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Discover diving in New Zealand

The intriguing island nation of New Zealand is a land full of mountainous beauty, Māori legends, and excellent diving. Surrounded by the ocean on all sides, New Zealand boasts spectacular coastlines filled with pristine marine reserves filled with life. If the hundreds of dive sites littering New Zealand’s coastline are not enough for you, there are many small secluded offshore islands to explore as well. Although the water is colder here, New Zealand offers some of the best diving in the world, with phenomenal kelp forests, fantastic drop-offs, colorful sub-tropical reefs, and awe-inspiring shipwrecks. What are you waiting for? Come explore what New Zealand diving is all about.

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Discover the World’s Most Fascinating Aquatic Life

Aquatic life under our oceans, lakes, rivers, and streams is amazing! From microscopic zooplankton to the largest animal on earth, the blue whale, underwater life comes in all possible shapes and sizes. With 71% of the earth being covered with water, it is no wonder we are so fascinated with what lies beneath the surface. In fact, scientists estimate that there are nearly 1 million different species of aquatic animals. Freshwater ecosystems are home mainly to fish, invertebrates, and reptiles, whereas the ocean contains a wide array of marine life including fish, mollusks, crustaceans, reptiles, sharks, and marine mammals like whales, dolphins, seals, and manatees.

Humpback Whale

Humpback Whales are the greatest acrobats and singers among all the whales. They enjoy breeching, propelling their massive bodies out of the water and falling back in with a huge splash, slapping the water’s surface with their fins, and spyhopping. In addition to the sporty performances of these animals, their singing talent is second to none. One of the most magical moments that can be experienced by any scuba diver is to actually listen to the beautiful symphony of humpback whales while diving underwater. Their songs are very unique because they consist of complex, individual stanzas that repeat themselves. Humpback calves are even known to “whisper” to their mothers.

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Bottlenose Dolphin

Charismatic, curious, cute, and smart are all reasons the bottlenose dolphin is the most well-known of the dolphins. The upward curvature of their mouths gives them the appearance of always smiling and their extreme intelligence makes them the easiest cetacean to train. Combine this with their friendly looks and it’s no wonder why they are the stars of most aquarium shows and many Hollywood movies. Not only do people have access to viewing them at most aquariums around the world, they are also the most common dolphin found in the wild, living in temperate, sub-tropical, and tropical waters all around the globe in almost every type of habitat.

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Sea Lion

Sea lions are pinnipeds that are easily recognizable by their external ear flaps, cute, pointy nose, long, puffed up chest, and their ability to walk on all fours. Some of the more popular sea lion species are the California sea lion and the Steller sea lion. These fast, agile swimmers can reach up to 30 knots underwater and are very curious about the world around them. In fact, sea lions are not afraid of scuba divers in the least and have been known to buzz right around a group of divers, blow bubbles at them, and even chewing on their snorkels and fins.

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Mako Shark

The mako shark has an incredibly special skin structure that allows it to swim up to 80 km/h, making them the fastest fish in the world. Due to its speed, they can cover enormous distances of up to 55 km per day and can actually jump up to 9 meters out of the water! These animals can be found throughout the world’s oceans in both tropical and temperate waters.

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Check Out the Incredible Moments Water Enthusiasts Like You Experience Every Day with SSI

Did you just complete an SSI certification? Proudly post it! Want to support your favorite SSI Training Center and promote it to the world? Post it! Did you just have an unforgettable dive experience with your SSI Professional? Post it!

We love to see the SSI family growing day by day: so upload your photo to Instagram with #wearessi or #divessi or mention @ssi_international, and it will automatically appear in the SSI Hall of Fame. We can’t wait to see your adventures today!

Discover the Wonders of the Deep with SSI's Blog

Join us on an exciting journey of discovery and learn more about exhilarating diving adventures, dedicated conservation initiatives, and innovative educational opportunities that will help you illuminate the extraordinary beauty of the underwater world. Let's explore the underwater world together and delve into the hidden wonders beneath the gentle waves.