, kids). The boat leaves at 6:30 AM from the Kihea boat dock, and you are on the sites within minutes. They visit Molokini Island, including drift-diving the back wall, as well as other cool sites around South Maui. Coffee, juice, and fresh pastries are served on the boat. The crew was very friendly and extremely professional. Rental equipment was high quality, and seemed well-maintained. Diving with these folks was a fun and memorable experience, and I would highly recommend it. read more

Mike Severns Diving - photo by Mike Severns - Diving Near Me

I can't even begin to describe how highly I recommend this group. As any diver knows, you never know if what you're hoping to see shows up or not, so the measure of a dive company all starts with the people. Speaking on the phone before the dive, I was pleased with how professional and courteous the group was. This was a stark contrast to another company I'd dove with on the island just days prior. The experience continued to be out of this world. Our boat launch included Pauline, Seth, and I think AJ and Warren as well. We went for the Coral Spawn dive but audibled to the fabled Molokini back wall, which brought an incredible treat. Pauline took a lot of time to give us a heads up of the types of creatures we might see, and her passion for the marine life was incredible. I've never cared much for coral, fish, and nudibranchs in general, but found myself captivated by the stories she told of their life and habits, and the detail with which she described these animals to us. She is extremely passionate about sea life and even has a website dedicated to nudibranchs. Proceeding to dive, Pauline made sure to point out interesting attributes and life to each of us on the dive, and knowing it was my first time diving with an underwater camera, took special care to help me get great shots. The back wall did not disappoint, and as others have mentioned, these guys bring aboard incredible snacks. I regretted being on a healthy eating kick, because the cookies and the mac nut rolls were outrageous. We didn't have a set itinerary for the second dive, but had casually chatted with Pauline about how much I loved wreck diving, and she on her own decided to take the boat to the tank wrecks. Again, she gave us a heads up on what type of environment we might find ourselves in, and I was ecstatic when for the first time, I was able to find unique marine life on my own (in this case cleaner shrimp). Pauline prepared us for exactly this type of shrimp and how taught us how to interact with it, which made the experience incredible. Then, I can't say enough about the attention to detail and the little things the crew did to make us feel comfortable. I think it was Warren, the former dentist from Texas, who just went above and beyond to make me and my fellow divers comfortable. A few of us were diving with new masks (mine had cracked a couple of days prior), and he thoughtfully helped us rub out the silicone layers and defog the goggles. I'd have probably done a poor job on my own, but instead jumped in the water absolutely problem free. And in helping us with our equipment, sandals, and everything else through the day, they showed such incredible thought and consideration that it was like diving with my best friends or significant others. Conclusion: I've done 40 dives with roughly 10 different companies and have never dived with a better group and a better organization than Mike Severns diving. Wish I could dive with them everywhere I go. Incredible people that are passionate about what they do, incredibly warm and welcoming, and truly make the diving itself a thousand times better and more engaging. I came away with great pictures and memories, and the adrenaline high that comes from an epic day of diving. Dive with them! read more

We were in Maui in November and decided to try out Mike Severns Diving. In the past we have dove with a great operator out of Lahaina and we asked their recommendation for a similar operator out of Kihei and they recommended Mike's. I reserved our spots a few weeks before our trip by calling the office. I always had a hard time hearing and understanding the person on the phone at the office, it was a bit of an awkward experience. I do have to say the office was great about working with us when we had a sudden change of plans with our dive companion, so they were great with that respect. The captain and crew were great, funny and very welcoming to everyone. They tried to take into account everyone's experience when picking dive sites for the day. It was nice because we had the chance to dive some sites we had never gone to before. Unfortunately my husband found himself having to pull some people in our group off of the delicate reef because they could not control their buoyancy and they were struggling. This is not a reflection of Mike's just the people who happened to be in our group that day. I think Mike's is a great operator for those looking for a bit of a slower pace and less challenging experiences. This would be a good operator for a first time diver or maybe if you have not been diving for awhile. read more

Hands down the best scuba operator I've encountered. Dove Molokini and a submerged tank/APC site with them. Everyone on the boat was welcoming, professional and extremely knowledgeable. Their dive briefings were educational and really set the stage for a successful dive. My dream is that every scuba operator was as enjoyable as this one. I was a solo diver and felt like part of the ohana! read more

