Poor Knights, 10/01/2025

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

MB NZ

Contributor
Messages
1,070
Reaction score
1,260
Location
NZ
# of dives
500 - 999
Went out with Dive Tutukaka yesterday. The Poor Knights is my local "world class dive site", but living a one hour drive away from Tutukaka, it always seem like too much effort to get there these days! Haven't dived with Dive Tutukaka for a long time, but had no hassle diving solo with a certification and redundant gas source. Usual mix of Australian, European and American tourists on the boat. Dives were limited to 70 minutes which I think is reasonable unlike the 45 minutes I experienced on the Great Barrier Reef last year.

Despite a good boating forecast, it was a sloppy ride out to the islands and the sky was very overcast. I jumped in at Northern Arch while the tourists had their briefing. It was dark and gloomy. I had planned to dive to 30 metres, but stayed around 25 metres for most of the dive for this reason. Lots of fish in the archway, but nothing special by local standards. Current, surge and lots of sediment in the water made videography tricky. Dive time 55 minutes, depth 25.4 metres.

Shortly after I got out the water, the first tourist group appeared at the back of the boat. To a man/woman, they were all shivering and complaining about the cold in their rental 7mm suits. I've seen this time and time again and it is now high summer in New Zealand. Water temperature was 21 degrees C. New Zealand is not a warm water destination. If you visit, come prepared with adequate exposure protection.

Second dive was at Hideaway Bay, a more gentle dive site. Visibility was better and the sun was out which helped with videography. I did a circuit of the little bay, then followed one of the tourist groups just for fun. I'm glad I did because they were guided in to a nice little cavern. I've dived the site a few times before and had no idea of it's existence. Dive guides can be useful at times! The bay itself is formed of kelp-covered rocks with patches of sand in the deeper parts. Lots of marine life, but the fish tend to be smaller and fewer in number than those found in high current areas. Dive time 68 minutes, depth 17.4 metres.

A manta was spotted from the boat on the way back to the mainland and we spent a little time watching it splashing around on the surface.

It was good to get out and do some diving again!
 

Back
Top Bottom