Walk Details

NZ Walking Routes > Marlborough > Whites Bay Short Walks

Whites Bay Short Walks

Location

Follow State highway 1 to Tuamarina (9 km north of Blenheim or 20 km south of Picton). Turn off and head east via Hunter, Pembers and Rarangi Roads to Rarangi, before climbing steeply over rugged hills to where a short side road leads down to the cable station. Whites Bay is 15 km from Tuamarina.

Alternative access involves a 41 km drive from Picton along the historic and spectacular but winding and unsealed Port Underwood Road.

Description

This historic and scenic bay is just 22 km from Blenheim. It is named after a Black American known as Black Jack White who, in 1828, deserted his whaling ship and took up residence with local Maori. They in turn had long used the bay as a base for fishing expeditions in Cook Strait.

The shoreline provides both rocky areas for scrambling and exploring and a near-flat sandy beach that is excellent for swimming, if a little cold. It is the only safe swimming spot on the Cloudy Bay coast.

(Visit the below website for further information)

Pukatea Walk (10 min)

From the uppermost camping area, the Pukatea Walk meanders down to the cable station alongside the stream. It passes through a relatively moist and diverse piece of forest.

Black Jack Track (30 min one way)

The track climbs to a superb viewpoint on the edge of a bluff where Port Underwood, Cook Strait and Cape Campbell can be seen (children should be closely supervised here). Return the same way or complete a longer, loop track option by winding slowly down through regenerating forest. Allow about an hour (return) to climb up to the lookout point or 90 minutes to complete the loop.

Rarangi Bay–Whites Bay Track (1 hr one way)

The Rarangi-Whites Bay Track is a 1 hr tramping standard track which must be walked both ways unless transport is arranged. It zig-zags up from Whites Bay to the Port Underwood Road through a pine plantation, then follows the road for about 500m before descending to Rarangi, near the Monkey Bay track.

Rarangi/Monkey Bay (20 min return)

This coastal reserve has opportunities for both day and overnight visitors. A short walking track leads from the northern end of Rarangi Beach around a rocky point and into Monkey Bay with its small beach. A lookout point near the beginning of the track offers good views and has signs explaining the way that sea currents have formed Rarangi Beach over thousands of years.

Level

Medium

Amenities

• Fishing
• Historical
• Lookouts
• Picnics
• Swimming
• Toilets

Source

www.doc.govt.nz

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