Lermontov Dive Calendar
| When | Dive or Course |
|---|---|
|
4th Jun 13 to 9th Jun 13 |
Lermontov Week/ PADI Deep, Wreck & TDI Advanced Wreck Courses
Port Gore |
Group Charters
For group charters departure time from Picton can be co-ordinated with your arrival on the ferry or aircraft. If you arrive after 6.30pm, you will stay in Picton that night and leave for the Dive Lodge in Port Gore 6.30am the next morning.
Course Options
Open-water Plus
For the ultimate dive course, Go Dive offer our PADI Open-water Plus package which includes a 2 day Port Gore tour, including 2 extra Adventure dives on the Lermontov or other wrecks.
The course starts off in Picton, where the first day will be spent developing your diving skills in a heated pool. The next two days will be in Port Gore where you will complete the final four dives, plus another two Adventure dives; this is the ultimate Open-water package.
Advanced Open-Water Plus
The PADI Advanced Open-water really opens up diving opportunities; many operators set it as a pre-requisite to book onto their dives.
You can complete the Advanced Open-water course with Go Dive Marlborough while in Port Gore, including the Deep and Wreck dives on the Mikhail Lermontov.
The course starts off in Picton, with a course orientation, navigation dive and theory review. Four more dives will be completed in Port Gore over the next two days, with the possibility of a 5th bonus dive on the wreck.
Discover Scuba Dive Plus
Go Dive can offer the PADI Discover Scuba Dive experience for those who don’t dive or have partners who don’t dive. The bay where the Lermontov Lodge is situated is shallow and protected, offering clear calm conditions ideal for guests to try diving for the first time.
Check out our terms and conditions
Live-a-Shore Lermontov Wreck Diving Tours
The ultimate way to dive one of the biggest and best wrecks in the world. Scheduled trips and charters run from 1 to 7 days all year round.
Based at the very cosy and secluded Lermontov Lodge in Port Gore, only 5 minutes by boat to the Mikhail Lermontov, you will have unlimited access to this world class wreck dive, as well as the other historical wrecks and reefs in the Port Gore, Cape Jackson area.
Non divers and children welcome.
Reporting Time in Picton: 5.00pm
Return to Picton: 6pm
Pick up location:Picton i-Site or your Motel or Backpackers
Frequency: Scheduled multi-day tours all year with group charters on request.
Day Tours: Scheduled day tours every Tuesday & Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday October to May Includes one nights accommodation
Minimum Experience Rating: Open-water with cold water environmental orientation dive/s advanced & wreck experience required for deep penetration dives.
Includes: Accommodation, meals, transport, diving, cylinders, air, weight belts
Number of dives: Up to 3 per day during summer(First two guided)
What to bring: Log book, proof of certification, towels, bedding supplied.
Maximum divers per guide: 5
Recommendations/requirements: If you are not used to diving in a 7mm wetsuit or dry suit and temperate waters, we ask that you do an equipment and temperate water orientation dive before diving the Lermontov. This can be done prior to the trip or the first dive of the trip in Port Gore.
Options: EAN Nitrox, manifolded 300bar/DIN twin 12litre steel cylinders, personal dive guide, Discover Scuba Dives, Fishing, Kayaking and Snorkelling for non-divers. Full kit rental if you do not have your own.
Tour & Course Prices
Inquires
Terms and Conditions: Please read these prior to booking
Location Map
The Lodge
The Lermontov Lodge is tucked away in a sheltered cove in Port Gore, it is a modern facility built in 2001; it has endless hot water, 230 volt power supplied by Solar panels, invertor and generator, laundry facilities, 3 bedrooms, large lounge with DVD player and TV. Bedroom layout is 1 bedroom with 4 beds, 1 bedroom with 6 beds, 1 double bedroom and 1 twin in the lounge. Layout allows for privacy and the lodge is a less expensive and more comfortable option to live-a-board tours. If you would like to reserve the double bedroom or have any special food requirements please let us know when making your inquiry. All bedding is supplied along with bath towel.
Non Diving Activities
You will have the opportunity for post dive strolls along the shoreline, surrounding farm land and bush or possibly even a bit of fishing. This is a very remote part of New Zealand, with spectacularly stunning scenery which is seldom visited; most likely the only other living things you will see during your stay in Port Gore will be the abundant fish and birdlife, plus the odd cow and sheep.
