Jack's Bay is a small settlement in

The Catlins The Catlins (sometimes referred to as The Catlins Coast) comprises an area in the southeastern corner of the South Island of New Zealand. The area lies between Balclutha and Invercargill, straddling the boundary between the Otago and Southl ...

, an area on the southeastern corner of the

South Island The South Island, also officially named , is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand in surface area, the other being the smaller but more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasma ...

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...

. It is located six kilometres southwest of

Owaka Owaka is a small town in the Clutha District of South Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand. It is the largest community in the rugged, forested Catlins area, close to the border with Southland, some south of Balclutha on the Southe ...

, close to the mouth of the

Catlins River The Catlins River flows southeastward through The Catlins, an area of the southern South Island of New Zealand. Its total length is , and it flows into the Pacific Ocean at the holiday settlement of Pounawea, south of Balclutha. Its upper estua ...

. A popular holiday spot with a seasonal population, there are numerous cribs (

holiday homes A holiday cottage, holiday home, vacation home, or vacation property is accommodation used for holiday vacations, corporate travel, and temporary housing often for less than 30 days. Such properties are typically small homes, such as cottage ...

) at the settlement. Jack's Bay is noted for a large

blowhole Blowhole may refer to: * Blowhole (anatomy), the hole at the top of a whale's or other cetacean's head *Blowhole (geology), a hole at the inland end of a sea cave **Kiama Blowhole in Kiama, Australia **The Blow Hole, a marine passage between Minst ...

, known as Jack's Blowhole, a 55-metre-deep blowhole that formed when part of a sea cavern's roof collapsed. The blowhole is 200 metres from the sea. The bay, blowhole and nearby Tuhawaiki Island (sometimes called Jack's Island) are all named after Hone Tūhawaiki (also known as Bloody Jack), a paramount chief of Kai Tahu. After losing a battle with one of

Te Rauparaha Te Rauparaha (c.1768 – 27 November 1849) was a Māori rangatira (chief) and war leader of the Ngāti Toa tribe who took a leading part in the Musket Wars, receiving the nickname "the Napoleon of the South". He was influential in the origin ...

's scouting parties at Cannibal Bay, he was trapped with his men on False Island. Tūhawaiki escaped by leaping from the cliffs into the sea and swimming eight kilometres to Tuhawaiki Island.

References

External links

Jacks Blowhole on the DoC-Website
Populated places in Otago The Catlins Bays of Otago Clutha District Articles containing video clips {{Otago-geo-stub