Manta Ray Night Dive (Garden Eel Cove)

By day this sandy shelf off Keahole Point is Garden Eel Cove, named for the colonies of Hawaiian garden eels that sway from the bottom near 12 m. After dark it becomes Manta Heaven: crews set powerful lights on the sand at about 11 m, the glow concentrates plankton into a bright column, and resident reef mantas with wingspans near 4 m sweep in to barrel roll through the swarm, mouths agape, sometimes passing inches above kneeling divers. Kona's catalog holds more than 200 identified individuals, so the show runs most nights of the year. A resident undulated moray nicknamed Frank often turns up to pick off fish drawn to the lights. Keahole Point shelters the cove from the summer south swell.

• Reef manta ray

  year-round
  VUVulnerable· population decreasing· assessed 2019
• Hawaiian garden eel

  year-round
• Undulated moray

  year-round

Peak season highlighted · current month outlined

• •Backup dive light — Every diver carries a primary and a backup light for the night descent, even though crews set the big plankton lights on the sand.
• •5mm wetsuit — You kneel motionless on the sand for 30 to 45 minutes while the mantas feed, so divers chill faster than the warm water suggests, especially on winter nights.