Scuba Diver Ocean Planet Issue 04/2016 | Page 97

The Kona Aggressor II is an attractive catamaran, built for the comfort and safety of up to 14 guests. The five double staterooms and one large quad stateroom on the upper deck all have en suite bathrooms and, like many luxury liveaboards, expected comforts like extra storage, individual air conditioning control, safes, robes, linen changed mid-week and fresh towels whenever needed. But, the Aggressor Fleet is different. It was founded in 1984 with the goal of becoming the largest and most successful fleet of liveaboard dive yachts in the world. That goal has been reached and surpassed with Aggressor offering more than 30 of the best scuba-diving destinations on the planet, and the list is still growing. The standards are kept very high and the stated goal is to “assure guests’ vacation money is well spent, no matter which destination in the world they choose”. The Kona II is no exception. She cruises along the western coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. Dive sites like Black Coral Forest, Tubastrea Tunnel, Catacombs and The Hive are well named in this dramatic area of lava tubes, swim-throughs, arches and huge craters. The walls are mostly blanketed in brilliant red and orange encrusting sponges. Light streams from overhead through crevices where fish hide from the elements and predators. Expect to see the many indiginous species of butterflyfish, also Spanish dancers, turtles and angelfish. 29 A big highlight is the nighttime manta dive