I have just got my hands on two Astina 1000 metre, helium dive watches. These watches are not only functional but stylish and would make great gifts or useful tools for divers, especially tech divers. I have used an Astina watch for 12 years now and other than two battery changes it has performed without fault

ASTINA 1000M HELIUM DIVE WATCHES FOR SALE

One has a black face and one a yellow face, check out the Astina web site for spec’s etc. Normally these watches would retail for $599.00. Go Dive price is $275.00 plus freight so be quick as there are two only.

safe diving

 Brent

Go Dive

This weekend is shaping up nicely with a full group heading over to the Lodge Saturday, funnily enough although it is the first weekend of the scallop season the focus is diving on the wreck.

Paul Trainor and three others are over from Wellington with their KISS rebreathers and Hamish and Steve are going to give twins a go for the first time on the wreck.

IMAGE TAKEN YESTERDAY OF DIVE MARLBOROUGH MOORED IN MELVILLE COVE PORT GORE

The weather looks like it is going to be a bit overcast tomorrow with a 25knt South East, changing Northerly on Monday. Visibility is pretty good however throughout the Sounds so a good weekend to get out and about.

Next weekends wreck diving trip has two spaces left, and the long range forcast looks pretty good, so if your keen for a splash give me a call at 0800 GODIVE.

 Have a good weekend and safe diving

Brent

It’s 10.30pm on the clock in the 1st officers cabin,  February the 16th 1986 and the Lermontov has just hit bottom at 37 metres in Port Gore.  What was to become one of the countries great maritime mystery’s has now become one of the worlds best wreck dives.

25 years later the Lermontov is largely still intact with most of her fittings still in place, including her huge propellers and anchor. Diving the Lermontov is a fantastic experience not to be missed.

DIVERS SWIM OVER THE PROP OF THE MIKHAIL LERMONTOV

To commemorate the sinking of the Lermontov and to remember those who lost their lives during and since the sinking, Go Dive Marlborough is planning a special week of events from February the 14th to Friday the 18th, events will include an anniversary dinner using dinner ware recovered from the Lermontov and a night dive on February the 16th, exactly 25 years after the sinking.

The Lermontov Lodge in Port Gore will be our base for events and diving, spaces will be limited to 12 guests and the package will include all meals, diving and anniversary t-shirt. Don’t miss this week, already there are divers booked from as far as Aussie and it is guaranteed to be memorable week.

5 Day/10 dive package inclusive of meals, accommodation and 25th anniversary T-shirt

• Non club members: $850.00 
• Dive Club Marlborough Members: $750.00

Contact me at info@godive.co.nz to register your interest.

safe diving

Brent

Go Dive

Well it had to happen, winter has finally caught up with us. I spose all those ski bunnies will be happy though, well they have to have their little bit of fun to.

But don’t disappear it won’t last long, the shortest day is only a week or two away and it will be on the improve again. Our winter calendar is looking pretty good, with many diving right through. We have a PADI EANx course this weekend, as well as a Rescue course starting Sunday, TDI Deco course the following two weekends and a Divemaster course about to get underway.

LONG HOT SUMMER DAYS AT THE LERMONTOV DIVE LODGE, SOMETHING TO LOOK FROWARD TO.

Also on the drawing board for August or September is a live-a-board trip to the Poor Knights. Plan is to make this a Tec trip and include some deeper dives, if your keen let me know numbers will be limited.

The weekends weather is not going to be conducive to good diving in the Outer Sounds due to a strong Southerly. However if your keen on getting wet then we will be heading out locally on Sunday. 

SAFE DIVING

BRENT

GODIVE

Congratulations to Mitchell Lochhead, who just qualified for Go Dives one hour club this weekend, and no it’s not like the mile high club. It’s about spending over one hour under water, no mean feat at this time of year in a wet-suit.

Mitchell is a Dive Club Marlborough member, who just recently completed his TDI training with us was diving a single and sling which allowed him to extend his bottom time on the Mikhail Lermontov, thus maximizing his investment in the trip. Diving with a sling also gives him the ability to penetrate the wreck beyond recreational limits. Steve his buddy, also a qualified TDI Tec diver and one hour man, was doing the wreck for the first time in his new Otter Britannic dry-suit, Steve couldn’t have been happier with his new investment coming up dry and warm from every dive.

MIKHAIL LERMONTOV LYING ON THE BOTTOM IN PORT GORE (model)

Also congrats to Hamish McKay who completed his PADI Wreck specialty over the weekend, Hamish is due to do his TDI Adv Nitrox and Deco Pro courses on Queens birthday weekend, so  will be equipped to go for the 1 hour or even two hour club honor’s.

Marilyn Huber a true blue Aussie from Melbourne, also joined us for the first time on the Lermontov, Marilyn is a Divemaster for Aquability a Melbourne Dive Centre and hopes to return with a few of her mates in the next year, thanks Marilyn for diving with us and hope to see you back again soon. Pity about the Crusaders lose though, hope you didn’t take it to hard. (good to see an Aussie supporting a Kiwi side)

Thats it for the time being, still a few more spots on the Queens birthday trip and TDI course so let me know if your keen. Guy is doing some U/W video work on this trip, so if you have ambitions of becoming an U/W film star this is your chance.

safe diving

Brent

The great Autumn weather is continuing with nice calm days and plenty of sun, I haven’t even had to light the fire at night as it has been to warm.

