Goat Island & Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand
    Wharekawa Harbour Wildlife Refuge

    Aldermens- Mooring Bay

    Best months: Jan–Apr

    Protected Area

    Wharekawa Harbour Wildlife Refuge

    Why dive here

    With 72+ marine species recorded in the area - including blue sharks, dolphins, hammerhead sharks, humpback whales and seahorses - Aldermens- Mooring Bay offers some of Goat Island & Hauraki Gulf's richest reef diving. Water ranges 15-21°C, warmest January, February, March.

    Best timeJan–Apr
    WetsuitA 5mm wetsuit
    Marine lifeBlue Sharks, Dolphins, Hammerhead Sharks, Humpback Whales and Seahorses · 72+ species recorded
    Water15-21°C · warmest January, February, March
    CharacterReef dive
    StandoutRich in charismatic marine life

    Mooring Bay at the Aldermen is a really interesting contrast to the deeper outer sites. We love it for its sheer accessibility, especially when the weather kicks up elsewhere. It’s a calmer spot, mostly sandy, but don't let that fool you into thinking there's nothing here. We often find the sand flats hold some real treats – spotted stargazers buried with just their eyes peeking out, or a smooth skate gliding past like a shadow. The max depth of 17m makes it very relaxed, ideal for longer bottom times. We've seen fat red rock lobsters tucked into little ledges and schools of demoiselles flickering over the slight rises. Keep an eye out for the triplefins, especially the blue-eyed ones, darting between the smaller rocks. It's a fantastic place to just bimble around, practicing buoyancy, and really observing the smaller, often overlooked critters. Visibility averages a comfortable 15m, and being sheltered, it's a solid choice when you want a relaxed dive without battling much current.

    Today05:3918:2812h 49m daylightGolden hour 17:54

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    Conditions

    Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for Aldermens- Mooring Bay

    Aldermens- Mooring Bay Ocean Conditions

    Monthly averages for Aldermens- Mooring Bay, sourced from Open-Meteo marine data + Copernicus Marine (EU) - nearest station: Open-Meteo marine grid (-36.93, 175.86) (22km away)

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    October Averages

    Sea Temperature

    16°C

    60°F · Range: 14.5–16.9°C

    Current Speed

    1.41 cm/s

    Direction: SE (135°)

    Chlorophyll-a

    0.497 mg/m³

    Moderate productivity

    Salinity

    34.91 PSU

    Based on 4 years of monitoring data · Data sources: Open-Meteo marine data + Copernicus Marine (EU)

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