Lake Taupo is NZ's largest lake and includes many dive sites, including deep drop-offs, walls and weed lines but is predominantly made up of sandy or muddy bottom. Lake Taupo has an area of approximately 620 square kilometres and is on average 100 metres deep plunging to 164 metres at its deepest point.
Average surface water temperatures range from 12 degrees in the winter to 22 degrees in the summer but reduce significantly with depth. Average viz is about 15 metres but may be up to 25 metres.

Aquatic Life:

10-30 metres. Near vertical rock walls, submerged pinnacles and drop offs characterise this dive site which gets very deep very quickly. Minimal sediment run-off from the pinnacles result in very clear water here with visibility regularly exceeding 20 metres.

Aquatic Life:

This site is representative of the habitats found along this coast. Rocky intertidal platforms have channels running through them , rocky reefs are covered in a variety of seaweeds to 10 metres below which large kelp forests dominate to about 20 metres.

Aquatic Life:

The main deck of the Taioma is around 22m, base of the wreck at 27m and the funnel at 17m. There is only one ascent/descent line which leads down to the stern. when i was there it still had the steering wheel turned and all

Aquatic Life:

Goatfish, blue cod and octopus on the sand around the base, anemones blanket the hull, snapper, terakihi and blue maomao patrol the decks, small crayfish lurk in the boiler, and beautiful tiger shells and clown nudibranchs can often be found amongst the profuse encrusting life.

Warnings:

There are reefs around the northern side of Long Island and the bottom slopes away on the eastern side. Towards the south east there is a steeper drop off where more pelagic species may be seen cruising by.

The best diving here is to depths of 12 - 15 metres, Visibility typically ranges between five and ten metres. Due to the sheltered nature of this site (both from southerly winds and swells) and shallow average depth, this is a good site for new divers.

Aquatic Life:

The swim through bisecting the rocks here is the highlight of this site. It is quite narrow so be careful not to hit the sides as you go through. If you continue clockwise when you get to the southern end of the swim through you will hopefully hit a small swim through archway also. There is plenty of broken rocky area here to explore with ecklonia and other kelp forest. Between the site and shore is a sandy and at times gravelly bottom.

Aquatic Life:

This site lives up to its name with plenty of rocky terrain to explore that gradually gets deeper with nice walls and gullies to explore. Most of this site is quite shallow, getting down towards 13 metres when it is about time to turn around and make your way back.

Aquatic Life:

At the southern entrance to Middle Arch on the left is Bernie's Cave, a small cave with a sandy bottom at 13 metres and an air bubble at the top, about 7 metres. The cave has a ledge at the back where a statue of a frog and one of a teddy bear have been placed.

Middle Arch itself is a large, fairly well lit large archway that ranges from 10-16 metres deep drops off on either side through ecklonia forest with the reef dropping down to 40 metres. A swim through starts inside the archway at 16 metres and comes out at about 22 metres just outside the northern entrance.

This site is based on the archway. A sandy bottomed channel (Labrid Channel) leads into the arch. Take a look at the large boulders in the channel where colourful triplefins and blennies perch.

Once inside the arch let your eyes adjust and slowly work your way though. A window of light penetrates into the arch making for some great silhouette photos or conveniently spotlighting blue maomao for you.

The Lermontov now lies on her Starboard side and is fully intact. Diving on the Lermontov is a fantastic experience, with the propellers, damage, funnel, bridge and pool area all easily assessable. Penetration dives are not recommended unless with an experienced guide. Visibility on the outside of the wreck can get down to 5 metres, inside the wreck it averages around 12 metres. you find all sorts of gear that divers have dropped, most removable items belonging to the boat have been stripped by divers over the years.

Aquatic Life: