Goat Island & Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand
    Long Bay-Okura

    Stanmore Bay Pool

    Best months: Jan–Apr

    Protected Area

    Long Bay-Okura

    Why dive here

    With 72+ marine species recorded in the area - including blue sharks, dolphins, hammerhead sharks, humpback whales and seahorses - Stanmore Bay Pool 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

    Okay, so Stanmore Bay Pool. We’re not going to lie, it’s a pool. A big, rectangular, tiled pool. If you’re picturing schools of fusiliers or a majestic manta ray gliding past, you’re in the wrong place. But for what it is, a training ground, it’s surprisingly good. We love the simplicity here. The water is often bathwater warm, and the visibility is, well, 25m of pure, unadulterated blue tile. It's the perfect spot to iron out those buoyancy kinks, practice fin pivots until they’re second nature, or get comfortable with a new piece of kit without fighting current or cold. Our favourite tip? Head to the deep end, all 1.6 metres of it, and just spend some time hovering. It’s meditative. You might spot a forgotten hair tie or a shiny coin, which adds a certain treasure hunt element. This is where we bring new divers to build confidence, or seasoned pros to test out a new camera housing before hitting the open ocean. It’s controlled, predictable, and frankly, a bit of a laugh. You’ll leave feeling proficient, ready for whatever the real ocean throws your way.

    Today05:4418:3312h 49m daylightGolden hour 17:59

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    Conditions

    Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for Stanmore Bay Pool

    Stanmore Bay Pool Ocean Conditions

    Monthly averages for Stanmore Bay Pool, 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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