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• a dark mask with safety glass windows, so that the sky won't reflect from the front glass to cause annoying glare.
• full-foot fins that protect your heels in case you step on a spiny sea urchin. Fins that are supple and springy to give you the best propulsion for the least effort, and that don't break or rip when you need them most. Fins give you so much more swimming power than without, that they must be considered essential safety equipment.
• a full fitting wetsuit made of 5mm neoprene rubber, protecting 8/9th of your body against loss of heat, while protecting against stings and scratches and UV sunburn. These wetsuits provide full flotation that is evenly spread over the length of your body, so you cannot drown. They give you the ultimate protection, allowing you to get more fun by being in the water for a much longer time. When the water is still cold, ask for a free hood to prevent heat loss through neck arteries and head.
• if you fancy diving down, also ask for a weight belt to compensate for the natural flotation of the suit. The amount of lead weight varies for body size (amount of neoprene rubber) from 4kg to 10kg.

Most people do not stray far from the beach, reason why many fishes are attracted there. But the water near the beach is usually murky, clearing as you swim further out. The environment also becomes more natural, even if this means fewer fish. Here is some advice:

The currents in the channel are never dangerous but they could be a nuisance during spring tides. Swim close to the rocks for minimum currents. If necessary, use your hands to pull yourself along. Remember that you can get out of the water in many places.
Goat Island forms a barrier to waves and swell and you can usually swim or dive in its shelter. But avoid the white water areas where the water runs swiftly over submerged rocks. Here you could easily be swept into a most uncomfortable situation. Should you need to get out on a rock, take your time and find the most sheltered and accessible spot. Remember that there's always a better spot to be found. Look where the urchins are and where to put your foot. Take one fin off. Let the waves push you up. Put your foot down firmly and stand upright in one motion. Let the waves wash back past you before clambering up the rock. NEVER crawl out of the water on your knees!

Here are some DOs and DON'Ts to help you:

• Have patience with the suits, zips and straps and flipper insteps; They rip easily. Help your kids.
• Don't walk on the fins. At least, walk backward.
• Before wetting your mask, spit into it thoroughly and rub the saliva all over the inside windows. Then rinse with one swoop only. Wet your face to cool it and to reduce perspiration.
• Keep your tongue up as if saying T or D to avoid drops of water shooting into your wind pipe.
• To clear your snorkel, blow hard with a 'D' sound. The best way is to gently blow it empty while under water and at the same time pushing it up through the surface.
• To clear the water out of your mask, look UP. Push the glass onto your face above your nose. Blow gently into the mask. The water will run out.
• Before going far, make sure you have the right amount of weight and that you feel comfortable.
• Don't get too cold. Think of the return swim. Make sure you have a warm wetsuit.
• Go where the waves are minimal.
• Don't crawl over the sharp rocks or sit on them because that could wreck a wetsuit instantly.

Take time to make sure you have the right amount of lead on your weight belt. Do as follows:

• Go into chest-high water and try to float in an upright position. You may have to let the water run into your wetsuit and bubbles out of your wetsuit.
• Breathe in as far as you can. You must now float comfortably with your eyes and your nose out of the water.
• Breathe out completely. Your eyes must go under water but you may not sink. Adjust your weight until you can do 2) and 3).
• Pull your weight belt up over your chest so you can float head down while breathing through your snorkel. You must float comfortably. It is dangerous if you sink in this position. Adjust your weight belt further.

A good snorkel diver does not fight the water or the waves. One goes down effortlessly and balances oneself in the water by blowing excess air out. Here is how you go down with a 'duck-dive':

• Don't try to swim down but bring your legs up high out of the water. It is done by trying to touch your knees and then stretching out straight again. This lifts your legs up while your head stays down. The weight of your legs (one fifth of your body weight), pushes you down. At the same time, make one swimming movement with your arms.
• Hold a plant or the rocks so that you won't float up again. Now let enough air out so you can let go of the rock without floating up. Make small swimming movements to move around. Better still, pull yourself along the rocks with your hands.
• To avoid ear pain, hold your nose and close it (squeeze it). Then blow air (like a mild sneeze) until you hear your ears 'pop'. Do this before they start to hurt.

• You must have a warm suit so you won't lose energy through shivering.
• You must feel comfortable and not be afraid. There's nothing to fear.
• You must have the right weight on your weight belt.
• You must not fight the water.
• Take five deep breaths before going down.
• You must remember that it gets better after the first few horrible attempts.

f015803: the Goat Island beach at low tide looks wide, but at spring high tide, disappears almost completely. It is easy to go in the water from here, but there are two other good places, further to the right, past the rocks.

f992323: aerial view of the most interesting snorkelling area at the most sheltered end of Goat Island. roughly between the island and the beach is Shag Rock and the kelp area around it, which are always interesting.

f010221: large snapper, blue maomao and trevally await the snorkeldiver, even close to the beach.

f022121: a school of blue maomao and trevally investigating a young snorkeldiver.

