Lighthouse Bay - Poor Knights Islands
Nyumba Ya Casa, ‘House of Turtles’ in Swahili, pretty much delivers on its name. We’ve seen more green turtles here than almost anywhere else in Zanzibar, often just hanging out on the coral, seemingly unbothered by divers. This site is a pinnacle rising from the seabed, and it’s absolutely smothered in soft sponges. The colours really pop against the blue, especially when the light hits them just right. We love Nyumba Ya Casa for its chill vibe and the reliable turtle encounters. The max depth of 17m makes it a relaxed dive, perfect for photographers or anyone who just wants to take their time. Look closely among the sponges for moray eels peering out, and we’ve spotted stonefish here too, so keep an eye on your buoyancy. Visibility generally hovers around 12-15m, which is good enough to appreciate the scale of the pinnacle and the sponges. It’s a great spot for a morning dive, before any potential afternoon chop picks up.
- Location
- Poor Knights Islands, New Zealand, Australasia
- Coordinates
- -35.612700, 174.542900
- Type
- pinnacle
Marine Protected Area: Tutukaka
Best Time to Dive in Poor Knights Islands
The warmest water temperatures in Poor Knights Islands occur in February, averaging 21.9°C. The coolest conditions are in August at 15.8°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 21.4°C
- February: 21.9°C
- March: 21.7°C
- April: 20.6°C
- May: 19.1°C
- June: 17.6°C
- July: 16.5°C
- August: 15.8°C
- September: 15.9°C
- October: 16.6°C
- November: 18.2°C
- December: 19.8°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Poor Knights Islands
- ABC Bay (wall)
- ABC Bay (reef)
- Alice A. Leigh /Rewa ShipWreck (wreck)
- Alice A. Leigh /Rewa ShipWreck (cenote)
- Ann's Rock / Astrid's Wall (wall)
- Barren Arch (reef)
- Bartle Bay (drift)
- Bartle Bay (wreck)
- Blue MaoMao Arch (cave)
- Blue MaoMao Arch (drift)
- Boarfish Reef Poor Knights (reef)
- Boarfish Reef Poor Knights (reef)
- Brady’s Corner (Shark Fin Cave) (cave)
- Brady’s Corner (Shark Fin Cave) - 10-25m (cave)
- Bream Rock
Nearest Dive Centres to Lighthouse Bay
- Auckland Scuba - Silverdale - ["PADI"]
- DIVE NOW - SSI
- Dive! Tutukaka - ["PADI"]
- Dive Zone
- GOAT ISLAND DIVE and SNORKEL - SSI
- Moana Futures Ltd
Marine Life in Poor Knights Islands
Home to 84 recorded species including 53 reef fish, 11 sharks & rays, 4 whales & dolphins, 4 other, 3 crabs & lobsters, 2 sea urchins.
Notable Species
- Snapper (Pagrus auratus) - Reef Fish
- Short-beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis) - Whales & Dolphins
- Red Rock Lobster (Jasus edwardsii) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Striped Marlin (Kajikia audax) - Reef Fish
- California Yellowtail (Seriola lalandi) - Reef Fish
- European fan-worm (Sabella spallanzanii) - Worms
- Shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) - Sharks & Rays
- Smooth hammerhead (Sphyrna zygaena) - Sharks & Rays
- Bluefin Gurnard (Chelidonichthys kumu) - Reef Fish
- Asian paddle crab (Charybdis (Charybdis) japonica) - Crabs & Lobsters
- Bronze whaler (Carcharhinus brachyurus) - Sharks & Rays
- dory (Zeus faber) - Reef Fish
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Blue mackerel (Scomber australasicus) - Reef Fish
- Striped Triplefin (Forsterygion varium) - Reef Fish
- Blue-eyed Triplefin (Notoclinops segmentatus) - Reef Fish
- Spotty (Notolabrus celidotus) - Reef Fish
- Southern Eagle Ray (Myliobatis tenuicaudatus) - Sharks & Rays
- Ranger (Pseudocaranx dentex) - Reef Fish
- Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera brydei) - Whales & Dolphins
Recommended Packing List for Lighthouse Bay
Based on average water temperature of 18.8°C, currents 12 cm/s.
- Wetsuit (3-5mm) - comfortable for 19°C water
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories