photo by Barbara Anderson
Wellington has a 360 degree coastline so we can always find good, safe diving no matter what the weather. Water temperatures range from 10 to 17 degrees Celsius (50 – 63F) throughout the year. Most scuba divers wear 7mm (1/4 inch) wetsuits with parka jackets.
Visibility has an average range of 3 metres (10 feet) to 10 metres (30 feet). Offshore visibility can reach 15 metres (45 feet) reasonably often in a year.
Local Dive Trips
‘Club bubbleheads’ dives – every Saturday 9am, plus Tuesdays. Click here for more info on our Dive ‘Club/ group’ The morning ‘club’ dives aim to dive a different site each week.
Dive trips obviously depend on visibility, safe weather conditions and economic numbers taking part. Because we offer trips on the South Coast, harbor (scallops in season), Makara and Mana we should have trips underway most weekends.
Our Dive Guides offer guided tours – Guides are Instructors with years of experience and are not interns or trainee guides. Provided dives are outside the reserve you can pick up ‘kai moana’ on any dive.
If you want to join a guided trip you need to book ahead. The departure date is weather dependent. Watch the Island Bay Facebook page conditions forecast for several days before hand to get a final idea of status & conditions.
Free dive/Spearo/Snorkel dives – unguided and guided
As well as scuba dives we also offer snorkel dives. We hire any equipment you may need. We will show you where the day’s best sites are with a site brief. We also organise guided snorkel tours if you want. Find out more on either of these options click on the link https://www.ibdivers.co.nz/snorkel-tour/
National Trips : Club trips.
Lake Taupo: Lake Taupo is New Zealand’s largest lake. The lake normally has very good visibility & water temperatures are usually the same as Wellington. Dives include deep dives, night dives, spring dives & current dives in the Waikato river – above the Huka falls.
Poor Knights: One of New Zealand’s top dive destinations. Clear visibility, warm water, a marine reserve and beautiful scenery.
Fiordland: This area is largely untouched and has many species that are not normally seen so close inshore. Except when the snow melts in Spring, the warm ocean currents in this area keep temperatures at the same levels as Wellington, throughout the year.
International Trips
The next overseas trip 7-14 June 2022 is to Fiji – double click on the poster below for details. The cost – $NZ 3,050 for divers (or $NZ 2,400 for non divers) includes airfares ex Wellington, transfers, accommodation, food, weight belts & tanks, 10 boat dives for 8 days. Two dives are shark dives – more shark dives can be arranged. Bring your own scuba gear or hire from us.
We also belong to the Padi Travel Network arranging trips for individuals or larger groups. Padi obviously has a huge experience base & you can call on this 24/7 on your trip. They also provide free Dan Dive Insurance for participants. So even if you have a quote already from another operator contact us for a comparison.
Please contact the shop (04) 383-6778 or tim@ibdivers.co.nz for further details if you are interested.
