Dive sites
Dive Otago operates at dive sites all over the lower South Island. Click on a dive site below to view more information.
South Island sites
- North Reef
- Katiki Point
- Fish Reef
- Danger Reef
- Karitane Reef
- Green Island
- Roundhouse
- Akatore Reef
- Taieri Island
- Nugget Point
- Milford Sound
- Stewart Island
Dunedin sites
- Fairway Beacon
- Green Point
- Aramoana
- Otakau Wall
- Weller's Rock
- Harrington Point
- Hydra Rock
- Wreck of Tyrone
- Cape Saunders
- Gull Rock & Tow Rock
Rest of New Zealand
For additional information on dive trips to these sites, see the Dive Trips page.
North Reef
Description:
Heading out by boat to the north of the Moeraki harbour you will find a shallow (10-12m) reef covered in kelp. This is a nursery ground for crayfish and a great dive with plenty of invertebrate life to see.
Katiki Point
Description:
Stay tuned — information coming soon!
Fish Reef
Description:
Fish Reef is situated 5km to the South of the Moeraki boat ramp, 100km north of Dunedin. Fish Reef is accessible only by boat. The site has a maximum depth of 30m where the sand meets the rocky reef, which gradually slopes up and breaks the surface. Named for the massive schools of fish often found here. Huge blue cod sit on the sand in front of the reef, Blue Moki, Copper Moki and Trumpeter.
Shag Point & Danger Reef
Location: 30 minute boat ride from Moeraki or 5 minutes from Puddle Alley ramp at Shag Point headland.
Ability: Novice to Advanced.
Depth Range: Visibility 5 – 30m, range in depth from 5m to 15m.
Access: Boat.
Marine Life: Prolific sea life.
Description:
Shag Point is situated 67km north of Dunedin on State Highway #1, just north of Palmerston. When shore diving from Shag Point the easiest way to get to the water is down the set of steps on the water side of the picnic area. You can also use the boat ramp to enter the water, however caution must be paid to boat traffic.
Karitane Reef
Location: Karitane.
Ability: Novice to Advanced.
Depth Range: Visibility 8 – 15m.
Access: Shore or boat.
Marine Life: Wandering Anemones, Scarlet, Wrasse, Greenbone (Butterfish).
Description:
A neat kelp forest reef about 200m offshore from Karitane Beach. Road access to the beach is excellent with a short walk required to get to the end of the point. Karitane is exposed to northeast, east and south winds, although sheltered from northwest and west. Depth range is 7-12 metres from the shore. Lots of typical Otago coastal Marine life including Wellington Nudibranchs and often Wandering Anemones.
Green Island
Location: 17 km's south of Dunedin off the picturesque Brighton Beach.
Ability: Novice to Advanced.
Depth Range: Visibility 8 – 25m
Access: Boat.
Marine Life: Hoi Hoi (Yellow-Eyed Penguin), Moki, Trumpeter, Greenbone (Butterfish), Hapuka (Grouper).
Description:
Green Island is situated off the coast of Brighton beach, 17kms south of Dunedin. Green Island is home to a colony of yellow-eyed penguins and many other protected birds. It is a Department of Conservation reserve; therefore you are not allowed to step on to it, apart from in an emergency. The dive site is very safe on the west side, generally with little current and visibility averaging 8-10 metres. The depth on the western side approaches 18 metres and gets down to 30 metres on the eastern and southern sides. Lots to see here including Crayfish and encrusting sponges over the reef.
Roundhouse
Location: 10 minutes south from Brighton Beach.
Ability: Novice to Advanced. Deep divers a minimum of 5 deep cold water dives.
Depth Range: Visibility 2 – 15m, range in depth from 8m to 30m.
Description:
The area to the east of Taieri Island is similar to a number of reefy areas to the north of the island, commonly called Roundhouse Reef. Depth generally is around 18 metres with an abundance of fish life including leatherjackets, blue cod, marblefish, greenbone, parrotfish and the odd seasonal crayfish. Visibility is often affected by dirty water from the Taieri River. Safety sausage a must.
Akatore Reef
Location: 15 minutes SE by boat from Taieri Mouth and 5.5NM offshore.
Ability: Advanced with a minimum of 10 deep cold water dives.
Depth Range: Visibility 5 – 30m, range in depth from 16m to 40m.
