Eastern Great Barrier Island

Great Barrier Island, located in the Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand, offers one of the most pristine and unspoiled boating destinations in the region. While the island’s front beaches, like Tryphena and Whangaparapara, are popular for their accessible marinas and facilities, the Eastern side of the island, with its remote, rugged coastlines and untouched beauty, offers a whole new world for those seeking adventure and tranquility. Here, you’ll find quiet anchorages, abundant fishing spots, and exciting activities to enjoy.

In Westerly conditions in settled weather, the East Coast of the Barrier is Fabulous with numerous white sandy beaches and secluded coves. The fishing is awesome and if your passion is diving Cray’s can be found on almost every rocky headland. Expect some thermocline with visibility improving with depth.

Inside Moturoa Point at Arid Island is a lovely safe little cove. It’s a great place to have a nice calm lunch in anything but a northwester. The best fishing really starts from February and March and all of this area and right down the eastern coast of Arid fishes amazingly well. There are endless reefs, pinnacles, and bricks. You can expect big snapper, kingies, terakihi, trevally, hapuka, red snapper, and a bunch of other reef fish. After a day at Arid you may want to overnight back at the safe anchorage of Haratonga Bay.

Arid Island is a fishing magnet and mecca for all boats that travel down this coast, its about two nautical miles from your safe overnight anchorage at Haratonga bay. Fishing your way around the island the first place to try would be Te Akau Point on the southern end of Arid. There is a shelf that runs out some distance from this point, and bottom fishing or straylining can be very productive here. Heading up the western side of Arid is a rock that comes up to 7m. It has a good surrounding reef and is situated just a bit south of Moturoa Point.

Ultimately, the Eastern side of Great Barrier Island, has fewer spots to anchor but some awesome places to fish around the autumn months. Get out there and enjoy it – keep Riv’n the Dream!