Poised on the edge of the continental shelf, the Poor Knights Islands are what remains of an ancient volcanic range. With tunnels and archways, plus splendid walls, the Poor Knights Northern Quarter offers fascinating deep dives and is home to a wealth of marine life. While landing on the islands themselves is prohibited, diving is encouraged in this incredible ecological reserve. While there are many wonderful sites all throughout the northern quarter, some are more spectacular than others. Let’s take a look at just seven of these.
Northern Arch
An incredible feat of nature, Northern Arch is a beautiful parallel cleft that stretches through a rocky promontory, which is subject to very swift currents. With large boulders that rise all the way up from the seabed 70 meters below, it is a stunning sight to see from above the surface, and even more amazing below the waterline. Home to a diverse array of marine life and possibly one of the most amazing dives you may ever take, this site is also one of the most dangerous, having claimed the lives of several divers. Before deciding to enjoy this dive, be sure you are in good physical condition, and be sure to pay close attention to dive operator instructions regarding buoyancy control. Along the way, watch for groups of sting rays and schooling blue maomao and demoiselles, as well as kingfish and trevally.
Bernie’s Cave
A wonderful cave which is beautifully covered in brilliant zoanthid and sponge growth near its mouth, which is gradually reduced as you head toward the back, Bernie’s Cave features an air pocket at about 6 meters, which is replenished with fresh air from outside so you can actually surface and converse with your dive buddy if you want to. Look for rock cod and rare Lotella Rhacinus nudibranchs, and search for the little statues that divers have left behind. Outside, on the archway above the cave entry, pause to inspect the enormous anemones and colorful sponges that proliferate on the rocks.
Middle Arch
Nearly as fascinating as the Northern Arch, but much less treacherous as it is subject only to weak currents most of the time, Middle Arch offers maximum depth at 50 meters beyond its southern entrance. You can find a wealth of beadlet gorgonians and colorful sponges that shelter lovely invertebrates and hide small crustaceans at about 30 meters, and smaller growth all the way up to about 10 meters. Located just past Bernie’s Cave, this site is usually visited on the same trip. Clouds of shimmering silver fish catch the sunlight from above, and the terrain is interesting, with shelves where you can find exceptional macro life and lots of moray eels.
Cream Gardens
Look for pink maomao, small bronze whaler sharks, and lots of invertebrates and crustaceans as you explore this incredible site, which features a beautiful wall covered in spectacular sponge, coral, and gorgonian growth. Maximum depth is about 30 meters, however most divers are happy to spend the majority of the dive at depths between 10 and 15 meters, out of the current that tends to plague the shallows.
Barren Arch
So named due to the fact that storms periodically rush through the area, scrubbing it clean of all life, Barren Arch is usually covered in colorful growth, so long as it has not been visited by 100 kilometer per hour waves in the recent past. An excellent place to find nudibranchs, crabs, little lobsters, and lots of other small creatures, it is also home to a splendid array of fish, large and small. Visible from above the surface, this magnificent arch is shallow on the north side, and features maximum depth at 40 meters on the calmer south side. Watch for pink and blue maomao and snappers all year, and between November and February, keep an eye out for the giant salp that visit the site.
Landing Bay Pinnacle and Giant Staircase
Landing Bay Pinnacle reaches up from the ocean floor 45 meters below, to within 5 meters of the surface. A fantastic site for photos, it is home to splendid macro life and is frequented by trevally and jacks, as well as lots of silver demoiselles, plus a few kingfish and stingrays. On the seaward side of the staircase, you can see additional pinnacles rising up from the depths below, to about 20 or 30 meters from the surface. While newer divers must remain at the main pinnacle, those with more experience can explore the outlying pinnacles, where it is possible to find deepwater invertebrates.
The Giant Staircase is located along the southern point of Landing Bay Pinnacle. Along this fantastic underwater ridge, which holds a mystical kelp forest, you can find jacks and mackerel, pink maomao, and other pelagics, as well as smaller triplefin and the occasional black angelfish. On either side of the ridge, the ocean floor drops away to reveal the deep blue beyond. Keep an eye out – you never know what might arrive!
Serpent Rock
Home to green wrasse and firebrick stars, as well as napping pink maomao which sleep upside down beneath the overhangs, Serpent Rock has a gentle sandy slope along its north side, which eventually gives way to a rocky patch covered in beadlet corals and a carpet of velvet sponges. With a sheer drop to 50 meters on its northeastern side, where you can sometimes encounter large pelagics, it is an intriguing site with fantastic biodiversity which can be circumnavigated by those with a taste for adventure.
As with the remainder of the Poor Knights Islands areas, these sites are subject to variable visibility depending on the season. The plankton bloom between late September and early January reduces visibility to between 5 and 10 meters, however the level of fish and bird activity is at its peak during this time. For the best look at the area’s geology, visit during the colder months, between May and September, when you can see beyond 30 meters in most areas. Between February and April, you can enjoy visibility at about 20 meters, and enjoy warm water temperatures as well. No matter when you visit though, you’re certain to enjoy a fantastic and unforgettable dive holiday!