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

    Orca 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 - Orca 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

    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.

    Today05:3818:2812h 49m daylightGolden hour 17:53

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    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)

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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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