DIVING IN NEW ZEALANDS FIORDLAND WITH
GO DIVE MARLBOROUGH
I have been sport diving for nearly 20 years and, about a month ago I was given a book on the” 60 Best Dive Sites in the World”. I was surprised to find that I have dived over a quarter of these sites! I was even more surprised to find that the only New Zealand dive sites mentioned were Poor Knight’s and the Mikhail Lermontov. The South Island’s Fiordland should surely have been included.
Diving Fiordland is unique in a number of ways: the clarity of the seas, the effects of the fresh water layer on marine life and, above all, the feeling that may be diving a location where very few people have ever dived before. Go Dive Marlborough’s visit to Doubtful Sound this June was a great adventure and unlike any other dive trip I have ever been on. With the remote and ruggedly beautiful scenery, you soon become part of the landscape and at one with the mountains and the sea. The diving is excellent and, although challenging at times, Brent McFadden’s leadership ensured that our safety was never compromised.
I came away with some excellent dives logged, some great photographs taken and great memories and fondness for the close personal relationships and humor that developed during the trip.
I can wholeheartedly recommend the Go Dive Marlborough’s Fiordland Dive Trip to any diver who wishes to visit a world class dive site, which will provide a unique and rewarding experience.
Mike Moffett
PADI Instructor
BSAC Open Water Instructor
DIVING IN FIORDLAND WITH GO DIVE MARLBOROUGH
Fiordland Expedition
Fiordland is one of the world’s true wildernesses, a unique environment very few people get to dive due to its remote location on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island.
Go Dive Marlborough have one scheduled expedition for 2008, this expedition departs Manapouri on July 24, where you will travel over the Wilmont Pass into Deep Cove the head of Doubtful Sound. Here you will board your home for the next 5 days, the MV Affinity a very comfortable 20metre (63ft) vessel, with 8 twin and double cabins.
Diving in Fiordland is unique, with winter being the best time to dive due to settled weather patterns and clear water. During our 2007 expedition not a drop of rain fell or a cloud was seen for the entire 5 days. Visibility ranged between 15 to 25 metres and we had a water temperature of 12.7 degrees Celsius (54 Fahrenheit).
During the 5 days you will dive walls that drop away to depths in excess of 300 metres, the Hares Ears a group of Glacial boulders of gigantic proportions at the entrance to Doubtful Sound, the Gut a Marine Reserve where colonies of very rare sea pens can be seen at depths of only 28 metres (100 ft). On nearly every dive you will see colonies of Black Coral, from as shallow as 5 metres (normal depth of this coral is over 100metres (330ft)) also Red Coral at depths of 20 metres (66ft) plus. Other than these unique species, Fiordland offers a huge bio-diversity of reef fish and invertebrates, not seen in such numbers any where else in New Zealand.
During the expedition you will be looked after by our dive guide, cook, skipper and I other boat crew. All meals, diving, transport into and out of Doubtful Sound, included, plus a tour through the Manapouri Power Station, where you will go 300 metres (1000ft) underground to witness this engineering marvel, an experience in its self.
Expedition limited to 10 divers.
Tour Cost: $1895.00
For more information or to book email info@godive.co.nz
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