Orca Bay
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 - Orca Bay offers some of Goat Island & Hauraki Gulf's richest reef diving. Water ranges 15-21°C, warmest January, February, March.
Orca Bay is one of those spots that just delivers. We’ve spent hours poking around here, often just pottering along the wall, which drops to about 16 metres before sloping deeper. It’s a sheltered bay, which is a huge plus when the wind kicks up elsewhere, meaning you can often get a dive in when other sites are blown out. The real magic for us, though, is in the small pinnacles dotted around. They’re like little magnets for life. We’ve seen schools of snapper so thick you can barely see through them, and the blue maomao often form shimmering curtains. Keep an eye out for the greenbone, they’re a common sight here, and we’ve often found crayfish tucked into crevices. The visibility averages around 13 metres, which is decent for the area, but on a good day, when the sun penetrates, the bay really glows. It’s a pretty easy dive, suitable for all experience levels, and our pick for a relaxing afternoon exploring.
Nearest Dive Centres to Orca Bay
Dive shops near Orca Bay
Cathedral Cove Dive Ltd
Dive Zone Whitianga
Salt Aotearoa
Reviews for Orca Bay
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for Orca Bay
Orca Bay Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for Orca Bay, 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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