Dive reports: Te Whanganui A Hei Marine Reserve

26 April 2022
From kayak launched at Hahei Beach
Small workups observed on the way with many little penguins, white-fronted terns and fluttering shearwater
Wind 3knots, surface clam, fish visible
Dive 70mins at 6m over a rocky reef
Visibility 6-8m

I was surrounded by snapper almost immediately, they were very excited and I was impressed with the size and number of them. They followed me the entire dive making it hard for me to photograph anything else. Several bit the end of my camera lens and one had a go at my flash cable until I tied it up. I was pleased to see several crayfish including a juvenile. The crevices were not bristling but there were many many more than at the Leigh Marine Reserve. I saw many species that I was not able to photograph including Banded wrase, Blue cod, Blue-eyed triple fin, Common triplefin, Piper, Sandager's wrasse, Spotty, Parore, Silver drummer, Leatherjacket and Blue maomao.

My favourite moment in the dive was when I swum under a ledge where a large crayfish was sitting on old kina shells like they were the skulls of its enemies. I was a little intimidated when it advanced towards me but it was just curious and rubbed its antenna over my camera.

27 April 2022
From kayak launched at Hahei Beach
No workups but did see small fish (6cm) leaping out of water chased by a little penguin
Wind 7 knots, surface choppy
I told off a fisherman on the way in (one bay over) who was feeding the fish to show his kids. (Feeding fish in a marine reserve constitutes a disturbance of the marine life and is therefore an offence under the Marine Reserves Act).
Dive 70mins at 6m over boulders
Visibility 6-8m

Here the Snapper were much more clam and chilled out. Maybe the really hungry ones had left the area to see what the fisherman was throwing in the water. This gave me space to photograph all the other fish which were diverse and abundant.

UPDATE: This little wrasse which I could not ID turned out to be a new record for New Zealand.

I was really impressed with this marine reserve, there was so much more life than the smaller marine reserve at Leigh. I will be back to explore it further.

Publicado el abril 28, 2022 07:01 MAÑANA por shaun-lee shaun-lee

Observaciones

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

shaun-lee

Fecha

Abril 26, 2022 a las 03:36 TARDE NZST

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

shaun-lee

Fecha

Abril 26, 2022 a las 03:38 TARDE NZST

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

shaun-lee

Fecha

Abril 26, 2022 a las 03:41 TARDE NZST

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

shaun-lee

Fecha

Abril 26, 2022 a las 03:43 TARDE NZST

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

shaun-lee

Fecha

Abril 26, 2022 a las 03:44 TARDE NZST

Descripción

This ID is for the juvenile with yellow anal fins. Are the other fish also Blue maomao?

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

shaun-lee

Fecha

Abril 26, 2022 a las 03:51 TARDE NZST

Descripción

Large. Encrusting, discoid to
layered.

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

shaun-lee

Fecha

Abril 26, 2022 a las 03:56 TARDE NZST

Descripción

Unusual fan shape

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

shaun-lee

Fecha

Abril 26, 2022 a las 04:14 TARDE NZST

Descripción

I dont know why I keep finding these turned over

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

shaun-lee

Fecha

Abril 26, 2022 a las 04:19 TARDE NZST

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Castañuela Domino (Chromis dispila)

Observ.

shaun-lee

Fecha

Abril 26, 2022 a las 04:21 TARDE NZST

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

shaun-lee

Fecha

Abril 26, 2022 a las 04:24 TARDE NZST

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

shaun-lee

Fecha

Abril 26, 2022 a las 03:35 TARDE NZST

Descripción

Large, abundant, all over me. Even following me under the kelp.

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

shaun-lee

Fecha

Abril 27, 2022 a las 02:27 TARDE NZST

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

shaun-lee

Fecha

Abril 27, 2022 a las 02:29 TARDE NZST

Descripción

I don't know why these are often upside down

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

shaun-lee

Fecha

Abril 27, 2022 a las 02:33 TARDE NZST

Descripción

Big, at least 15cm long

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

shaun-lee

Fecha

Abril 27, 2022 a las 02:35 TARDE NZST

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

shaun-lee

Fecha

Abril 27, 2022 a las 03:26 TARDE NZST

Descripción

Missing some legs

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Coralinas (Orden Corallinales)

Observ.

shaun-lee

Fecha

Abril 27, 2022 a las 02:45 TARDE NZST

Descripción

What is this? Abundant, warty and lumpy (Maybe Lithothamnion) but not hard. They were spongy to touch.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Chopa de Nueva Zelanda (Girella tricuspidata)

Observ.

shaun-lee

Fecha

Abril 27, 2022 a las 02:55 TARDE NZST

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Teniente Neozelandés (Parma alboscapularis)

Observ.

shaun-lee

Fecha

Abril 27, 2022 a las 03:17 TARDE NZST

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

shaun-lee

Fecha

Abril 27, 2022 a las 03:07 TARDE NZST

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Chopa Taurina (Kyphosus sydneyanus)

Observ.

shaun-lee

Fecha

Abril 27, 2022 a las 03:10 TARDE NZST

Descripción

Top, centre

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

shaun-lee

Fecha

Abril 27, 2022 a las 03:16 TARDE NZST

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

shaun-lee

Fecha

Abril 27, 2022 a las 03:17 TARDE NZST

Descripción

Help, I cant figure this fish out.

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

shaun-lee

Fecha

Abril 27, 2022 a las 03:22 TARDE NZST

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

shaun-lee

Fecha

Abril 27, 2022 a las 02:32 TARDE NZST

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