Explore Whangateau Harbour Geography and Wildlife

Whangateau Harbour is a stunning natural gem located on the northeast coast of New Zealand's North Island. Its unique geography is shaped by the Hauraki Gulf, which surrounds it and influences its tidal patterns.

The harbour's entrance is narrow, with a depth of about 2-3 metres, making it accessible only to smaller boats and yachts. This makes it a popular spot for sailing and fishing.

The harbour's tranquil waters are home to a diverse range of wildlife, including dolphins, whales, and penguins. These marine mammals can often be spotted swimming and playing in the harbour's waters.

The surrounding hills and islands provide a picturesque backdrop to the harbour, with native bush and trees adding to its natural beauty.

The Whangateau Harbour is a unique and fascinating place, with a geography that's shaped by its history. It's a sandspit estuary, separated from Ōmaha Bay by a sandspit where the town of Ōmaha is located.

The harbour has a relatively modern formation, dating back to the Holocene era, after the sandspit was formed. This event created a new environment for the harbour to develop.

Horseshoe Island is an exposed sand-bar located right in the centre of the harbour. I've heard it's a great spot for a scenic boat trip.

The harbour has almost complete tidal flushing, which is a key factor in its excellent water quality. This means it's one of the cleanest harbours in New Zealand.

Whangateau Harbour's tide table shows that the 1st tide of the day occurs around 3:32 am on Thursday, with a height of 2.35 m. The sun rises at 6:53 am, providing 10 hours and 51 minutes of daylight.

The tide table also indicates that the 2nd tide of the day is at 9:53 am, with a height of 0.7 m. The average temperature in Whangateau Harbour is 17°C.

Here's a breakdown of the tide times for the week:

The sun sets at 5:44 pm, and the current water temperature is 20°C.

The sun will rise at 6:53 am and set at 5:44 pm, giving us 10 hours and 51 minutes of sunshine.

The average temperature in Whangateau Harbour today is a pleasant 17°C.

This week's tide table for Whangateau Harbour is looking interesting. The first high tide of the week is at 3:32 am on Thursday, with a height of 2.35 m.

You can plan your beach activities around the tide table. The first low tide of the week is at 9:53 am on Thursday, with a height of 0.7 m.

The tide table shows that the high tide on Thursday is at 3:32 am with a height of 2.35 m. This is a good time to go for a swim or a walk along the beach.

Here's a breakdown of this week's tide times:

The tide table shows that the high tide on Thursday is at 3:32 am with a height of 2.35 m.

During this hour, high tide is typically at its peak, with water levels reaching up to 3.5 feet above mean sea level.

Low tide, on the other hand, is usually around 2.5 feet below mean sea level, leaving a significant amount of beach exposed.

The strong winds and rough seas that often accompany this time of day can make it difficult to navigate the coast.

However, the increased tidal range can also create some amazing opportunities for surfers and beachcombers.

As the tide starts to drop, the exposed beach can reveal all sorts of interesting shells and sea glass.

Whangateau Harbour has a tidal range of up to 2.73 meters, with the highest tide occurring on Monday the 28th at 7:43 pm.

The harbour experiences a mix of high and low tides throughout the day, with the first tide of the day typically occurring in the early morning hours.

On average, the first tide of the day is around 2.44 meters high, as seen on Friday the 25th at 4:29 am.

You can plan your fishing trips around the tidal cycles, with the best fishing times usually occurring during the changing tides.

Here's a breakdown of the tide times for the week:

Whangateau Harbour is home to a diverse range of marine life. This includes intertidal and subtidal reefs, which support a wide variety of benthic wildlife.

The harbour is a haven for shellfish, with dense beds of pipi (Paphies australis) found throughout the area. This makes it a popular spot for shellfish collection.

High numbers of Scutus breviculus, octopuses, and Australasian sea cucumbers live in the estuary. These creatures thrive in the harbour's unique environment.

The harbour's mangals are composed of trees rather than bushes, providing a unique habitat for the area's wildlife. This is a notable feature of Whangateau Harbour.

A number of different types of algae can be found in the harbour, which house isopoda and amphipoda. These tiny creatures play an important role in the harbour's ecosystem.

The harbour is also home to the tunnelling mud crab and different types of oyster. These species are an important part of the harbour's biodiversity.

In 2009, the area experienced a significant mortality event of cockles, resulting in an 84% reduction in the large cockle population from the previous year. This event highlights the importance of monitoring the harbour's ecosystem.