After navigating our way out of Auckland we jumped straight onto Route 1 and headed north for Goat Island Marine Reserve.  We checked into a beautiful campsite in Leigh just minutes from the shore.  It was rather late so we just cooked dinner (sausage and mash), lit a campfire and had a few beers with some other travellers (not knackers, just backpacker). 

The facilities of the campsite and the views over the reserve were awesome.  The following morning I braved the cold water and snorkeled the marine reserve but seen little more than sea weed and Red Snapper fish.

It was a brief stopover as we were keen to make our way up the coast to Tutukaka to dive Poor Knights Islands.