Scuba diving adventures around the South Island of NZ
Spectacular is a word often associated with the New Zealand's terrestrial environment and it can be applied equally well to the surrounding marine environment. The South Island makes a perfect destination for the adventurous scuba diver, from beginners to pro's, many sites offer great experiences for all.
Marlborough Sounds
The Marlborough Sounds, at the top of the South Island, has many popular dive sites which include exposed islands, the wreck of a Russian liner and many sheltered bays.
D'Urville and Stephens Islands, in the outer Sounds, are accessible only by boat, preferably a live-aboard as once you sample the dive sites you will want to stay. The visibility and marine life here rivals the Poor Knights, New Zealand's premier location.
Lighthouse Point, north west of Stephens Island, provides a great dive at slack tide.
Beginning your dive near shore will drop you in to 8‒12 metres of water that is teaming with marine life. Common fish include butterfish, blue cod, butterfly perch, marble fish and moki. As you swim out away from the island the depth gently drops allowing advanced divers to get to 30 metres depth. If you are lucky you may come across a carpet shark resting in one of the sandy patches. These sharks are completely harmless and great to watch. Be sure to check for huge crayfish under the large rock ledges and boulders but keep your hands clear as they can inflict a painful pinch. The boulders are covered with a huge variety of anemone, sponges, chitons and urchins. The New Zealand sea urchin, known locally by the maori name of kina, feed voraciously on the kelp forests that cover most of the remaining surfaces.
Sail Rock, near the entrance to Port Hardy, d'Urville Island, is another superb dive site. Named after a large triangular rock that protrudes over 15 metres up from the bottom this site is dominated by sponges and bryozoans. Many rock pinnacles make this a fun site to swim through. The maximum depth is around 25 metres with a summer temperature of 15‒16 °C .
On the 16th February 1986, the 175 metre Russian cruise ship Mikhail Lermontov struck rocks at Cape Jackson. The seriously damaged ship limped into Port Gore where all passengers were transferred to rescue ships shortly before the vessel sunk, claiming the life of one Russian crew member. Lying in 25‒30 metres of water this is a very accessible wreck to dive. A local guide is recommended as the ship is lying on her starboard side and visibility can be poor, easily leading to disorientation. This massive vessel deserves multiple dives if you want to fully appreciate her features. Highlights include sitting in the swimming pool and exploring the Bolshoi bar.
Kaikoura
Further south at Kaikoura, on the east coast, there are many shore accessible dive sites. The upwelling of nutrient rich waters from the Kaikoura Canyon ensure plenty of marine life, making it a popular site for scuba divers and whales alike. A popular dive site is South Bay on the peninsula. From the shore a short swim out to a rocky reef will allow you to drop into a depth of around 7 metres, the outer side of the reef drops to around 18 metres. The kelp forests are fun to swim through and explore for anemones, octopus and crayfish. Common fish at this site include blue maomao, scarlet wrasse, triple fin and the inquisitive blue cod.
Dunedin
The Aromoana Mole is a one kilometre long rock wall built in the 1880's to protect Otago harbour entrance near Dunedin. Between 1921‒45 several ship hulks were scuttled on the south side to protect the wall and now make a great artificial reef to dive. Depth increases from 7 metres near the shore to around 30 metres at the end of the Mole.
Fiordland
The wreck of the Mokoia is the shallowest and makes an ideal first wreck. The site is a voluntary marine reserve so there is plenty of fish life, commonly encountered are moki, trumpeter, red cod and terakihi. The wrecks are also home to a fantastic variety of sponges, snails, nudibranches and seaweeds, also keep a keen eye out for seahorses. The site is sheltered except during north-east winds, with the best time to dive at high tide when visibility can be up to 10 metres on a good day. Be ware of strong tidal currents at the end of the Mole.
Fiordland abounds with good dive sites. A feature of diving in this region is a layer of tannin stained freshwater on the surface. This stained water absorbs light reducing the growth of algae and thus allowing species that normally grow at great depth to survive in as little as 5 metres of water. One of these species is the visually striking endemic black coral. A great place to see a large population of black coral is at the Chimneys in Milford Sound. Accessible only by boat this calm site is suitable for all levels of diver, with a maximum depth of 15 metres. The Chimneys' sheer walls are home to a great diversity of life making them great to photograph, expect to find red corals, leather jackets, cod, and sea dragons. It is estimated that the large black corals are around 300 years old so care must be taken not to damage them.
Queenstown
Cave Diving
If cave diving takes your fancy then the Riwaka Resurgence near Nelson provides a safe and easy starting point. Located on Department of Conservation land the site is off limits to commercial operators, so you have to either go privately or as part of a dive club trip. The water is at a constant 10 °C, making a 7mm suit a must, and its pitch black in there so two torches per diver are required. The entrance pool looks impossibly small, but as soon as you descend below the surface the cave opens up to allow up to three divers to to swim in side-by-side through the first sump, which is around 30 metres long. Upon surfacing in a large cavern look up to see awesome stalactites. It's possible to walk up a short stream section to enter a second longer narrower sump connecting to another cavern. The swim out is spectacular, especially if you turn your torches off. From a faint bright spot the resurgence entrance begins to glow an emerald green until it fills your vision as you approach.
When cave diving always run a guide line, ensure you and your buddy have the appropriate training and seek local advice on conditions and dangers.
Lake Rotoiti
Many lakes and rivers around the South Island also make great dive sites. Lake Rotoiti at 620 metres altitude in Nelson Lakes National Park offers a great introduction to alpine diving. From the Kerr Bay shore the lake bed rapidly drops to an 8 metre plateau before dropping down to 26 metres. The bed is very silty so good buoyancy control is essential. Highlights include a visit from the longfin eels, protected residents of the lake, and swimming over and around submerged Nothofagus trees.
The variety of South Island scuba opportunities is fantastic, with sites to cater to all levels of training and experience.
The Awesome Scuba Dive Club dives many sites around New Zealand and the Pacific, so join us today to experience all the South Island has to offer.
Enjoy your dive adventures.
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