M.V. Mataora

The M.V. Mataora is Rarotonga's resident wreck dive, a deliberately scuttled vessel that now rests in the sheltered waters of the island's south coast lagoon, providing an artificial reef habitat that has become one of the Cook Islands' most productive dive sites. The wreck is classified as beginner-friendly, and its positioning in relatively shallow, protected water means that even newly certified divers can explore its main features safely — though more experienced divers will find plenty of detail to occupy a longer exploration. The Mataora was a former government supply vessel that served the Cook Islands for many years before being scuttled specifically to create an underwater attraction and a habitat for marine life. She now lies upright on the sandy lagoon floor in around 17 metres of water, her superstructure rising to within a few metres of the surface. This orientation makes her immediately legible as a wreck — divers can take in the full profile of the vessel from a distance in Rarotonga's typically excellent visibility, understanding the layout before moving in to explore the details. The hull of the Mataora has been colonising steadily since her sinking. The superstructure and decks are covered in a growing community of encrusting organisms — sponges, tunicates, and coralline algae providing the biological substrate that larger creatures require. Schools of glassfish have found the interior spaces, hovering in dense clouds through which predatory fish — small jacks, fusiliers, and the occasional barracuda — make periodic passes. The contrast between the silver baitfish cloud and the dark geometric spaces of the ship's interior creates some of the most photogenic scenes in Rarotonga diving. For divers keen to explore inside the wreck, the Mataora offers accessible penetration. The cargo holds and main internal spaces are open and free of entanglements, and natural light enters through hatches and broken windows, reducing the need for a torch on the main areas. The pilothouse in particular makes a rewarding visit — standing at the wheel station with light filtering in through the windows, surrounded by the encrusting growth that has softened every surface, gives a vivid sense of the transformation from working vessel to living reef. Marine life around the Mataora extends well beyond the wreck itself. The surrounding sand flats harbour garden eels that retract into the substrate as divers approach, stingrays that rest half-buried during the day, and the occasional sea snake moving with unhurried purpose across the bottom. Turtles visit the wreck regularly, and large moray eels have taken up permanent residence in the engine room compartments. Night dives on the Mataora are particularly rewarding. With darkness, the wreck transforms — crustaceans emerge from the crevices, octopuses hunt across the hull, and the glassfish clouds regroup in new formations lit dramatically by dive torches. Lionfish materialise from their daytime hiding places and take up position to ambush prey. The Cook Islands night sea is warm enough to make extended dives comfortable, and the Mataora's manageable size means you can cover the whole wreck in a single dive even at a relaxed pace.