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STANLEY ISLAND

Stanley Island, for us, is a perfect example of why we love diving in the Hauraki Gulf. It’s not about huge pelagics or endless visibility, though we’ve had some cracking days here. It’s about the texture of the place. We’ve drifted along the ‘Great Wall’ on the western side, watching the light play on the sponges and anemones that coat the rock face. The max depth here is 16m, so there’s plenty of bottom time to really explore. On the eastern side, we often poke around the two small caves. They aren’t huge, more like swim-throughs, but they’re big enough to give you that cool, enclosed feeling, and we’ve found green rock lobsters tucked away in there more than once. The schools of Pacific sardines can be mesmerising, shifting like quicksilver, and we’ve had barracouta shoot through them on occasion. Visibility averages around 12m, but can vary. We always suggest hitting it on a calm day, especially if you want to properly explore the cave entrances. Stanley Island suits divers who appreciate detailed reef exploration and don't necessarily need dramatic drop-offs. It's a forgiving site, good for knocking off some rust or for a relaxed day out, offering engaging visuals without demanding deep dives. You’ll see plenty of New Zealand’s common reef fish, like pigfish and wrasse, along with the occasional pelagic passing through.