Vertical Awareness is a great place to find endemic Hawaiian monk seals.
| Name Dive Site: | Vertical Awareness |
| Depth: | 32-328ft (10-100m) |
| Inserted/Added by: | lars, © Author: Lars Hemel |
| Rated: | Rated 5.0, 2 votes |
| Specifications: |   |
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Vertical awareness, one of Niihau's most famous dive sites, is actually situated near Lehua Island, a small island just offshore its larger parent. This dive site lives up to its name as it is all vertical here. Steep pinnacles rising from unbelievable depths, all set amidst of volcanic rocks and sediments.
Larger pelagic fish such as ulua (jacks), opelu (mackeral) and even manta rays are frequent visitors. But the most famous inhabitant is the endemic Hawaiian monk seal. Probably one of the most endangered species in the United States with an estimate of around 1 to 2 thousand seals living in the wild. They are wary, but be careful, they can bite and be aggressive as well. Just find a nice spot, not too close and you can see them resting on volcanic rocks or rising to the surface to get some air. it is a great species to meet while scuba diving here.
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