Dive-site story
Island Bay lies along Wellington's rugged southern coastline within the Taputeranga Marine Reserve. Divers enter sheltered rocky channels that give way to dense kelp forests surrounding Taputeranga Island. Because full marine protection has been in place for years, fish populations are unusually bold and abundant compared to adjacent unprotected coastal stretches.
Extensive macrocystis kelp canopies sheltering schooling fish
Dense populations of temperate fish within the Taputeranga Marine Reserve
Rocky gullies and swim-throughs formed by south-coast geology
Location
Use the map to plan with your operator and confirm the exact entry point on the day.
Seasonality
Late summer and autumn bring the warmest water and most settled conditions between southern ocean weather systems.
Marine life
| Species | Likelihood | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue CodParapercis colias | Common | ||||||||||||
| Red MokiCheilodactylus spectabilis | Common | ||||||||||||
| Banded WrasseNotolabrus fucicola | Common | ||||||||||||
| New Zealand Fur SealArctocephalus forsteri | Seasonal | ||||||||||||
| Red Rock LobsterJasus edwardsii | Common |
Marine forecast
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