After a three-hour delay, organisers allowed competition to go ahead in treacherous 2.5-3m waves.
Dive of Mt Maunganui remained composed in the large seas, finishing second in his under-18 boys' round two heat to advance to the third round.
He was beaten by Brazilian Gabriel Medina, whose 14.67 total was the best of the day, heading off the New Zealander's 11.00 score.
Dive, 17, said he was relieved to get through to the next round.
"It was really tough to get in the right spot," he said.
"I was all over the show out there. I knew where to sit, having surfed here a little bit over the years. Luckily for me something came through."
The former New Zealand under-16 champion added that he was enjoying competing in his own country.
"It's so cool. I've had so much attention from the media, which I don't usually get because we're usually competing in other countries. So it's good for me and the New Zealand Team."
French surfer Kieran Bulard was the day's top individual wave scorer, registering 8.50 points, despite finishing behind Portugal's Frederico Morais.
Australia's Tim MacDonald inflicted the biggest upset of the day beating newly-crowned World Pro Junior Champion Maxime Huscenot of France and under-16 2009 world junior champion Keanu Aising of Hawaii in the opening heat of the day.
