Since the beginning of the dive season, my eye has largely been drawn towards the simplicity and freedom of spearfishing. A lot of my spare time has been spent researching spots, looking over marine charts, researching gear, and of course, getting in the water!

This particular journey took me out to Akaroa on the inside of the harbour.

Opting for a shore dive this time around, my dive buddy and I started the swim out to the area of rocky reef where we’d previously scored a feed. The first half hour or so provided us with plenty to see, but not a lot to bring home. Lots of Moki were spotted, but none that would have surpassed the legal catch limit of 40cm. Thankfully, this wasn’t the story for the rest of the day.

Hunting the relative shallows, between 5-7 metres, I managed to secure my first fish, a butterfish measuring just shy of 60cm (still my personal best for this species).

Next up came a much more surprising catch for the area, a decent sized Kahawai. Luck was undoubtedly on my side with this shot, as I’d descended almost directly on top of the fish, which was sitting in about 9 metres of water.

Despite only having an additional 5cm of length over the butterfish, the Kahawhai put up a much greater fight, something I wasn’t used to for a smaller fish.

Nevertheless, I hauled it to the surface and secured the catch. It was good timing, as a large short-tailed stingray cruised up to me, looking for a free meal!

The evening was drawing to a close so my buddy and I decided we would aim for one more fish each then call it a night. I dropped down into some deeper water, surrounded by long kelp strands, and sure enough locked eyes with a school of Blue Moki. Lining up the biggest of the bunch, I took my shot, and added that to the days catch as well.

With the head Torches on, we cooked up a feed and packed up our gear, and after marking out the spots for next time, headed home for a well-deserved rest.

I never realised that a hobby would take over my life and become a passion… some say an obsession! I was always unsure about my career after finishing school and after muddling my way through university, I decided to enrol on a scuba dive instructor course at one of the local dive stores in Palmerston North. It changed my life.

Over the past 24 years as a PADI Instructor I have been able to share my passion with over 2500 students from swimming pool experiences to certifying as a speciality instructor.

It is such a buzz when you catch up with someone you taught 20 years ago and you can see where the underwater world has taken them, compare stories and talk about great dive locations.

Thankfully I found scuba diving early in my career so I have been able to learn many things and I am still learning now; – I am currently completing courses as a student to build my knowledge and keep my enjoyment and passion alive.

You too can love your adventurous life and become a divining instructor with Dive HQ Christchurch. Enrol now in the Diploma in Professional Scuba Instruction, starting August 2022 and February 2023 and find your way in life, having fun, meeting great people and diving.

There are so few industries where your hobby is genuinely your work. It’s such a thrill to be paid for something you truly love

So pop into the shop, have a chat and see where scuba diving can take you.

Ask any Kiwi diver where they want to explore and the ‘Poor Knight Islands’ and ‘Fiordland’ undoubtably arise.

This Easter we decided to visit the Poor Knights Islands.

Nine excited Christchurch divers met at Auckland airport, on route to our next stop – Russel. Our travels up north were eventful, we experienced traffic delays and a flat tyre before making it to our home base at Northland Dive.

Everyone was excited about the 5 days of diving ahead of us. The plan for the first two days was to dive locally, exploring the wreck of ‘The Canterbury’ and the local northland reefs, followed by 3 days staying on a boat in the Poor Knights Islands.

The obvious difference from diving around Christchurch and Banks Peninsular is the abondance of fish life.  You could see big Snapper from the boat and when you entered the water, you saw schools of Blue Mao Moa and Kingfish cruising past.

The first dive was a ‘shake down dive’ as they called it at Northland Dive. This was an opportunity to make sure all our gear was set up correctly including fine-tuning our weights. Two of the divers were using Hollis side mount equipment and everyone else was using single tank setups.

The Canterbury is a fantastic shipwreck which sits upright on the ocean floor making navigation relatively easy. Anyone who has visited the Mikhail Lermontov shipwreck will be able to understand the benefit this provides, as everything on the Lermontov is on its side.

