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I'm heading to Auckland on the 24th and I hope to squeeze in a few dives. How is it around there? I was looking at a place called Goat Island, sounds alright. I'm on a limited budget so I'm looking for places in or around Auckland.
Zak - Goat Island is ok and convenient, though shore diving is difficult to get any depth without some long surface swims. It's a marine reserve, so there's reasonable fish life etc but it's very dependent on weather as to how good your dive will be. Avoid it after rain or if there's been strong Easterly winds.
It's well worth making a trip up to the Poor Knights if you can afford it (NZ$110 a day is about average).
I'm based in Auckland if you want a lift somewhere or a buddy.
I am going to Auckland on 15th and planning a day or 2 for the Poor Knights before making my way south to Chrischurch overland.
Where (town) should I stay for the dive and any recommended dive operator?
Thanks in advance!
See if you can get a motel room in Ngunguru, or if you like to rough it there is a great campground in Tutukaka itself, just up the road from the dive shop. The campground also has cabins...
Dive! Tutukaka is the biggest operator in town and runs trips to the Knights 7 days a week. They would be your easiest and best bet.
I hope you enjoy the diving...The Poor Knights are my favourite dive site in the world...
The cabins at the Tutukaka campground are reasonably priced and very convenient for an apres-dive beer at the Schnapper Rock bar in Tuts.
The motel at Ngunguru is a bit more pricey, but you at least get showers and toilets in the suites as opposed to having to walk over the campground to get to them.... bedding is included, whereas it's bring a sleeping bag at the campground.
The sports bar in Ngunguru is a good place to get a beer and the chef there is excellent. Alternatively, the fish and chip shop makes the best mussel fritters in the world. The cafe, Solaris, opens early and does a good breakfast - and customer service is better than at Schnapper Rock.
Dive! Tutukaka (www.diving.co.nz) are definitely the best charter for the visiting diver - they won the PADI Asia Pacific dive operator of the year, they really do look after you well. The diving is fantastic, but depending on what you're used to it might be an idea to take a guided dive (free of charge) on your first dive so you can get an idea of what to look out for.
I'm unfortunately teaching that weekend, otherwise I'd offer to give you a lift up from Auckland and go for a dive...
Will contact Tutukaka for more details. How long does it take to drive from Auckland to Ngunguru?
Since I have limited time, am I missing much skipping the wrecks _ Tui & Waikato?
Auckland to Ngunguru is about 2 hrs 40 minutes if you have a fast car but allow 3 hours if you dont know the way/have a slow car.
The Waikato is a great dive but I wouldnt skip a dive at the Knights to see it.
I hope you have a fantastic few dives up there, I'm jelous as I havnt dived the knights for nearly a year now...However I am moving back to Akl next year so will once again be a regular at the Poor Knights
To dive the Poor Knight you can take a regularly scheduled bus http://www.intercitycoach.co.nz/ The bus station in Auckland was (is?) located at the base of the very tall casino building. If you left Auckland at 1:30pm you could be at Whangarei at 4:20pm. Fare is NZ$36, with a NZ$5 discount for those VIP (discount card for backpacker hostels in OZ and NZ) or Youth Hostel card holders.
or drive about three hours from Auckland to the closest major city Whangerei (the W is not pronounced, the pronounciation is more like FONGARAY - ask a local) and from there it is about twenty minutes to Tutukaka.
You can stay in Whangerei. When I stayed there in 1997 the dive boat captains picked me up on the way to the Tutukaka. I stayed at a long cost backpacker place (shared rooms and cooking facilities in a converted house, had covered patio in the back for drying dive gear).
I was there Feb. 1997 and had calm seas, great weather.
soya - am actually going to be in tutukaka on the evening of the 15th and diving the wrecks on the 16th. if you want to meet for a beer then give me a shout.
the wrecks are great dives, but the islands are more unique.
soya - am actually going to be in tutukaka on the evening of the 15th and diving the wrecks on the 16th. if you want to meet for a beer then give me a shout.
the wrecks are great dives, but the islands are more unique.
His post was from months ago and his location says UK. I'm gutted I'm working this week so I can't come up on the Knights trip.
Wednesdays dive on the Minato Maru was cool, but I am soooooo sunburnt.
My whole head is peeling, which is not a good look.
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