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Site-specific terrain, depth, suitability, and species notes for Blue Maomao Arch.
Iconic shallow Poor Knights arch filled with schooling fish.
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Most visitors reach Blue Maomao Arch on charter boats running from Tutukaka.
Blue Maomao Arch is an iconic shallow arch at the Poor Knights where a short swim-through cuts through boulder-strewn reef in the Labrid Channel. It works for divers, snorkelers, and confident freedivers when conditions are settled, with schooling blue maomao, demoiselles, nudibranchs, and other temperate reef life packed into a compact site that still feels dramatic.
Conservative baseline from public research. No community dives logged yet.
Depth range, seasonality, and planning context.
Reported Depth
4m - 16m
Depth Note
The arch is shallow (less than 5 m), and the bottom contour can be followed to 30+ m.
Best Season
Year-round, with clearest water often from late autumn through winter.
Typical Conditions
Sheltered bay with rocky reef; kelp bottom with some kina barrens.
Hazards, restrictions, and access requirements.
Key Hazards
Safety Notes
The arch creates an overhead environment; maintain appropriate clearance and buoyancy control. Depth increases beyond 30 m along the contour, so monitor depth and gas closely.
Access Restrictions
Blue Maomao Arch is reached by boat and sits inside the Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve, where landing on the islands is prohibited and site choice depends on charter and sea conditions.
Legal Notes
The marine reserve prohibits fishing, taking or disturbing marine life, removing material from the sea floor, and other extractive activity.
Community notes to help plan your visit.
Scuba Diving
Shallow arch area transitions to deeper diving by following the bottom contour past 30 m, with boulders and crevices throughout.
Freediving
Confident freedivers can work the shallow arch and kelpy exits when the channel is calm, but should treat it as an offshore boat site with moving water rather than a casual shore session.
Snorkeling
Blue Maomao Arch is one of the better Poor Knights snorkel sites when settled because the arch is shallow, open to the surface, and often full of schooling fish.
Use the planner to scan this week, inspect today in local time, and understand how exposure shapes conditions at Blue Maomao Arch (Bay of Islands).
Directional shelter context for incoming swell.
Species commonly reported at this site, with direct links into their wildlife guides.
Community dive logs and visit reports for this site.
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Average conditions based on logged dives & visits.
Planning answers for access, conditions, timing, and site logistics.
Last Updated
Research Sources
Site-specific terrain, depth, suitability, and species notes for Blue Maomao Arch.
Popularity, seasonal visibility range, and Blue Maomao Arch overview.
Additional depth, encrusting life, and fish behavior details for the arch.
Reserve access, protection rules, and habitat context for Poor Knights.
Blue maomao cavern context and broader fish diversity at the Poor Knights.
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