For the non-diver or for those who may want a break from diving, our shore based staff will be available to take you fishing in our tender, you could rent a kayak or for the non-diver maybe a Discover Scuba Dive or snorkel in the sheltered bay below the lodge.
Children are more than welcome, with only a small charge for under 10 year olds. Children must be accompanied at all times by a parent or caregiver.
Queen Charlotte Track extension
For those walking the track we can pick you up from Punga Cove at around 7pm and drop you back at 5pm the following day to continue on the track.
Transport Options
In the event that Go Dives departure and arrival times to and from Picton do not suit your travel itinerary, arrangements can be made with local water taxi operators to transport you to and from Punga Cove. From here Go Dive can supply transport to and from our Lodge, which is only 40 minutes travel time.
The Diving
Using our fast day boat gives you easy access to all the wrecks or reefs in the area and allows for shore based surface intervals and lunch at the Lermontov Dive Lodge between dives. Always nice when it’s a bit bumpy on the wreck site.
Dive Sites and time to reach them by boat from the Lermontov Dive Lodge
Mikhail Lermontov 5 minutes
Lastingham Wreck 20 minutes
Rangitoto Wreck 30 minutes
Scallop Beds 10 minutes
Kelp Reefs 15 minutes
Scheduled tours range from 2, 3 and 4 days, including cooked meals with local wines, accommodation, diving, air, cylinders and weight belts. The first 2 dives are guided and takes place from our 9 metre multi-hull shark cat, which is equipped with toilet and full protection from sun, wind and rain. Further guided dives are optional but must be booked and paid for prior to departure.
The Trip
Your adventure starts in Picton, where you will depart for Port Gore in our van at approximately 5.15pm (reporting by 5.00pm). The trip to the Lermontov Lodge takes around 2.5 hours, and you will travel through some very spectacular country, which takes you up through Kenepuru Sound back into Queen Charlotte Sound and into Port Gore. Reaching an altitude of 700 metres, you will get awesome views to the North, Kapiti Islands and D'Urville Island to the west, before descending down to the Lermontov Lodge, arriving at around 7.30pm. While you watch a video on the sinking of the Lermontov and subsequent oil recovery from the wreck our staff will cook you an evening meal.
The next morning our boat Dive Marlborough will take you for your first taste of the Mikhail Lermontov. You may even get the opportunity for a scallop dive during the season if on a multi-day trip.
For those on a specially arranged 1-day trip you will travel to Port Gore early morning, departing from Picton by 7am and returning back to Picton by 7.30pm.
For scheduled multi-day tours we will depart the Lodge on the last day at approximately 3.00pm, arriving back in Picton at around 5.30pm. However Go Dive highly recommends you stay overnight and come out the next morning if possible.
New Divers
For newly trained or warm water divers, the Lermontov can be quite a challenge. So for your own safety and to avoid interrupting the experience of other divers in the group, we request you undertake a shallow orientation dive prior to diving the wreck. This can be completed prior to the trip in Picton or on the morning of the first day in the sheltered bay below the lodge in Port Gore.
Tech Diving
Technical diving support is available on request with Nitrox, O2 for rebreathers, 12litre twins and 6 litre slings available if pre booked. Go Dive staff are all trained in Decompression Procedures and are happy to guide those with suitable qualifications on some of the more challenging dives. Surface supplied 100% O2 at 5 metres on all dives as emergency decompression gas provided.
Safety
One of Go Dives main aims is to maintain a 100% safety record. The Lermontov is a fantastic wreck, but is unforgiven for those who are unprepared or dive beyond their personal limitations. There are many interesting dives across the wreck and within Port Gore that suit the less experienced diver and of course more challenging dives to suit the more experienced diver. Prior to your first dive we will discuss with you what parts of the wreck/s or Port Gore that are of interest to you and attempt to meet your expectations. However the final decision on what part of the wreck we visit will be up to Go Dive.
PLEASE NOTE
There is no cell phone coverage in Port Gore, all communications is by VHF radio to our base set back in Picton and Marlborough Maritime Radio.
Extra Stuff
Dive equipment including computers available to hire
Nitrox, twin cylinders and slings rebreather Dil/02 cylinders available on request
Kayaks available for rent if pre-booked
Group charters dates and rates available on request
Non-divers and families welcome
Discover Scuba Dives for non-divers, PADI Advanced Open-water, Deep and Wreck Specialties on request.