The Good: VERY knowledgeable crew. Good equipment. Leaves from Kihei boat ramp so it's a quick trip out to the back wall. The bad: Won't tell you where they're going so you could end up diving locations you don't care for or have done before. Are really grumpy when you ask where you're going to dive that day. I guess you could sum it up this way. If you don't care where you're going then they're a good company to go with. If you want to dive the back wall of Molokini instead of the inside crater -- I'd go with someone who will at least answer the simple question: "where are we going to dive in half an hour from now" without biting your head off! read more

Mike Severns dive operation is first class. Professional Extremely knowledgable Very nice and personable Great gear and boat There was a giant mix of experience on the boat divers with hundreds of dives to people with just a few, to divers like myself who hadn't dove in many years. The entire staff made everybody feel welcomed and encouraged. They spent time to get to know each diver personally and tailored our dive to what the divers wanted to see and do. My biggest concern was with a wide range of experience was how do you keep everybody happy. They split the group up very well and everybody got their money's worth. They spent time talking about the marine life that we expected to see and worked through hand signals for the different fish we could see. Once we got in the water and started seeing lots of fish the dive master would shine their light on a fish give the hand sign and I new exactly what it was. Simply brilliant! I can't see how you could get a better experience. Worth every penny I spent. read more

What a great dive operator! They really have concern and interest in the animal life they introduce you to. Before every dive they show you in a book with colorful pictures what you're about to encounter. They talk about the dive in a way that's engaging and exciting. I mean, scuba is awesome on its own but these guys really take it up a notch. Then after our two dives that day, they radio'd some friends on the water and took us dolphin watching. Awesome. Loads of fun. We'll definitely be back! read more

Didn't have the greatest experience for a basic one day two tank dive to Molokini Crater. They pack too many divers on their boat, but I was glad they split us into smaller groups for the actual dives. The crew were kind of stressed out when I arrived at their dock, and the windy choppy conditions only seemed to worsen their moods. We didn't end up diving the crater because a different scuba boat nearby starting sinking and they had to respond to the SOS call. After all the drama with responding to the distress call, we ended up doing shallow diving right off Wailea. The dive masters gave 2 rather lengthy and condescending lectures about the local marine life we should look for during the dives. Would have preferred a shorter biology briefing in a tone of voice for competent adult divers not children's discovery channel. Also, had some air leaking problems with their equipment too, but they fixed it for me for the second dive. read more

I can't say enough good things about the team at Mike Severns. It was the best dive experience I've had in all my years of diving. Pauline was incredible as was the rest of the crew. I learned about and experienced so much of the marine life at each of the dive locations thanks to Pauline! read more

We went to Maui for two weeks and diving with Mike Severns Diving was the best part about the trip. We dove with a few other outfitters earlier in the trip on the island but MSD rose to the top. We loved them so much we canceled some other activities to dive an extra day with them. Why did we like the experience? 1) We dove where conditions were best. Warren or Pauline would come around at the start of the day and ask where we wanted to dive and what we wanted to see. Typically each day will start with its first dive out on Molokini then go from there pending on conditions. I loved this because if it was a high swell day, we would avoid low-vis dives. Other outfitters we went with had set sites and we dove them even on very poor days which was not a lot of fun. 2) We got to put our learning hats on. Maybe I'm a complete dork but I love learning. Warren & Pauline both gave extensive dive briefings on what we would see at the dive. Even better they would go into detail about animal behaviors. From how an Octopus builds its nest, to how cleaning wrasse massage other fish with their fins while cleaning them. Everyone on the crew (Pauline, Warren, AJ, and Andy) helped us identify fish we would see and answer any questions we have. 3) The best surface intervals ever If you dive in the winter with MSD you are in for a treat between dives due to the whale migration. Sure this is not unique to MSD but still pretty awesome! We saw a calf breach maybe 10 times in a row, almost like it just learned how to do it and was showing off to mom, so cool! The crew is also a ton of fun and getting to spend time talking about the past dive was a huge help for us. 4) They love diving and want you to have a great time on the island Seriously, it is obvious that this crew loves diving to its core. You can hear it in the way they talk about sites and what we will experience and see it in their excitement when they come across a leaf scorpionfish or a devil scorpionfish. Plus you should just ditch any guide book you have and ask the crew for recommendations. They did not lead us wrong in recommending good lunch & dinner spots, great places for drinks, and even awesome beaches to visit. If you're looking for a passionate dive crew on your next visit to Maui, this is it! They will bring you to the best sites for the days conditions and try and show you sea life that you are interested in. I cannot recommend these guys enough. We will be back! read more

