ROCKY 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 - ROCKY BAY - GMI offers some of Goat Island & Hauraki Gulf's richest wreck diving. Water ranges 15-21°C, warmest January, February, March.
Rocky Bay, over on the eastern side of the Great Mercury Islands, is a proper easy-going dive. We love that it just feels… friendly. You drop in and it’s right there: massive kelp forests, swaying gently, with these surprising patches of bright white sand breaking it all up. It’s an excellent spot if you’re keen on seeing crayfish – we’ve usually found a few tucked away. Keep an eye out for southern eagle rays gliding by; they often cruise through the bay. And those New Zealand demoiselles, they’re everywhere, darting between the kelp fronds. The max depth of 16m means you’ve got plenty of bottom time to just explore, poke around the rocky bits, and really soak it in. Visibility averages around 14m, which is decent for New Zealand. It's a low-stress dive, perfect for a relaxed afternoon.
Typical ROCKY BAY - GMI Dive Profile
Illustrative profile based on site depth and type. Actual dive profiles vary - always follow your dive computer and training.
Safety Notes
Wreck site - avoid penetration without wreck diving certification. Watch for sharp metal and entanglement hazards.
Nearest Dive Centres to ROCKY BAY - GMI
Dive shops near ROCKY BAY - GMI
Salt Aotearoa
Cathedral Cove Dive Ltd
Dive Zone Whitianga
Reviews for ROCKY BAY - GMI
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for ROCKY BAY - GMI
ROCKY BAY - GMI Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for ROCKY 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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