Give us a shout if you need any further info - quite happy to help out where I can!
Sea conditions are variable all year around! Differnt boats have different capabilities to get out to the islands in rough seas. I've been out in 3-4m swells, and if you can get to the islands then there's normally some sheltered spot that you can dive. I prefer the less rough days, mind you - I don't have the most robust of stomachs and like the variety of options of where to dive when it's flat calm.
September is probably the coldest month of the year, and whilst it might warm up a degree in October it's still going to be chilly. Expect water temps of around 15 degC, it may be a tad warmer but if you expect the worst and it's warmer.....! Generally, October is still too cold for there to be any algal blooms so vis can be (but isn't always) as good 30m+.
Global Dive in Auckland have rental drysuits, and a local manufacturer (Oceandry) also rent drysuits. Other than that, it's 7mm wetsuits! Depending on your size, I might be able to blag a drysuit from various friends who have more than one.
Do not go anywhere near North/Mid/South Canterbury on a diving holiday! It is not conducive to great diving.. The only diving there is, requires lengthy periods of NW winds (which in Dec is more likely) but all in all if it's great diving you want stay away...
I was thinking of it from the English perspective.... it's not that far to get down from Canterbury to Dunedin and do some diving around there! It's only a four or five hour drive. Considering when I lived in Cambridge, it was a a 9 hour drive for my flat mate to go diving in Cornwall.... it's all relative!!
Good to hear OceanBlue are rated highly, I'm doing a liveaboard in August..
You'll have an awesome time, top service!
