New Zealand’s Hauraki Gulf is not only a city harbor, it is a fascinating window on Pacific Ocean life, and offers a splendid coastline dotted with white, sandy beaches, soaring sea cliffs, and splendid islands surrounded by diverse wildlife. Whales and dolphins are seen with regularity, as are the many bird species the area is so famous for. The gulf’s maritime park contains more than fifty islands, each of them amazing in its own right. Many of these islands are wildlife sanctuaries, and many of them are surrounded by water shallow enough to simply enjoy a scenic snorkel. Let’s take a look at just a small sampling of the many dive sites this Auckland treasure offers.
Sail Rock
Emerging from the deep blue water that surrounds it, much like a sail that rises up from a boat, Sail Rock is played by a current that attracts schooling blue maomao, huge trevally, and big silver drummer. Its walls plummet to a depth of twenty meters, where they blend into a heap of boulders and ledges that eventually fade away into the depths beyond. You’ll find huge crayfish and yellow moray eels here, along with hunting Kingfish in the summer. The water is usually quite clear, affording a view that can extend for as far as thirty meters. Due to the combination of depth and current, Sail Rock is a dive site reserved for those with some experience.
Great Barrier Island
Ideal for all divers, Great Barrier Island is the site of two distinctive wrecks: the Wairarapa, which is situated at its northern tip, and the Wiltshire, which is located on the island’s southern end. In between, there are lovely underwater gardens brimming with colorful life, as well as some truly magnificent rock formations. With swimthroughs and caverns, kelp forests where smaller creatures hide from the reef sharks and large predatory fish that wait just outside their boundaries, and beautiful drop offs, it is home to an endless array of both subtropical and temperate life, depending on the season. As this magnificent island is 40 kilometers long, and 15 kilometers wide, it would take you more than a year of constant diving to see all it has to offer.
Little Barrier Island
Located 22 kilometers from Auckland, Little Barrier Island has massive heaps of boulders with cracks and crevices where crayfish hide. Schooling rays and beds of scallops share the sandy patches, and enormous kelp beds offer fantastic opportunities for photography, while they shelter small kelpfish and other creatures. Horn Rock, located to the east of the island, is a favorite site for spotting schools of large pelagic fish. It is not uncommon to encounter sharks, including the occasional Great White, as you explore the varied terrain this fantastic island has to offer.
Little Barrier Island is also a bird sanctuary, and landing is strictly forbidden, unless you have prior permission, or unless there is an emergency that necessitates a trip to shore.
Hen Island
Like a mother hen surrounded by her chicks, Hen Island is the largest of a small cluster of islands located near Sail Rock. Well sheltered from outside currents, Hen Island features massive boulders, some of which are covered in stands of kelp. You’ll find crayfish hiding in dark places, and lots of blue maomao, as well as red moki, a few demoiselles, and schooling goatfish and trevally as you explore. Maximum depth around Hen Island is just about 30 meters, although most features are in water that averages about 10 meters. With visibility that often reaches 25 meters or so, the area is perfect for all divers to enjoy.
Chickens Islands
Ideal for all divers, the small Chickens Islands are located right next to Hen Island, and offer much of the same underwater terrain. You’ll find beautiful rock formations here, as well as fantastic kelp forests that contrast beautifully with the sunlight that penetrates the surface from above. Watch for the occasional seal, and keep an eye out for sharks, as well as the fish that they hunt. It is possible to encounter Great Whites here, so be sure to educate yourself about these animals before diving. Depending on your outlook, an encounter with a Great White could be either one of the best experiences you’ve ever had, or it could be one of the most fear-inspiring.
Goat Island
Goat Island is a marine reserve located near the township of Leigh. Often regarded as one of New Zealand’s best dive sites, it is just as nice for an easygoing snorkel as it is for a splendid dive. Home to huge crayfish which are protected and seem to know it, as well as schooling banded wrasse, blue cod, blue maomao, and snappers, as well as silver drum and an astonishing and colorful tapestry of macro life, it features fantastic rock formations and lovely kelp forests.
Besides the many smaller inhabitants, Goat Island is a good place to encounter sharks, eagle rays, and marine mammals. Visibility is usually very good, sometimes exceeding 30 meters.
Mokohinau Islands
Another of New Zealand’s top dive sites, the Mokohinau Island group is surrounded by azure water and features incredible geology below the surface. With pinnacles and deep drop offs, lovely sheltered lagoons, and steep walls covered in splendid coral, the islands have something for everyone. Features begin in just over 5 meters of water, and don’t stop until well beyond 30 meters. Visibility is usually very good, and is usually somewhere between 15 and 30 meters.
Here, you will find schooling fish and larger predators, including the occasional great white shark in deeper offshore wall and pinnacle sites. Inside the more serene areas, you can find a wealth of macro life, along with plenty of juvenile fish and smaller species that prefer to preserve themselves from ending up as dinner.
Whether you choose to enjoy the services of one of the many liveaboards that cruise the area, or if you prefer to split your time between diving and enjoying all onshore Auckland has to offer, you are certain to have a memorable vacation filled with beauty and excitement. Book in advance to make the most of it!