Poor Knight Islands - New Zealand
Posted by: 
deeregal
S 35° 28.780 E 174° 45.598
60H E 296776 N 6071454
Named one of the 'Top Ten Dive Sites in the World' by Jacques Cousteau
Waymark Code: WM73MP
Location: North Island, New Zealand
Date Posted: 08/27/2009
Views: 4
The Poor Knights Islands are a group of islands off the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand in the south pacific ocean. They lie 22 kilometres offshore half way between Bream Head and Cape Brett. Uninhabited since the 1820s,
The chain consists of two large islands (Tawhiti Rahi, the larger, and Aorangi) with a group of smaller islets between the two, the largest of which is Motu Kapiti. The name Tawhiti Rahi is also used as a name for the entire chain by Maori. The islands are the eroded remnants of a 4 million year old rhyolitic volcano. The total area of the chain is 24 km².
The islands' name is said to derive from their resemblance to Poor Knight's Pudding, a bread-based dish popular at the time of discovery by Europeans.
The islands are protected as a nature reserve and a permit is required to land or tie boats up. Permits are usually granted only for scientific research. A notable native plant of the islands is the spectacularly-flowering Poor Knights lily. Feral pigs, which had roamed Aorangi since the departure of Maori in the 1820s, were exterminated in 1936. No mamals inhabitat the islands [Wikipedia]
The 11 million year old Islands’ volcanic origins provide a myriad of spectacular drop offs, walls, caves, arches and tunnels.
Divng Poor Knights can include:
Wrecks- Waikito, Tui
Blue Mao Mao and Mao Mao Arch
Northern Arch
Middle Arch
Bernies Cave
Landing Bay Pinical
Sand garden Nursey Cove
Hole in the wall
Water Type: Ocean
Salinity: Salt
Access: Boat (day trip)
Maximum Depth: 120
Typical Visibility: Good (41-60 ft)
Has Reef?: yes
Wreck or Submerged Object?: Multiple
Underwater Life: you name it!!!!.. sharks, whales, turtles, sea slugs, eels,
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Visit Instructions:
1) To log a visit, at least a picture taken at the surface, including any distinguishing landmarks or buoys if present, is required. While you do not have to enter the water, this is encouraged.
2) If you dive at the site, describe your visit including any details you wish to share such as weather, water temperature, visibility, bottom time, and anything of interest that you observed, living or nonliving.