Te Whanganui-o-Hei/Cathedral Cove Marine Reserve

Boaties are allowed to explore the marine reserve as long as they follow the rules:

• no fishing or taking of any kind
• no feeding the fish or discharging anything into the water.

Do not exceed five knots within 200 m of the shore or a dive flag, or within 50 m of any other boat or person in the water.

Extra caution may be needed in some areas, especially in summer due to the number of divers and swimmers.

There are public boat ramps at Hahei Beach, Whitianga, and Cooks beach.

Commercial and private vessels, including canoes and kayaks, land on the Mautohe-Cathedral Cove beach. Anyone planning to reach the beach by the marine reserve should be aware of the tide and sea conditions before attempting to land.

Read about how to keep safe while boating.

Prevent pests from spreading

Minimises the spread of pests on land and in water by thoroughly checking and cleaning your boat and gear. Keep your favourite spots pest-free for future generations by following these guidelines: 

• Clean your hull out of the water before you leave, including the propeller and anchor.
• Clean all recreational gear including fishing and diving gear.

Check the marine pests website for more marine biosecurity information.

The marine reserve provides a unique opportunity to see what our coastal marine environment looks like without the pressures of fishing.

Snorkelling and scuba diving allows you to experience the diverse habitats and marine life that the reserve has to offer.

Visitors to the area should swim or dive in pairs. Snorkelers should wear a wetsuit and life jacket (or use another flotation device such as a boogie board) when snorkelling in the marine reserve. This is particularly important for visitors who are not strong swimmers or used to swimming in the open sea.

Read about how to keep safe while snorkelling and diving at Water Safety New Zealand's Underwater safety webpage.

Kayaking is great way to explore the reserve. Kayaks can be hired at Hahei.

Kayak from Hahei beach north along the coast to see Gemstone Bay, Stingray Bay and Cathedral Cove. There are plenty of interesting features such as caves and archways along the coastline to explore.

If you are a confident kayaker, you can kayak around the various islands in the marine reserve which are around 800 m–1 km offshore.

It is not recommended for inexperienced paddlers without supervision.

Read more about how to keep safe while kayaking.

Be alert while in the water, this is a high use area for marine vessels.