Dive the Poor Knights Islands – New Zealand’s world famous marine reserve – with Noel and Jo at Yukon
The Poor Knights Islands are a Marine Reserve and Nature Reserve 23km off the Tutukaka Coast in Northland, New Zealand. Internationally renowned as one of the premium dive destinations worldwide, the Poor Knights are a must-do for any diver visiting the New Zealand and the South Pacific. The Islands offer countless dive sites for divers at all levels of expertise. Yukon Dive are experts in matching their divers, weather and tides with the ideal location for each dive.
Poor Knights Diving Highlights
- Beneath the waves at the Poor Knights an ocean of diving has been compressed into a relatively small area. The caves, arches, tunnels and sheer cliffs provide a great variety of habitats to explore.
- From turbulent sunlit waters and kelp forests on the upper reaches of the tumbling “giant staircase,” to the dark waters of the islands’ many caves, the Poor Knights offer an extraordinary variety of underwater experiences.
- Sponge gardens and gorgonian fields are inhabited by a myriad of fish, shellfish, urchins and anemones, with black coral found in deeper waters.
- The steep cliffs, which fringe the islands, plunge 100 metres below sea level in places before reaching a sandy seafloor. The arches are some of the most interesting places to explore. A rich nutrient soup is washed through them, feeding the countless animals that compete for space on the walls.
- Squadrons of stingrays can also be found cruising the waters of the archways during warmer months. Many of the subtropical fishes living in the marine reserve are found nowhere else in New Zealand, having found their way to Poor Knights on the subtropical East Auckland current.
- Some of the fish include subtropical species such as spotted black groper, mosaic moray and Lord Howe coral fish. They are renowned for their friendly nature and make visiting the marine reserve a truly memorable experience. Nursery Cove, The Gardens and some of the shallower parts of the South Harbour are the best places for novice divers.
- Please note that the Poor Knights Islands are a Nature reserve and it is strictly forbidden to go ashore.
At Yukon dive we can find the best dive site for your level of dive experience and confidence. Experienced divers can find spectacular and challenging dives all around the islands.
Please note if you are booking a trip as a certified diver, it is a trip for qualified divers with confident buoyancy skills. Some of our dives include wall diving in a group where these skills are essential. If you are a freshly qualified diver, wonderful and congratulations! As a certified diver, your buoyancy control is your responsibility. If you are unsure about your buoyancy skills or if you haven’t dived in colder water before please consider booking a private guide.
Find out more about Diving at the Poor Knights with Yukon Dive
View map of the Poor Knights Islands Dive Sites
