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Our journey into Classified Diving

A few years ago, during a confined water dive training session, we were approached by a young boy in a wheelchair. He was at the pool for physiotherapy to help with joint pain and mobility issues. His eyes lit up with excitement when he saw us scuba diving. With a big smile, he asked if he could join in. We were thrilled by his enthusiasm and let him breathe from our regulators at the surface, and explained what the equipment does, but had to explain that while we would love to give him an under...

The history of full face mask diving

In this blog post we will look at both the history and benefits of diving with a full face mask - Read on...The history of full face mask diving is a fascinating journey that reflects the evolution of underwater exploration and technology. Here's a comprehensive overview of its development:Early BeginningsAncient and Medieval TimesThe concept of underwater breathing devices dates back to ancient times. Aristotle mentions the use of a primitive form of diving bell in the 4th century BCE, where di...

Discover The New SSI Marine Invertebrate Ecology Program

Here at Aotearoa Dive, we are continuing to grow our conservation training programs and expand the ways you can explore the aquatic world. Learning about the marine life you can encounter while diving really enhances your dives, so we are excited to announce our newest ecology course, SSI Marine Invertebrate Ecology.The SSI Marine Invertebrate Ecology course is our eighth underwater naturalist program and joins these exciting courses:Marine EcologyShark EcologySea Turtle EcologyMa...

Why You Should Start Drysuit Diving

Does the idea of shivering your way through a dive make you want to stay on dry land? If you want to try cold-water diving but without blue lips and excessive neoprene, drysuit diving is the answer! There are some exquisite cold-water diving spots around the world, all waiting to be discovered. Drysuit diving is a little different to regular recreational diving, so we have put together a little guide about what to expect from drysuit diving, how to choose the perfect drysuit, and where to go dry...

Exploring the Benefits of Diving Enriched Air Nitrox

At Aotearoa Dive, we have long been advocates for diving with Enriched Air Nitrox and over the years have introduced and trained many divers in its safe use and the many benefits it can bring. In this blog we will explore the range of benefits that diving with enriched air nitrox offers to divers. Are you ready to begin diving the voodoo gas?IntroductionScuba diving is a thrilling and captivating activity that allows individuals to explore the beauty of the underwater world. One of the many adva...

Guardians of the Sea

Aotearoa (New Zealand) is known for its breathtaking landscapes, rich biodiversity, and unique wildlife. Among the many awe-inspiring creatures that call these waters home, orca whales stand out as some of the most majestic and intelligent marine mammals. With their distinctive black and white markings and formidable presence, orcas, also known as killer whales, capture the imagination of people around the world. This blog post explores the fascinating world of orca whales in Aotearoa (New Zeala...

Exploring the Horizon

In the realm of underwater exploration, technology has continuously pushed the boundaries of what is possible. One such innovation that has revolutionized diving is the semi-closed rebreather. Among the myriad of rebreathers available in the market, the Mares Horizon Semi-Closed Rebreather stands out as a pioneering solution. This rebreather is a game-changer, offering divers a unique and efficient way to explore the depths while minimizing gas consumption and maximizing safety.In this comprehen...

The Deep Love for Scuba Diving

Scuba diving is a captivating and exhilarating activity that has captured the hearts of millions of people around the world. Whether you're an experienced diver or just getting started, there's something about descending into the underwater world that ignites a profound passion within us. In this blog, we'll explore why we love to scuba dive, delving into the reasons that make it such a beloved and addictive pursuit.The Mystique of the Underwater World: Beneath the surface of the Lakes and ocean...

A Deep Dive into...

Enriched Air Nitrox, commonly known as EANx or simply Nitrox, has revolutionized the way divers explore the underwater world. This specialized breathing gas mixture, which contains a higher percentage of oxygen than regular air, has a rich history that spans several decades. In this blog post, we will embark on a journey through time to explore the origins, development, and significance of enriched air nitrox in the world of recreational and technical diving.The Birth of NitroxThe concept of usi...

The Ocean Explorer Extraordinaire

Jacques-Yves Cousteau, a name synonymous with ocean exploration and conservation, was born on June 11, 1910, in Saint-André-de-Cubzac, France. His life's journey would take him from the quiet banks of the Gironde River to the depths of the world's oceans, leaving an indelible mark on both the underwater world and the environmental movement.From a young age, Cousteau exhibited a profound fascination with the sea. He learned to swim before he could walk and developed a deep connection to the wate...

How to prepare a new mask, and prevent it fogging up

Your mask fogging up can not only be annoying, it can ruin your days diving and can also be dangerous. In this blog we will discuss what causes it and the best methods for preventing it happening to you. Make a cuppa and read on...The mask is perhaps the most important piece of equipment you will use and own as a diver, because it allows you to take in the majestic beauty that is the underwater world. Masks come in many different shapes, sizes, and colors to suit the activity, the individual fac...

Protect your skin and the planet.

Although our summer has certainly not been the best this year, we still expose ourselves to harmful UV even on those cloudier days so sunscreen protection is essential, especially when you're a diver. For us as diving instructors our office is the outdoors and we do take our own personnel health and safety very seriously especially exposing ourselves to the high UV levels that we can get here in Aotearoa.For the last 4 or 5 months our dive professionals have been testing a new sunscreen product ...

