This area offers fantastic and diverse diving with spectacular canyons, caves, rock faces with crevices and overhangs, large pinnacles, boulders and extensive sand flats.

There are at least 89 species of fish, 33 encrusting sponges species, 28 bryozoans and 9 nudibranchs.  The New Zealand Fur Seal also makes its home on and around these islands.

Because of the sub-tropical current flowing north and the West Auckland current going south-east the waters are home to both cooler and warm water species.

It is not uncommon to see a group of Orca travelling past in late summer.