New Zeland

kamyk · July 6th, 2006, 02:03 AM

Hye,

Is there any Cave diving in New Zeland ?

***EBT*** · July 6th, 2006, 09:38 AM

http://www.trimixdivers.com

TJO · July 6th, 2006, 01:50 PM

Paul at http://www.innerrealm.co.nz/index.asp would know.

Hybrid · July 11th, 2006, 01:08 AM

There are quite few divable caves in NZ.

Riwaka Resurgence

Pearce Resurgence

There are lots of others too.

There are quite a few big open nice caves at the Poor Knights Islands.
Taravana cave
Any attempt to go into the cave requires considerable penetration and should only be done by experienced divers. The entrances are at 18 metres, and the floor at 37 metres. The rims of the two entrances support a wide variety of invertebrates such as gorgonian fans, sea trees and other hydroids, soft corals and many bryozoans.

There is also a side tunnel that exits to a different point.

Hoppy · July 11th, 2006, 01:37 AM

There are very few freshwater caves that are easily accessable, that I know of. The Pearce, for example, is basically a helicopter ride in. Riwaka (i think its the one Im thinking of) needs 4WD, then the track narrows down to quadbike size and then there is a final 1/2kay foot-hump down a track. There is also a 2 sump dive in the South Island as well, but the name escapes me at present.

Hybrid, if you know of anything in the North Island, or that is a bit more accessable, would love to hear about them.

As Hybrid mentioned, there are quite a few sea caves around the Knights. Most are fairly small, though Taravana is quite a large hole, and goes back about 600odd feet I believe. Ive also heard the Red Baron caves mentioned as worth a look too.

Hybrid · July 13th, 2006, 05:22 AM

Riwaka, isn't too hard to get to. There is a large carpark with picnic tables etc around, you can get totally setup and then walk - approx 200metres to a set of stairs the lead down to entrance to the cave. There a number of sumps that you have to get over. I've only been a short distance in; I stopped in a large cavern - to continue you have to climb a waterfall, and it all becomes quite serious. There is a DOC sign at the top of the stairs that shows the layout of the resurgence.

You're right Pearse - Its hard/expensive to get to, involving helicopters, compressors etc. I haven't been there.

I think the cave system Hoppy is describing is the Blue creek system, that Paul from (www.)InnerRealm(.co.nz) dove earlier this year. I don't think there is any mention of it on his site though.

There aren't any fresh water caves in the north island that are worth diving as far I've heard. There maybe some around the waitomo region, but I haven't heard of any.

Hoppy · July 13th, 2006, 06:19 AM

Thanks for clearing that up Hybrid (by the way, who/where are you?).

Yes, Blue Creek is the one I was thinking of (the one PB did this year) and Riwaka is the 2-sump dive I mentioned. I wasnt aware that Riwaka had a waterfall.

That pretty much confirms what I thought, re:North Island. Im not sure if Waitomo actually divable, as I believe most of those caves are very fast/shallow water, since they do black-water rafting in them. However, I would be happy to be proved wrong.

Very interested to hear if you know of any other divable caves in the SI though.

Hybrid · July 14th, 2006, 01:41 AM

Who am I....er...no one important in the NZ diving world. I live up in auckland, and been diving for a while. I have a desk job, so I surf the web...looking for diving stuff, found this place. I'm interested in DIR diving, but I wouldn't say I am complete DIR diver, I just agree with a lot of the ideals behind it.
Did a big diving trip two years ago which including all types of diving. Pupu springs, Riwaka, when to the Lermontov for a time. Went to Coolidge last year.
If your looking at picking up some more DIR gear, Paul is selling quite a bit of stuff at the moment. I just bought another twinset off him. He's got some DS4's and stages all going. I've got so much gear already so I only got the twin-set.

Where are you based in NZ?

maccajim · July 14th, 2006, 06:15 PM

http://www.godive.co.nz/mikhail_lermontov.htm

hiya Kamyk this is on the list of dives i want to do crap viz but massive
uptu you to do the reserch now, u are in the country sounds hard to get tanks and He fills for tech1 dives on site

Hoppy · July 15th, 2006, 07:50 AM

Kamyyk. As Maccajim alluded to, basically noone in NZ commercially fills He. Frankly its hard enough to find Nitrox at times.

Hybrid, Im based in AKL as well. None of us are Simon Mitchell's or Pete Mesleys in terms of dive industry recognition

Its nice to keep a track of all the DIR orientated divers in the country. The bigger the base, the easier it is to fill boats etc.

Congrats on the new twinset. Id heard that PB had a bit of stuff on trademe, but sounds like he's selling quite a lot of stuff off.

July 6th, 2006, 02:03 AM	#1 (permalink)
kamyk(Offline) New Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: New Zealand Posts: 128	New Zeland Hye, Is there any Cave diving in New Zeland ? __________________ www.cavedivers.com.au

July 6th, 2006, 09:38 AM	#2 (permalink)
*EBT*(Offline) Just another crouton... Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Brighton Posts: 413	Yep. http://www.trimixdivers.com

July 6th, 2006, 01:50 PM	#3 (permalink)
TJO(Offline) New Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Japan Posts: 2	Contact Paul Paul at http://www.innerrealm.co.nz/index.asp would know.

