Cook Strait - Definition and Overview

A view of Cook Strait from the summit of Mount Victoria, Wellington.

Cook Strait is the strait between the North Island and South Island of New Zealand. It is named after James Cook who was the first European to sail it. On the north side of the strait is the harbour of Wellington. On the south side are the Marlborough Sounds and Cloudy Bay.

The two large bays of Golden Bay and Tasman Bay lie on the South Island coast immediately to the west of the strait, whereas the North Island coast to the west recedes towards the giant curve of the Kapiti Coast and South Taranaki Bight. To the east of the strait, it is the south island which recedes, the coast running southwest after reaching the headland of Cape Campbell. The North Island's short south coast stretches along Palliser Bay, terminating in Cape Palliser.

Each island can clearly be seen from the other in good weather. At its narrowest point, the strait is 24 kilometres wide, this being between Cape Terawhiti in the North Island and Perano Head on Arapawa Island in the Marlborough Sounds. Ironically, at this point the South island's coast is the more northerly.

There are daily ferry services between the harbour of Picton in the sounds and Wellington, however the sea is often rough due to strong winds, especially when the wind is from the south.