Cathedral Caves, Catlins, South Otago, South Island, New Zealand

Welcome to Cathedral Caves

Catlins, South Otago, South Island, New Zealand

Situated just off the Southern Scenic Route, Catlins, New Zealand at the northern end of Waipati beach, south of Tautuku.

From the car park at the end of the 2km access road (an old logging road) there is a pleasant 20 minute walk through natural podocarp and kamahi forest, over a metalled track leading down to a 10 minute walk along Waipati beach. At the south end of Waipati beach is Chaslands Head, the historic Catlins site of the shipwreck of The Otago.

The access gate to Cathedral caves is opened and closed approximately 2 hours before and after low tide depending on daily sea conditions.
Access is not available before 7.30 am or after 8.30pm.
In the event of either unsafe access or tidal conditions the access gate will remain closed in the interest of public safety.
A road /track user fee is charged to maintain and upgrade the facilities most of which are on privately owned land administered by the Tautuku Block X Section 3C Trust.

Freak waves can occur even at low tide.

Low Tide Times 2009

February			March			April			May
1	S	1322	1	S	1212	1	W	1342	1	F	1337
2	M	1413	2	M	1259	2	T	1447	2	S	1442
3	T	1512	3	T	1353	3	F	1557	3	S	1546
4	W	1620	4	W	1456	4	S	1705	4	M	1645
5	T	1730	5	T	1607	5	S	*1707	5	T	1739
6	F	1836	6	F	1718	6	M	1802	6	W	1829
7	S	1936	7	S	1823	7	T	1852	7	T	1916
8	S	2031	8	S	1921	8	W	1939	8	F	2000
9	M	0858 2112	9	M	2013	9	T	0759 2024	9	S	0819
10	T	0946	10	T	0837 2102	10	F	0843	10	S	0901
11	W	1033	11	W	0924	11	S	0925	11	M	0942
12	T	1119	12	T	1008	12	S	1007	12	T	1024
13	F	1205	13	F	1052	13	M	1050	13	W	1107
14	S	1252	14	S	1135	14	T	1134	14	T	1151
15	S	1341	15	S	1220	15	W	1222	15	F	1238
16	M	1435	16	M	1306	16	T	1315	16	S	1328
17	T	1535	17	T	1357	17	F	1413	17	S	1420
18	W	1640	18	W	1454	18	S	1513	18	M	1513
19	T	1742	19	T	1559	19	S	1608	19	T	1606
20	F	1835	20	F	1702	20	M	1657	20	W	1658
21	S	1921	21	S	1757	21	T	1742	21	T	1748
22	S	2002	22	S	1844	22	W	1826	22	F	1838
23	M	2040	23	M	1926	23	T	1910	23	S	1928
24	T	0900 2117	24	T	2005	24	F	1954	24	S	2019
25	W	0935	25	W	0825 2044	25	S	2039	25	M	0841
26	T	1011	26	T	0902	26	S	0859	26	T	0933
27	F	1049	27	F	0941	27	M	0947	27	W	1026
28	S	1128	28	S	1022	28	T	1038	28	T	1122
			29	S	1105	29	W	1133	29	F	1220
			30	M	1152	30	T	1233	30	S	1320
			31	T	1244				31	S	1421

