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North Island

Start: Paihia
Locations: Paihia, Bay of Islands
Duration: 2 days
Travel Time: 32 hours
Minimum Age: 16

The SSI Advanced Open Water Course in the Bay of Islands builds on your Open Water certification with five adventure dives and training across different diving specialties. The course includes Deep and Wreck dives on the Rainbow Warrior and HMNZS Canterbury, extending your maximum diving depth to 30 metres, plus three additional specialty dives.

Advance Your Diving Skills in the Bay of Islands

This experience-focused course gives certified Open Water divers the opportunity to develop new skills while exploring some of Northland’s most memorable dive sites. With an instructor guiding you through the academic knowledge and practical skills for each dive, you’ll gain experience in five different specialty areas without needing to complete a final exam.

The Deep and Wreck dives take you to the Rainbow Warrior and HMNZS Canterbury, while your remaining three dives can be selected from specialties such as Underwater Navigation, Perfect Buoyancy, Marine Ecology and Underwater Photography. SSI digital learning materials are included, allowing you to complete the academic component at your own pace.

Course Highlights

  • SSI Advanced Open Water training in the Bay of Islands
  • Five adventure dives
  • Dive both the Rainbow Warrior and HMNZS Canterbury wrecks
  • Required Deep and Wreck dives
  • Extend your maximum diving depth to 30 metres
  • Choose three additional specialty dives
  • Options may include Underwater Navigation, Perfect Buoyancy, Marine Ecology and Underwater Photography
  • SSI digital learning materials included
  • No final exam
  • All required diving equipment included
  • Current Open Water Diver certification required
  • Participants must complete the required diving documentation
  • Medical clearance may be required depending on your medical history
  • All equipment required for the course is included

The course includes five adventure dives, allowing you to experience different types of diving while developing your underwater skills.

Deep Dive: Develop the knowledge and skills required for deeper recreational diving, extending your maximum depth limit to 30 metres.

Wreck Dive: Learn skills relevant to wreck diving while exploring one of Northland’s famous shipwrecks.

Three Specialty Dives: Choose from available specialty areas such as Underwater Navigation, Perfect Buoyancy, Marine Ecology or Underwater Photography. Exact options can depend on conditions and course arrangements.

One of the major advantages of completing your Advanced Open Water training in the Bay of Islands is the opportunity to include both the Rainbow Warrior and HMNZS Canterbury as part of your course.

The Rainbow Warrior lies off the Cavalli Islands near Matauri Bay, while the Canterbury rests at Deep Water Cove in the Bay of Islands. The Deep and Wreck training dives are used to explore these two well-known New Zealand wreck sites while developing your skills under instructor supervision.

I accept that this activity inherently involves risks and potential hazards. The risks and hazards include, but are not limited to breathing compressed gas, marine traffic, marine life, decompression sickness, drowning, barotrauma, air embolism, decompression illness, dehydration, gas narcosis, malfunctioning equipment, ear problems, sun damage, hyperthermia, hypothermia, sea sickness, and adverse weather events.

Dive/Snorkelling trips are run in the outdoors on the ocean, so may be exposed to sudden natural disasters such as, but not limited to Tsunami, Earthquakes, Slips Landslides or Rock Falls, or Volcanic Eruption. I am aware that participating in the Diving/Snorkelling offered by Paihia Dive can be hazardous if they are not conducted with care, control, and responsibility. I acknowledge that these risks could result in my injury (physical or mental) or even death.

  • Cancellations after booking: No Refund
  • Changes to dates more than 7 Days before: No Amendment Fee
  • Changes within 7 days: 50% Amendment Fee; free if we are able to fill your space.

Please note: Any refund approved under our terms and conditions will be subject to a 5% admin & processing fee, which will be deducted from the refund amount.

Please see more information on refunds and cancellations in Go New Zealand's terms and conditions.*

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