Cooks Beach, Coromandel

Cooks Beach is a 3km crescent of fine golden sand with safe waters. With its coastal access it takes up some 34.08 hectares and can be reached either by foot or by boat. This cove lies to the north of Mares Leg Cove (which was washed away during a major storm in 1980) and is accessible (except at high tide) only through the Cathedral, a gigantic arched cavern which penetrates the headland between the two coves. The Cathedral which gives an air of grandeur to the whole of the beach, is about 20 metres wide by about 10 metres high and was formed by sea action. The headland is the site of an ancient Maori pa. The beach is sandy and provides an ideal picnic spot. Offshore a little way is a large pinnacle of pumice breccia known as 'Te Hoho'. Delicately sculptured by wind and water to form a most impressive and unusual sight, it looks somewhat like the prow of a large ship steaming into the beach