My project this last week has been getting back in touch with some of the dive clubs and setting up some more concrete dive dates so that I don't just show up ready to dive and two months later..... whoops, didn't actually get to do anything.
The first half of my trip will be spent on the South Island in Dunedin and my contact there is Nathan with Dive Otago. He offered me the chance to join in on any number of training dives that I can fit into my schedule; apparently there are plenty. He also mentioned that they will be doing one local dive (Jan. 27) and one extended dive trip (Feb 1st - 4th) to Milford Sound in Fiordland, which is supposed to be absolutely breathtaking (as seen in the picture below).
This Milford may be one of the more difficult dives on the trip. It is in the coldest waters that I will be visiting over the course of the trip and there is a good amount of surge. As a native Seattlite, I'm sure I'll be able to handle it. It's also going to be one of the more expensive ones, at $395 NZ. If I can find some better dives off the Southern island, I may replace this one with a less expensive dive, but I have yet to hear back from the Otago University Dive Club. We are staying the extra night because the return trip goes over an alpine pass and we need to avoid any complications that could come as a result of decompression sickness.
There may also be a chance to dive on that wreck I was talking about. I managed to scrounge up a picture taken immediately after the sinking:
My first meeting with the Auckland University Dive Club (henceforth referred to as Akunidive) is on February 13th. The meeting is almost immediately followed by the first weekend dive, of which there is one every weekend for the remainder of the trip. This first dive is affectionately dubbed Freshers Weekend (sounds like some fraternity event). I'm not sure where it is being held but accommodations sound interesting. As Ryan tells me, "We stay in a chalet out the back away from the families so we can party uninhibited by moral standards". I'm not sure what moral standards you could infringe upon on a dive trip, but I guess the freedom to do so is always a good thing. :) The best thing is that, being put on by students, it's affordable! $12 a night camping and $10 a dive off the boat. Sure beats the $395 for Milford Sound. The weekend following freshers is the first of two dives to Poor Knights Islands, a group of uninhabited islands touted to offer one of the top ten dive sites in the world. This dive is slightly more expensive as it is off a chartered dive boat called the Pacific Hideaway. Below are pictures of the southern arch at Poor Knights as well as Pacific Hideaway herself.
The last two weekend trips during my Auckland stay will be to Coramandel Peninsula followed by one more trip to Poor Knights.
I just set up this blog to chronicle my adventures in New Zealand. I figure that I will, at some point, want to reflect on my whole thought process going into this trip seeing as I have abandoned all logic and reason in my decision to film underwater for a couple months. Perhaps, if I behave in an interesting manner or tame a Great White, others might be interested.
I'll start at the beginning. A couple of months back, my girlfriend Jen made the decision to study abroad in New Zealand. Naturally, I wasn't excited about the idea of being apart for two months and looked into the trip for myself. After a short interview, I found myself signed up for a study abroad trip to New Zealand. The study program originally focused on culture and the many things that distinguish New Zealand's history, however overtime and for reasons that are not worth mentioning, the option for a more independantly guided study experience became available.
As I investigated various independent study options, I found myself drawn to the natural environment of the country. I have to say preliminary interest was generated through a combination of the fantastic scenery in the "Lord of the Rings" movie series as well as a gut feeling that if I was going to be staying in such a beautiful country, it would be foolish to spend the majority of my time in urban areas. I originally thought it would be interested to spend time on a sheep farm and learn the various aspects of operation through participation. According to 2006 figures, there are around 10 sheep to every 1 person in New Zealand and it is their primary export. I stayed with this idea for awhile, until for some reason, I began to be drawn more towards the coastal areas (and their importance to Maori culture) and finally to the waters.
My plan now is to spend my time in New Zealand scuba diving. My initial interest was in filming underwater species; after research into how much buoyancy control this takes, I may not venture with a camera in tow. I still plan on focusing on underwater aquatic life as well as the natural terrain and the differences between the North and South islands. My other goal is to establish some good relationships with the Dive Clubs and students of Auckland and Dunedin. I have already discussed dives with the Otago University Dive Club, the University of Auckland Dive Club, Dive Otago, and Seafanz Digital Underwater Photographic Society. I have gotten positive responses from all. My primary concern is affordability of chartered dive trips, which will undoubtably give me the best experiences, and my ability to fill my schedule with dives. In other words, I am trying hard not to show up in New Zealand for 2 months and only fit in 3 dives. That would be an immense disappointment, so I'm doing my best to schedule dates now.
At this point in I am in the middle of my certification. I am training with the Scuba Schools Group based out of Tacoma and have completed my at home coursework and pool dive. On December 1st and 2nd, I will be completing my Open Water Certification with a series of 5 open water dives over the course of 2 days. Following that, on December 8th and 9th, I will be completing 5 specialty dives in order to achieve my Advanced Open Water Certification. These specialty dives can include any of the following to be determined by the instructor: Peak Performance Buoyancy, Boat Diving, Underwater Naturalist, Multilevel Diving, Night Diving, or Search & recovery. I had hoped that one of the dives would be the Underwater Photographer Specialty, but apparently this is not included in the Advanced Cert.
In terms of gear, I have already purchased my mask, snorkel, and wetsuit boots to the tune of about $130. Before leaving, I plan on purchasing a 7mm Semidry Suit (~$300-$500), a regulator system, and gloves. I will rent the tank, weights, and BC as they would be difficult to fly over. Also, with the BC, I am unsure as to whether I would prefer a jacket style or backplate and wings. The jacket is the standard for beginning divers but the backplate setup allows for more future flexibility such as double tanks. If I end up purchasing a camera, it will probably be the Bonica Snapper DV, a lesser known video camera manufactured solely for underwater use and rated to 180 ft. The camera alone will be around $700. If I choose to purchase it with the attached video light and mounting tray, it will bump up to about $1300 (not a likely option based on my financial situation). It's been an interesting experience trying to prepare for this trip with limited resources, but a worthwhile experience in and of itself. In addition to camera supplies, I will need to purchase Final Cut Express and clear out a significant amount of hard drive space on my PowerBook.
Anyways, I have started compiling some information on dive sites on both islands. I purchased a scuba diving book on New Zealand dive sites called Lonely Planet Diving and Snorkeling New Zealand. Dive Club members I have been in correspondence with have also provided a number of recommendations including Goat Island and the wreck of the frigate HMNZS Canterbury, intentionally sunk in late 2007 to become a dive wreck. I would really enjoy diving on at least one wreck during my time there.
I plan to update these postings with any significant developments or whenever I feel there is some good information to add. Once in New Zealand, this will become a daily journal, but until then, it will just cover my planning process.
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