Poor Knights Islands, New Zealand
    Cape Rodney-Okakari Point

    Goat Island

    Best months: Jan–Apr

    Protected Area

    Cape Rodney-Okakari Point

    Why dive here

    With 79+ marine species recorded in the area - including blue sharks, dolphins, hammerhead sharks, humpback whales and orcas - Goat Island offers some of Poor Knights Islands's richest wreck diving. Water ranges 15-22°C, warmest January, February, March.

    Best timeJan–Apr
    WetsuitA 5mm wetsuit
    Marine lifeBlue Sharks, Dolphins, Hammerhead Sharks, Humpback Whales and Orcas · 79+ species recorded
    Water15-22°C · warmest January, February, March
    CharacterWreck dive
    StandoutRich in charismatic marine life

    Goat Island, or more accurately, the waters around the Goat Island marine reserve, is a special kind of dive. Forget deep, blue encounters – here, we’re talking about an intimate exploration, maxing out at a mere 7 meters. It's an excellent spot for photographers, especially those keen on macro or wide-angle shots of the landscape, and it's perfect for snorkelers or newer divers building confidence. Our favourite thing about Goat Island is how much life packs into such a shallow space. You’re often drifting over kelp forests, the light filtering down in shimmering greens and golds. Look closely and you’ll find yellow-and-black triplefins doing their little headstands on the rocks, and those striking purple sunset clams wedged into crevices. We’ve had incredible luck spotting sleek black stingrays gliding over the sandy patches – they're less skittish here than in other places. Keep an eye out for banded morwong poking out from under ledges. It’s a gentle, unhurried dive, letting you truly soak in the details. Visibility averages around 7 meters, which is plenty for this kind of close-up exploration. Go in the morning before any wind picks up for the calmest surface conditions.

    Safety Notes

    Wreck site - avoid penetration without wreck diving certification. Watch for sharp metal and entanglement hazards.

    Today05:4418:3312h 48m daylightGolden hour 17:58

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    Conditions

    Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for Goat Island

    Goat Island Ocean Conditions

    Monthly averages for Goat Island, sourced from Open-Meteo marine data + Copernicus Marine (EU) - nearest station: Open-Meteo marine grid (-35.84, 174.61) (14km away)

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    October Averages

    Sea Temperature

    16°C

    60°F · Range: 14.8–17.1°C

    Current Speed

    11.4 cm/s

    Direction: SE (142.1°)

    Chlorophyll-a

    0.388 mg/m³

    Moderate productivity

    Salinity

    35.44 PSU

    Based on 4 years of monitoring data · Data sources: Open-Meteo marine data + Copernicus Marine (EU)

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