Good calm sheltered anchorage, especially for smaller vessels with draft 2m which can tuck in further. Good holding in 3-6 metres in muddy bottom. Exposed to east, southeast and westerly winds.
A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.
Waitepipi Bay
Good calm anchorage, suitable in all winds except east and southeast.
Good holding in 3-8 metres with sandy bottom. Climb up the hill on the southwest side of the bay for a greatview.
Allegresse - September 28, 2014
[password] Allegre$$e
[position] 17 46.2 S, 177 22.9.1 E
[speed] 0.0knts
[heading]
[status]Motored across to Denerau as there was absolutely no wind on Saturday morning. Time for jobs, re-provisioning and making sure that Allegresse is ready to head west early mid-week. Looks like we will have to head up to Vuda to clear customs as Denerau despite the advertising has not got this one sorted yet.
[END]
Lottin Point
0-30 metres.
Aquatic Life:
This is a rich dive site well worth the treck. Fish include blue maomao, snapper, blue moki, porae and kingfish.
Warnings:
Beware of fishing line among the kelp.
Directions:
10 km west of hicks Bay. Access off the rocks or from the small sandy beach at the end of the gravel road.
Club Rocks, White Island
0-30 metres. Rocky reef extending out on the western side with caves and archways.
Aquatic Life:
Sponges, hydroids and bryozoans. Abundant reef fish, blue and pink maomao and occasional kingfish.
Directions:
South of White Island.
Homestead Reef, White Island
12-25 metres. Swim-throughs between boulders and sand gutters.
Aquatic Life:
Blue and pink maomao, butterfly perch, sweep and occasional snapper, tarakihi and large blue moki. Kingfish can be seen hunting smaller baitfish. Walls are covered in soft corals, hydroids, sponges and firebrick sea stars.
Directions:
200 metres off the southwestern side of White Island.
Big Volkner, Volkner Rocks (Te Paepae Aotea) Marine Reserve
6-30+ metres. Submerged pinnacle in the path of the warm eastern current.
Aquatic Life:
Kingfish are common and other pelagics like marlin, tuna and sharks can occasionally be seen. The pinnacle is richly encrusted with invertebrate life including the iconic diadema sea urchins, firebrick sea stars and nudibranchs. Rock lobster and occasionally Spanish and packhorse lobsters can be seen here. The warm current also allows subtropical species like banded coral shrimps to make their homes here.
Warnings:
Slice Of Heaven - September 28, 2014
[password] prowler420
[status]
position: 17 46.2140s 177 11.1759e date: 28/09/2014
Back at Musket Cove on the Marina. On way back found a very attractive bit
of snorkelling reef out near Cloud 9, a floatting booze barge anchored out
wide with the younger set and not so young jumping off in various sates of
inebriation. They were happy.
Finally a few showers after months of no rain, SOH badly needs a fresh
shower or two. Time to sort out crew for our return then a bit more cruising
SS Taupo Wreck
The SS Taupo sank in 1881, it sits on sandy bottom at 32 metres depth. The site is unmarked and the wreck is mostly collapsed though a large boiler can be seen standing up .
Aquatic Life:
Good fish life, including schools of butterfly perch and two-spot demoiselles, golden snapper, goatfish, leatherjackets and splendid perch. Some trevally, snapper and tarakihi and the occasional kingfish can be seen around the wreck. Rock lobster and large conger eels hide in the wreck.