Night Dive Location: Matauri Bay It is day 3 of our 4 day trip with Auckland Scuba in our DIPSI course. We have spent every day exploring the Cavalli Islands and various bays surrounding this amazing location, but it was time to see it in a different light (or without light). I always get a certain type of excitement when a night dive is involved, maybe it’s because certain images from movies like ‘Jaws’ pops into my imagination, but mostly because the beauty and mystery of the ocean always leaves me coming back for more. This particular dive is in my memory more as a dream rather than a memory, the scenery was absolutely magical. The peaceful sound of the gentle waves lapping upon the shore, paint the picture you can’t quite see, as we enter the water. The bio-luminescence sparkle a neon blue as we break the surface to swim to the drop zone. As we descend, the light from our torches catch the shimmer of particles swaying in the current. A blanket of dancing kelp greet us as we gently hover to the bottom. The life that comes out at night are different to what is seen in the day, which makes it exciting to explore and encounter species that you may not have spotted before. Fish such as big eye come out of their daytime residence. Crayfish roam free, unafraid of their sleeping predators. Squid flutter past with beautiful neon lights against a pitch dark backdrop. When we were finished, the blanket of stars above us as we swam back to shore was the perfect conclusion. We farewelled Matauri Bay and I enjoyed a rather quiet drive home as they usually are after a night dive.
Sakula Costar
DIPSI 2 Student
Excitement before the night dive