Nursery Cove
Conditions & tides
Scored by DiveConnect's site-physics model
Marine forecast via Copernicus Marine. Score is a rule-based guide from swell/wind vs. the site's exposure — always dive your own assessment.
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About this site
Nursery Cove is a sheltered cove at the Poor Knights Islands, New Zealand, and suits snorkelers, freedivers and scuba divers of all levels. The back of the cove is very shallow and ends on large boulders that have fallen from the cliffs. Seals use these boulders over the winter. Large boulders are scattered through the cove and give fish plenty of places to live.
Depth runs from 4 to 18 m, with a gentle slope down to the sand line. It is easy to navigate and is a good place to practise buoyancy control while swimming around and over the boulders. The diver level is Open Water and above.
Shelter is the main advantage. Small boats may anchor in the cove, and it gives divers and snorkelers an option when sea conditions and wind make other sites inaccessible.
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Marine life is mostly small fish. Rays are sometimes found resting on the sand in the shallows and feeding in the sand deeper down, and a turtle has been seen on a couple of occasions.
The route can be extended. Out on the sand and to the left is an old anchor, now covered in life. Following the wall around to the left leads to the next site, the Labyrinth, which has channels and short swim-throughs. You then return to the shallows of Nursery Cove to complete safety stops.
Marine life here
Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.
Sea turtleSea turtleReported here · unconfirmed
New Zealand DemoiselleChromis dispilaReported here · unconfirmed
Cook's ScorpionfishScorpaena cardinalisReported here · unconfirmed
Eastern King WrasseCoris sandeyeriReported here · unconfirmed
Clown DorisCeratosoma amoenumReported here · unconfirmed
Eastern PigfishBodianus unimaculatusReported here · unconfirmed
New Zealand Black AngelfishParma alboscapularisReported here · unconfirmed- Yellowtail KingfishSeriola lalandiReported here · unconfirmed
Grey MorayGymnothorax nubilusReported here · unconfirmed
Durable tips from divers — access, hazards, marine life, facilities. For day-of conditions, use the report tool in the conditions card above.
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