Access: Boat.
Description:
Akatore reef is located approximately 12 kilometres south east from Taieri Mouth and consists of three pinnacles, where large flat sided rocks rise to 18 metres from 40 metres. There is a rocky reef area at around 28 – 30 metres with an abundance of fish including trumpeter, blue cod, barracouda, dogfish, salmon, copper moki, blue moki and leatherjackets. Safety sausage and torches a must.
Taieri Island
Description:
Taieri Island is a lovely dive with lots of leatherjackets, blue cod, marblefish, greenbone, parrotfish and the odd crayfish are to be spotted in the area.
Nugget Point
Location: 5 minutes by boat from the beach on the North side of the point.
Ability: Novice to Advanced.
Depth Range: Visibility 2 – 10m, range in depth to 16m.
Access: Boat.
Description:
Nugget Point is a prominent peninsular on Otago’s south coast. Off the point are a number of small rocky islets from where the name originates. There are a variety of diving areas including the islets, the north and south faces of the headland and offshore reefs in the immediate area. Boat access is via a small beach at what is known as the Fishing Camp on the northwest corner of the peninsular. A 4wd vehicle is recommended. Depths range to in excess of 30 meters off the end of the islets. The area is noted for it’s marine mammals including N. Z. Sea Lions, Fur seals, and occasionally Elephant seals and Leopard seals. Safety sausage a must.
Milford Sound
Location: West Coast.
Ability: Novice to Advanced.
Depth Range: Visibility 8 – 30m.
Access: Boat.
Marine Life: Tubeworms, Snake Stars, Feather Stars, Butterfly Perch, Girdled Wrasse, Jason Mirabilis, Bottlenose Dolphins, Seal, Wandering Anemones, Scarlet, Wrasse, Greenbone (Butterfish), Pink Butterfly Perch, Leather Jackets, Octopi, Southern Pigfish, Jewel Anemones, Scallops, Oysters, Crayfish.
Description:
A completely different dive experience. Drop through the freshwater layer into 15-20m viz, Black and Red coral, Bright yellow zooanthids, Tube anemones and lots of wildlife you just don’t see outside the Sounds. A must dive experience.
Stewart Island
Description:
With plenty of marine life and usually clear water Stewart Island is a must place to dive. Hunters will find crayfish and when in season can gather oysters. Also great for photography or just exploring the many reefs around the island.
- Boat diving – there are numerous amazing places to dive off boats at Stewart Island from Bench Island, Port Adventure, to The Titi Islands...
- Wreck of Marine Maid – She was a 20m Foveaux Freighter that hit Barclay rocks and sunk in March 2000. A neat dive best on slack tide with machinery still on the deck. Depth of 30m on the deck.
- Horseshoe Bay is the next bay, west of Halfmoon bay and shaped like a horseshoe – hence the name. It is a very sheltered bay with a gradual sloping bottom of around 8 metres and an absolute maximum depth of 15 metres. It is a very accessible shore dive and the bottom composition is made up of sand and mud. Common marine life found in Horseshoe Bay are trumpeter, terakihi, baby crayfish, spotty’s and blue cod.
- Leask Bay - Leask Bay is a very sheltered bay located north of Halfmoon Bay. The site is ideal for training with a maximum depth of 13 metres and is a very accessible shore dive. There are many old crayfish pots in the bay that make for wonderful exploration. Common marine life found in Leask Bay is baby crayfish, seahorses, spotty's and blue cod.
Fairway Beacon
Description:
Fairway Beacon is the port marker indicating the entrance to the harbour situated 2.68 kilometres from the signal station. The marker has a platform at 5.5 metres making it an ideal spot for safety stops, then continues down to 24.5 metres where there is a concrete pad 4m by 4m and 1m thick, making the maximum depth 25.5 metres. The concrete pad is partially covered in sponges, ascidians, anemones and sea tulips and the surrounding area is a flat sandy bottom. NZ fur seals are frequently seen at Fairway Beacon.
Green Point
Description:
Stay tuned — information coming soon!
Aramoana
Location: 35 minutes easy drive from Dunedin City at the mouth of the Otago Harbour.
Ability: Novice to Advanced.
Depth Range: Visibility 3 – 10m, range in depth from 7m to 22m
Access: Shore.
