Fiordland Scuba Diving

Fiordland is made up of 14 sounds, with most only accessible by sea. The Fiordland National Park was established in 1904 to protect the land encompassing 1.2 million hectares. It has World Heritage status, and this special place is also an exciting new frontier of scuba diving in New Zealand.

Heavy rainfall (up to 7m per annum) produces a 10m surface layer of fresh water that sits on top of saltwater in the fiords - a unique environment. This tannin-coloured layer reduces light levels, fooling deep dwelling creatures into thinking their habitat is 30m, when it is only 10m. The result is a feast of remarkable underwater sights for scuba divers.

With minimal water disturbance and exceptionally good visibility, Fiordland's diving is perhaps best known for its black coral trees which occur in this shallow water - black coral is normally a deep water species.

Fiordland is also home to the New Zealand fur seal, and snorkellers can get close encounters here. The seals invariably greet you with a headlong rush and pull up just before impact.

Check out some of our other Scuba Diving sites.