Blue Mao Mao Arch
Blue Mao Mao Arch at the Poor Knights is the dive site that made it famous with Jacques Cousteau, who names the Poor Knights in his Top 10 dive sites of the world.
Diver Level Open Water and above.
Depth 7m to 18m
Great for snorkellers
Situated in the Labrid Channel, Blue Mao Mao Arch can be seen as a low lying archway above the water. The Archway of the western end is where the light comes through the rock and helps make the archway as iconic as it is. It is also the shallowest end coming up to just 7m compared to 18m and deeper at the eastern end.
The light entering from above and the large shoals of Blue Mao Mao and Two Spotted Demoisells that inhabit the archway make it a truly memorable experience.
The encrusting life in the archways of the Poor Knights are so colourful it would be criminal not to bring a torch along to really appreciate them. On the colourful rocks you will find nudibranchs, scorpian fish as well as other colourful fishes and critters.
Tutukaka Coastguard VHF Channel 62
Distress & Emergency VHF channel 16 or phone 111
Diver Emergency Service (DES) 0800 4 337 111
The Diver Emergency Service (DES) is a 24 hour, 7 days a week hotline for advice and treatment of all diving related incidents, accidents or injuries, including the emergency management of decompression illness.
