Boat Rock is a tiny sandstone island in the Waitematā Harbour of Auckland, New Zealand.

[3][4] Te Nihokiore is likely a metaphor for how the rocks remain sharp despite being battered by the sea, similar to a rat's tooth.

[4] The island is the namesake of the Waitematā Harbour, which literally means "Waters of Te Mata".

[5] The name Waitematā originally only referred to the upper harbour area near Boat Rock.

[6] Boat Rock was traditionally used as a rohe marker, designating the boundary of influence between different Tāmaki Māori iwi.