Reefwander

Kauaʻi · United States · Reef

Three Fingers

Three lava fingers with very little current

Three Fingers is a boat site about 100 feet (30 m) outside the harbour, named for the three fingers of lava that form it. Shallow depths and very little current make it a good site for beginners, while the reef runs to 23 m (75 ft) at its deepest.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Three Fingers: typical dive 8–23 m (26–75 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit8 m23 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

No published position for this site — the map shows Kauaʻi and its other sites; operators know the mooring.

The dive

The reef starts about 100 feet (30 m) outside the harbour, where three fingers of lava form the site. Depths run from 8 m (25 ft) on the shallow sections to 23 m (75 ft) at the deepest, so a group of mixed experience can share the dive with newer divers keeping to the top of the reef.

Shallow depths and very little current make this a gentle site. Schools of surgeonfish and blue-striped grunts crowd the lava, with turtles and conch among them. Visibility is 18-30 m (60-100 ft) on most days, though south swells can lower it quite a bit. The site is rated for beginners through advanced divers.

Marine life and season

  • Sea turtles
  • Reef fish swarms
Month-by-month season rating for Three Fingers
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
GoodGoodGoodGoodPrimePrimePrimePrimePrimeGoodGoodGood

Season follows Kauaʻi: May to September brings the calmest seas and warmest water, though south-shore visibility tends to run a little better in winter.

Dive videos

Night Dive at Three Fingers, Kaua'i, Hawai'i · Lensventure Studios (Katie Jones) on YouTube

Questions divers ask

Is Three Fingers good for beginners?+

Yes. Shallow depths and very little current make it a good site for beginners, with the reef running from 8 m to 23 m (25-75 ft).

Sources

  1. Dive Sites - Fathom Five Divers (Kauai) — Fathom Five Divers

More dive sites in Kauaʻi

A large arch joining two parallel lava fingers

11–21 mintermediate

Currents can rip off the point at the east end

18–30 mintermediate

The boiler and anchors of the Pele, lost in the late 1800s

20–30 mintermediate

Probably Kauai's most popular shore dive, where turtles sleep by day

6–18 mbeginner

Cave & cavern

Three partial lava tubes where sea turtles are a given

11–21 mintermediate

A turtle cleaning station on a hill ringed by ledges

14–27 m · max 37 mintermediate

A Hawaiian monk seal among the lava pillars off Lehua Rock

to 21 m · max 91 madvanced

Similar dives elsewhere

Reef

Le Sournois

New Caledonia · France

Reported as the densest fish concentration near Nouméa

6–20 mintermediate

Reef

Poito

Tikehau · French Polynesia

A 5-15 m coral plateau at the angle of the pass

5–15 mintermediate

Reef

Kealakekua Bay

Kona · United States

Sanctuary reef under the cliff where Cook was killed

9–18 m · max 37 mbeginner

Reef

Manta Reef

Kadavu & the Great Astrolabe Reef · Fiji

Mantas over a coral-covered reef top at 15 metres

to 15 mintermediate