Luke Rock marked by a white beacon with a green flashing light stands at the entrance to this bay. There is deep water all around the beacon but with some weed to the NE side where the water is only two metres deep. It is possible to take boats right up to the beacon.
The bay is one and a half miles wide and tends to act as a wind funnel for both N and S sector winds. Despite this, there are several good anchorages. The bays either side of Ratimera Point provide good shelter and holding in SW to N winds but are open to winds from E to S.
The western bay is a scenic reserve. It is a little open to wind, has a beach and a ski lane called Cherry Bay. The eastern bay has little beach, except at LW, and no foreshore. It is possible to put a stern line ashore here, if required.
As shown on the sketch a line of rocks, terminating in a dangerous sunken rock, extends 60 metres south-east from the point due to north of Ratimera Point, there is an East cardinal mark on this point. The bay to the north of this reef is good holding and shelter in N sector winds but is open to S sector winds.
The northern end of Ruakaka tends to be gusty and acts as a funnel for all winds. Holding can at times be difficult. Accordingly, this area is not recommended as an over-night anchorage.
The next bay to the south, on the eastern side of Ruakaka, has many houses on its south-east shore. The north shore has a number of coves that are excellent anchorages in N sector winds but are open to the wash from outgoing ferries. A stern line is necessary, because of the small size of the coves. There are rocks, close to the shore in these coves, that should be avoided. The head of this bay misses all except SW to W winds and is generally good holding.
