We use Northland Dive for our Bay of Islands trip. Most people drive up to Northland Dive on Friday night and stay onsite at the “Cow shed” that night. You can drive up early on the Saturday morning but you will need to be at Northland Dive by approx 7:30am.

We can help out with arranging car-pooling if needed. Check out our Equipment Hire rates. This trip is aimed at the Intermediate to Experienced diver (certified Advanced or above including Deep Adventure Dive) as there is the opportunity to do wreck and deep diving. New Zealand is temperate water diving and you must have dived within the last 12 months – contact us if you need a refresher. All divers must dive within their certification limits. We combine the Bay of Islands trip and the Advanced Adventurer Course into a package price of $1048. This includes the trip (as outlined below), the training manual, instructor lead diving and certification. To secure your space on the trip there is a minimum deposit of $150 or payment in full.

The dive sites are varied and flexible to work with the conditions on the day. There is the opportunity to do up three daylight dives on the Saturday – 2 boat dives and 1 shore dive (possibly a shore based night dive in the non-daylight saving season) and then two day dives on the Sunday (weather permitting one or both of these is the wreck of the Canterbury). Divers can opt in or out of as many dives as they wish to do. If someone would rather lie in the sun on the beach and read magazines or a good book they can. It’s your weekend away in the tropical winterless North!

Between dives there is a generous surface interval where you will be fed a Picnic lunch on the beach. Plenty of time to off gas, relax, debrief and prepare for the next dive. The trip includes all meals from Saturday breakfast until Sunday lunch. If anyone has any special dietary requirements or is a veggie let us know in advance so that they can be catered for. In the main house there are 16 spaces in the dorms or you can upgrade to a twin or double room if you prefer less roomies. It is recommended that you bring ear plugs if you are a light sleeper as there is usually a good chance of at least one snorer sleeping in the room. The boat is back at the accommodation between 4 -5pm on Sunday afternoon.

Things to bring:

• Dive gear including torches and two tanks.
• Sleeping bag or blanket (bottom sheets and pillows are provided but if you have a favorite lavender scented pillow that you can’t sleep without then bring it along).
• Towel – even if you are diving in a drysuit you will need this for the shower.
• Water bottle (Hydration is important and this ensures you have something to drink on board the boat during the day).
• Snacks (you are fed generously but some folk just can’t live without their treats).
• Bottle of wine or a few beers for enjoying at the end of the days diving.

Due to the increasing Technical market & being a gear intensive sport there is a surcharge of $25 per item over & above the following:

• 1 set of Twins or Rebreather plus stage bottle/bailout or
• 1 Set of Twins or Rebreather plus scooter

The address and driving instructions are as follows:

Northland Dive
3851 Russell RD, RD4 Hikurangi
www.northlanddive.com

Driving directions from Auckland:
Get on the northern motorway and follow state highway 1 to Whangarei. About 10 minutes north of Whangarei there is a BP station on your left (it is quite difficult to spot once it has shut at night as it is unlit. If you go past “Touch O Country CAFE” on the left on SH1, then you’ve gone too far).
Shortly after the BP take the Russell Road on your right, it has a big blue place sign – “OAKURA BAY”. From this turn-off Northland Dive is 40km along on the left. This road is the coastal road that takes you to Helena Bay, Oakura Bay, Bland Bay and ultimately Rawhiti.
Approx 13km after the Oakura turn-off (which you will pass on your right) there are two one-way bridges, one 50m after the other. After you cross the second bridge, Northland Dive will be 5 minutes away on the left. Lookout for a big ships mast with a Northland Dive sign, and usually some boats and cars parked outside. If you get lost call Shane and Julia on 09 433 6633.

You can go to the website for Northland Dive above and there is a map.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions.

PLEASE NOTE:

Your trip deposit or full payment secures your space. Any outstanding balances are due a week before departure.

If you cancel your space on a trip within 7 days or less of departure you will incur a 100% cancellation fee. Generally trip payments once made are non-refundable, but most trips have a waiting list and we will do our best to find someone to take your space in the event you need to pull out. You can help us, and improve your chance of a refund, by finding your own replacement.

If a trip is cancelled by us due to weather or for safety reasons, a full refund or store credit will be given.

Trip pricing does not include transport. You will need to make your own way to the vessel departure point.

DOCUMENTS

• EQUIPMENT_RENTAL_176.pdf
• DRYSUIT_RENTAL_22.pdf
• Diver_Medical_Form_42.pdf

DIVE SITES

• Northland - Home Point
• Northland - The Sisters
• Northland - The Pinnacles
• Northland - Cathedral Cave
• Northland - HMNZS Canterbury
• Northland - Putahataha Island
• Northland - Taupiri Bay
• Northland - Whites Reef

TESTIMONIALS

Fabulous trip- from pre- organisation to us arriving late, to clear briefings and expectations and wonderful charter operator, Julie worked tirelessly from dawn to dawn to feed and water us and keep us sheltered and comfortable.
Kate you were just awesome with your wish for us to enjoy the whole weekend – and that comes from it making you happy when we are enjoying it- I was a bit nervous about how rusty I was – but as you say it all comes with practice and that’s what doing more is all about.
Thank you all

Fiona

Andrew, Thank you so much for your patience and guidance over our dive course. It was so awesome to have someone of your expertise as an instructor and I enjoyed every minute of the trip! Hoping for many dive trips like this in the future! Cheers Jack