Dunedin is the second largest city of the South Island of New Zealand. Lying in the region of Otago, it looks out onto the wild and beautiful South Pacific Ocean. It has a large urban area and diving is a popular hobby.
The diving in Dunedin is a small but well established industry. There are very few dive centres and dive resorts but those that exist are well provisioned and offer all the diving courses you could want, from beginner diving courses up to professional qualifications. All of the diving in Dunedin is land based and as a result, there are no liveaboards.
Some of the highlights of diving in Dunedin include the superb clarity of the cold water, the playful local fur seals and the chance to dive in bewitching kelp forests.
There is a mixture of shore and boat diving available in Dunedin, with more advanced dive sites found further from shore. May dive sites are made up of a rocky reef substrate which makes it easier for seaweed species like kelp to grow to such lengths.
Various types of dive sites are available. Kelp forests like those at Aramoana Mole are fascinating, while other sites offer wall dives, pocked with nooks and crannies which creatures hide in, as well as wreck dives and drift dives.
The temperate waters of Dunedin are nutrient rich and host an abundance of life. Perhaps the most popular residents are the marine mammals. Fur seals are well known for being inquisitive and playful towards humans and can be seen at many dive sites. Dolphins and whales frequent these waters and divers have seen southern right whales in the harbour.
As a popular region for spear and big game fishing, the deeper sites host schools of big fish like blue cod and pelagic species like kingfish. On the reefs, there are many invertebrates and macro creatures to look for. There are cephalopods like octopus, squid and cuttlefish, crustaceans such as pie crust crabs, painted prawns and squat lobsters and various other nudibranch and invertebrate species.
Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content
Dunedin diving is possible all year round. Dunedin has a cold climate, with winter temperatures close to freezing, whilst summers rarely reach above 20°C/68°F. This year round chill means that the water temperatures are always between 10°C–15°C/50°F–59°F, with the warmest temperatures found in February and the coldest in August. Rain increases during the spring and winter and runoff can sometimes affect visibility close to shore. Thick wetsuits or drysuits are always necessary.
