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Poor Knights Islands Deep Dive Sites

Northern Arch

Northern Arch is perhaps the signature dive of the magnificent Poor Knights Islands. The bottom of the arch itself is at 38 metres but deeper water is close by. Swimming out of the arch to the south, the sandy bottom begins at 45 metres and gradually slopes away.

The northern side of the arch gives better access to deep water with a jumble of enormous boulders quickly dropping down to the sand at 65 metres. Some small black coral trees can found in this area starting at around 45 metres.

Foxfish (Bodianus sp.) can occasionally be seen lurking beneath the boulders below 60 metres. A deep water relative of the blue cod, the redbanded weever (Parapercis binivirgata) can be found on patches of sand.

A heavily encrusted scooter sits on a ledge at 55 metres a little to the north and west of the arch. Below this, at 60 metres a large boulder has an overhanging face festooned with the precious ivory coral, Oculina virgosa. Unlike Oculina at the Three Kings Islands which generally appears orange in colour, these coral colonies are mainly white in colour with patches of pink.

Plaque in the arch at 37m
(apparently stolen in Jan 2009)

Encrusted Scooter, Northern Arch, Poor Knights Islands

Encrusted scooter at 55m

64m to north of arch

Oculina boulder at 60 m

Redbanded weever (Parapercis binivirgata)
at 64m

Pink mao mao at 65m

Off the point at 71m

At the point off Northern Arch, the wall drops vertically to the usual jumble of huge boulders at 70 to 75 metres and sandy bottom at 78 metres. This is a good starting point for a dive allowing an easy elevator ride down to the desired depth from where divers can head north and east towards the arch, gradually ascending as the sandy bottom rises up and the vertical rocky wall becomes less steep.

There are the remnants of what must have once been majestic black coral trees at 70 metres, their dead branches now festooned with encrusting sponges.

The deep wall is covered in the usual yellow finger sponges and Primnoides gorgonian fans. Some small black coral trees branch out from the wall but they are not a major feature of the dive.

The walls to the north of the arch receive more direct sunlight and are the better side to spend time decompressing. Rich encrusting life grows on the shallow rock walls which are a productive area for finding unusual tiny nudibranchs.

Black coral tree, largely dead,
off the point at 70m

Southern side of the point at 62m

Cream Gardens

The anchorage is well sheltered from southwest weather and the site is suitable for divers of all levels.

After a short swim to the point, divers can descend down the pretty wall which is covered with gorgonian fans. The descent continues by dropping down over a series of huge boulders until the sand is reached at a depth of about 72 metres where a large organ-pipe sponge can be found.

Huge boulders at 66m

Golf-ball sponges at 40m

Twelve Fathom Reef

Splendid perch at 65m

Divers at 70m

This rocky pinnacle rises to within 23 metres of the surface and drops away steeply on its north western side to a sloping sandy bottom at 75 metres.

At depth, the walls are covered with yellow finger sponges and the occasional large tube sponge. There are some scattered small black coral trees but they are not a major feature of this area.

Splendid perch are abundant below 60 metres and school with masses of demoiselles and pink mao mao.

The Canyon

Although not as deep as some other sites, the area has interesting patches of deep water reef broken up by white sand, and is home to beautiful gardens of sponges, gorgonians and black coral trees.

On the point off The Canyon, the wall drops steeply to small rocky plateau at 57 metres depth from which a rocky finger extends out onto the sand at 62 metres. The rocks in this area covered with yellow finger sponges and Primnoides gorgonians but the most spectacular feature are the many large organ-pipe sponges (Calyx imperialis). Some of these are up to a metre in height and 300 mm in diameter at the mouth of the tube. A number of black coral trees can also be found in this area.

The Canyon itself is a narrow sandy bottomed channel with rocky walls which provides picturesque route for divers during their descent or ascent.

A hapuku (Polyprion oxygenios) has been sighted in The Canyon at 45 metres depth.

Hapuku at 45m

Unusual white anemone at 57m

Large orgen-pipe sponge at 60m

Bird Rock

Foxfish at 60m	On the eastern side of Bird Rock the reef drops away quickly to a bottom of steep rocky outcrops separated by patches of white sand. The sandy patches begin at about 55 metres and level off at around 65 metres. The reef is covered with gardens of sponges, many of which are shaped as bowls or tubes. Foxfish have been seen here at 60 metres.

Oculina Point

At between 35 and 45 metres depth, ridges project out from the wall creating an increased current flow and encouraging the growth of some of the largest and most beautiful gorgonian fans to be found at the Poor Knights Islands. These gorgonian clad walls are very reminiscent of deeper reefs at The Three Kings Islands where the ivory coral, Oculina virgosa is common. I haven't yet found any Oculina at this site but I'm sure there's some lurking down there beneath an overhanging rock face.

As the point is approached from the north, the reef drops steeply to the sandy bottom at 55 to 60 metres. On the point, large rocky features extend further out and meet the sand at around 75 metres. Rocks in this area are covered with yellow finger sponges, gorgonians, and some black coral trees.

Strong currents can be experienced at this site. Under such conditions it is difficult to swim around the many small rocky outcrops but there are also plenty of vertical guts which offer shelter from the current. Hunkering down in a gut for your deco may be preferable to over exerting yourself trying to fight the current.

Black coral at 60m

Sponges and gorgonians at 62m

Imagination Point

At the point, the wall drops steeply to a small plateau at about 42 metres from where you swim out a little before continuing the descent. The sandy bottom begins at about 65 metres and gradually slopes away to 75 metres and beyond. The eastern side of the point (heading towards Southern Arch) offers a much more vertical descent to 60 metres which becomes a jumble of enormous boulders in the 60 to 70 metre range. Foxfish frequent this area and some white Oculina has been found here on an overhanging rock face at 65 metres depth. As you head in the other direction from the point, towards Calypso Bay, the descent requires considerably more horizontal swimming to reach 60+ metres. On the deeper parts of the reef, yellow finger sponges and Primnoides gorgonians abound. Small black coral trees can be found from 40 metres with some slightly larger trees from 45 to 60 metres.			Small black coral tree at 65m
Oculina virgosa at 65m		Golden snapper at 45m	Approaching the bottom at 70m

Serpent Rock

A good sized black coral tree can be found at 37 metres off the western end of the rock but most of it's branches appear to be dead.

Sugarloaf

The Sugarloaf rises out of deep water and is a good location for deeper diving when weather permits.

There are some small rocky plateaus on the southern and eastern sides of the rock but elsewhere, the walls descend almost vertically to the bottom at around 75 metres depth. The bottom continues to slope away steeply to 90 metres depth and beyond.

Spawning male splendid perch (Callanthias australis) at 57m	Divers at 60m

Poor Knights Dive Sites Map