Blueskin Bay is an estuary a little over 25 kilometers north of McIntyre's Dunedin birthplace. The name Blueskin refers to the rural Otago district which includes the northern slopes of Mount Cargill, the southern slopes of the Kilmog and the townships of Doctors Point, Waitati, Evansdale, Warrington and Seacliff. The tidal lagoon of Blueskin, known in Maori as Waiputai, historically referred to a wider stretch of coast from Heyward Point to Seacliff, including Purakaunui. The name Blueskin is after Kahuti, a Maori personality of the area, whom Pakeha settlers nicknamed for the large amount of Ta moko (traditional Maori tattooing) on his body.

These days the protected Hector's Dolphins, unique to New Zealand, live in and around the bay which remains a popular site for family visits and the controlled gathering of clams. Since 1988 environmentally responsible harvesting has been carried out by Southern Clams Ltd.