Dive Poor Knights Co LTD

The Poor Knight Islands

Myriads of fish teem in the warm water created by the East Auckland current which originates off the north coast of Australia and flows across the Tasman Sea and down the continental shelf of Northland bringing with it tropical fish larvae some which settle and live at the Poor Knights. The wealth of underwater life is protected through being a total marine reserve.

Taravana Cave

Look for a large inverted U shape on the cliff. This sits directly above Taravana Cave entrance. This is a large and reasonably complex cave system for divers. The cliff face heads straight down to the cave entrances and is nearly vertical. The cave system has two entrances that run back into the main island. The Norrthern one is the most largest. Both level off at the white sandy bottom (at 20 metres) The two entrances are linked by a side tunnel some way inside.

Again, some experience with caves is essential. Take a torch (and a spare).The cave is very long and appears longer to an anxious diver. Air consumption may increase. The dive leader should have been in the cave previously and be able to lead others through it. There are some lines placed in the cave to guide divers but whether they are still reliable is unknown..

Northern Arch

The Northern Arch is popular with experienced divers, and is the scene of a lot of action.It abounds in school fish . Pink Maomao. Blue maomao, Demoiselle, Koheru, Rays, (in summer) . Packs of large Kingfish sweep through with the current.looking for prey. Golden Snapper are often seen hanging in the current, there orange colour a bright contrast to the blue of the surrounding water.

The Northern arch runs through a small peninsular that plunges to 60 metres. The arch itself is about 8 metres wide and bottoms out at about 40 to 45 metres. It has almost vertical sides which drop sheer to the bottom, with the occasional overhangs,making ideal places for fish to shelter. On the bottom there are boulders in the centre and a sandy area at the southern end.

A commemorative bronze plaque can be seen at the northern end of the Northern side of the arch.-a poignant of the dangers of diving here.

There are caves on both sides of the arch , but I am only familiar with the one one on the outside of the southern enttrance. This cave is about 50 metres East of the arch opening of the base of the cliff face with the entrance and approximately 26 metres.

Currents may flow strongly through the arch. It is quite possible to get swept through. If attempts are made to swim against the current then it should be done against the western wall where the curreny is marginally less persistant-though you may be better to wait on the other side for the boat.

One of the main facters to be aware of is the depth. Its such a spectacular and fascinating dive that divers forget to monitor their guages and may easily run into decompression or get the narcs by going too deep. The current often flows in a North-South direction but may change with the tide. It is possible to fin on the surface to the Northern entrance and snorkel down, the current will carry you right through the arch,at quite a pace, to the other side, providing an easy method to observe on the way.

Blue Maomao Arch

Blue Maomao Arch and the surrounding area is an excellent place to introduce people to the Poor Knights. It is a relatively shallow dive and there is a large range of plants and animals. The arch itself goes down to about 13 metres and is named after large schools of Blue Maomao that congregate in it. They provide a spectacular sight, creating a living wall of fish which blocks your vision when you are amongst them. The Maomao use one of the large sponges on the floor of the arch as a rubbing spot. They can be seen rolling on their side on the sponge, presumably to remove parasites clinging to their skin. Cleanerfish may also be seen working on the Maomao whilst others wait in line for their turn to be groomed. The first diver in may see Spotted Grouper.

Blue Maomao In the past Sharks have been known to frequent this area. There are stories of a Bronze Whaler that supposedly lived in the arch. I have seen more sharks in the South Harbour area than anywhere else-A Mako and Hammerhead have also been seen.

There can be a reasonably strong current running through South Harbour, making surface swims to the boat or arch somewhat tiring.

Serpent Rock

Serpent Rock is one of the most exhilarating dives to be found anywhere in the world.

The Western side and the Southern end of Serpent Rock are almost vertical. There is a ridge that juts out of the South Western end of the main rock.

The preferred entry is to follow a ridge off the South Western end of the rock to the first black coral tree. Black coral trees which were once over two metres across are just beginning to regrow. Black coral is easily damged and should not be touched - infact it is illegal to touch anything at the Knights. The one lying on the ridge (at 43 metres) is still worthy of a visit as it is rejuvenating. There is further black coral down to 60 metres.

Ascend zigzagging up the Western face, finnish the dive on the Southern end of the rock where there is an excellent area for a decompression stop. As you ascend you should encounter Long Fin Booarfish, possible a Mosaic Moray, schools of Pink and Blue Maaomao, Kingfish and other school fish. I have even seen a a giant turtle gliding past.

The sides of the Serpent Rock drop off to about 60 metres, so it is only suitable for very experienced divers. These depths are beyond the range of most recreational divers.

Careful monitoring of gauges is essential. Most times it is best to surface at the Southern end of the rock for a de-gas.

The Western side tends to be more exposed making it difficult to maintain a steady depth.

Nursery Cove

Nursery Cove is like a bowl with the seaward side open (depths range 3m-12m) The bottom gently slopes up towards the rock face of the island. The bottom is covered in white sand which is scattered with large boulders covered in Eklonia kelp, seaweed and other seaweeds. This makes for a very relaxing snorkel or shallow dive. On a night dive you can see sleeping Maomao and other species. The area is small but rich in diversity. Many of the fish are juveniles as the name of the cove would suggest. The semi and the full grown fish residing here are quite tame and will follow you around looking for a free feed. PLEASE RESIST.! Feeding the fish is totally illegal and disturbs there natural behaviour. The main danger, above normal risks of diving, is of being bitten by small, but sharp teeth as you are trying to feed the fish, which will serve you right.

