New Zealand’s coastal waters offer some outstanding scuba diving and snorkelling from the subtropical reefs of Northland to the famous Islands of the Poor Knights and Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf whilst at the bottom of the South Island, Stewart Island and Fiordland offer spectacular steep cliff diving.

Sea conditions are at their best in summer and autumn (December-May), when the weather is settled, underwater visibility is good and marine life is abundant.

Amongst abundant fish life on reefs and drop-offs near the Northland coast there is also an artificial reef dive on the Greenpeace Ship ‘Rainbow Warrior’. The ship is beautifully coated with jewel anemones and sponges and is home to a huge variety of fish life.

The former navy frigate F421 HMNZS Canterbury was sunk in Deep Water Cove in late 2007 adding to Northland’s drive trail. It will, in time, become an excellent artificial reef for inshore fish and marine life.

The ‘Poor Knights’ have been rated by the late Jacques Cousteau as being one of the top 10 dive sites in the world. The marine reserve covers a vast range of topography including caves, arches, walls, pinnacles, brightly coloured reefs and sponge gardens where wonderful underwater photographic opportunities abound.

The overpowering rugged beauty of the Fiordland World Heritage Area is not confined to the mountains, lakes and rivers. This special place is also the exciting new frontier of scuba diving in New Zealand. Deep inside the many sheltered fiords along the west coast there is exceptionally good visibility for diving the steep cliff faces.

Heavy rainfall produces a surface layer of fresh water in the fiords. This tannin-coloured layer reduces light levels, deceiving deep water marine life like black coral and groper into believing their habitat is substantially deeper than it actually is. This results in outstanding underwater diving.