Do you want to become a Scuba Instructor?
Are you looking for a change in Career?
Do you have an interest in the outdoors and meeting new people?
Are you looking for a fun and exciting course option for 2016?

If so, our February 2016 full-time Diploma in Professional Scuba Instruction starts SOON and could be for you ! Part-time courses also available.

Student Loan approved !

Living the Dream – teaching people to scuba dive for a job !

Contact us now to find out more information, or to receive an information pack.

Text “careers” or call 02102415301
Email: careers@aucklandscuba.co.nz
Web: http://aucklandscubadive.co.nz/diploma-in-professional-scuba-instruction.php

It was an awesome day out on the Hauraki Gulf today as we headed out to Sail Rock and Taranga Island, in the Hen and Chicks, for  a couple of great dives.

Sail Rock

It was a quick 45 minute journey up from Omaha in calm seas, and we took shelter from the ocean swells on the southern side of Sail Rock for the first dive. A large pinnacle out from Mangawhai Heads plunging to 50m+.

Kitting up at Sail Rock

The divers were meet by large stingrays and huge schools of blue mao mao once they entered the water and drifted gently along the deep walls enjoying the excellent visability. From Sail Rock we took a short trip across to Taranga Islands in the Hen and Chicks group for hot drinks and a snack before the second dive.

Having a break between dives.

Our second dive was on a pinnacle rising steeply from a flat white sandy bottom at 25m. Full of small caves and overhangs and adorned with colourful jewel anenomes. The highlights were encounters with large octopus, moray eels and more stingrays.

Octopus at Hen and Chicks

The wind got up a little on the return trip, but we still managed to get back to Omaha by 2pm…plenty of time for a stop at Matakana on the way home for an ice cream !

Unloading the boat at Omaha after a great days diving !

Our new dive boat, Whakaari Express, made 3 trips to the Poor Knights Islands this month. As Whakaari Express cruises at 50km we made it out to the Islands in 20 minutes from Tutukaka Marine. That left us plenty of time to dive, tikky tour around the islands and get back to the marine by 2pm. Because of our speed, we are looking at being the only operator to offer 3 dive days to the poor Knights…so stayed tuned!

We made it to some of the top sites including Sugarloaf, The Pinnacles, Northern Arch and Middle Arch.

CLICK TO ENLARGE PHOTO

We are heading up to Tutukaka soon after New Years for an extended stay to dive the Poor Knights. Check out out TRIP SCHEDULE for dates and CONTACT US to book your space.

The Pinnacles – CLICK TO ENLARGE

Check out a short video of our diving adventures at the Poor Knights:

We have a number of great package deals on Oceanic BCDs and Regulators running this Summer. Get into a solid start up package with various upgrades available – ie. dive computer, balanced and environmentally sealed regulator, integrated weight pockets, compass and more.

Or take advantage of our great deals and get into a top of the line package at bargin prices with air integrated computer, choice of jacket or wing style BCD and fully balanced and adjustable regulator with “Dry Valve Technology” (DVT).

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

CONTACT US for more information.

A huge CONGRATULATIONS to all our students completing their Diploma in Professional Scuba Instruction (DIPSI). We have a 100% completion rate from everyone who began the full-time course way back in February 2015.

After a lot of hard work and dedication (and heaps of fun diving) our students head in to the work force as PADI Scuba Instructors, with 5 specialty ratings (Nitrox, Wreck, Deep, Oxygen Provider, Navigation), Medic First Aid Instructors and Emergency First Response Instructors.

STANDING: Steph and Nick (instructors), Emily, Mitch, Blair, Jayden, Mitchell. SITTING: Brad, Jarrod

This is what they had to say about their course:

EMILY…
“The 9 month course was a life changing experience that I will never forget! It made me more confident. The instructors helped us through everything. Nick was always there to help and he would always do his best to get us through. It was an awesome experience and I can’t wait to see where it takes me. Thanks for everything and I would recommend it to everyone!!

MITCH…
“These 9 months have been the time of my life. I’ve never had so much fun. The instructors helped us get through everything. I’d do it again if I could.”

BLAIR…
“Awesome course, awesome instructors, awesome experience. Feel really confident as an instructor and already have my first job interview in the Bay of Islands”

JAYDEN…
“I would highly recommend this course to any of my friends. Nick and Steph have been the best instructors and really helpful, not just with course stuff but outside problems, especially Steph.”

MITCHELL…
“To sum up everything, I would say that the life experiences and skills that we have been taught will always help us on our journeys. Thanks for everything guys”

BRAD…
“This has been awesome, life changing and given me so much confidence. I am looking at life differently and have made life long friends.”