Rikoriko Cave

Rikoriki Cave Convince the skipper to take you to Rikoriko Cave for a tour, even if you don't want to dive!. It is difficult to believe, that large boats can fit into the cave with plenty room for several more- that is till you are inside and looking out towards Serpent Rock It is enormous.

Rikoriko is also definitely a dive. Within the cave itself the floor is littered with boulders of varying sizes-depths reach about 16 metres. It is an excellent site for a night dive.

Snapper, Squid, Blue Maomao, Crayfish, Golden Snapper are plentiful, to name a few. The cave floor drops away out of the entrance like the remains of a large landslide down onto the white sand (depths of 40-45 metres).

When outside of the cave on the white sand,looking towards the cliff face,an optical illusion occurs. The bottom appears shallow towards the rock face. Infact there is a trenchlike depression in the sand so the depth actually increases closer to the cliff face. Monitor your depths around here. The walls of the cave entrance on the Southern side have a rich area of Gorgonians, large entrusting Sponges and many brightly encrusted Anenomes. The Northern face outside the entrance has very similar territory to its opposite side as well as a great deal of Ecklonia Kelp on the cliff wall.

Red Barren Cove

Cave This whole area has a large number of caves, vertical slots, archways and chimneys to explore, some lead to a surface inside the cliff face in complete darkness. It is a haven for unusual happenings. Large shoals of Pink Maomao assemble here for their overnight stop, streams of them can be seen pouring out of the caves on an early morning dive. Crays and Morays enjoy the shelter as do the more usual cave dwelling Roughies and Bigeyes,. You may even see a pair of Lord Howe Island CoralFish and Firebrickstars.

A current generally runs North to South. Begin down current and work your way along the Cliff face. Most dives can be safely executed at 20-25 metre depth. The caves may extend up to 40 metres into the island itself and you can surface inside the island in a grotto.

A torch is absolutely essential. An experienced guide is helpful for finding your way around the area that can be very confusing. All of the usual cave diving considerations should apply. In addition some of the openings are fairly narrow and may pose difficulty squeezing through. When in doubt, stay out.

Splendid Arch (aka Barren Arch)

This dive site was originally named Barren Arch in order to put off spear fisherman (prior to the Knights becoming a reserve). Some people now prefer the name 'Splendid Arch' which is a genuinely more fitting description. The entrance at the Northern opening of Splendid Arch is protected by a shallow reef and marine 'garden' (an area covered by Eklonia). The bottom drops off steeply inside the arch itself (approx 26 metres). A large shelf runs along almost half the Eastern side of the arch wall at about 10 metres. There is blowhole which exudes clouds of white, aerated water above the shelf just inside the Northern entrance. The walls of the arch become quite steep along the Southern half of its length. Outside the Southern end the bottom drops off in a vertical face. The outside of the exposed Eastern side of the arch takes the form of a steep cliff face with many cracks and guts along it. There is an interesting cave further into the Northwestern end of the cove (Northern end of the arch) where divers on inflatable have been known to explore.

When there is a heavy swell, it can be quite treacherous entering Barren Arch across the reef at the Northern end.

Middle Arch

This arch bottoms out onto sand at 16 metres. Boulders fallen from the middle of the roof lay scattered on the seabed providing hiding places for many creatures. You can find Lord Howe Corelfish, Pink Primnoids,(at 15 metres), Golden Snapper, mosaic Morays, and school fish hover under the shadow of the arch roof. Huge Kingfish have been spotted cruising by.

Bernies Bubble Cave

Is found just outside the Southern entrance to the arch on the inside of the giant arch pillar. The top of the cave is below sea level a few metres down and marked by a huge colony of Zoanthids (yellow polyps) near it. There are sometimes huge schools of fish resting in here at night.

Those venturing out of the arch should monitor there guages as it plunges deep (60m+) quickly. Care needs to be taken near the surface in a swell. Waves may lift you onto the rocks. Take a torch for Bernies Bubble cave and don't forget to take six complementary puffs of air from your reg purge into the dome to refresh the air for the next diver in.

The Giant Staircase

This area will keep all divers happy. It is a great area to dive, with a full range of flora and fauna. These may be seen in stratified layers from the wave battered surface down to the white sand on the bottom of the cliff (50m). The optimal depth is probably about 30-35 metres. Rays nestle into the kelp at about 3 metres, presumably to have a sunbathe and enjoy the warmth. Ecklonia kelp stands like a minature forest and is host to many species. Lower down, below the area of photosynthesizing plants, the sponges and Gorgonians flourish. Golf ball and Crown of Thorn sponges contrast with the cliff face. The Pink Primnoides form a different kind of forest, their leafless branches home for many thousands of tiny animals, feeding on minute particles that the current forever sweeps past.

Be aware that the depth is extreme. It is easy to drop down below the planned depth due to the nature of the steep cliff face, interesting things to observe and great visibility.

The Canyon

This makes for a magnificent, though dangerous dive due to the nature of the terrain and severe depths. There were several magnificent Black Coral trees sitting on the shelf at 60 metres. I am unsure whether they have been destroyed , along with many of the others at safe diving depths, during the algae bloom of the late 1980's.

Again, this is one of the deeper dives at the Knights and divers should be wary of extending past their limits.