Canyon

Divesite Image
© DIVE NOW, 0110 Whangarei
Divesite Image
© DIVE NOW, 0110 Whangarei

Canyon

★★★★★ (3)

A sheer wall covered in kelp and encrusting life that drops to over 40 metres into a narrow sand bottom canyon with over hangs that shelter shy fish and give the dive site an exciting feel to it for the technical divers who can really enjoy the depths.

She fish like Giant Boarfish, Long Finned Boarfish and carpet sharks hang out in the deep with schools of Pink Mao Mao. Nudibranchs share the walls with blennies.

Dive Activity

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41 Clyde Street, 0110 Whangarei, New Zealand

Dive Sites Nearby

DIVE NOW, 0110 Whangarei
Sugarloaf Rock Poor Knights (★4.4)

Sugarloaf Rock Poor Knights (★4.4)

Only accessible on calm days, Sugarloaf is an almost vertical pinnacle, dropping to 90 metres. With one small ledge at 18 metres and a pinnacle that breaks the surface at low tide offering a great place for safety stops. Large schools of fish inhabit the area and gannets call the top home.
DIVE NOW, 0110 Whangarei
Tie Dye Arch Poor Knights (★4.7)

Tie Dye Arch Poor Knights (★4.7)

At the Southern end of the Poor Knights Marine Reserve and accessible on only days with minimum wind and swell is the colourful and popular Tye Dye Arch.
Global Dive, 1010 Auckland
Southern Arch (★4.0)

Southern Arch (★4.0)

Southern Arch is an impressively steep archway that towers over 40m above the surface. Its sides are steep and vertical, dropping to just 10m at the northern end and sloping to 40m or more at the southern end of the arch. This dive site can have strong current.
DIVE NOW, 0110 Whanagrei
Ngaio Rock (★4.6)

Ngaio Rock (★4.6)

Ngaio Rock is a small rock that rises from sand at over 20m. The walls of the rock are steep and are covered in life. It is worthwhile circumnavigating the rock to properly explore the site!
DIVE NOW, 0110 Whangarei
Calypso Bay (★4.4)

Calypso Bay (★4.4)

Steep rocky wall which is easy to navigate, covered in encrusting life, then turning into a bouldery kelpy slope from 15m down to the sand line at 30m. An understated dive site not often visited.
Global Dive, 1010 Auckland
Magic Wall (★4.3)

Magic Wall (★4.3)

A very colourful wall dive. A short distance from Blue Mao Mao Arch on the opposite side of the Labrid Channel and in good conditions with no current, both sites could be seen on the same dive for divers good on their gas consumption and navigation. The walls maximum depth is around 20m.
DIVE NOW, 0110 Whanagrei
Blue MaoMao Arch (★4.6)

Blue MaoMao Arch (★4.6)

Blue Maomao Arch is known as one of the best dive sites in New Zealand, and possibly the world. The arch is best dived later in the day with the afternoon sun illuminating the site. The Arch itself is at most 15m deep, however, the depth drops to 20m+ at the eastern end.
DIVE NOW, 0110 Whangarei
Jan’s Tunnel (★4.5)

Jan’s Tunnel (★4.5)

Wades World and Jans Tunnel. The entrance to the tunnel into the lost world is shallow and perfect for snorkelers and scuba divers who do not want to go to the sand line at 40m. The reef down to 40m and beyond is steep and craggy.
DIVE NOW, 0110 Whangarei
Labrid Channel Poor Knights (★4.3)

Labrid Channel Poor Knights (★4.3)

The Labrid Channel flows between Archway Island and Aorangi Island towards Eastern Arch. The current through the channel can be strong on the surface with the wind, but it brings a great food source and is always full of fish. On the rocks and walls a myriad of nudibranchs can be found. An exciting place to dive
DIVE NOW, 0110 Whangarei
Fraggle Rock (★3.6)

Fraggle Rock (★3.6)

Fraggle Rock is actually a chimney style swim through that goes beyond 37 metres deep, so most divers cannot experience this. But they can enjoy the scenery just around the corner from the Labrid Channel.
DIVE NOW, 0110 Whanagrei
Eastern Arch (★4.2)

Eastern Arch (★4.2)

