Dive Wellington

Perched at 432 The Esplanade in Island Bay, Dive Wellington sits directly across the road from the Taputeranga Marine Reserve and less than a five-minute boat ride from the wreck of the F69 Frigate Wellington. Gear up in the shop, walk across the road, and you're diving — all within a ten-minute drive of Wellington's central city. The team runs its own charter boat, Southern Comfort, most weekends, alongside a dive club that heads out three times a week.

Training and dive sites

A PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Centre with 7 PADI instructors, Dive Wellington offers every level of training, from your first breaths underwater right through to Master Instructor, with a full-time PADI Course Director on hand. Local diving at sites like Mermaids Kitchen turns up sharks, whales, turtles, eels, ocean fish, molluscs and crustaceans, corals and anemones.

Established in 1998 and owned by Dave and Paula Drane, the centre features an onsite classroom, retail shop, house reef, free Wi-Fi and a waterfront location. It suits new and experienced divers alike who want an active, community-minded dive shop.