The Canterbury Shipwreck was sunk for divers and it has created an awesome artificial reef which is abundant with animal life. We were able to dive the Canterbury twice and on the second day we started at the stern, heading towards the bow, swimming along the length of the wreck through one of the corridors on deck level 2.

On the morning of day three we got on board the Sea Spy, where we were to spend the next 3 days diving and living onboard. As we arrived at the Poor Knights Islands the fish life increased – we saw big Snapper, Trevally mouthing on the surface and big schools of Blue Moa Moa.

Once we entered the water we soon realised why this is one of Jacques Cousteau’s top 10 dive locations in the world. Each dive offered something unique and memorable. We enjoyed seeing massive schools of Blue Mao forming a fish arch, large drop offs into deep blue water and  we even saw a good sized shark.

Diving the Northern Arch was breath-taking. Seeing the sting rays stacked up about 10m deep moving backwards and forwards under the arch is a sight to behold. This happens every 4 to 6 years and the stingrays stay for around 3 months. Unfortunately, the photos do not capture the sull extent of its beauty.

At the Cathedral Cave we saw groups of fish huddled together and there was even a whale jaw sitting at the back of the cave. This dive was memorable for Paul and Richard, as they got caught up in a massive school of Blue and Pink Mao Mao, Demoiselle, bait fish, Snapper, Kingfish and Trevally. All this was happening at 5m below the surface!

I cannot wait to return to this beautiful place on our next trip booked from 28th September through to 4th October. Who wants to join us?

See you out diving soon.

Cheers

Richard

Hot out of the Design Hub at Atomic Aquatics are two awesome products. First the Atomic Venom ARC mask is a blend of the Atomics SubFrame and Frameless Masks. It has a reinforcing internal frame that’s molded directly beneath the surface of the silicone rubber skirt, like on the Subframe, yet it offers the relatively low profile of the Frameless. A single window like the Atomic Frameless, but it has a high bridge and tear-drop shape similar to the SubFrame’s dual-window design. Its easy-to-use squeeze-to-adjust buckles are soft-mounted to the mask skirt, which allows flexibility in strap positioning, plus they can be folded flat for packing.

How the Venom differs from its SubFrame and Frameless cousins, is how the bright sparks over at Atomic have constructed the lens. The Frameless and SubFrame mask use Ultraclear glass, which in itself has almost unrivalled clarity and a reputation for optical quality. On the Venom Mask Atomic import and even higher-quality glass imported from Germany, this Schott Superwite glass allows even more light to pass through the lens unobstructed compared to the Ultraclear glass.

In addition to the Schott Superwite glass the Atomic Venom ARC mask has an Anti-Reflective Coating which allows more light to enter the mask and reduce light reflection. This makes seeing through the mask better above and below the water. Atomic Aquatics developed ARC (Anti-Reflective Coating) Technology to Reduce Reflected Light and actually Increase the amount of Available Light Transmitted to a Diver’s Eyes. The result is a greatly Improved Transmission of 98% of Available Light, compared to a loss of more than 14% of light with standard green “float” glass used on the majority of masks on the market. Anti-Reflective Coatings or ARC” is a Multi-Layer Metal Oxide Coating Process applied to both sides of the Ultra-Clear Lenses. This allows more light to enter the mask by Reducing Light Reflections off the inside and outside surface of the lens. The Metal Oxide Coating is only a few Microns Thick. ARC will give you Clearer, Crisper Vision.

And Second the All New Atomic SV2 Snorkel. As many of you know diving with a snorkel can be more of a burden than a help, whether it be the way it sits on the side of your head or that when you do go to use it is just not that easy to clear. I know I noticed this the most on a dive trip while I was on holiday in Rarotonga, nearly every diver was not diving with a snorkel. The bright sparks over at Atomic have come up with what I think is an almost perfect snorkel. The Atomic SV 2 Snorkel is easy to clear is Low in Profile and one that stays Dryer inside is what you are looking for. SV stand for Scupper Valve, also known as a One-Way-Valve. Just like the One-Way-Valve in your Regulator which when you exhale drains water from your regulator the Scupper Valve basically works the same. The SV2 uses an additional feature that keeps water away from your mouth a Small Tube located just below the Mouthpiece is designed to keep the Breathing Airway path Free of Water Droplets. To keep water from easily entering the top of the snorkel the SV2 incorporates a Grill Grid Opening which Deflects Water that would go down the end of a conventional snorkel tube. The Flexible Lower Tube makes the Atomic SV2 Snorkel perfect for Scuba by Automatically-Swinging Out-of-the-Way when you are using your Scuba Regulator. So if you hate to use a snorkel, but want more bottom time this is the solution you are looking for

