Northland Bay of Islands Diving

[Grrrr54]

G'day ,

I am coming over in Feb-March with a small group of Melbourne Recreational divers to dive the Poor Knights and also the 2 wrecks at the Bay of Islands.

I am asking if people could offer suggestions as to some of the better dive spots in the Bay of Islands area. Also opinions as to how people rate the Rainbow Warrior and the Canterbury wrecks. This is an area none of us on the trip know much about, and we would like to get a bit of feedback from locals as to their thoughts.

Our group has 4 divers with thousands of dives (30-40 years exp) and 2-4 people with 150-300 dives.

Any suggestions welcome.

Regards,

Greg Richards

[DeepPenetrator]

The canterbury is a really good dive. Use Northland Dive (www.northlanddive.co.nz) they are fantastic (highly recommended!) and provide meals and accommodation as well.

[ChuckyBob]

Check out Northland dive ( link at top of page).
They do the Canterbury and from time to time the Warrior. Excellent operators.

The Canterbury is a good naval "wreck" sitting in about 37 meters of water upright still in a single piece and should remain that way for quite some time. There are plenty of other cool sites in the area to be done too and you are pretty much guaranteed of a dive no mater what the weather. Given the choice of the Canterbury or the Waikato or Tui I'd take the Canterbury.

The Warrior is a very beautiful dive with lots of colour and growth. There are a lot a few other nearby sites to dive but weather can be an issue. It has a much greater history than the others and if you were to only dive one then I'd make it the Warrior. But it is smaller and not nearly as much scope for penetration ( if thats what floats ya boat).

[Grrrr54]

Thanks guys for that info. Can you recommend some of the better reef dives to do after the 2 wrecks??

[MikeS]

Northland Dive also will take you to some brilliant non-wreck sites. Danger Rock out from Bland Bay is a really good dive. Check out their website for more. Have a great trip in NZ

[ChrisB]

There's also Paihia Dive - usually get a dive on the Rainbow Warrior then a reef/wall dive for the second dive.... great crew

[GoatFish]

I've dived with Dive Ops in Paihia... did the Canterbury with them.. had a great day out with the crew, and they only do small groups on their boat which makes it more enjoyable (more room etc)...

[skipjack]

Some of the dives out around Cape Brett are awesome! Cathedral Cave, The Dog, Mao mao Reef, Bird Rock, and the Sisters. The Cavalli's have some great reefs. Taheke Reef is up with one of the best I've done anywhere, it just has to be flat calm to dive as its exposed. The tea pot, the western arm, or the labyrinth. With the experience in your group you should get some mint dives in, and not just the wrecks!

[Grrrr54]

It seems we are booked in with The Paihai dive shop.

From what you guys are describing the general reef dives near the wrecks are pretty impressive. Can't wait.

Thanks

Grrr

[DOWN-UNDER]

It seems we are booked in with The Paihai dive shop.

From what you guys are describing the general reef dives near the wrecks are pretty impressive. Can't wait.

Thanks

Grrr

Sure they will look after well. It's hard 'not' finding a good dive site around the Cavallis.

[Grrrr54]

Well I've been back for 2 weeks now and I'd like to thank Craig at Paihia Dive for giving me the single best dive I did in NZ. I didn't particularily want to dive the Cantebury, so after all the others did it, Craig took me and my Buddy to Bird Rock for an awesome all action dive. I thought of all the sensational dives I did in NZ- at White Island, Bay of Islands, Cavallis and the Poor Knights, that this was the standout dive of my 2 weeks.

If you rate dives out of 10, then (with apologies to Spinal Tap) this one goes to 11.


With diving that good on your doorstep I don't know how you Kiwi mob manage to motivate yourselves to go to work.

Greg Richards

[ChuckyBob]

With diving that good on your doorstep I don't know how you Kiwi mob manage to motivate yourselves to go to work.

You need to pay for gear some how!!!!