The harbour is a small, well-protected inlet ringed by bush-covered hills, with a marina that hosts the dive boats and a handful of game-fishing charters. It is the obvious place to start the day in Tutukaka — a coffee on the deck, a walk along the wharf to see what the night's catch looks like, and then a boat at 8 am out to the Poor Knights.
Schnappa Rock and the Tutukaka Coast Hotel sit on the slope above the marina, both with broad outdoor decks looking down over the harbour entrance — useful spots for an end-of-day beer once the boats are back in.