Learn to scuba dive in New Zealand

Why learn to dive and why learn to dive in New Zealand? Good question! There are lots of reasons to learn to scuba dive and specifically learn to dive in New Zealand. Maybe your seeking adventure, something to mark off in your life goals and bucket list, because you love to travel and seek out new and exciting locations around the world, want to meet new friends or possible to escape the pressures of work and life by descending into another world or perhaps you would like to learn and see more o...

Young explorers

Whether you’re a diver yourself already, or not, scuba diving is an incredible hobby to get your child (and yourself!) involved in. Diving allows your family to explore everything the underwater world has to offer… and it gets them off their iPads for a few hours! There are so many benefits of scuba diving for kids, from physical health to social skills, confidence to environmental education.  Let’s look at our top seven reasons why you should consider diving for your child: 1.Co...

The largest animal in the world

Even though they are huge animals (in fact blue whales are the largest animals on the planet), not many people have the opportunity to meet them up close, observe them and be amazed by their size and beauty. So like most people its easy to ignore their presence in the ocean, not think about them, until one day we found ourselves looking at a humpback whale breaching in front of the dive boat (whilst taking guests out on a dive excursion), thats when we knew we needed to be close to them, thats w...

The new SSI Marine Mammal Ecology Course

We are super excited to let you all know that Scuba Schools International have just launched the brand new Marine Mammal Ecology course, where you can learn all about the fascinating mammals that grace our oceans.Do you have a passion to save the ocean and the marine animals that call it their home? Does the thought of diving with whales fascinate you? Do you want to learn more about the ecology, biology, and conservation of marine mammals? After completion of the course you will come away with ...

What is Enriched Air Nitrox?

You may have spotted the telltale green and yellow SCUBA cylinder stickers that signal somebody is diving with enriched air nitrox, also called oxygen enriched air, enriched air, EAN, EANx, NX or just plain "nitrox" for short. It’s been used in recreational and technical diving for decades, and every major training agency has a training program for learning to safely dive the gas, but what is enriched air nitrox? lets find out! What is the composition of the air we breath?The air that we ...

Woman in (vintage) wetsuits

Women have a long history with SCUBA diving dating back to the 1950's. For as long as woman have been diving there has been a requirement of suitable wetsuits that actually fit the female form correctly. Unfortunately the early wetsuits were not the most flattering (for both men and women) but over time manufacturing techniques improved and slowly but surely wetsuit design got much better. Thanks to the likes of Dottie Frazier and her "Penguin suits", which were the first female wetsuits manufac...

Who is SSI? - Pt 2.

In our previous blog - Who is SSI Pt.1 - we looked at the early years of Scuba Schools International and how it was founded. In this blog, part 2, we will look further into the development of SSI into the millennia and up to where we are now - The best training agency in the world! Sit back, relax and enjoy... 2001 to 2010 2002With a new team in place, SSI immediately began examining potential resort business needs and started to develop programs we felt this new customer base required...

The holy grail of dive theory?

Dalton's law (also called Dalton's law of partial pressures) states that "The total pressure exerted by a mixture of gases is equal to the sum of the pressures of each of the different gases making up the mixture – each gas acting as if it alone were present and occupied the total volume." Well that's all good but what does it mean? SCUBA divers can be obsessed with gas laws, you probably remember learning "Boyes Law" (pressure and volume) during your open water program? So it's time to look a...

The mysterious freshwater eels of Aotearoa

Do you remember the first time you saw a freshwater eel? Some shudder at the thought while others enthuse about their beauty and grace and it can certainly feel like a blessing to be lucky enough to be able to dive with one.  In this blog we will talk a little more about these incredible and mysterious creatures and understand some of the threats they currently face. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The first Polynesians to arrive i...

Who is SSI? - Pt 1.

When it comes to scuba diving everyone has heard of PADI, "I like to get my PADI" is still a term heard in many dive centres around the globe when customers enquire about learning to dive. However there are many, many training agencies as well as PADI - CMAS, SDI, BSAC, NAUI, RAID, ANDI, IANTD, TDI, GUE, PDA to name but a few... One agency you have probably heard of is SSI or Scuba Schools International and we proudly wave the flag for this organisation offering a full range of their course...

Gazing through the eyes of Medusa

It's amazing how a late night purchase online can possibly spawn such a fascinating story. We recently purchased a rather old and strange looking snorkel mask for our vintage SCUBA equipment museum we are curating. It was a cheap purchase from an elderly man and we knew nothing about the item until it arrived via a courier. We excitedly unwrapped the box and pulled out a very old, very dusty, very smelly mask and immediately spotted a brand name embossed onto the side - CRESSI GENOVA MADE IT ITA...

Can you see the light?

It's a very different  world below the surface of the water when diving - things change and it can be mind bending if you don't fully understand what is happening.  All of a sudden you feel weightless and no longer having to endure the gravitational pull of mother earth. Sound changes as it travels faster through the medium of water to our ears. Your perception of vision becomes different, everything you see appears closer and larger. Your heart rate begins to slow as part of the mamma...

The extraordinary life of Dottie Frazier

Not a name that everyone may be familiar with but Dottie Frazier really was a pioneer in diving and her life truly was extraordinary!  The first female Instructor, the first female dive centre owner, wetsuit designer, renowned underwater pioneer including HardHat, Scuba, and Freediving. She has been a swimsuit model, a competitive billiards player and a water and snow skier. She knows how to fix car transmission systems and used to ride her Harley-Davidson around her home region. She w...