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Log This Dive

Seal Colony

Seal Colony isn’t your typical easy-access dive, but it’s absolutely worth the scramble. That walk over the peninsula with your gear is a workout, and the entry can be tricky with surge, so pick your day carefully. Once you’re in, though, the kelp forest just hugs you. We love pushing through those swaying fronds, watching the light dapple through the canopy. The real draw here, beyond the cool rock formations and little swim-throughs, is the chance to see a New Zealand fur seal in its own element. They’re curious, playful, and the feeling of one zooming past you, a blur of sleek dark fur and bubbles, is exhilarating. It’s shallow, only 11 metres max, so you get plenty of bottom time to explore the nooks and crannies where you’ll find rock lobster tucked away and nudibranchs clinging to the kelp. Visibility averages 5 metres, which is decent for a kelpy site, but it can drop after heavy rain. This is a dive for those who don’t mind a bit of effort for a genuinely wild experience.