Marine Life: Blue Moki, Blue Cod, Terakihi, Inquisitive Spotties, Seahorses, Octopus, Carpet Sharks, Bright Yellow Ascidians, Sea Tulips, Common Conger Eels, Crayfish.
Description:
With five different wrecks between five and 20 metres and truckloads of marine life Aramoana Mole is arguably the best training site in New Zealand. Aramoana is situated 22km from Dunedin. The site is A man-made rock wall extending out from the carpark in an Easterly direction. The wrecks of the Paloona and Moana lie in around 12-16m while the Mokoia is in 7-8m. The wrecks alongside the southerly side of the Mole sunk help to maintain the wall structure. All kinds of marine life can be found here including baby crays, sevan species of nudibranch, feather duster worms on the sand, Dead mans fingers coral, Big schools of Blue Moki, Telescope fish, Octopus, finger sponges, the list goes on and on!
Otakau Wall
Ability: Intermediate.
Depth Range: Visibility 5 – 12m.
Access: Boat.
Marine Life: Baby Crayfish, Decorator Crabs, Algae, Nudibranchs, Blue Moki, Trumpeter.
Description:
The Otakou wall is a man made 300m rock wall and is an excellent Drift dive. Often referred to as the best Sponge Garden in New Zealand.
Weller's Rock
Ability: Novice to Advanced.
Depth Range: Visibility 3 – 8m.
Access: Shore.
Marine Life: Baby Crays, Decorator Crabs, Shield Shells, Seahorses, Pipefish.
Description:
Weller's Rock is situated 25 kilometres North East of Dunedin on the road to Taiaroa Heads on the Otago Peninsula. At low tide a 150m rock wall extends out to a Port channel beacon. An excellent training site where a gradual sloping bottom extends out from a sandy beach down to 20m at the end of the wall. You can see Seahorses and Pipefish here, Dwarf Octopus, A ton of camouflage crabs and shield shells a scattered over the sandy/silty bottom. Great at night too. Best dived on a Slack tide as the currents here can really rip on half tides.
Harrington Point
Ability: Intermediate.
Depth Range: Visibility 5 – 12m.
Access: Boat.
Marine Life: Baby Crayfish, Decorator Crabs, Algae, Nudibranchs, Blue Moki, Trumpeter.
Description:
Harrington Point is situated 30km North East of Dunedin on the road to Taiaroa Heads, just before Pilots Beach. The dive site is accessible from shore but if you are planning a drift dive, a boat is recommended. To access the site from shore, park at the top of the hill where the track goes down to the gun emplacements. It is a 10 min walk down to the cargo loading area which is a good spot to enter the water. Particular attention must be paid to boat traffic and tidal currents going in and out of the harbour as the site is directly on the edge of the channel, therefore a dive flag is essential. The site is a great wall dive dropping down to the bottom of the channel, with an average depth of 16 metres. It is a good idea to stay close to the wall and follow the contours around to stay oriented.
Hydra Rock
Location: Located 2NM East of Victory Beach.
Ability: Advanced with a minimum of 5 deep cold water dives.
Depth Range: Visibility 10 – 20m, range in depth from 5m to 24m.
Access: Boat.
Description:
Safety sausage a must.
Wreck of Tyrone
Description:
The Tyrone ran aground off Wahine Point in thick fog on 27th September 1913. While the wreck has broken up over time it is still a great wreck dive with lots of copper fittings visible, copper wire, broken plates and tiles. The Tyrone is only accessible by boat and lies on a shallow sandy bottom at 6-8m.
Cape Saunders
Description:
Stay tuned — information coming soon!
Gull Rock & Tow Rock
Location: 30 minutes by boat from Papanui Inlet and 10 minutes from Smaill's or Tomahawk Beaches.
Ability: Advanced with a minimum of 5 deep cold water dives.
Depth Range: Visibility 5 – 30m, depth range to 45m.
Access: Boat.
Description:
Safety sausage a must.
Mikhael Lermontov
Description:
The Mikhail Lermontov is a Russian Cruise ship which hit rocks and sunk in Port Gore, Malborough Sounds, in 1986. She lies at 36m to the bottom and her upper port side is at 14m. Visibility can drop to around 5m outside the wreck and averages around 12m inside. The wreck is fully intact lying on her starboard. We often run trips to this remarkable Deep wreck dive site. If you are into wreck penetration dives this is a must.
