Greenstone Beach - Fiordland
Le Tunnel de la Grande Vigie is a real adventure, and frankly, we love it precisely because it's not a guarantee. You're looking at a 40-minute boat ride from Port-Louis, and it's only really doable between June and October, and even then, conditions need to be just right. When they are, though, it’s worth the effort. The site itself is a journey. We start with a beautiful arch, then slip into a 20-meter tunnel. It's not a dark, claustrophobic squeeze; light filters in, illuminating the sponges and corals that plaster the walls in purples, reds, and yellows. Keep an eye out for lobsters tucked into crevices, and we’ve spotted plenty of shrimp and spider crabs scuttling about. Exiting the tunnel, you're on a vibrant reef, where barracudas often hang in the blue, and angelfish flit past. Visibility averages 15 meters, which is plenty for appreciating the scale of the formations. This spot is definitely for the diver who enjoys a bit of a chase and wants to feel like they’ve earned their dive.
- Location
- Fiordland, New Zealand, Australasia
- Coordinates
- -44.593600, 167.803300
- Type
- reef
Marine Protected Area: Piopiotahi
Best Time to Dive in Fiordland
The warmest water temperatures in Fiordland occur in February, averaging 15.7°C. The coolest conditions are in August at 9.6°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 15.6°C
- February: 15.7°C
- March: 15.1°C
- April: 13.8°C
- May: 12.4°C
- June: 10.8°C
- July: 9.8°C
- August: 9.6°C
- September: 10.4°C
- October: 11.2°C
- November: 13.3°C
- December: 14.2°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Fiordland
- Aramoana Mole (reef)
- Aramoana Mole
- Bridal Veil (reef)
- Bridal Veil
- Butterfly Wall - 15-40m (wall)
- Butterfly Wall (reef)
- Cray’s Crack (wreck)
- Dale Green (reef)
- Dale Point (cave)
- Dive Otago
- Fox Cove (reef)
- Greenstone Point (wall)
- Harrison Cove (reef)
- Marakura Bay (reef)
- Penguin Cove (reef)
Marine Life in Fiordland
Home to 49 recorded species including 21 reef fish, 10 sharks & rays, 9 other, 3 whales & dolphins, 3 seagrass & algae, 1 crabs & lobsters.
Notable Species
- Red Rock Lobster (Jasus edwardsii) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Sandperch (Parapercis colias) - Reef Fish
- Cape Shark (Squalus acanthias) - Sharks & Rays
- Blue Shark (Prionace glauca) - Sharks & Rays
- Rig (Galeorhinus galeus) - Sharks & Rays
- Auckland Sea Lion (Phocarctos hookeri) - Whales & Dolphins
- Ghost Shark (Callorhinchus milii)
- Lemon Sole (Pelotretis flavilatus) - Reef Fish
- blackfoot pāua (Haliotis iris) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Bluefin Gurnard (Chelidonichthys kumu) - Reef Fish
- Carpet sea squirt (Didemnum vexillum)
- Rig (Mustelus lenticulatus) - Sharks & Rays
- Dark Ghost Shark (Hydrolagus novaezealandiae)
- Soldier (Pseudolabrus miles) - Reef Fish
- Smooth Skate (Dipturus innominatus) - Sharks & Rays
- Bugler (Notopogon lilliei) - Reef Fish
- Jack Mackerel (Trachurus murphyi) - Reef Fish
- Light-bulb sea squirt (Clavelina lepadiformis)
- Banded bellowsfish (Centriscops humerosus) - Reef Fish
- Pale Ghost Shark (Hydrolagus bemisi)
Recommended Packing List for Greenstone Beach
Based on average water temperature of 12.7°C, currents 10 cm/s.
- Wetsuit (5-7mm) - recommended for 13°C water
- Hood & Gloves (3-5mm) - helps retain warmth
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories