The bay is very kelpy with some large rocky parts (from memory...feel free to amend!). Out towards the end of the reef it drops off a bit and there is a lot of life with fish seeming to congregate there. There is a good spot here to sit and take in your surroundings on your safety stop too - see photo!

Aquatic Life:

Rock lobster, butterfly perch, goatfish, scorpionfish, sweep, blue moki, red moki, rock cod, butterfish, banded wrasse and marblefish are common. I was lucky enough to see a couple of blue maomao amongst a school of butterfly perch and sweep. Fur seals are occasionally seen also.

Warnings:

This is a no-take marine reserve. It is an offence to take or harm anything from within the reserve or to discharge anything into it.

For information about Kapiti Marine Reserve see: http://www.doc.govt.nz/upload/documents/conservation/marine-and-coastal…

Directions:

If you don't have a boat just ring one or the Wellington dive shops and enquire about when their next trip out to Kapiti is. Most dive charters launch from Paraparaumu Beach. From Wellington head north on State Highway 1, turn left at the maine Paraparaumu intersection down Kapiti Road until you hit the end. Straight ahead at the roundabout is the Kapiti Boating Club and carpark where charters tend to leave from.

This dive site is a little over a third of the way down the island on the west side and marks the south western limit of the marine reserve. Entry is in a fairly shallow bay where it is worth spending a bit of time exploring around before heading out along the reef at the southern end of the bay where it drops off.