Marlborough Sounds is with its bays, rugged landscape and tranquil waters a brilliant coldwater dive destination.

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Marlborough Sounds is the collection of steep cliffs, sheltered bays and crystal clear blue waters which are perfect for boating and other water activities. It is made up of the three independent sounds, Pelarus, Kenepuru and Queen Charlotte Sound. Also Port Gore, Arapawa Island and Port Underwood are included in this section and offer great diving. Visibilities are between three and fifteen meters and temperatures range from ten to eighteen degrees. Most diving is done at the outside open coast where kelp forest, coral reefs, caves and brilliant old and young wrecks are highlights for divers around the world.

Diving trips to Marlborough Sounds can be arranged in Picton, Blenheim and Nelson. Also live-aboard tours and simple renting shops can be found, but do some research before going here. The most famous dive site is the wreck of the Mikhail Lermontov, which was a 22.000 ton passenger liner and sank near Port Gore when she hit some rocks just below the surface. Other islands and bays offer excellent kelp diving and a wide variety of fish. Species you can study in detail are blue and red moki, leather jackets, wrasses, blue cod and schools of kahawai. For macro photography you might be more interested in the smaller marine species such as sea horses, octopus and colorful nudibranches. Whatever the reason you will like diving the dive sites of Marlborough Sounds.

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