Hahei Shipwreck Bay

DESCRIPTION

Site Review by Tyler Gorton
Photos by Jamie-Lee Thorpe

Shipwreck Bay is a classic dive in the Cathedral Cove area. It is located on the east side of Mahurangi Island just outside of the Whanganui-a-Hei Marine Reserve. Shipwreck Bay is based in the second bay on the eastern side of the island, just past Cave Bay which is in the south-eastern most point of the island.

The site name is a touch misleading as there is no longer any shipwreck around here. It has long since all broken up and been swept away to sea leaving nothing but a name and a legacy.

In this dive site is a wide array of different fish and shellfish and it is one of the most popular dive sites to visit in this area because of its heavy fish population and large kina deposits, alongside the rock and kelp bottom which makes for an interesting and entertaining dive with easy exploration and great wildlife encounters.

Shipwreck Bay is not a deep dive with a maximum depth of around 12m, but it does boast an impressive amount of sea life for its depth making it an ideal dive spot for new and old divers and it is great for photographers and videographers.