There is plenty going on over the next few months, so there is no excuse to hang up your kit, heres a quick list of whats going on:

• Sunday May 16: Club Trip to Kaikoura
• May 22/23: Wreck course and start of PADI Rescue and Divemaster course at the Lermontov Dive Lodge  (2 spaces left)
• June 5/6/7 Queens birthday: TDI Adv Nitrox and Deco Procedures course at Lermontov Dive Lodge (3 spaces left)
• June 12/13/14: TDI Adv Nitrox and Deco procedures course at the Lerm Dive Lodge (1 space left)
• July: PADI IDC held at Rarotonga Cook islands

Theres heaps happening and although the water temp is lower the visibility if better, 10 meters being the average throughout the winter on the Lermontov, with plenty to see and do.

 TRITON NUDIBRANCH ON THE MIKHAIL LERMONTOV

Keep an eye open on future blogs for updates on whats going on etc.

safe diving

Brent

Over the last 5 days  I have been stationed at the Lermontov Lodge, hosting a KISS rebreather course for Paul Trainor the New Zealand distributer of KISS rebreathers. 

The course was a combination of Instructor trainer and entry level training, Alan Studley the US distributer for KISS was brought over from California by Paul to run him through the Instructor Trainer program while Rob Edwards went through his level 1 and 2 Rebreather course.

We had ideal weather for all the 5 days, with most of the dives taking place on the Lermontov and a dive each on the Lastingham and Rangitoto on the way home yesterday.

While the guys run through their drills on the outside of the wreck, I took the opportunity to explore and familiarize myself with a few areas inside the wreck with the idea of conducting bow to stern tours through the inside of the wreck at Lounge deck level.

One of the sights seen on Go Dives penetration tour, a child’s doll

Although I checked out mostly previously visited areas I found a few areas and artefact’s not explored before during these exploratory dives, testimony to the size and scope this wreck has.

Plates still in racks. ( These are no touch)

Go Dive is the only South island dealer for KISS rebreathers and will be running regular KISS rebreatehr courses at the Lodge, with Paul conducting the training. If you want more info on these machines you can contact me or check out the KISS web site at kissrebreathers.com

Thanks Paul for organizing the trip and congratulations to Rob on completing your course.

safe diving

Brent

Go Dive

Congratulations to Steve and Mitch who completed their TDI Adv Nitrox and Deco procedures course while at the Lerm Dive Lodge this last weekend. The course included both theory and practical development, focusing mainly on the skills required to complete decompression dive using EAN up to 99% as a deco gas etc.

Steve and Mitch

The weather was kind to us for all of the weekend with perfect conditions on Saturday. Guy, Warren and Katie were also along for a few rec dives, with Katie finishing her Advanced. Clare and Nathan visitors from Auckland come in for the day on Saturday with Hamish from Christchurch coming in for the Sunday dives.

This was the first weekend where we combined day trips with the live-a-shore option, this worked out really well and is a far better option that doing the long haul around and back from Picton in one day on a boat, especially when it is a bit bumpy.

If your interested in trying a bit of tec diving then our trips over the winter will give you the opportunity to learn about the kit and try a dive using a sling cylinder. If your unable to make one of our schdeuled trips, Dive Shack and Tec Dive in Auckland, Splash Gordon in Wellington and Awesome Scuba in Nelson have trips booked over the next few months, so if your living in these areas and want to join in on the action give the guys a call to see if they can fit you on one of their trips.

safe diving

Brent

Last weekend was a cracker weather wise, unfortunately not many took advantage of it by getting wet. Autumn is one of the best times for diving, with calmer conditions, visibly improving as plankton dies off and with the water temp still being reasonably warm and quite comfortable for wetsuit divers.

Looking at the long range forecast it looks like the weather is going to hold for a while yet, our TDI course and wreck dive weekend at the Lodge is nearly full this coming weekend, with only 2 spots left.

Congratulations to Steve and Georgie, Dive Club Marlborough members and regular divers, Georgie has just recently received the great news she is pregnant and both are looking forward to their first child. Don’t worry Georgie you will be back in the water before you know, Steve can stay home and look after the wee person while you come up for a well earned weekend or two.

Steve and Georgie

safe diving

Brent

Go Dive has to much stock so out it goes at wholesale prices 

Conditions:

• Advertised prices do not include freight
• Credit Card sales add 2.5%
• Full payment required no layby

REGULATORS

• Cressi XS2 Piston DIN   $325.00
• Cressi Ellipse Ocy         $260.00

BCD’s

• Cressi Line 2                $460.00
• Cressi Aquapro 5R       $570.00

GAGES

• Mini Combo 2              $220.00

CRESSI MASK’s

• Matrix                          $90.00
• Piuma                          $90.00
• Occhio Plus                 $90.00
• Lince                           $85.00
• Sky                              $65.00
• Ocean Eyes                  $95.00

MASK & SNORKEL SETS

• Matrix & Gamma        $100.00
• Sky 2 & Gamma          $80.00

CRESSI FINS

• Cressi Frog                 $112.00
• Reaction                     $172.00
• Gara 3000                   $270.00

CRESSI SUITS (mens and womens)

• Ice   (mens only left)    $590.00
• Lontra                         $360.00
• Facile                         $310.00
• Medas                         $395.00
• Technica                     $300.00
• Apnea                         $275.00

CRESSI Spear guns

• Mohawk 110             $220.00
• Comanche 100         $210.00

Plus much more including. Intova and Ikelite torches, boots, gloves, U/W cameras, pole spears, weight belts.

Contact: Go Dive 0800 GODIVE email info@godive.co.nz