Long (Kokomohua) island

This beautiful island, named after its shape and considerable length, is a protected island and is surrounded by marine reserve. The diving and snorkelling here is exceptional with fish, crayfish and paua ranging in sizes that are considered rare outside of a marine reserve.

Despite its magnificence as a scenic conservation area, the island does pose a number of dangers to boaties. There are rocks ten metres out from the north-western shore and off all points along the south-eastern shore of this island.

The islands are covered in native bush and the only beach of any size is on the south-west end. This is, however, very open to all wind.

Anchorage can be found in the bays midway along the island on the south-east side. These give shelter in W to N winds only. A stern line is necessary to be able to pull the boat out of the wind gusts coming over the top of the island.

The north-east end of the island has a long cluster of rocks and islets continuing seven tenths of a mile as an extension of the island. The islet shown nearest to Long Island is a rock about half a metre about HWS.

There is a boat passage between this rock and the islets further to the north-east. In the middle of this passage is a rock unmarked on pre-1970 charts.There is a lot of weed in the passage and it should only be used with local knowledge.

The rocks and weed continue for 500 metres below the surface north-eastwards from the last islet and terminate in a sunken rock. This rock is just to the south of a line from Cape Koamaru to the light on Motuara Island.

A safe clearance transit for the end of the reef is when The Twins are in line with the south-east end of Motungarara Island.

The southern end of the island has a reef extending to the south-west for about 120 metres with approximately two metres of water over it. 

Videos / other media

Anchorage
Good
Shelter
Good shelter in W to N winds
Depth
Deep (>10m)
Rocks/reef/sand bank warnings
Rocks & weed out from the shore (See description)
Moorings
None
Other information
The entire island is protected and is a marine reserve.
More information can be found on the Department of Conservation's website here: http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/marlborough/places/long-island-kokomohua-marine-reserve/