July 14th, 2006, 06:15 PM	#9 (permalink)
maccajim(Offline) New Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sydney Posts: 97	Dive this http://www.godive.co.nz/mikhail_lermontov.htm hiya Kamyk this is on the list of dives i want to do crap viz but massive uptu you to do the reserch now, u are in the country sounds hard to get tanks and He fills for tech1 dives on site Last edited by maccajim; July 14th, 2006 at 06:19 PM. Reason: criminal

July 11th, 2006, 01:08 AM	#4 (permalink)
Hybrid(Offline) New Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: New Zealand Posts: 54	There are quite few divable caves in NZ. Riwaka Resurgence Pearce Resurgence There are lots of others too. There are quite a few big open nice caves at the Poor Knights Islands. Taravana cave Any attempt to go into the cave requires considerable penetration and should only be done by experienced divers. The entrances are at 18 metres, and the floor at 37 metres. The rims of the two entrances support a wide variety of invertebrates such as gorgonian fans, sea trees and other hydroids, soft corals and many bryozoans. There is also a side tunnel that exits to a different point.

July 11th, 2006, 01:37 AM	#5 (permalink)
Hoppy(Offline) New Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New Zealand Posts: 25	There are very few freshwater caves that are easily accessable, that I know of. The Pearce, for example, is basically a helicopter ride in. Riwaka (i think its the one Im thinking of) needs 4WD, then the track narrows down to quadbike size and then there is a final 1/2kay foot-hump down a track. There is also a 2 sump dive in the South Island as well, but the name escapes me at present. Hybrid, if you know of anything in the North Island, or that is a bit more accessable, would love to hear about them. As Hybrid mentioned, there are quite a few sea caves around the Knights. Most are fairly small, though Taravana is quite a large hole, and goes back about 600odd feet I believe. Ive also heard the Red Baron caves mentioned as worth a look too.

July 13th, 2006, 05:22 AM	#6 (permalink)
Hybrid(Offline) New Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: New Zealand Posts: 54	Riwaka, isn't too hard to get to. There is a large carpark with picnic tables etc around, you can get totally setup and then walk - approx 200metres to a set of stairs the lead down to entrance to the cave. There a number of sumps that you have to get over. I've only been a short distance in; I stopped in a large cavern - to continue you have to climb a waterfall, and it all becomes quite serious. There is a DOC sign at the top of the stairs that shows the layout of the resurgence. You're right Pearse - Its hard/expensive to get to, involving helicopters, compressors etc. I haven't been there. I think the cave system Hoppy is describing is the Blue creek system, that Paul from (www.)InnerRealm(.co.nz) dove earlier this year. I don't think there is any mention of it on his site though. There aren't any fresh water caves in the north island that are worth diving as far I've heard. There maybe some around the waitomo region, but I haven't heard of any.

July 13th, 2006, 06:19 AM	#7 (permalink)
Hoppy(Offline) New Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New Zealand Posts: 25	Thanks for clearing that up Hybrid (by the way, who/where are you?). Yes, Blue Creek is the one I was thinking of (the one PB did this year) and Riwaka is the 2-sump dive I mentioned. I wasnt aware that Riwaka had a waterfall. That pretty much confirms what I thought, re:North Island. Im not sure if Waitomo actually divable, as I believe most of those caves are very fast/shallow water, since they do black-water rafting in them. However, I would be happy to be proved wrong. Very interested to hear if you know of any other divable caves in the SI though.

July 14th, 2006, 01:41 AM	#8 (permalink)
Hybrid(Offline) New Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: New Zealand Posts: 54	Who am I....er...no one important in the NZ diving world. I live up in auckland, and been diving for a while. I have a desk job, so I surf the web...looking for diving stuff, found this place. I'm interested in DIR diving, but I wouldn't say I am complete DIR diver, I just agree with a lot of the ideals behind it. Did a big diving trip two years ago which including all types of diving. Pupu springs, Riwaka, when to the Lermontov for a time. Went to Coolidge last year. If your looking at picking up some more DIR gear, Paul is selling quite a bit of stuff at the moment. I just bought another twinset off him. He's got some DS4's and stages all going. I've got so much gear already so I only got the twin-set. Where are you based in NZ?

July 15th, 2006, 07:50 AM	#10 (permalink)
Hoppy(Offline) New Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New Zealand Posts: 25	Kamyyk. As Maccajim alluded to, basically noone in NZ commercially fills He. Frankly its hard enough to find Nitrox at times. Hybrid, Im based in AKL as well. None of us are Simon Mitchell's or Pete Mesleys in terms of dive industry recognition Its nice to keep a track of all the DIR orientated divers in the country. The bigger the base, the easier it is to fill boats etc. Congrats on the new twinset. Id heard that PB had a bit of stuff on trademe, but sounds like he's selling quite a lot of stuff off.