Water recreation regulations and Marlborough District Council harbour bylaws require that all vessels navigate at a proper speed not exceeding 5 knots within 200 metres of the shore.
Recognising the wide enjoyment of water-skiing, the Marlborough District Council has set aside water ski access lanes from some beaches. Vessels towing skiers, wakeboarders or similar can use these lanes to approach and depart from the shore at any safe speed.
Water ski access lanes are shown in the Cruise Guide as a specifically identified area; the 5 knot speed limit does not apply in these marked areas.
Direction of travel is anticlockwise except at Kumutoto Bay where the direction of travel is clockwise.
During summer certain areas are reserved for swimming only. Yellow buoys marked 'swimming area' are in place to indicate the location of these reserved areas.
There are swimming rafts associated with the Waikawa Bay and Picton Foreshore areas.