We are slowly getting to increase our circle of friends here in NZ and some of them are becoming quite handy to know… We were introduced to a couple who were friends of Nicky's. It turns out that they have just started New Zealand's first online dive store called Awesome Scuba. They are running it out of their house and using a purpose built trailer they can meet you anywhere with all the gear and as Dominic and his two friends (Possum and Boa) are qualified Divemasters they take you out for a days diving before you leave them with all the gear and head home. This all sounded very good to us but they had not had the chance to trey this service out on any unsuspecting members of the public so Dominic and Heidi asked us what we were doing the following weekend and would we like to come diving as their first customers. Once they told us that it would be completely free of charge we almost snapped their entrepreneurial arms off and said yes!So it was up at half-past sparrows-fart the following Saturday we met at their house and took the 3 hour drive back up the eastern coast to Kaikora. We arrived and everyone was excited as this was the first time the trailer had been out and the weather was good and the water was clear and calm and… they are all pretty much a big bunch of kids! Once we had been issued with our wetsuits we realised that the water was going to be cold as we were wearing 10mm neoprene and hoods but once we were in iit was only the exposed parts of your face around the mask that got cold. The dive site was about 300-400m from the shore and having never dived this spot before the guys from Awesome Scuba did not realise how much kelp was out there. We swam out in a group with me swimming on my back in an interesting backstroke. I was wondering why everyone else was swimming faster and smoother than me seemingly with only 50% of the vigour I was using. This was because I had managed to uproot an entire kelp forest and was dragging what seemed like half a ton of wet slimy kelp along with me. After Dominic's laughter had subsided he cut me free and we went out to the dive site. Once we were underwater I soon realised that this was completely different from our previous warm water dives. Most obviously the water temperature was hovering around 10-12 degrees but rather than being surrounded by coral we were diving amongst tall kelp fronds. We spotted an octopus lying around on the bottom who, no matter how much we poked it, would not ink us! We also saw blue cod (very tasty in breadcrumbs and served with chups) and hiding in amongst the rocks on the sandy bottom there were crays bigger than lobsters at about 18 inches long. Once we had used up our air it was time for the long swim back to the shore. We arrived back quite knackered but everyone was keen to go out again. I decided to sit the second dive out but Katie was back out like a shot as soon as it was safe to do so.The second dive involved the same exhausting swim to the dive area, but once we were buddied up and in the water it became a very relaxed dive. The water seemed clearer than the mornings and we were going deeper which meant keeping neutral buoyancy was easier and you weren't wont to go shooting to the top. We saw more of the same but the deeper water contained more fish, small and colourful and the vegetation was a beautiful mix of pink, red and various greens. I was sorry that Paul had missed the second dive but he seemed to be quite happily sitting in the sun by the time we got back to shore.All that was left was to pack up, eat the most expensive fish and chip supper we have ever had in a nearby bar and head back to Christchurch. All in all it was a superb day and we will definitely be joining Dom and his mates again for some more diving action. Just don't think it will be free next time though!