5-15 metres. Caves with various entries and exits. Can be a bit exposed in swells and strong winds but a really nice dive.
Source: DIVE New Zealand magazine.

Aquatic Life:

Untold invertebrate life inside the caves, including sponges anemones and nudibranchs. Black angelfish are common and red, painted and blue moki are all seen. Occasional rock lobster in the rear of the caves and cracks along with yellow moray and conger eels.

Directions:

Northwest corner of Hongiora (Flat) Island, Alderman Islands

0-25 metres. Lots of deep canyons.
Source: DIVE New Zealand magazine.

Aquatic Life:

Apricot and Jason nudibranchs on walls. Schools of maomao, demoiselles and butterfly perch. Kingfish and baitfish schools common in summer. Fur seals often winter over and appear when least expected.

Directions:

Southeast side of Mahurangi (Goat) Island.

0-30 metres. Large rock with swim-throughs and crevices to explore.
Source: DIVE New Zealand magazine.

Aquatic Life:

Covered in invertebrate life with nice sponge growths in rock crevices. Reef fish are abundant with wrasses, pigfish, marblefish, porae and occasional large blue moki. Schools of baitfish, blue maomao and butterfly perch are all around with kingfish flashing through in summer.

Directions:

North of Mahurangi Island

5-23 metres.
Source: DIVE New Zealand Magazine.

Aquatic Life:

Schools of blue maomao, koheru, mackerel, kahawai and kingfish, especially in summer. Down the colourful walls are mussels, anemones, sponges and nudibranchs. Marblefish and leatherjackets abound on the ledges and a few snapper cruise about. Some big crayfish share the holes with yellow moray eels, red cod and red moki.

Warnings:

0-8 metres. Great snorkelling site, usually quite sheltered. Good site for kids.

Aquatic Life:

Snapper, leatherjackets, parore, spotties and triplefins all close to shore. Rock lobster can be found under the rocks in the shallows and there are a few resident yellow moray eels.

Warnings:

This site is in a no-take marine reserve. Enjoy looking but do not take or disturb the marine life.

Directions:

15 minute walk along the track from the carpark.

0-25 metres.
Source: DIVE New Zealand magazine.

Aquatic Life:

Kingfish work in baitfish boil-ups, especially in summer. Undulating reef with lots of kelp home to red and painted moki as well as occasional large blue moki. Sandager's wrasses, pigfish, butterfish and porae are also reasonably common. Best invertebrate life on the walls below 15m.

Warnings:

Some shelter from swell but open to west and southerly wind.

Directions:

5km east of Opito Bay

0-25 metres. Good anchorage and site good for snorkelling also. Kelp covered rocks.
Source: DIVE New Zealand magazine.

Aquatic Life:

Schooling fish particularly abundant in the summer, occasional rock lobster, large yellow moray eels, john dory and lots of reef fish. Rich colourful invertebrate life below 12m.

Directions:

East side, Great Mercury Island

0-33 metres.
Source: DIVE New Zealand magazine.

Aquatic Life:

Great fish life with red moki, butterfish, john dory, scarlet and banded wrasses as well as large kingfis feeding on baitfish schools. Hydroids, ascidians and sponges cover rocks below 12m and a dozen species of nudibranch are found here. Caves and cracks hide large rock lobster and occasionally packhorse crayfish.

Warnings:

Only diveable in calm conditions.

Directions:

1km off thenorthern end tip of Great Mercury Island

3-30 metres deep,reasonably sheltered with a good patch of reef inside the rock great for snorkelling. The reef varies in depth with lotsof kelp over it.
Source: DIVE New Zealand magazine.

Aquatic Life:

Some rock lobster in the gullies and cracks and red moki. Good invertebrate life on the underhangs and shaded sides of the reef.

Directions:

Rock between Haupapa Point and Kennedy Bay