Mercury Bay
1178027
123047933
2007-04-15T19:25:11Z
SmackBot
433328
Date/fix the maintenance tags
{{Unreferenced|date=April 2007}}
'''Mercury Bay''' is a large V-shaped bay on the eastern ([[Pacific Ocean]]) coast of the [[Coromandel Peninsula]] in [[New Zealand]]. The bay's mouth is ten kilometres in width, and its rugged coastline covers some 20 km.
The central point of the bay is occupied by the small town of [[Whitianga]], and a natural harbour is formed by an arm of the bay which extends inland for a further six km.
Several small islets are located at the southern and northern extremities of the bay, and the [[Mercury Islands]] are 10 km to the north.
The bay's waters are highly regarded for [[game fishing]], and fish such as [[marlin]] can be found in the region. The bay is also widely known for its [[yachting]]. The Mercury Bay Yacht Club was the challenging club in New Zealand's first challenge for the [[America's Cup]], in [[1988]].
At the eastern end of Cook's Beach is a small [[plinth]] in memory of [[Captain James Cook]]'s landing and observation of the [[transit of Mercury]].
==External links==
* [http://www.whitianga.co.nz/mercurybay.html Visitor Information]
{{coor title dm|36|47|S|175|48|E|region:NZ_type:waterbody}}
[[Category:Bays of New Zealand]]
[[Category:Thames-Coromandel]]
{{Waikato-geo-stub}}