Northern Arch
Poor Knights Islands · New Zealand
Massive underwater archway between two of the Poor Knights pinnacles. The walls are blanketed in jewel anemones and gorgonians; stingray clusters hover in the archway during summer. Cousteau ranked these islands among his top global dive locations.
Conditions
Depth
12 to 35 m
Advanced depths
Current
Can be moderate
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
15 to 30 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
14 to 22°C
Coldwater wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 18 |
| Vis (m) | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
| Current | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Clown Doris
Last confirmed Jun 11, 2026 · 82 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Short-tail stingray
Last confirmed Mar 15, 2026 · 45 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Cook'S Scorpionfish
Last confirmed Jun 16, 2026 · 68 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
New Zealand Demoiselle
Last confirmed Jun 11, 2026 · 44 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Kingfish
Last confirmed Feb 26, 2026 · 21 records
Very likely
Most dives
Pink maomao
Last confirmed Feb 26, 2026 · 24 records
Very likely
Most dives
Eastern King Wrasse
Last confirmed Mar 8, 2026 · 29 records
Very likely
Most dives
Bronze whaler shark
Last confirmed Feb 12, 2025 · 2 records
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Gear