The Poor Knights

The Poor Knights Islands are a marine reserve with pending world heritage status of the coast by Tutukaka in the Northland, and one of the worlds top 10 diving sites. We’d been tipped off about an activity called Perfect Day where they take you 24k’s out into the Ocean where the island is and let you Snorkel around the reserve.

The Islands are protected by a Tapu, which is a Maori status that forbids any access onto the islands. They are only 200 hecatares big but a battle was fought here about 200 years ago with most of the local tribe slaughtered and buried on the island. Since then only Department of Conservation specialists can visit with special permission.

The tapu is taken extremely seriously, and even as snorklers if we were to approach and climb on the rocks we could face a $100,000 fine and upto 5 years in jail...no messing about with this one.

The trip has only been running for a week into the new season and the water was very dark (no thanks to the unfavorable cloudy weather) so we couldn't see a great deal. Some cool jellyfish and some snapper and other fishes near the shoreline. We took an underwater camera so will post the pictures once we've had them developed. The water was full of something called Salp. Its a disgusting tadpole like jelly substance that floats on the surface of the water and particularly like to get tangled up in Naomi's hair.  

We were on the boat with a wedding party of 11. There were 10 Japanese and one Maori fella...he was the groom...and couldn't communicate with anyone...barely with his wife. Awkward. The weather was quite chilly so obviously none of the 11 were up for the snorkeling so it was just me and Nay bobbing about in the shark and Orca friendly waters, but "don't worry" the guy said. "They only come here once every 3 months"/ Comforting. I was convinced that they would be bang on time for us tasty morsels.

The islands are also home to the worlds largest sea cave, the size of a rugby pitch (which is how everything is measured out here).