First Cathedral
Lanai · United States
First Cathedral is arguably the most visually dramatic dive site in Hawaii — a vast lava tube chamber 20 metres across with multiple skylights that send columns of sunlight through the clear water to the sand floor below, creating a stained-glass effect that gives the site its name. Giant moray eels occupy crevices in every wall of the chamber, and spinner dolphins pass through the entrance tunnels in the early morning. The cathedral ceiling is encrusted with orange and yellow cup corals and wire corals, alive with small crustaceans and nudibranchs, making it a compelling macro site as well.
Conditions
Depth
15 to 22 m
Open water and up
Current
Usually still
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
30 to 50 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
22 to 28°C
shorty
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 23 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 23 |
| Vis (m) | 20 | 20 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 20 |
| Current | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Brown Anole
Last confirmed Apr 30, 2026 · 22 records
Very likely
Most dives
Hawaiian spinner dolphin
Last confirmed May 1, 2026 · 5 records
Very likely
Most dives
Red-Crested Cardinal
Last confirmed May 1, 2026 · 6 records
Very likely
Most dives
Giant moray eel
Last confirmed Jun 18, 2025 · 1 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Hawaiian cleaner wrasse
Last confirmed Nov 20, 2025 · 3 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Whitetip reef shark
Last confirmed Jun 18, 2025 · 1 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Yellow Tang
Last confirmed Jan 7, 2026 · 3 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Redlip Parrotfish
Last confirmed Jan 7, 2026 · 3 records
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Gear