Coromandel Peninsula: Dive Sites Galore
A few of the dive sites frequented by the team at Dive Zone Whitianga
While the Alderman Islands are an absolute highlight of the Coromandel Peninsula, the area actually has a vast array of dive sites that are a lot more accessible, both along the coastline and surrounding islands, says Hazel Bourn, one of the dive cew at Dive Zone Whitianga.
"Heading out of the Whitianga Marina, one of our favourite places to tuck into is Ohinau island, and its next-door neighbour Little Ohinau (Ohinauiti Island).
"There are also a number of dive sites around Ohinau, such as the Playground, Lunch Bay, Caesar Bay, Orca Bay, and the Gap to name a few. The positioning and location of Ohinau also allows us to dive in a variety of weather conditions.
"Sitting off the coast of the Coromandel Peninsula is Great Mercury Island, which boasts a large number of sheltered bays, specifically on the southern side, which we at Dive Zone Whitianga utilise for a lot of our confined open water sessions. The below image shows both of our boats out in the cove for a day of scuba dive training. Other popular bays include Titree Bay and Peachgrove Bay.
"Down the coast from Hahei is a beautiful stretch of coastline with some stunning features like Champagne Rock and Sparkling wine dive sites.
"On our trips down the coast, we are also likely to stop in at famous landmarks such as Cathedral Cove, and Orua Cave, on surface intervals."
