Goat Island: Clear sky. Mild S wind. Significant N swell from tropical cyclone Ului by the Solomon Islands and another one nearby. Visibility poor to fair (3-5m); patchy; some plankton bloom. Harmless salps in the water and much broken kelp in the shallows and on the beach. Sea temperature 20ºC and a 22ºC surface layer, now gradually cooling. Cyclone Ului is strengthening (960mBar) and moving southward, hitting Brisbane tomorrow as a category 1 hurricane, and perhaps as cat2 (see storms). The swell with a period of 10 seconds is oscillating from calm to rough (which is rare). East side calm. Take utmost care when swimming as the swell is erratic. Yesterday a woman was severely lacerated when pushed over sharp rocks. Wear protective suits!
DoC has begun digging a new parking, so expect reduced visibility after heavy rains. However, utmost care is applied under constant DOC supervision. The work stalled and was not ready before Christmas.
A snorkeldiver lasts for 30-40 minutes without, but for 2-3 hours in our comfortable unisuits with hood. $28 all gear all day 9AM-7PM! Discover Goat Island. 
On Christmas day 2008, a young man drowned while not wearing a protective suit. 12 January 2009 a 12-year old girl drowned in the Pakiri surf. Don't underestimate the cold as cramp can cripple you unexpectedly. Wear the Seafriends' safety suits! Be safe rather than sorry. You are in the Pacific Ocean; not in the Hauraki Gulf!

Matheson Bay:  Calm & murky.

Whangateau estuary:  Snorkel in the Whangateau estuary around high tide, sheltered from easterlies and northerlies. Visibility at high tide 3-10m. Not monitored

Outlook: a very large high is moving into the Tasman Sea, bringing strong S winds and fine weather for Fr-Mo 12-15. As it spreads a large ridge over the North Island, winds become variable, with fine weather. But a deep low steadies itself NE, possibly sending NE swell for Tu-Th 16-18 March. This large high remains dominant over NZ for Fr-Su 19-21 with calm variable winds and fine weather. Overall very good conditions for Goat Island.

Snorkel hire: cheapest, cleanest, huge choice, many sizes and optical masks for short- and long-sightedness. Visit Seafriends at the top of the Goat Island Rd for the best deals, most choice and cleanest gear. The sea is still cold and most snorkel pleasure can be attained by wearing our fully covering 5mm wetsuits. A complete set is only $28 for the day! Stay warm, stay safe, stay out of the sun, stay comfortable in a single long safety wetsuit (unisuit). Additional hoods are free. Optically corrected masks -8 to +4 diopters. Bright night-dive torches for night snorkelling. Take a warm shower after the dive, at Seafriends. Use our SCUBA gear for beach diving and fill your tanks here for the best rates. No need to starve or go thirsty because the Seafriends Café is open 9-7 with great coffees and fresh food. Lots of information and marine aquariums to explore. Bring family and friends to camp nearby.

Help our education centre and help our local community! Remember, we are the people fighting to save our seas - YOUR sea, your children's sea. Find out why, on this web site.
Seafriends: 7 Goat Island Rd, Leigh RD5. Ph/Fx 094226212. At the top of the Goat Island Road. E-mail now.