Golden Arches - Hawaii
Laura’s Reef, down on Grand Cayman’s South Side, is one of those places we always enjoy, particularly on a calm day. It’s got a real classic Cayman feel, a winding maze of coral fingers and canyons that beg you to just drift through. We love working our way around the corners, spotting nurse sharks tucked under ledges in the shallower sections – a reliable sighting here, which is always fun. The topography is the real draw. You’ll find yourself navigating swim-throughs formed by massive brain corals and branching star corals, before opening out onto sandy patches that just seem to spill towards the deeper water. Keep an eye out for the small stuff, too. We’ve seen blennies peering from holes and the occasional saddle stargazer half-buried in the sand. It’s a site that rewards a slow pace; the more you linger, the more little critters you’ll uncover. For divers who appreciate good reef structure and aren't rushing for pelagics, Laura's Reef offers a relaxing, visually engaging dive down to about 19 meters.
- Location
- Hawaii, United States, North America
- Coordinates
- 19.687200, -156.043900
- Type
- reef
Marine Protected Area: Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park
Best Time to Dive in Hawaii
The warmest water temperatures in Hawaii occur in September, averaging 29.0°C. The coolest conditions are in March at 25.6°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 26.2°C
- February: 25.7°C
- March: 25.6°C
- April: 26.0°C
- May: 26.8°C
- June: 27.6°C
- July: 27.9°C
- August: 28.5°C
- September: 29.0°C
- October: 28.6°C
- November: 27.9°C
- December: 27.2°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Hawaii
- Airplane Canyon - 27m (cave)
- Airport Beach
- Airport Beach (cave)
- Anahola Beach Park
- Aquarium - Hawaii (wreck)
- Aquarium - Hawaii (reef)
- Black Rock - Hawaii (reef)
- Black Rock - Hawaii (reef)
- Cathedral II (reef)
- Cathedrals (cave)
- Corsair Wreck (wreck)
- Edge of the World
- Enenue
- Ewa Pinnacles Reef - 26m (reef)
- Fantasy Reef (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Golden Arches
- Aaron's Dive Shop - ["PADI"]
- Affinity Freediving
- Aloha Scuba Diving Company - ["PADI"]
- Aquatic Life Divers - ["PADI"]
- Black Rock Scuba - ["PADI"]
- Blue Wilderness Dive Adventures Corp. - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in Hawaii
Home to 23 recorded species including 17 reef fish, 3 other, 2 sharks & rays, 1 whales & dolphins.
Notable Species
- Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) - Reef Fish
- Tuna (Thunnus alalunga) - Reef Fish
- Bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) - Reef Fish
- Dorado (Coryphaena hippurus) - Reef Fish
- Escolar (Lepidocybium flavobrunneum) - Reef Fish
- Allison's Tuna (Thunnus albacares) - Reef Fish
- Barracuda (Acanthocybium solandri) - Reef Fish
- Blue Shark (Prionace glauca) - Sharks & Rays
- Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
- Remora (Remora remora) - Reef Fish
- Flyingfish (Hirundichthys speculiger) - Reef Fish
- Albacore (Thunnus atlanticus) - Reef Fish
- Blue Flying Fish (Exocoetus volitans) - Reef Fish
- loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
- Stripy (Katsuwonus pelamis) - Reef Fish
- Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
- Fourwing Flyingfish (Hirundichthys affinis) - Reef Fish
- Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus) - Reef Fish
- Blue Marlin (Makaira nigricans) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Golden Arches
Based on average water temperature of 27.2°C, currents 9 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 27°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories