Dive-site story
Set along the rocky headlands and bays of the Porirua Harbour entrance in the Wellington region, Whitireia Park offers accessible shore diving dominated by shallow kelp reefs, gravel patches, and sheltered coves. The coastline provides critical habitat for macro critters and coastal rays that forage across the sediment flats just off the rocky fringes.
Spotting pot-bellied seahorses clinging to kelp fronds in the shallows
Cruising eagle rays foraging along the sand-reef interface
Macro photography of diverse nudibranchs and sea stars across the rocky ledges
Location
Use the map to plan with your operator and confirm the exact entry point on the day.
Seasonality
Late summer and early autumn bring the warmest water temperatures and settle visibility after prolonged spells of easterly or light winds.
Marine life
| Species | Likelihood | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big-belly seahorseHippocampus abdominalis | Common | ||||||||||||
| New Zealand eagle rayMyliobatis tenuicaudatus | Common | ||||||||||||
| Short-tail stingrayBathytoshia brevicaudata | Seasonal | ||||||||||||
| Variable triplefinForsterygion varium | Common | ||||||||||||
| Spotty wrasseNotolabrus celidotus | Common |
Marine forecast
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