Spend $100 in store anytime this month to go in to win these bad boys!

As a diver you know that you are limited on bottom time due to the Nitrogen we breathe in.  When diving 16 metres or shallower, you can stay for up to an hour if you have enough air.  But go a little deeper and your bottom time is reduced dramatically.

Well why not extend your bottom time by using Enriched Air Nitrox?  With more Oxygen and less Nitrogen, you get longer under the water as long as you take enough gas with you.

You will then need to come for 2 fun dives with your instructor, (what a shame), so they can sign you off.

The PADI Enriched Air Nitrox specialty also counts towards one of the 5 PADI specialties you need to gain the Master Scuba Diver qualification.

Spend $100 in store this month to go in to win an Enriched Air Course!

Hollis F1 Fins

With a name Like F1 fins you would expect speed, efficiency and high end performance – These fins deliver on all fronts!

The Hollis F1 fins are made from a single piece of high strength industrial monoprene rubber. Basically that means with no seams, no plastic and no joins the Hollis F1 Fins are as tough as they come. For me that makes them perfect for almost any keen diver. Having a durable fin gives you confidence to take on even the toughest conditions from technical diving with multiple tanks to bashing them in and around rocks on a cray hunt!

 Being made from a single piece of monoprene rubber gives the Hollis F1 fin a substantial weight. This makes it a great choice for divers wearing drysuits or 7mm wetsuits to help control the dreaded floaty foot syndrome. Because of this weight and strength of the fin the designers at Hollis have included three vents on the fin just past the tip of your toes. On any fin this zone at the very tip of your foot is a bit of a dead zone. Typically that part of the fin offers nothing in terms of increased performance and simply makes it harder to kick. Having three vents here allows water in the dead zone to move through the fin and reduce your physical effort and increase efficiency.

In the past using slimmer softer fins I struggled to turn on the sport without kicking up a wee cloud of silt but with a Technical fin like the F1 those big rails act almost like side panels and give you a much better surface to turn with. Using this style of fin I can also finally back kick (move backwards) without flapping my arms around like an underwater chicken! With all that strength and rigidity all moving through the water becomes a breeze.

The Hollis F1 fins are also much easier to get on and off compared to other fins I have used. To start with they have a stainless steel spring strap which has three tension setting to make sure you get a perfect fit. The beauty of a spring strap is that there is no more flopping and flailing about trying to get your rubber straps in place and secure. The F1 fins also have a thumb large thumb loop to make life easier actually pulling the strap into place. In terms of getting the fins off the F1 stands apart from others like it because of two seemingly insignificant drain holes in the foot pocket. These drain holes stop the fin from sucking onto your wetsuit boot so hard that you need to call on your buddy to yank them off.

All in all I think the Hollis F1 fins are fantastic option for divers who are looking for a high performance fin. The fins combine performance, ease of use, and power seamlessly to give divers a fin that will meet the even the most demanding of dive situations. It is an extremely well designed and well thought out fin – looks cool too!

Spend $100 in store anytime during April to go in to win!!

February monthly price draw

Winner will receive an Oceanic Atmos BCD!

Oceanic has a saying.. “Innovation first”. As a brand they are known for their dependable products that are loved by all divers, and the Atmos is no exception. It’s easy to use and the highly adjustable design is awesome for pretty much any recreational diver.

