Lee Breakwater - Goat Island & Hauraki Gulf
Noritaki, for us, is all about the plate corals. Seriously, so many plates, like a massive, elaborate dinner party thrown by the ocean. It’s pretty shallow too, topping out around 21 metres, which means the light just floods the whole place. We love drifting over these recovering formations, spotting tiny reef inhabitants tucked amongst the frills. Keep an eye out for the Sickle Butterflyfish weaving through, and if you’re lucky, you might even spot a Blacktip reef shark cruising the deeper ledge. We’ve also had incredible encounters here just watching mantas glide past on their way to cleaning stations further south. It's a relaxed, beautiful dive, perfect for photographers or anyone who just wants to soak in the gentle rhythm of a recovering reef.
- Location
- Goat Island & Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand, Australasia
- Coordinates
- -39.055000, 174.044400
- Type
- reef
- Maximum Depth
- 5-15m
Marine Protected Area: Sugar Loaf Islands
Best Time to Dive in Goat Island & Hauraki Gulf
The warmest water temperatures in Goat Island & Hauraki Gulf occur in February, averaging 22.4°C. The coolest conditions are in August at 14.1°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 21.4°C
- February: 22.4°C
- March: 21.8°C
- April: 19.8°C
- May: 17.4°C
- June: 15.3°C
- July: 14.1°C
- August: 14.1°C
- September: 14.7°C
- October: 16.3°C
- November: 18.5°C
- December: 20.3°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Goat Island & Hauraki Gulf
- 4 mile reef (reef)
- 4 mile reef (reef)
- Acacia Bay (reef)
- Acacia Bay (reef)
- Aldermens- Bishops Hat (cave)
- Aldermens- Bishops Hat (reef)
- Aldermens- Fish Factory (wall)
- Aldermens- Fish Factory (pinnacle)
- Aldermens- HoneyComb (cave)
- Aldermens- HoneyComb (reef)
- Aldermens-Middle Middle (reef)
- Aldermens-Middle Middle (wreck)
- Aldermens- Mooring Bay (wall)
- Aldermens- Mooring Bay (reef)
- Anemone Boulders (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Lee Breakwater
- Cathedral Cove Dive Ltd - ["PADI"]
- Dive Doctor
- Dive HQ Auckland - ["PADI"]
- Dive Tatapouri
- Dive Zone Tauranga - ["PADI"]
- Dive Zone Whitianga - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in Goat Island & Hauraki Gulf
Home to 77 recorded species including 43 reef fish, 11 sharks & rays, 3 whales & dolphins, 3 crabs & lobsters, 3 other, 3 sea snails & nudibranchs.
Notable Species
- Snapper (Pagrus auratus) - Reef Fish
- Short-beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis) - Whales & Dolphins
- European fan-worm (Sabella spallanzanii) - Worms
- Asian paddle crab (Charybdis (Charybdis) japonica) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Red Rock Lobster (Jasus edwardsii) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Smooth hammerhead (Sphyrna zygaena) - Sharks & Rays
- Bluefin Gurnard (Chelidonichthys kumu) - Reef Fish
- Bronze whaler (Carcharhinus brachyurus) - Sharks & Rays
- dory (Zeus faber) - Reef Fish
- California Yellowtail (Seriola lalandi) - Reef Fish
- Blue mackerel (Scomber australasicus) - Reef Fish
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Ranger (Pseudocaranx dentex) - Reef Fish
- Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax) - Reef Fish
- Rig (Mustelus lenticulatus) - Sharks & Rays
- Dab (Rhombosolea plebeia) - Reef Fish
- Spotted Stargazer (Genyagnus monopterygius) - Reef Fish
- Carpet sea squirt (Didemnum vexillum)
- Southern Eagle Ray (Myliobatis tenuicaudatus) - Sharks & Rays
- Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera brydei) - Whales & Dolphins
Recommended Packing List for Lee Breakwater
Based on average water temperature of 18.0°C, currents 2 cm/s.
- Wetsuit (3-5mm) - comfortable for 18°C water
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories