13)Mercury Islands. Reefs, pinnacles, caves, drop-offs and islands. Some of the best areas are Whale Rock, Black Rock,s Danger Rocks Twins South Sunk Rock Muhurangi Island Castle Rock Richard's Rock Never Fail Rock Red Mercury Opito Bay and Otama. The whole are covers a very wide range of marine life and a huge variety of dive sights.

14)Alderman Islands 12km offshore Tairua. Deep, scenic, protected islands. Abundant marine life. Great shallow dives. Wall dives. A number of pinnacle dives with game fish. Dogger Reef rises to 15m. Sugar Rocks. Tairua Reef - 22m offshore, black coral. This is one of my favorite easy to get to sites.

15)Mayor Island 50/50 marine Reserve and take zone makes this a fine location for any diver. My favorite here is Tahua Reef that is dead pretty at the same time good for the odd cray. Mayor Island is an old volcano and cliffs made of obsidian (volcanic glass) are common.

16)Motiti Island. Sea 23km from Mt Maunganui. Great range of dive sites, always somewhere to shelter no matter what the weather. Abundant marine life. Also home of the wreck of the Taioma a 30 meter tug sunk on flat sand for divers. My favorite dive out here is Astrolabe Reef which lies north towards Mayor Island.

17)White Island. A still active volcanic island 48km out from Whakatane. Compares favorably to the Poor Knights with beautiful walls and pinnacles. The Island itself is worth a walk around but be careful as there are no marked tracks between the bubbling hot pools.