New Zealand in July

[rdinner]

My buddy and I will be in NZ from June 29-July 14 and are looking for diving opportunities. It looks like Ocean Blue is running 2-day weekend trips to the Poor Knights, and Dive Centre offers quite a few day trips, but that still leaves us with some days in between that we could try to fill with shore dives.

I read that Goat Island beach (and the Leigh coast in Hauraki Gulf) is a good shore dive. So I'm looking for more suggestions (including people who want to band together to justify a boat dive), as well as anyone interested in a couple of dive buddies for, say, July 3-6 or thereabouts. We're rescue+EFR certified in Monterey, California, so we're tolerant of cold water and shouldn't be too much of a liability for you.

 

[AndyNZ]

Most of the local charter companies take individual bookings, so you don't need a group for the boats.

As well as Dive Centre, have a look at Goat Island Dive (www.goatislanddive.co.nz) who run day trips from Leigh to the outer gulf islands.

Ocean Blue is a good boat, small groups etc - but quite slow! For other (day trip) options out of Tutukaka have a look at Yukon Charters (www.yukon.co.nz), Bluzone (www.bluzone.com) and Dive Tutukaka (www.diving.co.nz). Pacific Hideaway (http://www.divenz.co.nz/) offer a great liveaboard option.

Goat Island is an "ok" shore dive - but expect it to be shallow unless you want a long surface swim...if it's been raining, then also expect really low viz.

I'd also suggest trying to get out to White Island and Volkner Rocks for some truely unique diving.

By the way, check out Daryl's thread as he is in Auckland around the same time as you.

 

[rdinner]

OK; thanks for the tips! I'll go with Ocean Blue on July 1-2, and I'll try to stop by Leigh and Goat Island later that week, like July 6-9.

 

[Azza]

OK; thanks for the tips! I'll go with Ocean Blue on July 1-2, and I'll try to stop by Leigh and Goat Island later that week, like July 6-9.

Hey shame I didnt see this thread earlier.
Yesterday we did see Mazurka (Ocean Blue boat) cruise past us as we were heading to Riko Riko Cave.
Were you guys aboard and did you dive Riko? The viz was unreal.

 

[rdinner]

Were you guys aboard and did you dive Riko? The viz was unreal.

Yeah. We owe Kent and Des for taking us out; it was great. We did a couple dives at Riko Riko. Both the animals (a spanish lobster and a carpet shark were among the more unusual) and the rock formations are awesome.

We're back in the US now; sorry we didn't connect beforehand.