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HMNZS Waikato, New Zealand

Stay in Tutukaka: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

About HMNZS Waikato

A wreck dive. It goes down to 28 m. You get in from a boat. It suits Advanced divers and up, as a dive guide states it. The coast faces E: swell from the E reaches it, and wind from the W blows out to sea. No dive centre within 10 km, the nearest 45 km away. The sea is about 16°C in August, its coldest month (7 mm wetsuit and hood), and 22°C in February, its warmest (5 mm wetsuit). For Advanced divers the best months are usually January, February, March and October, with about 6 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Tutukaka. Within 5 km we also list 15 dive sites.

  • What it is Wreck.
  • How deep Down to 28 m.
  • Getting in From a boat.
  • Who it suits Suits Advanced divers and up, as a dive guide states it.
  • Dive centres No dive centre within 10 km, the nearest 45 km away.

Facts: verified.

Dive centres nearby

No dive centre mapped within 25 km.

Dive centres: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Credits

Water about 17°C: 7 mm wetsuit and hood. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

Visibility about 10 m. Typical for the time of year, estimated from ten years of NASA satellite water clarity, not a forecast. Clearest in Feb, Mar, Jun and Jul (about 20 m).

This week's visibility, the current and the life no free forecast gives. Ask a dive centre before you book.

Save this trip A link to come back to, or to send to the group.

Book the trip

From Chicago: about 28 h 05 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Auckland International Airport (AKL), changing at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).

    See flights MDW → AKL · Skyscanner from about £740 returnAd
  2. Getting there. 3 h 15 from the airport to HMNZS Waikato.

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in TutukakaAd

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

    Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

    See all places to stay in Tutukaka (ad) on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Distances are straight lines unless a drive is given: a site out at sea is reached by boat.

  4. Hire and lessons.

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.

One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Forecast

Best on Mon 19: Sea 0.9 m. Wind 9 kn gusting 13.

The score for Advanced divers, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor

Sea and wind forecast and score for each day at HMNZS Waikato
DayScoreSeaWindGusts
Sun 18Oct80, good1.0 m7 kn14kn
Mon 19Oct80, good0.9 m9 kn13kn
Tue 20Oct80, good0.7 m11 kn15kn
Wed 21Oct80, good0.5 m9 kn14kn
Thu 22Oct80, good0.6 m10 kn17kn
Fri 23Oct80, good0.6 m10 kn20kn
Sat 24Oct80, good0.4 m8 kn12kn
Sun 25Oct80, good0.3 m1 kn7kn
Mon 26Oct80, good0.4 m4 kn11kn
Tue 27Oct20, poor1.4 m23 kn29knboats in
Wed 28Oct48, good1.3 m19 kn25kn

Day scores are the conditions out of 80, from the two best daylight readings: a morning and an afternoon dive. Sea is the open water's waves near the site, in metres. Wind and gusts are in knots (10 kn is about 19 km/h); "boats in" marks gusts that keep dive boats in. This week's visibility, the current and the life no free forecast gives.

The season

Good diving days in a typical week, each month, for Advanced divers, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).

  1. Jan6of 7
  2. Feb6of 7
  3. Mar6of 7
  4. Apr5of 7
  5. May5of 7
  6. Jun5of 7
  7. Jul5of 7
  8. Aug5of 7
  9. Sep5of 7
  10. Oct6of 7
  11. Nov6of 7
  12. Dec6of 7

Typical, not a forecast: the sea and the mean wind of each day, with no gusts or rain in the history.

Rough cost

About £1,330–£2,570 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing. A guide from typical prices, not a quote. Dives are not priced yet: we have no sourced price for a guided dive, so they are not in it.

  • Flights £740–£1,530
  • To the UK airport £35–£65
  • Hire car £100–£170
  • Stay £225–£375
  • Food £230–£430

Book the trip

Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.