Denham Bay facts for kids

In this satellite view of Raoul Island, north is at top left. The deep indentation of Denham Bay stretches along the west coast, seen here at lower left.

Denham Bay is a big bay located on the western side of Raoul Island. This island is part of New Zealand's Kermadec Islands, which are a chain of islands in the Pacific Ocean. Denham Bay stretches all the way along the west coast, from the northern tip to the southern end.

Discovering Denham Bay

Denham Bay gets its name from Captain Henry Mangles Denham. He was a captain of a ship called HMS Herald. In July 1854, Captain Denham made maps of Raoul Island. The bay was also named after his son, Fleetwood James Denham. Sadly, Fleetwood passed away at age sixteen from a tropical fever. He was buried near the beach in Denham Bay.

The Denham Caldera: A Volcanic Past

Denham Bay is not just a beautiful bay; it's also linked to a huge volcanic feature. The bay gave its name to the Denham caldera. A caldera is like a giant bowl-shaped hollow. It forms when a volcano erupts with great force and then collapses inward. The Denham caldera was created about 2,200 years ago by a very powerful volcanic eruption. This shows that Raoul Island has an active volcanic history.