Leleiwi

Leleiwi is one of the most enchanting and ecologically rich dive sites on Hawaii's Big Island — a lava reef and rocky coastal environment on the eastern shore near Hilo where the island's rain-forested east coast creates a dramatically different underwater character from the drier, more intensely developed Kona dive corridor to the west. The site descends to a maximum depth of approximately 23 meters (about 75 feet) through a series of lava ledges and formations that create the complex habitat diversity typical of the Big Island's volcanic coast. The eastern shore of the Big Island is less frequently dived than the Kona coast — the Hilo side receives significantly more rainfall, which can affect water clarity, and the diving infrastructure is less developed. But this relative obscurity means that Leleiwi's marine life is less impacted by the volume of diver visits that affects some Kona sites, and the site rewards the effort of seeking it out. Spinner dolphins are among Leleiwi's most remarkable and characteristic features: pods of Hawaiian spinner dolphins rest and socialize in the waters of Hilo Bay and along this section of the eastern coast, and encounters with them at Leleiwi — whether at the surface during the dive or swimming freely through the dive site — are reliably possible and profoundly moving. Hawaiian green sea turtles are present throughout the lava reef, feeding on algae and resting on ledges. Whitetip reef sharks rest on the sandy patches between lava formations. The reef's fish community reflects the productive eastern-coast character: large schools of Hawaiian bigeye, various snapper, and the ubiquitous butterflyfish species of the Big Island create a colorful and dynamic reef scene. The combination of unusual geographic character, spinner dolphin encounters, and relatively uncrowded diving makes Leleiwi a highlight of Big Island diving for divers willing to explore beyond Kona.