Mercury Bay

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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.