Bay of Islands
New Zealand · Northland
A subtropical archipelago of 144 islands off Northland's coast, the Bay of Islands blends temperate kelp forests with warm northern waters. Colorful nudibranchs coat every surface, common dolphins ride bow waves between dives, and the wreck of the HMNZS Canterbury sits upright on the seafloor — one of the Pacific's great wreck dives. Visibility is best in autumn when the summer plankton bloom settles.
How this reef is doing
ⓘ How we measure thisReef state
Live science signals for this reef are still being gathered.
Coral cover
Fish life
Heat
Fishing
Open to fishing, and the water is fairly quiet.
Sources · Global Fishing Watch and reef gravity
What you will see
27 species across the dive sites here
Purple Sea Urchin
Seen 1 month ago
at Poor Knights Islands — Rikoriko Cave
New Zealand Fur Seal
Seen 2 months ago
at Poor Knights Islands — Rikoriko Cave
Least concern
New Zealand Snapper
Seen 2 months ago
at HMNZS Canterbury
Sea Urchin
Seen 2 months ago
at HMNZS Canterbury
Snapper
Seen 2 months ago
at Te Rawhiti Wall
Least concern
Bottlenose Dolphin
Seen 3 months ago
at Hole in the Rock — Motukokako
Least concern
Kingfish
Seen 5 months ago
at Poor Knights Islands — Rikoriko Cave
Least concern
Jewel Anemone
Seen 5 months ago
at HMNZS Canterbury
Common Dolphin
Seen 5 months ago
at Te Rawhiti Wall
Least concern
Nudibranch (mixed species)
Seen 5 months ago
at Te Rawhiti Wall
Spotty
Seen 6 months ago
at Hole in the Rock — Motukokako
Least concern
Schooling Trevally
Seen 6 months ago
at Poor Knights Islands — Rikoriko Cave
Crayfish (Spiny Lobster)
Seen 10 months ago
at HMNZS Canterbury
Least concern
Marblefish
Seen May 2025
at Hole in the Rock — Motukokako
Banded Wrasse
Seen Mar 2025
at HMNZS Canterbury
Least concern
Blue-throated Wrasse
Seen Mar 2025
at Hole in the Rock — Motukokako
Least concern
Blue Mao Mao
Seen year round
at HMNZS Canterbury
Encrusting Bryozoan
Seen year round
at Te Rawhiti Wall
Endemic Demoiselle
Seen year round
at Poor Knights Islands — Rikoriko Cave
Least concern
Golden Zoanthid
Seen year round
at Poor Knights Islands — Rikoriko Cave
Leatherjacket
Seen year round
at HMNZS Canterbury
Orange/Yellow Sponge
Seen year round
at Te Rawhiti Wall
Yellow Zoanthid
Seen year round
at HMNZS Canterbury
Banded Dottyback
Seasonal visitor
at Hole in the Rock — Motukokako
Least concern
Orange and Crimson Nudibranch
Seasonal visitor
at Poor Knights Islands — Rikoriko Cave
Orca
Seasonal visitor
at Te Rawhiti Wall
Spotted Eagle Ray
Seasonal visitor
at HMNZS Canterbury
Endangered
Dive sites
HMNZS Canterbury
jewel anemone · yellow zoanthid · blue mao mao · spotted eagle ray
Poor Knights Islands — Rikoriko Cave
golden zoanthid · purple sea urchin · endemic demoiselle · schooling trevally
Te Rawhiti Wall
jewel anemone · yellow zoanthid · blue mao mao · common dolphin
Hole in the Rock — Motukokako
blue-throated wrasse · marblefish · banded dottyback · jewel anemone