Kukutauwhao/Lighthouse Bay

35°36′.716S 174°32′.567E

Kukutauwhao (Lighthouse) Bay sits just inside Tutukaka Harbour, on the northern side of the entrance. The bay is sheltered from most of the Ocean swells except from the south-east, although big easterly swells wrap around and into the bay as well. There is a reasonable fetch across the harbour so the bay can get some surface chop in strong south westerlies.
Tutukaka harbour suffers from high levels of siltation and sedimentation from the surrounding catchment, however due to its location near the harbour entrance this bay is somewhat less affected than the rest of the harbour.
Site description:
Site length: 270m
Depth range: Intertidal to 12m. There is substantial sub-tidal reef area within the survey site, mostly fringing reef but also separate reef areas. A considerable percentage of the shallow reef area consists of broken or fractured rock, with more solid rock at lower depths. Soft bottom composition is primarily fine sand with small areas of small pebble and stone.

Surveys – Latest First

Date: 01-05-2020 Time of Survey: 09:00

Tide: LT 0715hrs, 0.9m Moon Phase: Waxing, 6 days before full moon (07/05).

Conditions: Water Temp: 19.5c Visibility: 5m Sea State: Slight East swell, calm

Wind Direction/Strength: Southeast 10knots Cloud Cover: 7/8 overcast.

Survey Team: Rob, Pippa, Janey, Glenn

Notes: Autumn survey after 5 weeks of Lockdown with no boating, diving or fishing.This is our first survey at Kukutauwhao where we have replaced the “Overall Health” assessment line with an assessment of the Mauri. (Mauri – an internal energy or life force derived from whakapapa, an essential essence or element sustaining all forms of life. Mauri provides life and energy to all living things, and is the binding force that links the physical to the spiritual worlds (e.g. wairua). It denotes a health and spirit, which permeates through all living and non-living things. All plants, animals, water and soil possess mauri. Damage or contamination to the environment is therefore damage to or loss of mauri. (Harmsworth, Awatere, 2013). The team’s impressions of Kukutauwhao today were: clean but subdued.

Results: