FREEDIVING DAY TRIP
$289
A full day on the water freediving the wrecks and reefs of the Bay of Islands.
Check in at the dive shop on Williams Road at 7:45am, then we load at Paihia wharf and leave at 8:30. The run out takes about half an hour on Sentinel, through the islands — dolphins, penguins, seals and seabirds are regulars on the way.
First stop is the wreck, either the HMNZS Canterbury or the Rainbow Warrior, where you will dive the mooring line while the scuba divers are down. Then we move across to Deep Water Cove for the reef. It is a marine reserve, and the life there is the reason people come back. Back alongside at Paihia around 3:30pm.
How we run it
This is line diving on the mooring. A freediving instructor or guide watches from the boat as top cover — they are not in the water with you, as they are also covering the scuba divers. We strongly recommend you dive with a buddy and never dive alone. Come with someone you trust to watch you, or partner up on the boat.
Who it is for
Certified freedivers, or divers with genuine freediving experience. If you are new to it, our SSI Freediver course is where to start.
What it costs
$289 for the trip. Full gear hire is $60 — wetsuit, rubber weight belt, mask, snorkel and long fins. Packed lunch $17, meat or vegetarian, just let us know.
Your Dive Day
We start the day at 7:45am at our dive shop on Williams rd. We sort gear and paperwork, then load the boat at Paihia wharf for an 8:30am departure. On the way out we cruise through the islands and often see dolphins, penguins, seals and marine bird life. It takes approximately 30 minutes on Sentinel to reach the dive site.
First up is normally the wreck, either the HMNZS Canterbury or the Rainbow Warrior. You dive the mooring line while the scuba divers are down, with a freediving instructor or guide on the boat as top cover. We set up gear and brief before anyone gets in the water.
After lunch we head across to Deep Water Cove for the reef. It is a marine reserve, and the marine life in this area is incredible — plenty to see in the first few metres as well as on a deeper drop.
Once all the diving is done we cruise back through the islands to Paihia, arriving at the wharf around 3:30pm. Arrival at Paihia can vary depending on how busy the boat is and if customers require to be back for a bus. If you are catching a bus in the afternoon, please let us know!
Diving Packages
Experience Scuba Diving in the Bay Of Islands.
important information
Before diving with Paihia Dive please have a look at our Understanding The Risks form, as this will need to be completed before joining any of our trips. If you are doing any dive training including Discover Scuba Dives or refreshers, please have a look at our Medical Form, if required you may need to get your doctor to sign you off as fit to dive, before completing the activity.