Hazard spot
Cook Strait
Tidal stream and wind almost always oppose each other between the islands. The crossing is timed for slack water.
- Cause
- Strong current and cross seas
- Main season
- all year
- Position
- 41° 18,0' S 174° 30,0' E
On the map
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How the place works
The strait between New Zealand's North and South Islands acts as a nozzle for the westerlies of the Roaring Forties, and the tidal stream runs across it at several knots. Wind against tide builds a steep sea in the narrows, and the change from calm to unsailable takes hours.
What breaks there
Slamming loads on fittings and steering gear while crossing, plus damage in the harbours of Wellington, where the wind stands even at the berth. The ferries cross to fixed schedules and do not give way.
What this means for your policy
For many blue water policies New Zealand is the accepted harbour for the cyclone season, which makes this crossing compulsory. Settle whether a minimum crew is required and how the policy treats racing.
Read this in fullCruising range
This spot lies in the cruising range the calculator lists under this step: Worldwide
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