Post Office Rock - Fiordland

Simpson Rock is one of our favourites at the Poor Knights, a real punchy dive when conditions align. It’s a proper pinnacle, dropping steeply from a tiny patch of rock above the surface down to a platform at about 20 metres. We love to hug the wall, searching for the smaller stuff like Luculentus Wrasse and those tiny Crested Blennies tucked into crevices. Out in the blue, though, is where the drama happens. Schools of New Zealand demoiselle are often so thick they can obscure the light, and when the current is running, you feel every bit of that exposure. It’s the kind of spot where you’re constantly scanning for something bigger, especially in warmer water when Allison's Tuna or even a Blue Shark might cruise by. We’ve seen Red Rock Lobsters here the size of small dogs, too. This site suits divers comfortable with a bit of current and keen to experience the wilder side of the Poor Knights. You'll spend your time circling the rock, either glued to the wall for macro finds or suspended in the blue, watching the constant flow of fish. It’s an exciting dive, best done when the sea isn't too boisterous.

Location: Fiordland, New Zealand, Australasia
Coordinates: -44.580800, 167.792500
Type: pinnacle

Marine Protected Area: Piopiotahi

Best Time to Dive in Fiordland

The warmest water temperatures in Fiordland occur in February, averaging 15.7°C. The coolest conditions are in August at 9.6°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

January: 15.6°C
February: 15.7°C
March: 15.1°C
April: 13.8°C
May: 12.4°C
June: 10.8°C
July: 9.8°C
August: 9.6°C
September: 10.4°C
October: 11.2°C
November: 13.3°C
December: 14.2°C

Nearby Dive Sites in Fiordland

Marine Life in Fiordland

Home to 49 recorded species including 21 reef fish, 10 sharks & rays, 9 other, 3 whales & dolphins, 3 seagrass & algae, 1 crabs & lobsters.

Notable Species

Red Rock Lobster (Jasus edwardsii) - Crabs & Lobsters
Sandperch (Parapercis colias) - Reef Fish
Cape Shark (Squalus acanthias) - Sharks & Rays
Blue Shark (Prionace glauca) - Sharks & Rays
Rig (Galeorhinus galeus) - Sharks & Rays
Auckland Sea Lion (Phocarctos hookeri) - Whales & Dolphins
Ghost Shark (Callorhinchus milii)
Lemon Sole (Pelotretis flavilatus) - Reef Fish
blackfoot pāua (Haliotis iris) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
Bluefin Gurnard (Chelidonichthys kumu) - Reef Fish
Carpet sea squirt (Didemnum vexillum)
Rig (Mustelus lenticulatus) - Sharks & Rays
Dark Ghost Shark (Hydrolagus novaezealandiae)
Soldier (Pseudolabrus miles) - Reef Fish
Smooth Skate (Dipturus innominatus) - Sharks & Rays
Bugler (Notopogon lilliei) - Reef Fish
Jack Mackerel (Trachurus murphyi) - Reef Fish
Light-bulb sea squirt (Clavelina lepadiformis)
Banded bellowsfish (Centriscops humerosus) - Reef Fish
Pale Ghost Shark (Hydrolagus bemisi)