Destination: Poor Knights Islands, New Zealand
Introduction
The Poor Knights Islands lie 24 km offshore from Tutukaka on the Northland coast, rising abruptly from the Pacific as dramatic rhyolite cliffs riddled with sea caves, arches, and tunnels. The islands are an uninhabited, rat-free nature reserve of enormous ecological importance — the last stronghold of the tuatara and dozens of seabird species — and the surrounding waters form one of New Zealand's premier marine reserves. Jacques Cousteau reportedly rated the Poor Knights among the top ten dive sites in the world, drawn by the exceptional water clarity, volcanic archways large enough to sail a dinghy through, and an extraordinary diversity of subtropical marine life pushed south by the warm East Auckland Current. For cruising sailors the island group represents a spectacular day passage from Tutukaka, a chance to anchor in sheltered waters, explore by dinghy and snorkel, and watch tens of thousands of seabirds returning to roost at dusk.
GPS Coordinates
35° 28' 0.120"S 174° 43' 59.880"E
35 28 0.120S 174 43 59.880E
Protected Anchorages
Anchoring inside the Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve is prohibited — the reserve boundary extends 800 m from the islands. The main overnight anchorage is in the lee of Tawhiti Rahi (the larger northern island) on its western side, just outside the reserve boundary, in 15–25 m over sand and rock — holding is moderate, so set the anchor carefully and use ample scope. In settled northeast conditions a second option is the anchorage off the southern tip of Aorangi (the smaller southern island), also in 15–20 m. Both anchorages are exposed to any west through south quadrant and should be vacated at the first sign of a southerly change. Tutukaka Marina (VHF Ch 16/77), 24 km to the southwest, is the primary base for day trips and the only secure overnight berth in the area — the marina has fuel, water, showers, and a café, and can be contacted for berth bookings. Dinghy exploration of the sea caves, Blue Maomao Arch, and Northern Arch is the highlight and is permitted outside the marine reserve no-entry zones.
Customs Protocols for Visiting Yachts
The Poor Knights Islands are in domestic New Zealand waters — no customs or biosecurity clearance is required for vessels already cleared into New Zealand. However, strict biosecurity rules apply: landing on the islands is prohibited without a Department of Conservation permit, and no animals, food, or plant material may be taken ashore. The marine reserve regulations prohibit taking any marine life, feeding fish, or anchoring within the reserve boundary. All visitors must observe no-wake zones around the islands and must not enter the restricted sea cave areas marked on DOC charts.
Renowned Attractions
- Blue Maomao Arch — a vast underwater volcanic archway carpeted in thousands of electric-blue maomao fish, accessible by dinghy and snorkel from outside the reserve boundary
- Northern Arch — one of the largest sea arches in the Southern Hemisphere, the outer faces are colony habitat for Buller's shearwaters and you can sail or motor through in calm conditions
- Rikoriko Cave — said to be the world's largest sea cave, large enough for a yacht to enter; an acoustic marvel with cathedral-like dimensions carved by wave action into the rhyolite cliffs
- Seabird spectacle at dusk — up to 1.5 million flesh-footed and Buller's shearwaters return to nest on Aorangi each evening from February to April in one of New Zealand's great wildlife events
- Snorkelling and diving the kelp forests and sponge gardens — subtropical fish species normally found much further north appear here in abundance thanks to the warm East Auckland Current
- Glowworm cave — a small accessible cave on the eastern face of Tawhiti Rahi harbours native glowworms visible from a dinghy at night
- Tutukaka Coast — the mainland departure point has excellent cafés, a marine centre, and the spectacular Sandy Bay and Matapouri beaches for crew rest days
Currency and Exchange Rate
Currency: New Zealand Dollar
Exchange Rate to USD
Nearby Yachting Destinations
Summary
The Poor Knights Islands offer some of the Pacific's most spectacular diving and dinghy exploration — dramatic sea arches, vast caves, and extraordinary marine biodiversity — all within a day sail of Tutukaka on the Northland coast.