Franko's Dive Map of Hawaii, the Big Island (Map)

~ Frank Nielsen (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Recreational map for scuba divers, snorkelers, kayakers, hikers, bicyclists, boaters, surfers, tourists, and others who love the Big Island. Printed on waterproof, tear-resistant, permanently folded paper. Measures 4.25 x 7" when closed, opens to 14 x 21".

Side 1 shows Franko’s Map of Hawai’i, with an amazing shaded relief depiction of the island as it ascends from the sea to nearly 14,000 feet on Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. These volcanoes plus the very active Kilauea as well as Hualalai and the inactive Kohala mountains in the very northern panhandle of the Big Island are clearly shown, along with the roads that circumnavigate and cut across the island. Shaded in a gray tone, the major lava flows from the last 200 years are depicted. Various scuba diving and snorkeling sites that are the delight of millions of tourists are noted -- most are along the leeward side from Kawaihae and Kohala, down through the Kona Coast to South Kona. A few dive sites are shown in the Hilo area. Dozens of colorful tropical reef creatures swimming amid the coral reefs are depicted. They include the humuhumunukunukuapua’a, the State fish, plus butterfly fish, surgeonfish, wrasse, unicorn fish, and more. The na’ia, Hawaiian for dolphin, and the kohola, which means whale, are also shown. Side 2 shows Franko’s Map of Hawai’i shows a fantastic view of the whole chain of The Hawaiian Islands, as it stretches hundreds of miles across the middle of the vast Pacific ocean. This side of the map also shows a wonderful close-up of the Kona Coast, with more diving/snorkeling spots, plus locations of many places to see or visit along the coast, such as the Captain Cook monument, golf courses, and resorts. The Hilo area with its many waterfalls and other features is detailed with its major roads and features. No Big Island map could be complete without a detail of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and specifically the Kilauea Volcano. Lava flows from the last few decades of very active eruptions are shown with their flow dates. This is a fascinating look at America’s literal growth, as acres are added to the Big Island every year.

About the Author

Frank Nielsen is a self-described "ocean nut" born in Bountiful, Utah. He learned to love watersports while a teenager, when his family was posted to Beirut. Later he earned a Bachelor of Science in Ocean Engineering and worked for the U.S. Navy until 2000, when he became a full-time cartographer and map publisher. --This text refers to an alternate Map edition.

Product Details

• Map: 2 pages
• Publisher: Franko's Maps (April 1, 2001)
• ISBN-10: 1931494134
• ISBN-13: 978-1931494137
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.1 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,012,990 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Dive Maps, January 26, 2006

By	Dubya "First Time Reader" (Tejas) - See all my reviews

I'm not sure the other review of this is fair. Sure it is a dive map, and if that's not what you need, well, fine. But it doesn't mean that the product itself is bad.

Franko's maps are THE best maps for diving and snorkelling, and, contrary to other reviews, are some great general-use maps as well. Roads, dive sites, fish, topography are all displayed in a pleasing way. Attention to detail is apparent in all Franko's maps. These are some of the better examples of cartography available for the sites they cover. Highly recommended!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hawaii Big Island Diving, August 8, 2006

By	T. Grubbs "CW Junkie" (Falls Church, VA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

If you're going to the Big Island of Hawaii for scuba diving, you'll need this Franko's map. It's excellent!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing dive map, August 2, 2007

By	Eridqua (Tustin, CA USA) - See all my reviews

As it's title indicates, this Franko's Map is specifically for scuba divers and snorkelers. It has amazing detail about individual diving sites, sea creatures you would see, tides, etc. There is general information too, but if you are looking for a more casual, things to see and do map, then I suggest purchasing Franko's Guide Map of Hawaii, the Big Island. There are also dive maps and guide maps available for Maui, Kauai, and Oahu.