This area has steep hills running down to the water’s edge and is deep close to shore. Rocks fringe the shore-line but generally there are no outlying dangers. Apart from the head of Cannibal Cove and some parts of Anakakata Bay, there are no beaches.
NW to N winds tend to become accelerated in this area and often blow up to twenty knots stronger than the main wind speed in Cook Strait.
This increased wind force is felt up to a mile from shore and yachts will usually find better sailing conditions well off this coast in N sector winds.
The area also tends to be very gusty in strong conditions. In NW to N winds, the sea is relatively calm close to shore from Cannibal Cove to Cape Jackson.
The northern part of Anakakata Bay has several rocks out from the shore and the coast here should be given a clearance of at least 100 meters.
In strong winds there can be dangerous tiderips and overfalls close to Waihi Point. These can be worse than the seas off Cape Jackson for the same wind conditions.
Little Waikawa has reasonable shelter in winds NE flow and shelter from these winds if under 25 to 30 knots.
There are 2 private moorings in the head of little Waikawa Bay which again with permission from owners are quite good in the above wind condition