This arch is characterised by its steep walls. The western entrance of the arch has boulders and kelpy walls at about 18m. Going through to the eastern end of the arch, the walls drop vertically into 40m plus, and a diver can look out into the open ocean.
SSI New Zealand, 0632 Auckland
Pinakitanga Point (★4.2)

Pinakitanga Point (★4.2)

At the South-Eastern point of Aorangi Island you will find Pinakitanga Point. This point and the bay to the north provide fantastic sloping walls, kelp and towering rock formations. The bay reaches 35+m relatively easily but provides plenty of entertainment in the shallows also.
Global Dive, 1010 Auckland
Oculina Point (★4.4)

Oculina Point (★4.4)

Should be renamed Leopard Anemone Point! The bay has a bouldery – kelpy bottom which gradually slopes down from about 10m heading down to 60metres for those ith the training.
Global Dive, 1010 Auckland
Riko Riko cave (★4.4)

Riko Riko cave (★4.4)

The largest sea cave in the southern hemisphere, the size of Rikoriko Cave is impressive. This is a great dive site for many experience levels, and a good spot for a night dive too
Mares
Meditation Wall (★4.4)

Meditation Wall (★4.4)

Colourful wall of sponges and corals with overhanging formations located on the western side of the islands and has dense kelp forests at the north of the site. Depths down to 20 meters plus.
Global Dive, 1010 Auckland
The Gardens (★4.4)

The Gardens (★4.4)

Mixture of boulder and sandy patches at this consistently shallow site. The depth at the back of the bay is an easy 5-10m. The bay plateaus at around 10-15m for about 500m out from the wall. Around the wall at the back of the bay are a number of cracks and archways to go exploring in. Shark fin cave is beauty!
DIVE NOW, 0110 Whangarei
Brady’s Corner (Shark Fin Cave) (★4.3)

Brady’s Corner (Shark Fin Cave) (★4.3)

Typical New Zealand Reefs. Steep drops offs and lots of boulders to look at. Good for beginner as it has shallow parts and is sheltered. Steep drops off go to 40 meters.
Mares, Janez Kranjc
Mary’s Wall (★4.2)

Mary’s Wall (★4.2)

One of the dive sites named after the Legend Mary Carney. Mary’s wall is a beautiful fan covered wall that can be found by swimming away from the main island. It’s quite a short wall but worth looking for. Divers be careful not to blow your bubble up through the fans.
DIVE NOW, 0110 Whangarei
Trevor’s Rocks (★4.3)

Trevor’s Rocks (★4.3)

A lovely sand patchy shallow area for beginners & snorkelers equipped with El Torito arch, a beautiful shallow archway filled with clever gannet avoiding demoiselles & blue mao mao. Depth 3-12m. Plus a series of 3 pinnacles each with its own interesting features.
Global Dive, 1010 Auckland
Matts Crack (★4.6)

Matts Crack (★4.6)

An iconic site for photographers due to the blue glow producing an awesome silhouette shots. The crack is about 60m long and at the open end, is about 15m deep. It is open to the surface the whole length of the crack and approx 10m wide at the opening, narrowing to 3m wide.
DIVE NOW, 0110 Whangarei
Nursery Cove & The Labyrinth (★4.2)

Nursery Cove & The Labyrinth (★4.2)

Easy shallow dive in a sheltered bay. Lots of rocks around the edges of this bay. The deepest area is the sand line at 18m at the entrance. Go around the southern point to “The Labyrinth“ and find the swim throughs there.
DIVE NOW, 0110 Whangarei
Bartle Bay (★4.6)

Bartle Bay (★4.6)

Located in the channel that separates the two large islands of the Poor Knights Island Marines reserve, this area receives a lot of water movement. The area is kelpy and fishy due to the food being brought in to the area by the water movement. Not often dived due to the water movement often in the area.
DIVE NOW, 0110 Whangarei
Serpent Rock (★4.3)

Serpent Rock (★4.3)

An unusually shaped island that gives the skippers and guests entertainment when view from Riko Riko Cave. Underwater the entertainment is better than the skippers jokes. Steep encrusted walls full of life, then turn and look into the blue. Find the pressure point and find the shoaling and hunting fish.
DIVE NOW, 0110 Whangarei
Nudibranch City (★4.2)

Nudibranch City (★4.2)

On the other side of Motu Kapiti Island than the Canyon, the steep walls continue but are broken up by shallower reef at the eastern and wester ends. Divers still need to watch their depth.