Kick-butt underwater gardens- diving the arches at the Poor Knight Islands

Diving the bottom of the arches at the Poor Knights Islands kicks the butt of any flower garden I've ever seen for colour and beauty- except most of what you are looking at down there are colonies of animals not plants...the diversity of life, shapes and colors is staggering!! Diving these arches gives you an insight into what you would see diving way beyond recreational diving depths. The constant lack of light allows large colonies of animals to thrive that would not normally be seen in such shallow water.

Last week I spent the day out at the Poor Knights Islands with Dive Tutukaka. Here's a little snippet of the footage that I shot 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nD5UxqmpJNg

Also here are some of Craig Anderson's pics that he shot while diving together 

If you're ever diving the arches and you want to see these colors make sure you take a good torch... it's dark down there!!

Go well

Steve

I've just been away with the Sir Peter Blake Trust, Young Blake Leaders expedition to the Kermadec Islands.

30 Kiwi students were handed picked from hundreds of applicants to head out to NZ's northern most territory (about 1000km NE of Auckland city) on board the HMNZS Canterbury. This trip of a lifetime was organized by the Sir Peter Blake Trust and generously hosted by the NZ Navy.
Joined with some of NZ's most outstanding leaders, marine scientists, journalists, TV crew and a virtual field class of thousands. They experienced these remote pristine islands for themselves....I had the privilege of filming their "in water" experience.

Check out more about the expedition here:
http://www.sirpeterblaketrust.org/kermadecs-expedition/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFCp3cI7fGg

Turtle release at the Poor Knight Islands.mov

Yesterday I headed out to the Poor Knights on board Dive Tutukaka's mother ship "Perfect Day" to film the release of 2 turtles that had received rehab from Kelly Tarltons Underwater World.

It's always a fun day hanging out with good mates at one of the best diving locations on this planet... but seeing these turtles happily settling into their new surrounds took it to a whole different level!!