Dive Report: Motutapu / Administration Bay

2 August 2022
The W/E finger pointing towards Sandy Bay (36.745771, 174.900405)
High tide
52minutes
Vis 4m
No current
Exit 50bar
12m max depth
Hood, gloves, 3 + 5mm wetsuits, a bit cold on exit

I wanted to explore this spot because its in the middle of a proposed High Protection Area. I also heard that some of the people who run the nearby Motutapu Outdoor Education Camp ask fishers to stay away so the children can swim with fish.

I descended down my anchor rope to 11m. Swum SW 50m to the base of some large rocks. Seafloor was rocks and shell hash. Lots of encrusting species on the rocks, Ecklonia was sparse and small from 12-5m but thick and canopy forming in the shallows <6m. Kina large and spread out. Fanworm abundant.

I saw >10 triplefins, 3 goatfish and one spotty. I dont know why so few fish, I turned my lights off for 10 minutes to see if that was scaring them away but it made no difference.

Swam back to boat and pleasingly drifted into my anchor rope doing my safety stop :D

Posted on August 2, 2022 05:40 AM by shaun-lee