Advanced divers on a deep drift dive using a reel line to a surface marker buoy.

 The advanced course is a series of seven dives completed in one weekend. It’s more a series of dive experiences than an advanced level of training. It certainly boosts participants experience and confidence by enabling them to try various specialised dives without having to undertake the extra training and academics required to become certified  in these areas.

The dives are :

Marine ecology – how and where to identify vertebrates & invertebrates, plus marine vegetation species. 

Rescue techniques – inwater resuscitation, tows & exiting with an unconcious diver on the surface.

Navigation – this module will markedly improve your navigation ability.

Search and recovery – search for an object and bring it to the surface using lift bags.

Night dive – extend your diving into 24/7 mode. You must have your own torch for this one.

Wreck dive – a boat dive on the frigate Wellington at 23m in the reserve

Deep/ drift dive – a boat dive to 30m (Padi certification) or to 40m (Naui certification).

The cost of the course is $350. For more detail on the course and a program check, out the training pages  http://www.ibdivers.co.nz/dive-training/advanced-diver-course/in the shop website. If you want to take part in the June course, contact the shop or email tim@ibdivers,co,nz , pay a deposit & pick up your text book.

The next Advanced course after this is scheduled for August.

Like the Poor Knights (because it is so far away from any other land) it is one of the best dive sites in New Zealand. White sits on the edge of the continental shelf and the marine life there is influenced by both the sub tropical East Auckland Current and the White Island Trench, which lies parallel to the Kermedec Trench. Consequently there is a very wide range of encrusting marine life and fish species , with many tropical species represented.

The New Zealand Diver’s Handbook says ‘ Diving at White Island has been described as being as good, if not better, than at the Poor Knights. Packhorse cray, Moerton Bay bug, bass, harpuka and black coral are comman. There is a hot thermal outlet at 37m.  The visibility is generally 24 to 46m.’

We are running a trip there in June. Transport, accomodation, boat trip will be included in the price. Contact the shop if you are interested. This is a course for medium to experienced divers. 

White Island - clear water, loads of life.

A site where water clarity is usually 20m plus.

Except for September / October, water temperatures identical to Wellington.

Deep dives straight off shore

Dives in a bush pool with 50 trout

Drift dive for kilometers in the clear Waikato river

Finish your night dive in  hot pools 

Plenty of good restaurants, bars & entertainment

Dive site for wellington divers in Taupo

The next trip (May) is full. But if you are interested in joining trips later on, contact the shop for details  

If you are  taking crayfish at the moment you need to check they are not soft. The females are muolting for the next few weeks. If you are not sure how to tell the sex of a crayfish, click on http://www.fish.govt.nz/en-nz/Recreational/Fishery…+Management+Areas/Challenger/Rock+Lobster.htm
Once the females have moulted they will mate & move into egg phase. It is illegal to take female crayfish when they are in soft shell (this is for a few days after a moult) or have eggs. Most females will have dropped their eggs by September.

Dive Wellington, dive Island Bay, scuba, free dive, PADI , NAUI, CMAS, SSI

The shop hours change from 7 days (Summer) hours to Winter hours for the next six months.

The shop is open 9am to 6pm
Monday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday

Closed Tuesday & Wednesday

but we will be open 9am to 6pm Easter Saturday and Monday.

The long range forecast looks good as at  29/3.  Fine/ overcast skies and lite winds. Hopefully the forecast holds.

Happy Easter.

Divers, Padi, Naui, SSI , Cmas, diving, scuba,freedive

Many people have dived the Knights but few have dived Fiordland.

This is your chance to do the latter. The Fiordland trip leaves Doubtfull Sound on the 21st of April.  The cost is $1,950 for 8 days & includes meals, accomodation, cylinders & weight belts. The liveaboard is shown in the photo – an ex Navy inshore patrol vessel, 27m & very comfortable.

There is another 8 day trip in May if you would prefer to go on that month

The minimum number is 5 divers. The cost is ex Doubtfull Sound; so if you are not driving down, you need to fly to Queenstown and bus to doubtfull.

Contact the shop if you are interested in either of these trip dates.

Liveaboard for Sounds trip 2012

See www.cressi.it for the range. If it’s got the Cressi Logo & it’s available in New Zealand you can get it here for 30% off the recommended retail price.

The Sale finishes at the end of the month.  

The next beach clean up is set for Saturday 24th March. The area will be Island Bay.

Meet at the shop 9am & go for a dive (air free), then go for a pick up for an hour. Finished by 1pm.

Help keep the foreshore clean; one hour & a dedicated group is all it needs.

The 2011 scallop season ends on 14 February; so .. Tuesday is the last chance to get your scallops for the next five months. The season opens again on the 15th of July 2012.

Don’t forget the limit is 20 per person & the minimum size is 100mm across the widest point.