Northern Arch Poor Knights Islands

Dive the Northern Arch

On the prominent point of Northern Tawhiti Rahi a vertical crack runs down here being the home to large schools of demoiselles. Here the beautiful Mao Mao that are pink, blue and red that gracefully swim in large schools along with the abundance of Travely from time to time. The walls themselves are alive with bryozoans, hydroids, enriched by the breathtaking colour of the anemones. Gorgonian soft corals are everywhere to be found grazed by a mass treasure chest of colourful Nudibranchs.

 

Here at the Northern Arch Stingrays seem to congregate here in large numbers gracefully hovering and gliding up and down the faces of the walls. Mainly short tailed rays are the ones that are here to mate and breed in the gentle slow moving currents. It is a common occurrence to be diving here in this mating season of December to March coming face to face with hundreds of these fine creatures.

Once the rays have engaged in the breeding cycle they then venture out into the vast Northern harbours.,, insert pic short tail rays The Poor Knights are legendary for the short distances you have to venture to go from one natural wonderment to another as here at the Northern Arch on the Northern side you will find yourself in the famous Air bubble cave.

 

This cave entrance is rather large leading to the bubble zone where three to four divers can stop for a chat. The air quality in this bubble is rather foul but still makes it an interesting dive for the curious diver. Talking in this bubble can be somewhat frustrating due to the echo that is experienced within making it hard to understand sentences that have been spoken.

 

Then for the more experienced divers there is the yellow-banded cave located to the southern end with deep swim throughs harbouring masses of snapper and Mao Mao amongst the thick encrusting of magnificent colours.

Northern Arch Dive Summary

Advanced divers

Stunning photograhy

Air bubble cave

Visibility 20 metres plus

Abundant marine species

A must do dive

 



Charter Operators

Dive Poor Knights PK Dive
 

Stunning walls at the Poor Knights. Photo by Paul Morris

 

 

Northern Arch. Photo by Paul Morris

 

 

Stingray Northern Arch. Photo by Andrew Simpson

Air Bubble Cave | Annes Rock | Barren Splendid Arch | Bernies Cave | Big Eye Cave | Bird Rock Poor Knights | Blue Maomao Arch | Cave Bay | Cleanerfish Bay | Cream Gardens | Dark Forest | Diadema Reef | Dive Lost World | Dive Sites Poor Knights | Eastern Arch | El Torito Cave | Freds Pinnacle | Giant Staircase | Gorgonian Plain | Hoiho Point | Hope Point | Kahawai Point | Kamakazi Drop Off | Kevs Cave Jans Tunnel | Labrid Channel | Landing Bay Pinnacle | Magic Wall | Maomao Arch | Maratea Point | Maroro Point | Matts Crack | Middle Arch | Mine Shaft Cave | Ngaio Rock | Ngaroimata Bay | Northern Arch | Nursery Cove | Pinakitanga Point | Red Barron Cave | Riko Riko Cave | Rocklilly Inlet | Rogers Rocks | Seal Rock | Skull Bay | Sombre Forest | Southern Arch | Taravana Caves | Te Araar Point | The Canyon | The Chimney | The Gardens | The Great Wall | The Labyrinth | Tower Point | Trevs Rocks | Tunnel Shaft Cave Pack Point | Wild Beast


Home

About Dive planet
Social link
Blogs
Contact Us
Terms Conditions
Dive News
NZ News

Cuisine Recipe

Cleaning fish

Spearfishing

Spearfishing Travel
Spearo Magazine
Spearfishing video
Spearfishing gear

Diving NZ

Canterbury
Charter operators
Dive videos
Scuba Dive NZ
Learn to dive
Shark diving NZ
Dive Clubs
Dive Gear section
Wetsuits
Drysuits

Dive Sites

Wreck Dive Sites
Spearo Dive Sites
Dive Trail
Shark dive sites

Photography Top 50

Camera Rental

Marine Conservation NZ

Marine Planet
Whale Planet
Children conservation
Children Explorers
NZ Fur seals page
Dolphin Planet
Fish ID
Nudibranchs NZ