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White Island : The Facts...
(Click
to jump to the relevant area):
Where is it? About White Island and Why it's worth a visit? Recommended dive sites? White Island Gallery? Local operators? White Island Web Sites and further reading?
White Island is located in the Bay of Plenty on the East Coast of New Zealand. It's nearest port is the small town of Whakatane about 50km's away.
See
Map 
About White Island and Why it's worth a visit.
It's
a wild place! New Zealand's most active volcano. Not only is the diving some
of the best in New Zealand but the island itself is bizarre, boiling water,
sulphur, steam, mud, coloured lakes, death and destruction...
Sea Things Favorite Dive Sites
There are plenty of amazing dive sites out at White Island but our favorites include Diadema Pinnacle out at the Vulkner Rock and the associated pinnacles in the area. These dives plummet into the depths and there is big fish life around as well as the high abundance of amazing Diadema urchins. There is a good chance of encountering Bronze Whaler Sharks and huge pelagics such a Kingfish and Tuna.
The main island also has some unique sites which include underwater fumeroles, archways and walls. For some reason all the fish seem bigger at White Island than elsewhere in New Zealand.
Want to recommend your favorite site (please do!), comment on a dive site or add to the description- e-mail the details and ideally GPS coordinated to: myfavedivesites@seathings.co.nz
All Photographs by Crispin Middleton, permission must be sought before using any of these pictures.
Please click on the image to open a larger image in a new window.
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Sulpur Vents on White Island White Island |
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Diadema Urchin White Island |
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Mating Clown Nudibranch White Island |
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The Old Suphur Factory White Island |
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White Island Crater White Island |
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White Island Crater White Island |
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White Island Explorers! White Island |
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Common Octopus White Island |
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The very stylish but Rolling Ma Cherie. The only way to truly see White Island. White Island |
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Sea Things Favorite Operators:
Baker Marine Is by far the best operator in the area. John the skipper has been working the area for many years and has a wealth of knowledge on the dive site and the Bay of Plenty in general. The boat, Ma Cherie is a beautiful old thing and you really do arrive in style, a little slow and rolling around but in style!
Other operators
White
Island Web Sites and further reading?
Department
of Conservation, New Zealand
Please e-mail any web-site or book suggestions to: suggestions@seathings.co.nz