Great Diving spots

Dive HQ has had a presence in Auckland since the 90’s and has the good reputation of being the go-to store for great service, a fun experiences and an excellent safety record. As an Auckland Scuba Diving store we take trips, PADI dive courses and professional careers course field trips around the North Island We are lucky enough to be close to some world class dive sites and some amazing wrecks. Here are some of our favourites:

Goat Island, Auckland – New Zealand’s oldest marine reserve features a variety of environments, including rocky shores, underwater cliffs, deep reefs, canyons and sand flats. Look for blue cod, snapper, crayfish, seaweed forests, sea squirts, anemones, sponges and shellfish. This site is about 1.20 hours away and is one of our main areas for our learn to dive programme.

 

Mathersons Bay, Auckland- This is a great place for night diving as there is some amazing sealife to see that you won’t see during the day. Check out our video of a little porcupine fish from one of our club members on  and Dive HQ in Auckland run regular club night dives led by our Night Dive Specialty Instructors. Check out Seapunksnz Dive Club on Facebook and join us for a night dive. Mathersons Bay is also a great safe dive site for learn to dive open water dives.

 

Poor Knights Islands – As a protected marine reserve, there is spectacular underwater topography including drop offs, walls, caves, arches, tunnels and an abundance of marine life. The sub-tropical climate and ocean currents mean the archways are teeming with blue maomao, snapper, kingfish, morays and brilliantly colored nudibranchs and often frequented by tropical species such as turtles, mola mola and manta rays in the warmer months. It truly is a photographer’s dream. With opportunity to see orca feeding on the many sting rays that inhabit the area, the Poor Knights Islands is a unique experience that should be on everyone’s bucket list. We regularly run trips out of Auckland to the Poor Knights and also take our PADI Advanced divers there as its such a great experience. For an additional fee we can offer PADI Open water Courses second weekend there. If you’re serious about diving becoming a weekend hobby this is the place to start your diving adventure.

 

Bay of Islands – As the name suggests, dive sites are plentiful in the Bay of Islands. Spectacular wreck diving can be had on either the HMNZS Canterbury or the Rainbow Warrior (Greenpeace’s flagship vessel, bombed by the French Secret Service)  Both wrecks are now encrusted in stunning colourful jewel anemones, abundant in fish life and beautiful reefs. This area is rich in New Zealand history and a must see for all visitors.  

The Coromandel Peninsula – South East of Auckland is  Dotted with islands, this coastline provides many healthy dive sites. Hiding inside the kelp and crevasses you will find trevally and blue maomao. In the summer months large kingfish school with giant boar fish, john dory and tarakihi. A great variety of other marine animals inhabit these waters from moray eels, stingrays, wrasse, demoiselles, porcupine fish, snapper and many other vibrant species.    

The South Coast, Wellington – The South Coast is a favourite for Wellington shore divers. Rocky reefs and copious marine growth makes the area an attractive breeding ground for a wide variety of marine life. This and all the other dive sites is also one of our go to sites for field trips for our NZQA Professional Scuba Diving Instructors , who are studying for under one year to become PADI Dive Instructors.  

 

If you are interested in joining us for any of our dive trips or PADI courses please contact us at Dive HQ Auckland.  For Diving in the Christchurch region contact https://www.diveskiworld.co.nz/ For Wellington region contact http://www.diveski.co.nz/