Mawai Bay is just north of Oira Bay and here you can see the full thickness of the Oira Pumice Cone. While the pumice appears massive in outcrop here you can see that there is some internal layering of the pumice with the "terraces" suggesting there is a thick layering in the unit, which steepen in dip towards the coastline. Another palaeosol evident is evident here although rather than the paleosol being directly under the Oira Cone, here there is a thin lava flow between this palaeosol and the the palaeosol beneath pumice cone in Oira Bay.
The palaeosol directly beneath the brecciated obsidian selvedge at the base of the overlying lava flow is not as well developed as the one in Oira Bay. Also, the red layer above 80 cm is the Rotoehu Ash derived from the mainland Okataina Caldera.
Close-up of the conspicously red layer consisting of the calc-alkaline Rotoehu Ash (approx 64,000 yrs B.P.), which contrasts markedly with grey and whites of the local Mayor Island tephras.
