Cape Rodney-Okakari Point Marine Reserve, usually shortened to Goat Island, is the reason Leigh belongs on the map. Created in 1975, it was New Zealand's first marine reserve, and the protected reef now gives casual snorkellers a close look at snapper, kelp forest, and rocky-shore life.
The best days are calm and clear. You can enter from the beach, hire gear nearby, or take a glass-bottom boat if you want the fish without the cold water. Fishing is not allowed inside the reserve, which is exactly why the marine life is so visible.