Local report on Old Woman Point visibility and marine life.
New Zealand
Boat-only kelp coast with pinnacles and swim-throughs.
Boat-only kelp coast with pinnacles and swim-throughs.
Whangarei Heads Old Women is a boat-only kelp-and-rock dive along the Whangarei Heads coastline, where the shoreline drops toward a sand line and then opens into pinnacles and swim-throughs farther out. It rewards good buoyancy and a tidy return plan, with snapper, goatfish, stingrays, moray eels, and octopus often part of the appeal.
Site Conditions
Safety Notes
Swim-throughs create brief overhead sections; maintain good buoyancy and awareness of clearance. Kelp can snag equipment, and dives reaching ~30 m require appropriate gas planning and depth experience.
Access Restrictions
Boat access only.
Legal Notes
Boat access only; keep clear of craypots and fishing gear around the Heads.
Community notes to help plan your visit.
Scuba Diving
A sloping kelp-and-rock profile leads to sand at ~12 m+ with pinnacles and swim-throughs; deeper exploration along the sand line reaches ~30 m with more prominent pinnacles.
Freediving
Freediving is only for conservative shallow attempts; the current and deeper sand-line pinnacles make scuba the better fit.
Snorkeling
Snorkeling is limited to the shallow kelp fringe; the main pinnacles sit deeper along the sand line.
Species commonly reported at this site, with direct links into their wildlife guides.
Research estimate
Research estimate
Research estimate
Research estimate
Research estimate
Last Updated
Research Sources
Local report on Old Woman Point visibility and marine life.
Operator page for the Whangarei Heads coastline and local dive logistics.
Official regional map with Whangarei Heads access and dive-support context.

Bream Rock is a deep, current-swept rock dive.

Urquharts Bay is a sheltered shore dive with a long shallow wade.