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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.
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