Goat Island & Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand
    Rabbit Island

    HOME BAY - GMI

    Best months: Jan–Apr

    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.

    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

    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.

    Today05:4018:2912h 49m daylightGolden hour 17:55

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    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)

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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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