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Log This Dive

Sinbad Gully

Sinbad Gully, tucked deep in Fiordland, feels less like a dive site and more like stepping into a cold-water cathedral. That thick freshwater layer up top, sometimes a couple of metres deep, makes for some truly bizarre light effects as you drop through it. It’s a bit eerie, a bit mystical, and absolutely our favourite part of a Fiordland dive. Below that, the salt water hits, and the walls are just covered. We're talking serious black coral real estate here, some trees that have been growing for centuries, mixed in with big, colourful tube anemones. Look closely, and you’ll spot those brilliant red rock lobsters tucked into every crevice, plus little schools of spotty and kelpie darting about. We’ve seen New Zealand sentinel crabs scuttling over sponges, and if you’re lucky, a seven-gill shark might cruise by, though we find the dogsharks are a more common sight. Visibility can be epic, sometimes pushing 18 metres, but it can also drop off if there’s been a lot of rain. The maximum depth is 16 metres, which makes it perfect for longer bottom times. It’s a dive for those who appreciate the quiet drama of a unique ecosystem, rather than chasing pelagics.