Sharks Cove
Conditions & tides
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Marine forecast via Copernicus Marine. Score is a rule-based guide from swell/wind vs. the site's exposure — always dive your own assessment.
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About this site
Sharks Cove is a lava rock cove on the North Shore of Oahu, in Hawaii, and a favourite with snorkelers and shore divers. Two stories explain its name. One says the rocks forming the cove look like a shark from the air, or that a shark took a bite out of it. The other says a nearby meat plant used to throw scraps into the cove, which drew sharks, and the name stayed after both the plant and the sharks were gone.
The lava has formed underwater caves and tunnels 15 to 45 feet (5 to 14 metres) below the surface, with arches and open-ended lava tubes that let light in and make them easy to get into. One entrance is a hole 10 feet (3 metres) across, called the Elevator, which drops to 20 feet (6 metres) before exiting through one of three tubes. It is for advanced divers only, in flat sea conditions. Maximum depth is about 43 feet (13 metres).
Large schools of convict tangs and baby mullet, eagle rays, parrotfish and turtles are seen here. The cove is protected and the diving is best in summer, from June to September, when the North Shore is flat. Water temperature is 26 to 30°C.
Marine life here
Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.
Sea turtleSea turtleReported here · unconfirmed
Manybar GoatfishParupeneus multifasciatusReported here · unconfirmed
Elegant CorisCoris venustaReported here · unconfirmed
TrevallyTrevallyReported here · unconfirmed
FusilierFusilierReported here · unconfirmed
Eagle rayEagle rayReported here · unconfirmed
ParrotfishParrotfishReported here · unconfirmed
OctopusOctopusReported here · unconfirmed
NudibranchNudibranchReported here · unconfirmed
SquidSquidReported here · unconfirmed
Gold Lace NudibranchHalgerda terramtuentisReported here · unconfirmed
Indo-Pacific Rock-boring UrchinEchinometra mathaeiReported here · unconfirmed
Hawaiian Convict SurgeonfishAcanthurus triostegusReported here · unconfirmed
Saddle WrasseThalassoma duperreyReported here · unconfirmed
Caramel NudibranchGlossodoris rufomarginataReported here · unconfirmed
Tom Smith's NudibranchArdeadoris tomsmithiReported here · unconfirmed
Blackspot SergeantAbudefduf sordidusReported here · unconfirmed
Dusky SurgeonfishAcanthurus nigrofuscusReported here · unconfirmed
Pease's NudibranchHypselodoris peaseiReported here · unconfirmed
Wedgetail TriggerfishRhinecanthus rectangulusReported here · unconfirmed
Durable tips from divers — access, hazards, marine life, facilities. For day-of conditions, use the report tool in the conditions card above.
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