JARROD…
“I would like to thank Grant, Shailina, Steph and last but not least Poppa Nick. This year has changed my life and I can now say that I am living the dream. Seeing all the fish and massive smiles on all our dive buddies faces makes all the days studying worthwhile. Thank you for the amazing year from the bottom of my heart”

We have a limited number of Zeagle regulators at clearance prices leading into the Summer season. There is no better time to get yourself into a top quality regulator, or upgrade your existing gear now !

Zeagle is a top quality brand which manufactures and tests all its products in the USA. Check out the Zeagle web site for more information http://www.zeagle.com/why-zeagle/performance .

The  Zeagle Envoy starts at entry level prices with all the features, and more, that you’d expect to find in a mid-range regulator…

Zeagle Envoy Regulator – Now only $499 (normally $670)

The ZEAGLE Onyx Regulator outperforms many, much more expensive regulators with outstanding reputations – why? The Internal-Structure allows Direct-Airflow through the 1st Stage, providing Lower-Turbulence for Outstanding-Performance..

Zeagle Onyz Scuba Diving Regulator – Now only $595 (normally $995)

The ZEAGLE Flat Head 7 is ZEAGLE’s flagship regulator. The Black Chrome Plated Marine Brass First Stage Regulator Body is a Balanced Diaphragm Design which is Inherently Environmentally Sealed. The diaphragm membrane transmits the pressure changes to the internal mechanism eliminating the need for the surrounding water to enter the intricate mechanism. The benefit of this type of first stage design is that none of the internal parts are exposed to contaminants such as salt, sand, chlorine or pool acids..

Zeagle Flathead 7 – Now only $895 (normally $1,295)

While stocks last we are offering all these regulators in both Yoke and DIN first stages. The DIN first stage has long been popular in Europe, and is now becoming more popular around the world due to its reliability. Because of its design it is almost impossible to blow the cylinder valve o-ring, and is also a more low profile attachment.

Zeagle Envoy Regulator, DIN version – Now only $499 (normally $670)

So what are you waiting for…CONTACT US NOW !

To make life easy launching the boat off a decent ramp, we headed up to Whangaroa for 3 days to dive the Rainbow Warrior and Cavalli Islands. The Whangaroa inlet is a stunning location and only a short 20 minute run out to the Cavalli Islands.

The team onboard, moored over the Rainbow Warrior.

The visability was excellent at 12m+ and we knocked out 2 dives on the Rainbow Warrior on the first day. The following day we made the first dive on “True Love” reef and headed off to a nearby island for the second.

A big thanks to Evan and the team at Sunseeker Lodge who pulled out all the stops to look after us and make our stay comfortable…we’ll be back !!

3 days and 6 wreck dives completed ! Congratulations to all the students on our Diploma in Professional Scuba Instruction who completed  6 dives which will credit towards their Specialty Wreck Instructor qualification.

DIPSI 1 at Tutukaka Boat Ramp

We headed up to Pahia for 2 days to make 4 dives on the Canterbury Wreck, and finished up with 2 dives on the Waikato Wreck out of Tutukaka on the way home.

Senior instructor, Nick Wyatt, took them through wreck deployment and limited wreck penetration skills.

It was a great shake down trip for our new dive boat, Whakaari Express, which is an 8.5m alloy RIB powered by 2 x 200 hp Yamaha engines.

We are pleased to announce that our new 8.5m dive boat, Whakaari Express, recently passed it’s survey for 12 divers and 2 crew. “Whakaari” is the Moari name for “White Island”, as this boat was originally set up to take sightseers out to White Island from Whakatane…so it is very strongly built and travels comfortably even in quite rough waters.

Loading up for stability test at Gulf Harbour

Thanks to the 12 volunteers that joined us on Sunday morning with full dive gear, including 2 tanks, to help us through the additional stability tests required when transporting scuba divers.

Dive Crew

The vessel passed with flying colours (note: even fully loaded the pontoons do not even touch the water).

Heading out fully loaded

Our new dive boat boasts the following features:

• 8.5 m Alloy RIB
• 2 x 200hp Yamaha outboards
• GPS chart plotter
• 2 x Depth Sounders
• VHF
• Automatic and manual bilge pumps
• Safety Equipment – EPIRB, flares, Scale 1 first Aid Kit, Medical Oxygen, 2 x fire extinguishers, 2 x bailing buckets, throw rope, 2 x life rings, binoculars and life jackets
• 2 x purpose built dive ladders
• Dive Bench – each diver has a 1/2m seating and kitting up area with their own equipment storage box and 2 x cylinder clamps.
• Chemical toilet
• Electric anchor winch

Our new survey limits allow us to venture further afield to dive destinations we couldn’t previously reach in our smaller boat. We already have trips planed to all the Outer Islands of the Hauraki Gulf and Poor Knights. Check out our trip schedule ONLINE for more information – http://divehqalbany.co.nz/dive-trips

Stay tuned for NEW destinations such as the Coromandel, Bay of Plenty and White Island…coming soon.

We look forward to welcoming you on board !

Boarding the dive boat