Bay of Islands, New Zealand
    Oke Bay

    Big Eyes Lair

    Protected Area

    Oke Bay

    Why dive here

    With 163+ marine species recorded in the area - including blue sharks, blue whales, dolphins, great white sharks and hammerhead sharks - Big Eyes Lair offers some of Bay of Islands's richest cave diving.

    Marine lifeBlue Sharks, Blue Whales, Dolphins, Great White Sharks and Hammerhead Sharks · 163+ species recorded
    CharacterCave dive
    StandoutExceptional marine biodiversity

    Devil’s Grotto North is one of our favourite dive sites when we’re in Grand Cayman, especially if you’re looking for something a bit different from the standard reef drift. We love the dramatic topography here, a real maze of huge coral heads sculpted with swim-throughs and chimneys. Sunlight shafts pierce the gloom, illuminating the schools of silversides that often pack the grottoes so densely you can barely see through them. It’s an immersive experience, feeling the cooler water as you duck under an archway, then emerging into the brighter open water again. Keep an eye out for the smaller critters tucked into crevices – we’ve often spotted roughhead blennies and the shy brotula here. Tarpon lurk in the shadows, unperturbed by divers. While it’s often touted for beginners, we think experienced divers will appreciate the intricate layout and the chance for some fantastic light play photography. Maximum depth is around 15 metres, so you get plenty of bottom time to explore. We’d suggest going in the morning before it gets too busy.

    Safety Notes

    Overhead environment - never enter without proper cave/cavern training, redundant equipment, and a guideline.

    Today06:5517:5811h 3m daylightGolden hour 17:23

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    Conditions

    Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for Big Eyes Lair

    Big Eyes Lair Ocean Conditions

    Monthly averages for Big Eyes Lair, sourced from NOAA buoy data - nearest station: Open-Meteo grid (-35.21, 174.19) (0km away)

    August Averages

    Air Temperature

    13.28°C

    56°F

    Wind Speed

    7.8 m/s

    15.2 knots

    Atmospheric Pressure

    1018.9 hPa

    Based on 5 years of monitoring data · Data sources: NOAA NDBC

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