Day 11: diving/snorkeling Poor Knight's Island

We set out for a day on the water with the operation Dive! Tutukaka. The dive shop has a free pick up service so a charming New Zealander shuttle driver collected us at 7:30 am for the drive to the coast for paperwork and gearing up-snorkel gear for J, dive gear for me. Our driver pointed out unique features of the landscape, such as the volcanic rock walls lining the roads from the clearing of pasture lands to kiwi fruit vines.

The Islands are about an hour boat ride out from Tutukaka on the northeastern coast of the North Island of NZ. It was still raining right up to the time of pick up, which isn't necessarily a problem for the dive since the rain can sometimes get the sea to lie down BUT for an hour boat ride, it's plumb miserable. The rain cut out so the dive shop said we were on!

It's been awhile since I've done a cold water dive but as soon as I did my giant stride entry into the water, I was reminded why I am now a baby whiner about temperate diving. It was stunningly cold! I had a 7mm jane (bottom), a hooded beaver tail (top), and two pairs of neoprene socks on but no gloves (none provided) for a water temp of roughly 60 degrees. It was like being hit on the head with a mallet AND chewing on aluminum foil, because cogent thought is knocked out of your head and every bodily chakra is activated in a bad, bad way.

But, whining aside we tucked into a cove to view sleeping short-tailed stingrays and eagle rays, scorpion fish everywhere, nudibranchs, and and the particular oranges, reds, and blues of cold water. J was a snorkeling superstar, since he was better able to tolerate the cold. He would chug around the sites while the less hearty froze in the waters below.

The pictures fail to communicate scale but the islands are remnant volcano formations. Softer rock has eroded from the huge protrusions to create arches, some through which you can drive a boat!

The ride back was a kidney-buster. It was only 3-4 ft seas but all chop. Since I readily declare myself as a puker when on boats so I know the protocol when seasickness hits, the crew watched me warily as we returned to the harbor. For me, though, it's seldom when we're underway that I get the urge, it's when we're moored or anchored up with a swell that I doomed. Guess it was my day.

1. Cave Bay, Poor Knight's Island, New Zealand 75 feet for 42 minutes
2. Rock Lilly Wall