Goat Island reserve a magical underwater world

Summer or winter Goat Island is a magnet for those keen on seeing Hauraki Gulf marine life in the wild. JENNY and TONY ENDERBY dive in.

While popular during summer, the number of visitors to the Goat Island reserve doesn't change much during autumn or winter.

With a wetsuit, people can enjoy dipping beneath the surface of the reserve year round.

Part of the Cape Rodney to Okakari Point Marine Reserve, an hour north of Auckland City, you can see the wonders of this marine world in the shallows and so avoid the popular snorkelling experience altogether.

Schools of blue maomao, snapper and parore swim just off the beach on calm days and will swirl around your feet as you enter the water for a paddle. Further out in the clearer water they are replaced by larger snapper, kahawai, red moki and blue cod.

We headed out on the surface to Shag Rock, about 200m off the beach. Piper schools fed around us, like miniature marlin, the sun glinting off their blue-green flanks near the surface.

In the distance several broad squid hovered above their white sausage-like eggs that flowed with the surge of the kelp. Behind us confirmed that feeling of being watched, as we turned to see a mass of fish following us.

We stopped and several large snapper moved closer.

There was plenty of natural food for them in the reserve, but they waited like children for something different.

It's strange that people who have a fear of sharks in the sea happily hold food near the jaws of large snapper. At the sight of food the snapper almost turn into piranhas and even fingers are not safe - their jaws can crush bivalves. Only those who ignore the "Do not feed the fish" signs are in danger and several divers and snorkellers who have ignored the warning signs have suffered the consequences.

Since signs encouraging visitors not to feed the fish were erected by the Department of Conservation two years ago, the amount of food going in the water has decreased. Snorkellers no longer swim through a soup of waste bread, peas and dog food at the end of the day.

We looked back at the jaws and teeth of the 10kg snapper nearby, then descended alongside the invertebrate wall at Shag Rock. On the deeper, darker side jewel anemones, bright orange ascidians and clown nudibranchs glowed.

Nearby a wandering anemone attached to the kelp swayed back and forth with the surge. Its tentacles were withdrawn but began to emerge, like a flower opening, as we watched.

We peered into the dark areas between the rocks where large numbers of crayfish lived. But we could only look, as everything in the reserve has full protection - leave only ripples, take only photographs.

Some cracks were just a mass of feelers and we wondered how there was room for them all. The tail of a large red moki protruded between the crayfish - these two species sharing the same hole. Other fish such as big eye and slender roughy also lived in the dark areas and emerged at night to feed on drifting plankton.

An inquisitive blue cod moved in close, peering at its reflection in a dive mask. After a threat display it moved onto the sand and glared at us.

A dead tiger shell lay there and nearby were several more - a whole collection of them. A pair of eyes peered out from a gap under the rocks. A small octopus had created a garden with the dead shells, it had fed from. Its little eyes continued to watch, but it shied away as the snapper that accompanied us were partial to a feed of octopus tentacle.

A huge school of kahawai swirled in and circled us. Their numbers increased until they became a solid wall, then just as quickly they were gone again.

Further out more large snapper appeared with some around 12kg and a metre long. We used to think all snapper looked the same, there were just big ones and small ones, but now we have begun to recognise some individuals.

One large animal that has been in the reserve for several years is known as Monkeyface - and looks like he has had a head-on collision with a boat. Others have distinctive marks or nicks. As we moved forward several large red moki continued to crunch on their food but the smaller moki moved away.

A pair of goatfish rested in a darkened corner, and showed off their night colours of reds and purples. Other goatfish matched the colour of the sand as they fossicked for small invertebrates with their barbels under their chins.

Further out, the sponge gardens became more dominant with yellow and orange encrusting sponges, large finger sponges, massive black pillow sponges and smaller orange and red golf ball sponges.

A massive head and sinuous body moved from the shadows towards us. We were in the territory of one of Goat Island's resident yellow moray eels and it checked us out. This one had been in the reserve for many years and although inquisitive has never shown the aggression morays are reputed to have.

The reserve is so popular that more than 250,000 people visit each year - and this number is increasing. Comments are often made that there are too many people and that numbers need restricting, but the problem is that there are just too few reserves. Who could have foreseen the numbers of visitors who would come just to look at the fish and other marine life?

The success isn't an accident - everything within the boundaries is protected and all fishing is banned. It's hard to imagine what the reserve would be like without the masses of fish, yet before its protection there were few large fish.

For those who don't want to get wet, the glass bottom boat Habitat Explorer runs all year round, weather permitting. From the comfort of a dry seat you can watch the fish and the snorkellers. It's also a good way to see the spectacular caves on the outer side of the island.

I don't think there is anywhere else in New Zealand where people and large numbers of fish can enjoy each other's company, just an hour from a city of a million people. Add to this the days when dolphins or orca visit and you have something really special for divers and non-divers alike.

Case notes

Getting there

From Auckland follow SH1 to Warkworth. From there the route is clearly signposted, with Goat Island Marine Reserve signs at every intersection.

Parking

A five-minute parking zone at the bottom of the hill makes for easy loading and unloading of gear. Parking is available up the hill, but be early to avoid a long walk back to the beach.

Glass-bottom boat

Habitat Explorer, ph (09) 422-6334

Dive and snorkel gear hire

Seafriends, ph (09) 422-6212, email sea.friends@xtra.co.nz

Seafriends

Goat Island Dive, ph (09) 422-6925 or 0800-348-369, email goatislanddive@xtra.co.nz

Goat Island Dive

Goat Island Scuba Safaris, ph (09) 422-6708, email goatislandscuba@hotmail.com

Goat Island snorkel, ph (09) 422-6655

Accommodation

Accommodation includes motor camp, motel, hotel, cabins and bed & breakfasts.

For more information contact Warkworth Information Centre, ph (09) 425-9081, email service@warkworth-information.co.nz