Welcome
Late 1953 a keen group of North Shore spear fishermen formed as a spear fishing Club with scuba diving emerging as an activity within the Club. From this group The Dolphin Underwater Club was formed in 1954 and is now the oldest continually running Scuba Club in New Zealand. To this day we still have some of the founding members.
Over the years the Club has remained very active with the emphasis gradually changing to a wide range of dive and adventure related activities, and becoming more concerned with environmental issues.
The Club has had some members excelling in underwater photography, taking out some major photographic awards. Jenny and Tony Enderby, members of the Club are very successful Freelance Photojournalists contributing to over 70 magazines in 10 different countries throughout the World, including the publication of their Lonely Planet Book Diving and Snorkelling in New Zealand. Club membership peaked in 1974 when Tony joined the Club in his early 20s when there was a waiting list for over two years as the Club had a limit of 100 members.
Today the Club operates as the Dolphin Underwater and Adventure Club with the inclusion of activities to cater for the non-diving partners, family and friends of the members. With tramping, camping, mountain biking, kayaking, sailing and many other activities mixed in with a wide range of organised dives mostly around the northern New Zealand Coast. The most popular being the Poor Knights especially for underwater photography. Other dive trips the Club enjoy, either for the day or overnight, include the Bay of Islands, Aldermen Islands, White Island, Mercury Island, Little Barrier, Mayor Island, the Cavalli Islands, Great Barrier, the Mokohinaus and the always popular family days outing to Goat Island.
We pride ourselves with our safety record, encourage divers to continue their education to a least the Rescue Diver Rescue, to keep themselves out of trouble and to be there to help others that may get into difficulties. We occasionally have pool sessions to practice our skills, and encourage younger members to come along and have a go on scuba.
Our kayaking trips venture from Lake Pupuke and North Head to as far a field as the Bay of Islands, Oakura, Whangaruru Harbour, Whanganui River and Lake Waikamoana.
Mountain Biking is also a much enjoyed part of our Club with regular trips to Woodhill State Forest and the Hunua Ranges and occasionally to the Redwood Forest in Rotorua and doing the 42nd Traverse in National Park.
Some recent Club tramping trips have been to the Pinnacles in Coromandel, the Okura coastal walk, Mt Te Aroha, Mt Ruapehu and also New Zealands famous Tongario Crossing.
Along with all the other diving and fun activities over the years, there have been members enjoying many overseas dive trips together.
The club is based at Lake Pupuke, North Shore City, New Zealand. See our Contact Page for more details.