The Atmos has plenty of steel d-rings, and as divers we all know that you can never have too many d-rings. This d-ring extravaganza coupled with comfy back support, BC handle for easy transport and easy to maneuver integrated weight system means pulling it straight out of the shop and into the water is nothing short of a breeze.

This particular BCD by Oceanic not only talks the talk, but also walks the walk. In the water, thanks to its innovative (remember, innovation first) hybrid inflation, you’ll find yourself gliding through the water with the greatest of ease. “Hybrid” inflation, loosely translated, means most of your lift sits on your back, with just a little bit swinging around your front. This means you get the great back inflate feeling down below without the awkward turtle face plant while sitting on the surface waiting for your buddy to sort themselves out, what could be better than that?

As if that wasn’t enough, with this BCD you’ll also find plenty of dumps, a knife mount, storage pockets (with HEAPS of room for shenanigans) and non dump-able trim weight pockets. Oceanic has a pretty classic inflate/deflate mechanism, with very solid, beefy, man hand buttons. All in all, I’m unable to fault this piece of kit, it’s durable, well made and just makes a whole lot of sense.

Features:

– 9 kg of integrated weight in the Pinch & Release system and  4.5 kg trim
– Padded backplate features an extended lumbar support to transfer tank weight onto hips, relieving shoulder stress
– Three (3) over pressure relief valves optimize buoyancy control
– Crucial areas constructed of 1000D denier Cordura fabric
– 2 large, zippered pockets with knife mounting grommets
– Adjustable depth-compensating cummerbund

Spend $100 in store during February to go in to win this bad boy!

PADI Rescue diver

Scuba diving is a great sport and like any activity it is not without its risks, and that is what attracts some divers. Other divers pick up the sport for the weightlessness, to see the beautiful marine life, or as an added activity for their vacations. These are all great reasons and they bring a lot of value to our lives as well as make for fun stories of adventure.

Learning how to dive encompasses a whole range of skills and advances your abilities in many ways. Your initial step into the world of diving as a PADI Open Water diver touches briefly on safety, and managing the risk factors we all face as divers. Along with teaching you how to dive. The certification following falls under the PADI Advanced Open Water diver- this is a course geared towards advancing your skills as a diver (surprise surprise). The next step up in your PADI adventure is then a PADI rescue diver course.

Becoming a PADI Rescue Diver brings many benefits, and is the course put in place to further outline safety concerns when diving and to delve deeper into the concept of risk management.

Like all sports or activities, people gain a level of comfort with time and experience, and many times right after that comes complacency. We often read of people tramping that ventured beyond their ability to navigate back, or failed to bring enough water, food, or protective clothing. They may have also not paid attention to the weather and now find themselves in a pretty sticky situation and in need of rescue.

Stepping up to become a PADI Rescue Diver can sound like a daunting task – but nearly anyone can do it. Learning how to manage accidents can have a hugely positive impact on more than one diver. Challenging and rewarding are the 2 words commonly used to describe the PADI rescue course. Expanding your diving knowledge and experience level will give you the confidence and dive ability to not only consider the safety of yourself, but other divers too.

Coming back to the analogy of the tramper, becoming a rescue diver will take you to the next level of experience. You’ll know how much food to bring, what protective clothing to wear and always know to keep a keen eye on the weather. By the end of your PADI Rescue Diver course you’ll have a sound knowledge of basic first aid, be able to provide life support in and out of the water, understand how to recognize stress and be able to manage dive emergencies.

Just do it! The rescue course is serious – but also a hell of a lot of fun. Your confidence will grow right along with your abilities as a diver. And to make things even more tempting, you have a chance to WIN a full PADI Rescue Diver course with Dive HQ from the 1^st of January. No excuses now.

Once you’ve finished your Rescue Diver course, you may decide that now is a good time to change your life and turn your love of diving into a career. The next step up the PADI ladder is into the PADI Pro realm, maybe even becoming a Divemaster is on the cards? See you in the water!

Spend $100 in store to win yourself a Rescue course during the month of January!

