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Michaela Miller
Chillin in the Bay of Islands & Love to share my passion for diving and the Northland Region
Wreck & Reef Diving in the Bay of Islands
The HMNZS Canterbury is a 113m Leander Class frigate scuttled in Deep Water Cove in the Bay of Islands. She was laid to rest on the 3rd of November 2007 and has become a fantastic dive for recreational divers.
The Canterbury was prepared with divers in mind; lots of extra access points have been created to provide ease of entry and exit, this makes for some particularly good penetrations and swim through opportunities.
The wreck sits completely upright and fully intact. The wrecks position in Deep water cove is protected in most conditions; it is a very rare occasion when we can’t get to her. She lies between 12 and 38 mtrs, visibility will range between 8 and 30 mtrs.
You will get to spend between 20 and 35 minutes on the Wreck and a 5 minute safety stop. On most days we will dive first on the Canterbury followed by lunch and a second dive on a near by reef.
Since the Canterbury was sunk, she has grown a large range of soft corals and kelp outcrops are taking hold.
A varied array of fish have inhabited her decks, at times bait fish monopolize large portions of the wreck, in turn attracting there predators Yellow tail King fish sleek, powerful and very impressive. Large schools of juvenile snapper, leather jackets, John Dory, and many others.
Our Scuba Diving tours will show you reef diving in the Bay of Islands which is amongst the best in New Zealand.
Out in the bay you can expect to see a wide range of Sub tropical fish species, like the sandagger wrasse, a very colourful friendly and inquisitive, or you may see a school of the mighty kingfish, they have a real presents in the water but completely harmless.
There are many stingray’s that rest in the shallows all around the Bay with there friends the eagle ray’s.
The reef diving in New Zealand offer’s stunning kelp forests, Volcanic boulders & Crevasses open Caves which hide plenty of colourful treasures in and around them it.
Water taxi and boat charter for sightseeing, snorkelling, diving, island-hopping, picnics, beaches, walks and historic sites. We take you were you would like to go and can suggest the best spots.
By Kate Malcolm