The water supply at the Ship Cove / Meretoto jetty is currently not working, boats cannot rely on it.
The Department of Conservation will be looking into it, however they may take a few weeks to get to it.
This bay is attractive and the surrounding hills are completely covered with native bush. There is a substantial wharf here as well as toilets, fireplaces and shelters around the grassy areas along the foreshore.
A swift river comes out into the bay between the wharf and monument and holding in this area can be very poor. Water is piped to the wharf.
A marked track leads from near the wharf to Resolution Bay. This track tends to be muddy and is through native bush.
A lookout has been constructed about two-thirds of the way to the saddle on the Ship Cove side. There is a good view from the lookout and saddle. It takes about one and a half hours to walk to Resolution Bay.
Ship Cove collects considerable swell from the open sea, particularly near the wharf. The combined club mooring on the north-west side of the bay also gets some of the swell.
The mooring is safe in winds from W to NE. There is still shelter in SW winds but it can be rather gusty.
The coves from the north-east of the mooring are well sheltered in W to NE winds and miss the swell from the open sea. These coves give good anchorage with deep water close to the shore.
The only satisfactory part of Ship Cove in SE to S winds is to the eastern side of the wharf. The water is deep here and if close to the shore there is no wind. The western side of the wharf is not deep and gets progressively shallower from the wharf to the river mouth. Mooring to the wharf is prohibited.
The bay to the south of Ship Cove gives good shelter in SE to SW winds to boats anchored either swinging free or with a stern line to shore. The holding is good with a mud, sand bottom.
There is a rock close to the shore on the western side, about 200 meters north of the beach at the head of the bay. There is a combined club mooring here.
From Ship Cove to Motuara Island N sector winds tend to be very strong with frequent gusts. Winds from S semicircle also blow strongly through here, with a considerable height of sea. Yachts under sail should proceed with caution and should not be over canvassed.