What's diving like in New Zealand - and why is it so rarely mentioned?

[Kahawai]

The Poor Knights are definately one of the major highlights when diving in NZ, don't leave here without diving there! Having more coastline than continental US (beleive it or not, it's true!), there are vast amounts of brilliant and varied diving opportunities.
Dive shops are prolific, divers make up an unusually large proportion of the (small) population, and crowds don't exist.
Another site worth looking at is www.divenewzealand.com, there's heaps of good links on it too.
Happy diving.

 

[Kahawai]

QUOTE] Another site worth looking at is www. divenewzealnd.com[/QUOTE]

Oops, I now see you had already been given that link, I'd better give ya another! Check out www.dive.net.nz (I'm pretty sure that's the correct address, if not, try www.dive.net ). That's a site based in Wellington.
See Ya

 

[Kahawai]

Oops, I now see you had already been given that link


Just trying to get my "quoting" sorted out, sorry if I have to use the board to do so.

 

[Dougz]

Try diving around Nelson or the Marlbourgh Sounds. Great scallop diving!!!

Or the infamous Pupu Springs - clearest natural freshwater in the world!!! 11 degree water so have a good suit!!

 

[greg somers]

I did my first OW dives at the Poor Knights in 1985. They are amazing. You can dive the same location and it's like a completely different dive. Caves, tunnels, awesome pelagic life, Sunfish, dolphins and in jan/feb it's stingray 'love season' with thousands of them congregating for some 'action'. Cleaner stations, and the viz is the Bomb. In all my dives I have NEVER had a dive with viz less than 15metres. Click onto the following key words...
The Poor Knights Islands
Dive Tutukaka
These will link you to photos, articles, dive access and a couple of wrecks near the site.
A 5mm suit without gloves and hood in summer...
with those in winter. temp 20-22 C summer, 13 - 16 winter.
It's not like tropical diving. It's temperate.
NZ diving is cheap. tank fills $5-6 and gear rental reasonable.
We have the highest ratio of divers to population in the world and so many beaches that you can just put on your gear and walk into the water.
Hope this helps.
Cheers Big Ears,
The one and only,
Gasman

 

[Bidouhs]

I dived the Poor Knight Island back in december 2001. It was good diving although water was a bit chilly (thick wetsuit is a must!). Visibility was good.
You should dive "The pinnacles" supposedly the best dive site in that area (could not dive though due to poor weather conditions)

Flora: Lots of Kelps
Fauna: rays, mooray eels mostly
Dive shop: Dive Tutukaka (nice and professional people)

If you like wreck, there is two huge navy ships where penetration is allowed if qualified. Personally I dived the Tui which was a nice dive although current tend to be strong.


Enjoy!

 

[Aquamaniac]

Where does a Kiwi go for a Vacation?

Home.

:hiding:

 

[MSilvia]

I got to do my first wreck dive in NZ, on the remains of the Greenpeace Rainbow Warrior. It was spectacular... lots of fish, including many tropicals, and the entire hull was covered with flourescent button anemonae, which were brilliantly colored even at 25m. I went with Piahia divers in the Bay of Islands.

 

[Scubaroo]

MSilvia once bubbled...
I got to do my first wreck dive in NZ, on the remains of the Greenpeace Rainbow Warrior. It was spectacular... lots of fish, including many tropicals, and the entire hull was covered with flourescent button anemonae, which were brilliantly colored even at 25m. I went with Piahia divers in the Bay of Islands.

Don't forget to thank the French government

 

[MSilvia]

The French would have left it where they put it... at the bottom of Auckland harbor. The Kiwis towed it out and sank it as a reef starter.