Dive Report: Motutapu

23 June 2022
Just north of Otahuhu Point (-36.779397, 174.931207)
2hrs before high tide
60minutes
Vis 3m
Not much current
No strobe (failed)
Exit 50bar with numb fingers
9.5m max depth

Descended to 6m, swum east to a depth of 9.5m then returned to explore the shallows to 4m. There was thick canopy forming kelp growing on rocks at 4m (mostly Ecklonia radiata). This quickly transitioned to turf and kina barrens by 6m with abundant Mediterranean fanworm and grey massive sponges. At this depth the reef was covered in a fine layer of silt. The rocks got smaller turning to rubble with patches of kelp. Most of the dive was over shell hash with the odd bit of rubble which had abundant large kina. I was impressed with the diversity of sponges, I paid attention to the grey massive sponges which seem to have been impacted by the recent marine heatwave . The eleven-arm sea stars were abundant on the shell hash. I only found one live scallop (juvenile).

Fish seen, school of parore in the shallows, some triplefin and spotty and just one goatfish.

Posted on June 24, 2022 10:00 PM by shaun-lee