Campbells Bay Community Snorkel Day 2026!

Join Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust and explore this north shore reef at our family-friendly snorkel day We are excited to show you the life under the water at Campbells Bay. Join us for a FREE guided snorkel, all equipment provided including an experienced guide. See what you can find - sponges, sea stars, seaweed as well as spotties, parore and sweep! Learn about our wonderful marine ecosystems as well as how to snorkel and stay safe in the water! While this snorkel day is in the school holidays it is not a holiday programme, parents/guardians are required - lots of fun for the whole whanau! This event is funded thanks to the Fortuna Foundation and the Bobby Stafford Bush Foundation! PLEASE NOTE: Registering on Eventbrite does not guarantee you a spot, it helps us gauge interest. Our snorkel days operate on a first come, first served basis. On high demand days we may not be able to take everyone snorkelling - this is due to volunteer capacity and we have a capacity of MAXIMUM 60 participants per rotation. Saturday 12th December (Back up date: 19th December) ⌚️10:30 - 15:30 10:30 - 12:00 - Rotation 1 - Snorkelling 12:30 - 14:00- Rotation 2 - Snorkelling 14:00- 15:30 - Rotation 3 - Snorkelling Please aim to arrive 15 minutes prior to the rotation start time. When you arrive, check in at the tent. If you are late you may not be able to take part. 🏠 Where - Campbells Bay Beach reserve , 8 Huntly Road, Campbells Bay, Auckland 0630 Google map link There is limited street parking, you may have to walk a distance from your car. We encourage carpooling and public transport. Nearest bus stop : 3243 Park Rise (please check Auckland Transport for latest travel info!) 🌞 Weather call - Conditions permitting - we will run with light rain. Postponement due to weather will be communicated via email or Eventbrite. 🎟 Registrations - Suitable for ages 5+. Children under 14 need an adult in the water with them Children under 16 need to be accompanied by an adult Registrations are not final and do not guarantee you a space snorkelling. You must arrive on time and check in at the tent to secure your spot. On high demand days we may not be able to take everyone snorkelling - this is due to volunteer capacity Accessibility - Snorkelling involves wearing fins and a mask and snorkel. You can not wear glasses under the mask. If you are physically unable to wear fins please speak to a crew member when signing in. There are individual toilets as well as changing rooms on site. You will need to travel over grass/sand/ un even ground What to bring - • Swimwear/togs (required) • Towel (required) • Sunhat/sunglasses (recommended) • Warm clothes (recommended) • Drink bottle (recommended) • Snacks/lunch (recommended) • Personal medication (required) 💰 Donations - Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust runs a series of free and subsidised events over the summer months — we rely on your support to make them happen. We appreciate donations, either cash/eftpos on the day, online or by giving a koha of your time volunteering at a future event. ❌ Cancellation policy - Please cancel your spot via Eventbrite ASAP if you can no longer make it. Snorkel/Paddle Day FAQ & Risk Disclosure It is great to hear that you are interested in one of our snorkel days for the 2026/27 summer season! Here is a list of frequently asked questions which may help you get ready for our events – Please read these questions and if there is something that isn’t answered please feel free to get in touch via contact on the event description. Q: Who is Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust (MTSCT)? A: Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust – our kaupapa (ethos) is to teach kaitiakitanga (guardianship) through experiential learning. In short – we teach communities about the ocean and freshwater environments by running free community snorkel and paddle events and school programmes. Our Experiencing Marine Reserve programme, which is Adventure Activity certified for snorkelling, has helped take 180,000 people snorkelling since 2002. For more information on us check out our website https://www.mountainstosea.org.nz/ Q: Is it free? A: MTSCT relies heavily on donations to make our community and school programmes possible. We appreciate donations to make our events possible - whether that be cash or eftpos on the day, online or a donation of your time volunteering on future events. An average donation is $5-10 per participant. A $10 donation can pay for a replacement snorkel, a $25 donation can pay for a new set of flippers, a $50 donation can put a student through a full programme in school and a $1500 donation can run an entire snorkel day. Q: Do I need to pre-register for this event? A: Most snorkel day events do not require pre-registration, but are recommended to prioritise you getting a spot! However you can just show up between the hours stated on the event and register at the tent. The exceptions to this are our kayak/SUP events, events which we need to book ferries – such as Motutapu and Rotoroa and our adventure snorkel days to locations like the Poor Knights + Mokohinaus. Q: How old does my child have to be? Do I have to snorkel with them? Is there a maximum age? A: MTSCT has a minimum age of 5 years for snorkeling*, 7 years for Kayaking and 10 years for paddleboarding. We prefer that if your child is under 16 years that a parent or guardian comes along with us for a snorkel. We are not a babysitting service. No maximum age as long as you are fit and healthy for snorkelling. *Some exceptions for the adventure snorkel days - check the event details Q: I/my child am/is not a strong swimmer – can I/they participate? A: No prior swimming/snorkelling/paddling ability is required for most MTSCT events*. When registering please communicate your ability level and you will be assigned a snorkel/kayak guide to suit your ability. All snorkelling groups will have a body board for floatation, wetsuits and flippers will assist in buoyancy. We can utilise extra body boards for buoyancy. We find life jackets can impede snorkeling. Please note that if you have a group of non-swimmers your wait may be slightly longer as we need to get you the most experienced guides, we may also limit your snorkel to the shallows in order to keep you safe and well supported. For kayaking and paddle boarding events we provide all the equipment needed, including life jackets. *Prior swimming and snorkel/paddling experience may be required for more advanced events like adventure snorkels and kayak clean ups, please check the event details for further information on ability pre requisites. Q: Will we be snorkeling in deep water? I’m scared of {insert wildlife here}. A: The snorkel profile will depend on the location. Most sites will start shallow which will allow you to get comfortable with the equipment first before going into deeper water. If you are not comfortable please let your guide know and they will stay in the shallows. Wildlife on our snorkels is the highlight! Your guides will keep you a safe distance. Q: How big are the groups? A: On snorkel days we have a group size of 6 participants – with a maximum of 4 children (14 and below) per guide. There is the possibility of combining groups to make a group of 8-10 with two guides. If you are a couple or a group of 3 you will most probably be joint with a group of similar ability. Q: How do I hire the gear? Can I bring my own? A: We have all the equipment – Mask, snorkel, fins and wetsuit available to use for free (we do appreciate a koha/donation). We have sizes to fit 95% of people but if you have very large feet (15+) it could pay to bring your own. If you want to bring your own gear – great! We just need to check that it is ‘fit for purpose’ - that it isn’t too old or unsafe. We do not allow the use of Full Face Masks/snorkels as they are a safety hazard.