Based on their organization and professionalism from the moment we arrived to the moment we left, their love for and knowledge of the Hawaiian waters, and their friendly warmth, we highly recommend Mike Severns to anyone diving in Maui. We left feeling like the crew were more like friends than just another dive operator. This is one of the best charters we have seen. read more

I'd like to give them 10 STARS!!! Our crew was fantastic (Pauline, AJ, Seth and Andy! ) Thanks for making our dives unforgettable! I'll NEVERRRRR dive with anyone else while in Maui! Do yourself a favor and use them. They were hired by Pixar to do the recon for "Finding Nemo" Great macadamia nut caramel rolls! read more

My wife and I usually partner up for diving but, she had a cold. So, I chose this dive company when I looked at their website. I was nervous diving sans my buddy. Within the first 15 minutes, the crew made me feel welcome and comfortable. I found them to be extremely interested in what you want to see. They were knowledgeable on the sea life we were going to see. The dive experience was awesome. We saw whales going to the dive sites and saw turtles going about their daliy life. I was told to stop and listen. I actually heard whales sing. It was such a good experience that I signed on for another dive later on my vacation. I've dove with a few other dive companies in Maui but, I found that diving with the Severns crew made me want to dive more. And, I must say that the macadamia nut cinnamin rolls were l a tasty treat between dives. read more

I'm lucky to have experienced dives ranging from wrecks in the Florida Keys to ancient ruins off the coast of Turkey - and still have never experienced anything close to the adventure of diving with Pauline Fiene & crew at Molokini. 'Couple things you should know: 1) Pauline, who runs the operation and guided our dive, has been inducted into the Women Divers Hall of Fame. Google her, she's got over 8,700 dives under her weight belt. In case that isn't impressive enough, the other inductees are former astronauts, Navy Seals, etc. 2) She was inducted in part because of her background as a marine biologist, her discovery of new underwater species, and her publication of several books including Molokini - Hawaii's Island Marine Sanctuary. All of that experience combined to make our two dives extraordinary. Before diving we reviewed pictures underwater life that we'd be searching out, including the very interactive Cleaner Shrimp. If you're brave enough, they'll climb right into your mouth to clean your teeth just as they do with Moray eels every day. I'd read other reviews complaining about the "slow pace" of the diving and can unequivocally say that combined with the above-water education, it was a magical experience. Taking a slow pace to descend along the Molokini wall and following the leader's dive light helped me reach new depths while being thoroughly entertained by colorful nudibranchs and a white tipped reef shark. If you like the Lindblad Expeditions sort of outing that combines education and extraordinary sightings that you might've missed without guidance from experts in the field, this is the outfit for you. read more

Had a great time, easy access from S. Kihei Blvd, Pauline (10,000 Dives Congratulations) and Pockey (sp) were both lovely and extremely knowledgeable about the 2 particular spots we dove that day. Marine life aplenty and staff was on the ball. Cinnamon Rolls where BOMB AF BTW. Will dive with them anytime, Mahalo read more

