Admiralty Bay (New Zealand) facts for kids

Admiralty Bay is a big bay on the northern coast of New Zealand's South Island. It's found in the beautiful Marlborough Sounds, right next to D'Urville Island. This bay is famous for its history and a very special dolphin!

Exploring Admiralty Bay

This bay is one of many in the Marlborough Sounds, which has a very twisty coastline. Admiralty Bay is about 10 kilometers (6 miles) wide at its entrance. It stretches about 8 kilometers (5 miles) south into the land.

The land around the bay is almost cut in half by it. There's a narrow strip of land, only about 900 meters (2,950 feet) wide, between the end of the bay and Hallam Cove. To the northeast, the bay opens up to the Cook Strait. But to the west, there's a narrow and tricky waterway called French Pass. This is the only way for ships to enter the bay from that side.

Captain Cook's Visit

The bay got its name in March 1770 from Lieutenant James Cook. He was on his first big trip to the Pacific Ocean. After sailing all the way around New Zealand, Cook anchored his ship, the HMS Endeavour, in Admiralty Bay.

He stayed there from March 27 to 31, 1770. His crew gathered wood and water for their journey. Cook described the land as "very hilly and uneven." He said it was mostly covered with trees and plants, making it hard to travel. He found some old huts, but no one seemed to be living there at the time.

It was while Endeavour was in Admiralty Bay that Cook made a big decision. He decided to keep exploring west instead of going straight back to England. This choice led to his amazing discovery of Australia.

The Famous Dolphin: Pelorus Jack

Admiralty Bay is also well-known because of Pelorus Jack. This was a famous dolphin in New Zealand in the early 1900s. Pelorus Jack was special because he would meet ships and guide them through French Pass.

Many people believe Pelorus Jack was the first wild sea animal ever protected by law in any country. This shows how much people cared about him!