Low Tide Times 2008 - 2009

October			November			December			January
1	W	10.26am	1	S	11.16am	1	M	11.31am	1	T	12.23pm
2	T	11.06am	2	S	11.55am	2	T	12.10pm	2	F	1.05pm
3	F	11.45am	3	M	12.36pm	3	W	12.52pm	3	S	1.51pm
4	S	12.24am	4	T	1.21pm	4	T	1.37pm	4	S	2.42pm
5	S	1.07pm	5	W	2.12pm	5	F	2.26pm	5	M	3.40pm
6	M	1.56pm	6	T	3.09pm	6	S	3.20pm	6	T	4.43pm
7	T	2.54pm	7	F	4.08pm	7	S	4.18pm	7	W	5.47pm
8	W	4.00pm	8	S	5.05pm	8	M	5.16pm	8	T	6.50pm
9	T	5.02pm	9	S	5.57pm	9	T	6.14pm	9	F	7.49pm
10	F	5.55pm	10	M	6.47pm	10	W	7.10pm	10	S	8.21am8.45pm
11	S	6.41pm	11	T	7.36pm	11	T	8.04pm	11	S	9.14am
12	S	7.25pm	12	W	8.03am	12	F	8.30am8.58pm	12	M	10.06am
13	M	7.47am	13	T	8.53am	13	S	9.28am	13	T	10.55am
14	T	8.31am	14	F	9.46am	14	S	10.21am	14	W	11.45am
15	W	9.16am	15	S	10.35am	15	M	11.13am	15	T	12.34pm
16	T	10.02am	16	S	11.27am	16	T	12.06pm	16	F	1.25pm
17	F	10.50am	17	M	12.22pm	17	W	1.00pm	17	S	2.18pm
18	S	11.40am	18	T	1.20pm	18	T	1.55pm	18	S	3.14pm
19	S	12.34pm	19	W	2.21pm	19	F	2.53pm	19	M	4.14pm
20	M	1.33pm	20	T	3.24pm	20	S	3.52pm	20	T	5.15pm
21	T	2.39pm	21	F	4.27pm	21	S	4.51pm	21	W	6.13pm
22	W	3.48pm	22	S	5.25pm	22	M	5.48pm	22	T	7.04pm
23	T	4.54pm	23	S	6.18pm	23	T	6.40pm	23	F	7.50pm
24	F	5.53pm	24	M	7.06pm	24	W	7.28pm	24	S	8.15am8.31pm
25	S	6.45pm	25	T	7.51pm	25	T	8.12pm	25	S	8.54am9.10pm
26	S	7.32pm	26	W	8.16am8.33pm	26	F	8.37am8.53pm	26	M	9.31am
27	M	7.57am8.15pm	27	T	8.58am9.14pm	27	S	9.17am	27	T	10.05am
28	T	8.40am	28	F	9.37am	28	S	9.55am	28	W	10.40am
29	W	9.21am	29	S	10.16am	29	M	10.31am	29	T	11.17am
30	T	10am	30	S	10.53am	30	T	11.07am	30	F	11.55am
31	F	10.38am				31	W	11.44am	31	S	12.36pm

DISCLAIMER

The Trust at all times attempts to keep the public informed as to safety issues relating to Waipati Beach/Cathedral Caves however, as local weather and sea conditions can change rapidly the public are warned that they need to be aware of and are personally responsible for their immediate personal safety at all times.

Accordingly the Trust takes no responsibility for any personal injury or property damaged whilst on the foreshore (beach).

The Trust accepts no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information contained in these tables which are intended as a guide only.

Cathedral Caves is not open on Christmas Day.

The caves can only be accessed at low tide.

Please ensure you refer to the tide charts.

Pictured above are the first and second caves which join. This allows you to enter one and exit through the other as you choose. The inside ceiling of the first cave reaches 30 metres in sections - making it a great place to test out your singing voice. Remember to look up as you enter and see the definite cathedral shape. Cathedral Caves, Catlins, South Island, New Zealand.

The varied colours and rock formations surround you - as you explore these natural wonders. Cathedral Caves, Catlins, South Island, New Zealand.

A torch can enhance your viewing inside the caves. If you have a torch - bring it with you. Cathedral Caves, Catlins, South Island, New Zealand.

Waipati Beach from inside the cave. Chaslands Head in the distance. Cathedral Caves, Catlins, South Island, New Zealand.

Low Tide at Cathedral Caves. Cathedral Caves, Catlins, South Island, New Zealand.

Links

www.newzealandnz.co.nz

Additional Photographs,

Cathedral Caves,

Catlins, New Zealand