Was on vacation in Maui and staying in Kihei for a week and went diving with Mike Severns for 6 of the 7 days! The thing you have to realize about MSD is that the entire operation is high quality from top to bottom. The people who are working there have been doing this for quite some time, but there's a difference in going through the motions and truly enjoying what you're doing. You can see the difference in how the crew takes care of their guests. It's all kinds of little details which make a difference.. 1) They really do not have a pre-set dive site. I dove with them for 6 straight days for 12 dives and of the 12, I think we only dove the same dive site a couple of times. Of course doing something around Molokini is the desire, but if it's one of the moorings in the crater or drift diving the back wall -- you don't know until you get there and check out the conditions. 2) They do their best to accommodate what people want to see. If it's white tip reef sharks or turtles, they know where to find them and they know what to look for when it comes to the sea slugs of the hawaiian islands and the rare critter sightings. 3) The food is also first rate, sticky buns, fresh cookies, coffee, soda's, water, trailmix and pub chip mixes, bagels, fresh fruit and muffins. If you're allergic to peanuts, it might be a challenge for you, but other than that, something for everyone. 4) I had a fin strap failure at the beginning of a dive, when I surfaced at the back of the boat Andy handed me two fins for the dive and when I returned back to the boat, Warren had replaced the strap on my fin from my save-a-dive kit and then we found out that save-a-dive kits often have straps that don't quite work properly, not to fear, Andy had seen that issue before and had a zip-tie solution which worked perfectly! 5) The really cool thing about going out with MSD is that you're going to learn something -- talking with AJ, Pauline and Warren you're going to come away with an insight that you didnt' have before. For me it was understanding the difference in male and female white tip reef sharks after Pauline pointed out the shark circling us was a male and that I should check my video to confirm it. ;-) There are so many little things which really add up to a quality operation from top to bottom, the organization in the morning where the crew takes your gear (you can even leave your gear onboard if you're diving consecutive days with them) and sets it up for you to the rinse bucket at the end of the day all point toward a group who have it down! I've been on MSD diving trips for the past 5 years now and have never been disappointed. A new point I noticed this year was how MSD has taken on responsibility of policing the trash at the Kihei boat ramp. They empty the trash cans and put new liners in place each morning as well as sweeping the picnic tables that everyone waits at. You don't see any other operations taking care of the marina -- but what a difference it makes for everyone. That's really MSD in a nutshell though, they make the entire experience better for everyone, even the people who are not going on their boat. ;-) I've been on other dive operations on Maui, and none of them really compare to MSD. Unfortunately MSD doesn't go to Lanai otherwise I wouldn't dive with anyone else! If you're considering diving in Maui give Pauline, AJ, Warren and Andy a try -- you won't be disappointed! read more

Smooth run, extremely well organized, and well staffed. Seth Waller was our group leader and he is an expert at finding little tiny creatures and pointing them out to everyone in the dive group. Speaking of finding things -- yes, I know they must have an incredible amount of experience with the areas they service but still -- nearly everything they talked about during the dive plan was seen on the bottom during the dive. read more

Went on a Molokini dive with Severns. They were really excellent: great at telling us about what we were likely to see (way better than other dive companies), AND great at getting us up close and personal with sea life once underwater. They also did a great job of splitting us into groups appropriate for skill level. The only caveat about Severns is that they seem to pride themselves on having lousy snacks. Don't expect fruit and veggies! Other than that--wonderful group with an excellent staff, and I would ABSOLUTELY dive with them again next time I'm in Maui. read more

Andy, Warren, A.J. And pauline were great. Very safe and hands on. Nicely led dives. Went to st anthony's wreck and molikini. I happened to get sick from the rented bcd, not sure if there's anything to be done about this, other relying on people using the bcd before me not to dive when they are sick, ended up with a pretty deep belly cough for the next week. Ryan read more

This group was recommended to me by the book Maui Revealed and by the divers at Lahaina Divers Inc. The divers here are really interested in sharing details about the animals that are seen on dives, which I appreciate. Everyone was very nice and the group was small (12 people divided into two groups so we had lots of personal attention from the dive master). Warren was really great, as were the rest of the crew members. Alas we didn't see quite as much cool stuff as we might have hoped at the Molokini crater but that can't be blamed on the dive crew. I liked this outfit overall, the one downside is that I got a bit seasick on the boat. It did make me miss the large luxury boat that Lahaina Divers uses for their trips out to dive sites! read more

