Taputeranga Marine Reserve is a protected stretch of sea off Wellington's south coast, beside Island Bay. It is one of the few places in the capital where you can snorkel or dive a short swim from the shore, and the Trust that looks after it runs a self-guided snorkel trail and marine education work with the Department of Conservation.
The Island Bay Snorkel Trail starts opposite 194 The Esplanade, with its car park and information panel close by. Divers come for the Yung Pen and HMNZS Wellington wrecks: the frigate was scuttled in 2005 and lies about 400 metres from shore in 21 metres of water. The reserve also has night dives at Princess Bay, schools of blue moki and kingfish, and octopus and blue cod around Ōwhiro Bay. You don't need to get wet to explore it. A QR code tour at each site and a 360-degree virtual dive, which was shown at the Documentary Edge Film Festival in 2022, let people see the marine life from home. Our view is that it is a special place to see Wellington's coastline up close.