Setting This bay is the only sheltered harbour between
Greymouth, north, and
Milford Sound, south (although "sheltered" is a relative term, as it is fully exposed to northerly storms). The waters off the coast are particularly productive, marking the convergence of the cool
West Wind Drift and the warm Westland Current. The westernmost point of Jackson Bay is marked by the headland Jackson Head; in the northeast the end of the bay is less well defined, but corresponds roughly with the mouths of the
Turnbull and
Okuru Rivers. The small
Open Bay Islands Taumaka and Popotai lie off the coast at this point. The bay marks a major change in the terrain of the west coast. To the north, narrow fertile plains lie between the mountains and the sea, allowing for dairy and deer farming. To the south, the coastal plains disappear as the land becomes steeper and more mountainous. Within , the first of the deep
glacial valleys that further south become the fiords of
Fiordland start to become evident, with
Lake McKerrow at the foot of the
Hollyford Track. From the junction with State Highway 6 at
Haast, to the northeast, a small road travels southwest, crosses the Okura and
Waiatoto Rivers, turns northwest after crossing the Arawhata River|Arawhata (or Arawata) River, and terminates at the settlement of Jackson Bay.
Climate == Economy ==