Famous for its topside activities, Greenpeace’s flagship ship, the Rainbow Warrior, was a portable soap box for environmental protests, gaining a reputation for sabotaging environmentally unfriendly companies and governments and performing dangerous rescues of people and marine life. She was sunk dramatically in port in 1985 by the French secret service, who attached limpet mines to the hull and blew a hole in her before a planned protest of France‘s nuclear testing, she was then refloated and towed out to Matauri Bay where she was sunk in about 25 metres. She has now become a home to the marine life she was trying to protect, becoming one of New Zealand’s first artificial reefs and beautifully covered in a huge jewel sea anemone colony. You’re likely to see pink nudibranchs, soft corals tangled up in a forest of kelp supporting snapper, John Dory, leatherjackets, bigeye, trevally and goatfish. There is only one line in and out but it’s a decent length dive where even beginners will be able to see both the inside and outside, including the all important damage. Popular with historians, greenies and divers you may need to book ahead if you go in the peak season.

Written by  Andrew Marchant.

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