Very nice staff. I came with a friend and it was her first dive. She was feeling a little nervous and AJ was super helpful with easing her anxiety and she had a good time. I also REALLY like how they are more interested in the specific species and they showed us images and information about what we might see before the dive. Since I studied marine biology, but I am more familiar with invertebrates in the Pacific Northwest, it was so nice to know about what I was seeing in tropical waters of Maui. I really liked seeing the tropical shrimp who live in monogamous pairs. Another great aspect of Mike Severn's Diving is that they don't decide in advance where they will go - it's based on current and visibility conditions to allow our dives to be the greatest they can get. Thanks for the great experience! read more

First of all, the group we dove with were honestly the nicest people we have encountered on our 15+ dive trips...my wife said "without AJ helping me through the first few minutes of the dive, I might have just sat in the boat." Pros: Friendliest dive crew around. Period. Tasty baked goodies to share. Easy to book and pay. They also take care of all of the equipment, and even help you get your bcd on/off. Great calming and patient presence in the water when my wife was a little unsettled. Cons: Once we got to our dive site, we waited 20-25 minutes at each place before we actually got in the water. During that time one of the dive masters gave us a detailed itinerary for the dive, which included discussion of some species commonly seen at that location, and a story or two of past dives they have made there. I think most people would really enjoy that part of the experience, but I get seasick pretty easily, so to stay idol in open ocean, on a rocking boat made me pretty sick. The other aspect I was a little bummed about was that both locations we went to were snorkelable (I dont know if that is a word), both being at pretty shallow spots and common snorkel boat destinations. read more

Looooved this operation. My only complaint is that ear problems kept me at the surface for most of my Maui trip, so I only got to dive with them one day. We had just 7 divers + crew (Andy, AJ, Warren), on the boat, which was fabulous. I dove with AJ. They set up your gear after you hand it up to the boat, and maybe it was just luck, but they magically set up my weights just as I like them, with the right balance between integrated weight pockets and trim pockets. Briefings were great, and the snacks were delicious, and they took advantage of the fact that everyone on board was an experienced diver (or so it seemed). Our first dive was a drift starting at the submerged tip of Molokini (Reef's End) and working our way around the back. For a few minutes, we were the only boat at the crater. We met a baby reef shark circling under a ledge, nesting sergeants and triggers, two awesome nudis, and approximately a billion other fish. Gorgeous views of the surf hitting the back wall during the safety stop. During our surface interval / five minute boat ride to the next site, we encountered a pod of spinner dolphins and cruised with them for a bit. I got to ride up front, with dolphins right under my dangling feet. Dive two was a drift at/near Pu'u Olai. We were fighting a bit of current in some spots, but it was totally worth it for the frogfish as big as your head. We spotted five of them, including a pregnant female. Plus a devil scorpionfish, a leaf scorpionfish, multiple eels, and playing with flounders in the sand. I have inevitably forgotten half the critters on this trip since we saw so many of my favorites. read more

Just finished a GREAT dive at the Molakini crater with these guys! Staff was polite & knowledgeable, and pointed out several interesting things underwater. On the way back we saw a humpback whale. It swam up about 100' away from the boat, requiring us to shut off the engines. When they started them back up, one wouldn't start & for safety it forced us to cancel the 2nd dive. I was pretty disappointed and was expecting a "no refunds" policy. I was prepared to get angry with them in order to wrangle at least a free t-shirt, but before I could even start bitching they offered up a 50% refund which I think was more than fair! I will definitely book with these guys again the next time I am in Maui!!! read more

This dive company is excellent! Dove Molokini and St. Anthonys. I dove the same sites with another operator previously and would definitely recommend Mike Severns over the competitor. Small boat with just 7 people on my trip which was perfect. Two dive guides (AJ and Pauline) were fantastic and made sure to point out a ton of stuff. Even as an experienced diver I appreciate having a knowledgeable dive guide. The gear was also in excellent condition. Scuba pro fins are the best and I've never seen them used as rental fins. The setup is much better than most dive operators with a streamlined second stage and an integrated computer on every console. I would highly recommend this company! read more

