New Zealand Diving

Diving in exotic locations around the world hasn’t spoiled Neil Bennett’s appreciation of the waters on his doorstep with Little Barrier Island and the Hen Island remaining two of his favourite dive spots.

Neil has recently relocated the dive shop New Zealand Diving from Whitaker Road to Morrison Drive.

The new shop is 50 per cent larger than the former premises, which has allowed the business to bring all its services under one roof. This includes testing, repairing and servicing equipment, and the arrangement of dive courses, charters and international dives. The shop also carries a full range of diving equipment, such as wet suits to cylinders and regulators, from top main brands Mares, Scubapro and Beuchat.

Neil, who is one of only five qualified instructor trainers in Australasia, says New Zealand Diving is also the only five-star rated Instructor SDI and TDI training centre in New Zealand.

He says diving is a year-round sport, although diving in winter is “a little colder”, and is as popular with women as it is with men. New Zealand Diving provides both SDI and SSI courses for beginners through to instructor level, as well as TDI course for the more adventurous who might be interested in technical and wreck diving.

The international tours involve groups of about eight spending one to two weeks in locations such as the Solomon Islands, the Philippines or Vanuatu.

Neil has been a dive instructor for just over 20 years, having worked as a research and exploration diver taking film and still photography for clients. He says one of his most interesting dives was on the SS Aaron Ward, a US destroyer which sank under enemy fire during World War II and now lies 80-metres down in Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands.

In addition to scuba diving, New Zealand Diving also provides spearfishing and freediving services for those who wish to get into the hunting side of underwater sports.