I spent a day volunteering my photography skills with the Ngā Motu Marine Reserve Society , supporting their Experiencing Marine Reserves (EMR) programme. Their community snorkel day was a genuinely positive and inspiring way to encourage whānau, rangatahi, and individuals to connect with our oceans and the life they support.
The Ngā Motu Marine Reserve Society is dedicated to fostering healthy Taranaki marine and coastal environments through education, science and advocacy. It is the local delivery partner for the EMR programme, which was developed by The Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust to provide hands-on opportunities for people to safely explore and better understand our marine environments.
Rachel Eckersley, Taranaki Coordinator for Experiencing Marine Reserves, did an outstanding job—alongside Rob—training newsnorkel guides ahead of the day. This preparation gave guides the knowledge, confidence, and consistency needed to lead the sessions effectively and safely.
The snorkel day ran with three rotating groups. While we were close to a marine reserve, the programme was based at Ngamotu Beach, as accessing the islands was not a feasible or safe option, especially for beginners. People are often surprised by the sealife found right here in the port harbour and participants had an excellent time exploring the nearby reefs, fish, and plant life. Given that visibility in this area can often be variable, we were fortunate with relatively calm conditions, good clarity, and plenty of sunshine.
To document and celebrate the experience, I used a mix of equipment including a Canon R5, a TG-6 in housing with a 120 mm port and strobes, a GoPro with dome port, and a Mavic 4 drone—capturing a wide range of perspectives from above and below the water.
The guides, volunteers, and participants all did a fantastic job. Feedback from the day included:
“Everything was great. I learnt to snorkel and about different sea life. Walking backwards in flippers was funny.”
“You should do this more!”
“Amazing guides and volunteers—thank you.”
“I loved going out with the kids and watching them dive down exploring for fish and seaweed.”
“It was great to see the kids’ confidence grow—from never having snorkelled before to swimming back confidently without the board.”
Everyone can take action, and whether small or large, it all makes a difference. One example is supporting efforts to stop destructive fishing practices such as bottom trawling—one of the most damaging methods still in use.
If you’re interested in getting involved, I encourage you to connect with the teams doing this important work for our marine environments. The ocean truly is the engine room of our planet. Protecting it means stopping bottom trawling, preventing commercial fishing in marine reserves, and establishing many more fully protected areas.
Stay involved by:
· Following the Ngā Motu MarineReserve Society on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with upcoming events.
· Volunteering or donating to Experiencing Marine Reserves (EMR), delivered in Taranaki by the Ngā Motu Marine Reserve Society. EMR runs free and subsidised community events and school programmes throughout the year.
· Supporting local conservation projects via the Wild for Taranaki action hub.
· Learning more about the TapuaeMarine Reserve, Parininihi Marine Reserve, and the Ngā Motu / Sugar LoafIslands Marine Protected Area.
· Visiting the Reef Alive exhibition at Puke Ariki. Also check out Project Reef South Taranaki.
· Talking to your school about participating in the EMR school programme (Years 6 and up).
If you have ideas for collaborations or future event locations, please get in touch. Together, we can continue to protect and celebrate our marine environments.
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