GREAT EXPERIENCE!! Warren, our dive master was very knowledgeble, and the underlying sense of care for the environment and appreciation for marine biology was quite evident. Andy, our skipper made everyone comfortable, and to re-state a previous comment, he had an amazing ability to remember our names--this is huge. Anytime you feel like a welcome guest and not another customer, you can tell the business thrives from its experience, not just the products/services. Unfortunately, they do not do any of the impressive Lanai dives due to the length of travel from kihei, but the molokini tours are top notch!! Great job Warren and Andy!! Hope to see you on another trip in the next year! read more

One of the nicest day boats I have been on, it is a trailerable boat so a bit smaller than some, but smaller means fewer divers (I think it was ten divers) great crew, home baked cookies. Both of our dives were "live" ie not tied to a Bouy, and this allowed us to get to less busy spots. The rental equipment was top notch. Molokini has so much more fish life than it did 20 years ago, the fishing protections have really helped. It is well worth a visit. Mike Severns does not have a shop, and the website is attractive, but minimalist -- reservations take a couple of emails, and maybe a phone call. We dived with Mike's, the day after diving with the Maui Dreams, and we much preferred Mike Severns. read more

I thought this would be an good trip. The dive masters were good and showed us cool stuff. But all in all it was just an average dive. Molokini crater was full of dead coral and not too exciting. Our second stop was a wreck dive back near Kihie. An artificial reef around St. Anthony. It was cool to find a turtle there and some fish. read more

So professional! It's apparent that the entire crew loves their jobs, and they made the experience. Had a great couple of dives on Molokini and the St Anthony wreck. Whales and turtles galore. :) read more

Pauline, AJ, Warren and Captain Andy were real gems. I rented a BC and reg and, last minute, booties because mine had been stolen at a beach the previous day (watch your gear folks - mine was right behind me in the shade 15 feet away and they disappeared). Their equipment was tip-top and clean. We met them at the South Kihei Boat Ramp where we were all quickly and efficiently checked in beginning at 6am. YES! Up and at'em! We were in the water at Molokini for our first dive by 7:45am. The dive plan before each of the 2 dives was the most thorough I've ever experienced, including photos and descriptions of the present environment (the DM jumps in to moor the boat and check out conditions before the dive plan). We had a full boat at 11 or 12 and they expertly divided the group in 2 based on experience without making anyone feel inferior (i don't think anyone but me even noticed). I was in the first group and we descended several minutes before the 2nd group. No bait ball diving. Yay again. During the dive they pointed out rare endemic species as well as everyday lovelies with equal enthusiasm. They shared interesting behaviors of specific fish they "knew" - a triggerfish who liked to hide in a hole in an anchor and make "drumming" noises among others. It felt very personal and sweet. Their relationship with the marine environment and the creatures in it was palpable and infectious. AND I discovered a frog fish they had been looking for at the end of our 2nd dive. Basically, it was an experience I'll never forget. Thanks to my DM - Pauline (who is closing in on her 9500th !!!! dive and is in the woman divers hall of fame), and ALL the crew. Each one of them made a positive impact on my dives! Don't forget to tip your crew.... they deserve it. I will dive again with them first chance i get! read more

