HOME BAY - GMI
Protected Area
Rabbit Island
Why dive here
With 72+ marine species recorded in the area - including blue sharks, dolphins, hammerhead sharks, humpback whales and seahorses - HOME BAY - GMI offers some of Goat Island & Hauraki Gulf's richest reef diving. Water ranges 15-21°C, warmest January, February, March.
Home Bay, on the western flank of Great Mercury Island, gets a bit of a bad rap sometimes, largely thanks to those struggling scallop beds. But look past the closed fishery and you'll find a surprisingly chill dive, particularly if you’re after something easy with a chance of bigger stuff passing through. We’ve spent a fair few hours here, drifting over the sand and seagrass patches, spotting southern eagle rays cruising by. Our favourite time to drop in is a calm morning, just after sunrise. The light filters through the 8m average visibility, catching the subtle movement of the tall sea pens. While "The Sisters" reef is popular with spearos, we prefer the quieter drift over the sandy expanses. Keep an eye out for blue sharks further out, or even a striped marlin if you’re exceptionally lucky. It’s a great spot for a relaxed second dive, or for less experienced divers building their confidence, without the pressure of strong currents.
Nearest Dive Centres to HOME BAY - GMI
Dive shops near HOME BAY - GMI
Salt Aotearoa
Dive Zone Whitianga
Cathedral Cove Dive Ltd
Reviews for HOME BAY - GMI
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for HOME BAY - GMI
HOME BAY - GMI Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for HOME BAY - GMI, sourced from Open-Meteo marine data + Copernicus Marine (EU) - nearest station: Open-Meteo marine grid (-36.93, 175.86) (22km away)
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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