DivePlnr
    Sunshine Bay dive site
    wall
    Fiordland, New Zealand

    Sunshine Bay

    Best months: Jan–Mar

    Why dive here

    With 46+ marine species recorded in the area - including blue sharks, great white sharks, seahorses and southern right whales - Sunshine Bay offers some of Fiordland's richest wall diving. Water ranges 12-17°C, warmest January, February, March.

    Best timeJan–Mar
    WetsuitA 7mm wetsuit with a hood
    Marine lifeBlue Sharks, Great White Sharks, Seahorses and Southern Right Whales · 46+ species recorded
    Water12-17°C · warmest January, February, March
    CharacterWall dive
    StandoutRich in charismatic marine life

    Sunshine Bay offers a freshwater wall dive with a unique geological backdrop. We’ve found the fault line creates some seriously steep, terraced cliff faces, dropping well past our maximum 15m. Visibility often hovers around 18m, giving you a clear view of the wall's freshwater sponges and mussels clinging to the lake bed. Keep an eye out for native Tripplefins darting around, and if you’re lucky, you might even spot a Longfin Eel or a Rainbow Trout cruising by. It’s a calm, interesting dive, great for anyone looking for something a bit different from the usual ocean sites.

    Safety Notes

    Cold water this month (avg 12°C). Drysuit or thick wetsuit (7mm+) recommended.

    Today05:0118:0513h 4m daylightGolden hour 17:26

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    Conditions

    Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for Sunshine Bay

    Sunshine Bay Ocean Conditions

    Monthly averages for Sunshine Bay, sourced from Open-Meteo marine data + Copernicus Marine (EU) - nearest station: Open-Meteo marine grid (-44.66, 167.9) (28km away)

    ExcellentGreatGoodFairPoor★Best monthsThis month

    October Averages

    Sea Temperature

    12°C

    54°F · Range: 11.5–13.4°C

    Current Speed

    11.4 cm/s

    Direction: NE (37.9°)

    Chlorophyll-a

    0.27 mg/m³

    Clear water

    Salinity

    34.67 PSU

    Based on 4 years of monitoring data · Data sources: Open-Meteo marine data + Copernicus Marine (EU)

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