Subpar diving experience and here is the story and the main reasons why I would not recommend booking this outfit, for both beginner and advanced divers alike. It was raining all night on Maui and there were a few flash flood and high surf warnings. One of the state parks in the area got closed. Despite that we decided to go ahead with the dive we booked 1 month earlier excited about Mike Severns good reviews. The boat left and someone from the crew asked - "Who tried to call this morning to see if we are going?" I responded -"I did, there is a bad weather advisory." Nothing came back but the typical "we rarely cancel" answer. 2 minutes into the boat ride the crew says to me, "looking at the white on the waves we won't go to Molokini". The boat is shaking and one passanger, as well as my girlfriend and I are starting to feel sea sick. And here is the first big issue I have with this outfit - nobody warned us before getting on the boat that seas can be rough around here in which case we may have opted for another day. I've been in such situation once before and have gotten a fair warning from the guides. Before the dive I'm already feeling more sea sick than on any shaky boat ride I've been before. There is a short talk about the animals we might see, but nothing about not touching the fragile coral. Wait. Did I miss something? These guys say they are marine biologist and yet mentioned nothing about injuring the fragile environment? This is my second big issue with this outfit. I've had the chance to study with great dive masters and take the PADI training and have been reminded multiple times about the damage to corals that results from human contact. Yet nobody from the boat would mention anything about the environment before the dive. We jump in the water for the first dive - two groups of 6 people. A bit too crowded, especially given that most people tend to conglomerate around the same point and kick in each other's face. What is worse, some people step on coral and inflict damage on the environment numerous times. Several divers that day don't know how to control their buoyancy. Noooo! Getting on the boat is really hard as it's jumping up and down with the waves and throwing me along with all the gear hard into the ladder. My knees are still in pain from that moment several weeks later. Upon getting on the boat myself as well as another passenger throw up. The crew was nice and compassionate at this point, however it's a bit too late. The second dive wasn't much different. We went to an area we could have easily accessed from the shore (seriously, snorkeling in Maui is underrated and on later snorkeling trips we saw as much if not more as on the dives with MS). On the way back I spoke with the owner and gave her most of my feedback. She was nice and offered to give my money back, but I wasn't giving her my feedback to elicit a refund, but instead to let them know where I think they went wrong. I'm not sure if this came through. This were the only two dives we did on Maui that trip. For the rest of the time we did some great snorkeling in Honolu'a Bay and Poolenalena beach, both awesome spots with lots of sea turtles and fish. read more

Another five stars for Mike Severns Diving. They were great fun to dive with. My wife and I are used to shore diving off Bonaire, and decided to dive while we were vacationing in Hawaii. We're used to a very independent dive style, and the dive masters at Mike Severns were there to help out. Particular thanks to AJ and Pauline - you gals were great! We start out days before our trip. We brought our own gear, but ran it by a local dive shop first to have it tested - and bam, blew an o-ring. We weren't sure if we'd have it repaired in time, and Pauline was incredibly patient with my "we're renting... we're not renting... we're renting..." emails. We ended up renting gear for our first day out since we missed getting our gear back due to traffic from Lahaina... but no worries! We met the boat at 6am and handed off our gear (rental the first, our gear the second). Andy did a great job making sure we were safe on the boat, and the fresh-baked cinnamon rolls were to die for. They asked where we wanted to dive and what we wanted to see, and that decided which sites we went to. Getting there early was nice; both times we got to Molokini before it was crowded and had our choice of dives. Before they got us geared up, we got an in-depth (no pun intended) dive briefing including depths, plan, and the fish we were likely to see - with included pictures. Our first day out the Domino damselfish were spawning, and the dive masters let us know what we were going to see. We then geared up and got in. Our very first dive we hit unexpected current, but AJ was quick to compensate and kept us closer to Molokini so we didn't drift off. For all our dives, the dive masters were completely okay with my wife and I being more independent. While we stayed together as a group, they sent us up in pairs as air ran out - and given that we used our air sparingly, it meant we could stay down a good fifteen or twenty minutes longer than the quickest members of our group. In fact, our second day out they remembered that we had a lot of air left over and got us in the water first to give us even more time! We'll definitely be diving with Mike Severns every time we come back to Maui. Fantastic! read more

Best dive operator in Maui, hands-down. The experienced, knowledgeable guides are the best at showing you the good stuff while paying mind to reef preservation and marine life safety. I've been out with them several times over several years, and my experiences have been consistently positive. Andy (boat operator and amazing underwater photographer) has an impressive ability to remember names, Pauline is an absolute pro, and the other divemasters I've met (Warren, Sharon) are also great. If you need to rent equipment, they have high-quality stuff at very low rental prices. They take small groups, and the divers tend to be pretty experienced, so if that's your speed, check them out! read more

I just finished two days with the Mike Severns Diving crew and they provided the best scuba diving experience one could hope for. Prompt, friendly, and knowledgeable, they provided an outstanding concierge-level service on a small boat trip. The equipment was great. They paid close attention to details, such as making sure your mask does not fog before heading down and they knew all 12 divers by name before leaving the dock. Great safety and pre-dive briefings. The boss Pauline is an attentive and educated divemaster who will point out interesting animals and ocean features through the entire experience. After numerous pedestrian experiences with "dump and wait" dive companies around the world, the high end Mike Severns team has spoiled me for life. read more