Split Fins or Blade Fins

 The design itself is meant to channel the right amount of water with each kick behind you to propel you forward and allowing extra water to slip through the split to ease the strain and work load on the ankles, shins and all other muscles involved in the desired kicking style. The atomic split fins are great for those people that can be exasperated and tired with a stiffer more cumbersome blade fin or for those with lower limb injuries.

Ever dropped a fin while gearing up? Don’t panic these are a fraction positively buoyant and so, no more feeling around on the bottom groping for your fins in the kelp!

 The Atomic split fins come in a range of colours, with the options of rubber or stainless-steel fins straps.

Features include:

• Less Drag, More Thrust, Less Strength is Used
• Latest Technology in Composite Plastic Polymer Materials
• Light Fin (Great Travel Fin)
• Increases Thrust and Reduces Fatigue
• EZ-LOK Squeeze-Style” Quick-Release Buckles
• EZ-LOK: Snap-On-and-Off with Ease, Will-Not Disengage- Accidentally
• Rubber Straps with Large Pull-Tab for Easy Donning and Doffing
• Flexibility and Rigidity for Efficient Propulsion
• Less Air Consumption
• Power Rails: Backbone of the Split Fin, Highly-Resilient, Storing and Releasing Energy with Every Kick
• Semi-Ridged Flex Battens: Control the Precise Wing Shape to Optimize Thrust and Reduce Drag
• Large Surface Area Blade Improves Pivoting, Turning and Alternate Kick Styles
• Thin, Yet Strong and Highly Flexible Hinge Points Cause Blade to React Quick-and-Efficiently
• Anatomically Contoured Foot Pocket Designed to Fit Foot without Stress Points
• Semi-Open Toe for Added Comfort
• Internal Sole Plate, Ridged Platform Beneath-the-Foot, Greater Power Transfer to the Blade
• Soft, Comfortable Open Heel Foot Pocket
• Sizes: Small, Medium, Large or X-Large

Spend $100 in store anytime during December to go into the draw for some awesome fins!

Oceanic Alpha Reg & Octi, Zeagle Plus BCD and Compact Gauges

Jacket style BCD and Regulator combo

 Oceanic’s Alpha 8 Second Stage and SP5 First Stage produce a low-priced, no frills regulator system that offers easy breathing. This regulator is so rugged and economical to maintain (replacement parts are inexpensive). It can be used with air or Nitrox mixtures up to 40 % right out-of-the-box. The Alpha 8’s super sturdy ABS/polycarbonate housing weighs just 170 g and measures 7.4 cm in diameter. The lightweight material and anatomically designed mouthpiece translates into a second stage that won’t cause jaw fatigue. The Alpha 8 second stage is a dependable downstream demand valve design.
The SP-5 first stage regulator offers all divers the opportunity to own a top performing regulator. Repeatedly rated as the best in its class, the SP-5 exceeds both Navy Class A and European CE standards. The SP-5 is a non-balanced flow-by piston designed regulator..

The Zeagle Base BCD is a highly durable jacket style BC. The Base is a unisex front adjustable jacket style BC made from reinforced and fade resistant Cordura 1000 denier nylon material on bladder, shoulder straps, harness and pocket material. The bladder is internally urethane laminated with welded seams for airtight integrity. The BCD’s harness is made up of a dual position adjustable sternum strap, webbed cummerbund with dual adjustment, torso adjustable shoulder straps, adjustable, sternum and waist straps. All straps are equipped with squeeze-style” side-release buckles for quick and easy donning and doffing.
The Base BCD is equipped with two stainless steel and two plastic D-rings along with one retractor D-ring, accessory webbing hook and two hook and loop closure utility pockets for attachment and storage of accessory items. Buoyancy control is made easy with the right shoulder and rear right overpressure relief/pull dump valves and Zeagle’s Power Inflator System with 3/8″ threaded quick-disconnect low pressure hose. The inflator is also connected to a pull dump valve for rapid deflation.
The Base BCD provides 10.9 kg of lift capacity. This Jacket style BCD has an extra soft back pad for increased comfort, a dry weight of 3 kg, and is made in the USA.

Spend $100 in store anytime in November 2018 and go in to win this package