The marine reserve opens our eyes to the past by showing what immense bounty our shores used to have. But the dense plankton blooms of 91-94 have destroyed much of this rich underwater life, which afterwards recovered slowly. Although these plankton blooms cycle with the El Niño weather pattern, it is likely that they will become worse with time. See what the future holds in store: The kelp bed disappeared deeper than 10m but bounced back and expanded; many fish stocks have been depleted, such as blue maomao, trevally, demoiselle, jack mackerel, koheru, kahawai, spotty and even snapper, but those who remain are friendly. Most sponges and seasquirts have disappeared. Vertical rock walls now look barren, lacking the dense cover of anemones, bryozoa and hydroids they once had. See also how the seascape is recovering: there are big snapper awaiting you in the Goat Island Channel as well as schools of blue maomao and other locals.

It is safe diving from Goat Island beach but you will be able to dive only the sheltered shallow underwater community. For the legendary crayfish and pelagic fish, you will need a boat and dive North Reef, Tabletop Rock or Floor's Reef. The dented coastline offers many alternative dive spots to suit the weather and waves. Experienced divers can dive the world-famous caves under Leigh Reef. A guide and powerful lights are recommended. This dangerous dive can only be done by experienced divers in small groups.

Several dives can be made without a boat: The Whangateau Estuary can be dived from Ti Point Wharf at high tide. Here one can marvel at 6m high flexible weed 'trees' with countless baby fish and mature parore; schools of jack mackerel, yellow-eyed mullet and trevally. Interesting dives can be made in and outside Matheson's Bay to search for well-camouflaged life. The sheltered reefs around Leigh Harbour can be dived from the rock shelves at its entrance.
 
 

f030211: a diver and a large snapper in the Goat Island marine reserve.

f035736: you may even see the 40-year old snapper 'Monkeyface'

• Read the tips for snorkelling above.
• The currents in the channel are never dangerous but they could be a nuisance during spring tides. Swim close to the rocks for minimum currents. If necessary, use your hands to pull yourself along. Remember that you can get out of the water in many places. Currents in the channel are entirely unpredictable and do not stop at high and low tide, as they are usually wind-driven. A strong westerly wind can cause an inconvenient rip through the channel. On the far side (seaward side) of the island one can get into strong tidal currents.
• Goat Island forms a barrier to waves and swell and you can usually swim or dive in its shelter. But avoid the white water areas where the water runs swiftly over submerged rocks. Here you could easily be swept into a most uncomfortable situation.
• Beach diving is more exerting than boat diving, so make sure you have a suitable level of fitness. Most effort is spent walking while carrying your gear, and entering the water. Once you are in the water, swim some distance (10-20m) out from the beach and rocks, and have a thorough rest until your breath stabilises befor diving under.

• Don't lie in the wave wash at the beach, with dive gear on, as this introduces sand in regulator and buoycomp valves, possibly rendering them inoperable.
• Divers: come up frequently to see where you are. Plan your return trip under water, as surface swimming can be exhausting.
• When walking out of the water, join shoulders firmly two by two and walk backward. In this manner you have essentially four legs, so you can't fall.

Dr Floor Anthoni has developed a new snorkelling method aimed at the recreational skindiver rather than the spearfisher and hunter. You will learn to overcome inborn and natural fears and you will discover how your body reacts when you stop breathing. You will learn how to hold your breath and how to hold it longer. You will learn how to preserve energy and eventually you will be able to stay down for a minute or more. You will learn a number of tricks that make snorkeldiving so much more enjoyable and you will have ample opportunity to rehearse these and to train yourself. Read more about advanced snorkelling without fear.

In the meantime you will be able to observe a vast variety of fish from the mangrove habitat to the exposed reef. You will also be able to feed the fish and with your newly acquired techniques, enjoy this better.

Our new technique gives surprising results but you must be confident in the water, although you don't need to be a good swimmer. You must be happy with a mask on your face while breathing through a snorkel, but this is acquired easily. You must also be able to compensate your ears by closing your nose and 'sneezing' lightly. This makes your ears go 'click'. Only then will you be able to go down deeper than 2 metres. You need to have a thick wetsuit in order to stay warm and a weightbelt, mask, snorkel and fins but all equipment can be hired from SEAFRIENDS.

Book now but allow for weather conditions.

Ph 094226212, SEAFRIENDS, Goat Island Road, Leigh R.D.5, Northland.