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MA CHERIE, WHAKATANE

Kingfish

Shortfin Moray

Button Starfish

Nudi Branc

THE MA CHERIE WHAKATANE 

Bay of Plenty Game Fishing, Bottom fishing, SCUBA Diving, Snorkelling or just having fun.

Dive n' Fish the waters of White Island and the inshore areas in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, on board the M.V Ma Cherie with skipper John "Tuna" Baker.

The Dive n' Fish team is located in the port town of Whakatane, the closest port to the famous active marine volcano "White Island" and its surrounding marine playground, including the new Volkner Rocks Marine Reserve.

Fish life is extremely abundant with massive schools of Blue Mao Mao, Pink Mao Mao, Koheru Demoiselles and many other species including Lord Howe Island Coral Fish, Yellow Banded Perch, Banded Coral Shrimps, Blue Moki, Blue fish, Golden Snapper, different species of Moray eels and many more.

Skipper "Tuna" Baker has fished and dived White island and the surrounding areas of the Bay of Plenty for over 30 years and knows all the hot spots. He has dived this area more than anyone else in the world and is often contracted by local and international scientists from universities carrying out underwater research.

The Boat
The Ma Cherie is a 13 metre live aboard displacement boat with accommodation for up to 6 charter members and 2 crew. The Ma Cherie has full sleeping facilities, galley, deep freeze and a quiet compressor for dive bottle refills.

Fishing
Ma Cherie' has held many records for fish caught in these waters. Baker Marine Charters offers exclusive fishing for both the novice and experienced angler. Yellow fin tuna, Marlin and King fish are common from November/December to late April and often into May each year. At times short billed spearfish and mahi-mahi are taken and we have held records for both of these species. We have landed yellow fin tuna up to 95 kg and Blue fin tuna to 138 kg. We offer hapuku or deep water bass fishing in the winter months. Snapper and reef fishing in the shallows all year round.

Diving
We cater for scenic dives as well as crayfish and other seafood gathering dives and we specialise in overnight diving trips.

White Island is some 50 kilometres off shore from Whakatane and lies 8km west of the White Island trench which reaches depths of up to 1219 metres. This fascinating place is brushed by the warm waters of an offshore current and offers exciting dives from pinnacles with 150 metre drop offs to cruisy reef dives.

Fantastic diving can also be had at other dive sites around the Bay from Mayor Island to inshore reef dives including the wreck of the SS Tasman near Whakatane and SS Taioma at Motiti Island. There are lots of interesting dive sites to suite your diving ability.