Margueritte - Fernando de Noronha
Peter’s Rock, or Cone Rock as some call it, is one of those places we always make time for when we’re in Kaikōura. It’s an easy boat hop from the marina, often with dolphins playing in the wake, which is a nice surface interval show before you even get in. Below, it’s a rugged pinnacle, dropping to around 20 metres, absolutely covered in giant kelp. You’ll feel the gentle sway of those fronds, sometimes a bit of a surge, but it just adds to the wild New Zealand vibe. We love Peter’s Rock for its sheer density of life in a relatively small area. Poke around the kelp forest and the rocky crevices, and you’re almost guaranteed to spot a koura, the local rock lobster, peering out. There are always big schools of spotty and rig milling about, and if you’re lucky, a curious Cape shark might cruise by. Visibility averages about 8 metres, which is decent for the region, and honestly, it makes the kelp feel even more immersive. It’s a great spot for divers who appreciate the subtler beauty of temperate waters and don’t mind a bit of a hunt for marine life.
- Location
- Fernando de Noronha, Brazil, South America
- Coordinates
- -8.094200, -34.769700
- Type
- reef
Marine Protected Area: Área De Relevante Interesse Ecológico Orla Marítima
Best Time to Dive in Fernando de Noronha
The warmest water temperatures in Fernando de Noronha occur in April, averaging 29.1°C. The coolest conditions are in September at 26.9°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.1°C
- February: 28.6°C
- March: 28.9°C
- April: 29.1°C
- May: 28.7°C
- June: 28.2°C
- July: 27.4°C
- August: 27.0°C
- September: 26.9°C
- October: 27.1°C
- November: 27.6°C
- December: 27.9°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Fernando de Noronha
- Alvarenga
- Alvarenga - 15-30m (wreck)
- Alvarenga - 15-30m (cenote)
- Atlantis Divers
- Baixa Grande (reef)
- Baixa Grande - 5-12m (reef)
- Baixinha (reef)
- Baixinha (reef)
- Baixios de Jaguaribe (reef)
- Baixios de Jaguaribe - 5-15m (reef)
- Baixo de Fóra (reef)
- Baixo de Fóra - 5-20m (reef)
- Baixo do Japu - 5-20m (reef)
- Baixo do Japu (reef)
- Baixo do Rio do Fogo - 5-20m (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Margueritte
- Aicá Diving
- Aquaticos Centro De Mergulho - ["PADI"]
- Atlantis Divers - PADI, SSI
- Let's Dive
- MIURAMAR - SSI
- Serrambi Resort - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in Fernando de Noronha
Home to 45 recorded species including 42 reef fish, 1 seagrass & algae, 1 hard corals, 1 other.
Notable Species
- Black-ear wrasse (Halichoeres poeyi) - Reef Fish
- Doctorfish (Acanthurus chirurgus) - Reef Fish
- Coney (Cephalopholis fulva) - Reef Fish
- Kwab (Sparisoma radians) - Reef Fish
- Grunt (Haemulon plumierii) - Reef Fish
- Agassiz's Parrotfish (Sparisoma frondosum) - Reef Fish
- Gray Parrotfish (Sparisoma axillare) - Reef Fish
- Brazilian wrasse (Halichoeres brasiliensis) - Reef Fish
- Angelfish (Pomacanthus paru) - Reef Fish
- Demoiselle (Stegastes fuscus) - Reef Fish
- Cook (Holocentrus adscensionis) - Reef Fish
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Sergeant-major (Abudefduf saxatilis) - Reef Fish
- Noronha wrasse (Thalassoma noronhanum) - Reef Fish
- Porkfish (Anisotremus virginicus) - Reef Fish
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Spotted Goatfish (Pseudupeneus maculatus) - Reef Fish
- Hogfish (Bodianus rufus) - Reef Fish
- Shoalgrass (Halodule wrightii) - Seagrass & Algae
- Colon Goby (Coryphopterus dicrus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Margueritte
Based on average water temperature of 28.0°C, currents 29 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 28°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins (stiff blade recommended for strong currents)
- 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