Penguin Point
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 - Penguin Point offers some of Poor Knights Islands's richest wall diving. Water ranges 15-22°C, warmest January, February, March.
Penguin Point can be a bit of a wrestle to get into, especially if there’s any kind of swell running, but trust us, it’s worth the effort. Once you’re in, the wall drops from just a few metres down to a shelf at about 13 metres. We’ve always found this to be a fantastic spot for the bigger stuff. You often see schools of blue maomao so thick you have to fin through them, and the resident snapper are huge. Keep an eye on the sandy patches for cruising short-tail stingrays – we’ve seen some absolute monsters here. The rock walls are home to a surprising number of small invertebrates too, with purple sunset clams tucked into crevices and variable chitons clinging tight. Visibility here averages around 8 metres, which isn’t epic, but it’s enough to really appreciate the scale of the rays and the busy schools of fish. It’s a site that rewards patience, perfect for those who like to take it slow and really observe.
Nearest Dive Centres to Penguin Point
Dive shops near Penguin Point
GOAT ISLAND DIVE and SNORKEL
NEW ZEALAND DIVING
Auckland Scuba - Silverdale
Reviews for Penguin Point
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for Penguin Point
Penguin Point Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for Penguin Point, sourced from Open-Meteo marine data + Copernicus Marine (EU) - nearest station: Open-Meteo marine grid (-35.84, 174.61) (14km away)
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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