Scuba divers know in temperate waters if the water is clear one must go deeper to find colours. I was quite surprised during my dive near Leigh when I found this cute sponge garden in just 10 metres of water. The sponges were not that big and they covered just a couple of square metres, yet their shapes and colours reminded me of the beauty of southern temperate Pacific.
Various colourful sponges scattered on flat rocky reef with growth of brown kelp Ecklonia radiata. Location: Leigh New ZealandYellow nipple sponges and orange tree-like sponge on rocky reef under canopy of kelp forest. Location: Leigh New ZealandColourful sponge garden on rocks covered with kelp Ecklonia radiata with young Australasian snapper swimming above bottom. Location: Leigh New ZealandSmall shrub of orange finger sponge Pararhaphoxya sinclairi hiding in shade under kelp fronds. Location: Leigh New Zealand
