Foveaux Strait

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Foveaux Strait
Māori: Te Ara-a-Kiwa
Overview map
Map of New Zealand with a mark showing the location of Foveaux Strait
Map of New Zealand with a mark showing the location of Foveaux Strait
Foveaux Strait
Foveaux Strait separates the South and Stewart Island islands of New Zealand.
Map of New Zealand with a mark showing the location of Foveaux Strait
Map of New Zealand with a mark showing the location of Foveaux Strait
Foveaux Strait
Foveaux Strait (Oceania)
Coordinates46°40′S 168°11′E / 46.67°S 168.18°E / -46.67; 168.18
Surface area2,460 square kilometres (950 sq mi)

Foveaux Strait, (Māori: Te Ara-a-Kiwa, lit. 'the Path of Kiwa') is a strait that separates Stewart Island from the South Island of New Zealand. It is about 23.3–53.1 km (14.5–33 mi) wide, with an area of approximately 2,460 square kilometres (950 sq mi). The strait has been described as "one of the roughest and most unpredictable stretches of water in the world". Severe weather and sea conditions in the strait have contributed to multiple shipwrecks and fatalities.

The sea floor of the strait is mostly flat with patches of coarse pebble and an upfault of bedrock close by sea level, near Te Waewae Bay with depths restricted to 10–25 fathoms deep, and used to lie on dry land during the Pleistocene epoch. Captain James Cook may have sighted the strait during his circumnavigation of the South Island in March 1770 on the HMS Endeavour. It was not properly charted until 1804 by an American sealer Owen Folger Smith. Numerous whaling and sealing stations operated on the shores of the strait in the nineteenth century.

Three large bays, Te Waewae Bay, Oreti Beach and Toetoes Bay, sweep along the strait's northern coast, which also hosts Bluff township and its harbour. Across the strait lie the Solander Islands, Stewart Island, Dog Island and Ruapuke Island. The strait has been historically rich in wildlife and marine life, and is home to the Bluff oyster fish industry, the coastline notably attracts yellow-eyed penguins and Hooker's sea lions. Ferry services travel between the Stewart Island and South Islands regularly, the journey is about 32 km (20 mi) and typically takes an hour to complete.

Geography[edit]

Foveaux Strait is about 23.3–53.1 km (14.5–33 mi) wide and around 80 km (50 mi) long, with an area of approximately 2,460 km2 (950 sq mi).[1]

During the Last Glacial Period when sea levels were at least 100 m (330 ft) lower than current levels, the South Island and Stewart Island were connected by a coastal plain.[2][3][4] After sea levels began to rise 7,000 years ago, Foveaux Strait was created between the two islands.[3] The sea floor in the strait slopes towards the west, increasing in depth from around 18 m (59 ft) to 46 m (151 ft).[5][6] The sea floor is mostly flat with patches of coarse pebble and an upfault of bedrock close to sea level, near Te Waewae Bay.[6] Small amounts of Stiracolpus symmetricus shells and fine sands lie nearby, which occur of the mouths of some rivers.[7]

History[edit]

Sketch of a strait dividing the southern island of New Zealand by Owen Folger Smith, 1804
Wreck of the SS Tarurua, near Waipapa Point

Pre-European colonisation, the southern parts of the country experienced rapid Māori settlement.[8] The Māori name for the Foveaux Strait is Te Ara-a-Kiwa (or uncommonly Te Ara-a-Kewa.)[9][10] There are numerous stories about the origin of those Māori names. A favourable account, in Māori mythology, Kiwa became exhausted from crossing the isthmus which conected Southland (Murihiku) and Stewart Island (Rakiura).[11] He later requested for a whale to chew through the isthmus to create a waterway, so he could access Rakiura using a waka as a mode of transport.[12]

Captain James Cook circumnavigated the southern proximity of Stewart Island and Fiordland during his circumnavigation of the South Island on the HMS Endeavour in March 1770, but hid his discovery for reasons of military and colonial policy.[13] It is possible that Cook made an error, as his focus was on finding the southern extent of New Zealand, and conditions were unfavourable for more closely exploring the possible strait.[14][15] The strait was first properly charted by an American sealer Owen Folger Smith who had been in Sydney Harbour with Eber Bunker from whom he probably learned of the eastern seal fishery.[16] Smith charted the strait in the whaleboat of the sealing brig Union (out of New York) in 1804 and on his 1806 chart and named it Smith's Straits.[14][17] This chart was given to Governor of New South Wales, Philip Gidley King, who did not make it public, even though he was duty bound to communicate all hydrographic discoveries to the Admiralty.[18][19] Later in 1806, another American vessel Favorite collected sealskin from the area before contining its journey to Sydney through the strait, thus, being referred to as "Favourite's Strait" or "Favorite's Strait" by some.[14][20]

The sealing brig Pegasus, commanded by collected Eber Bunker, ran aground in the strait in 1809, and in the report on this in the Sydney Gazette, the strait was called Foveaux Strait, John Grono named the strait after his friend, Joseph Foveaux,[21][22] Lieutenant-Governor of New South Wales in 1808–1809.[23][24][25] Numerous whaling stations and sealing (until the 1820s) operated on the shores of the strait in the nineteenth century.[26]

Sea conditions[edit]

Foveaux Strait has been described as "one of the roughest and most unpredictable stretches of water in the world".[27] Strong westerly winds regularly blow through the strait, frequently creating swells with an average height of over 3 m (9.8 ft) and occasionally over 10 m (33 ft).[28] The tidal stream in the strait can flow at speeds of 80 cm per second and up to 120 cm per second during spring tides.[29] In 1850 the survey vessel HMS Acheron was caught in a gale in Foveaux Strait that lasted for five days. The vessel took shelter at Ruapuke Island, but Captain John Lort Stokes reported: "All this time the sea resembled a huge boiling cauldron, hissing and roaring, whilst its break over the numerous reefs by which the vessel was encompassed had an appearance awfully impressive when seen in the gloom of approaching night".[30]

The French navigator Jules de Blosseville on board a French expedition vessel Coquille, was the first person to describe the strait in detail. He wrote in 1923: "Whirlpools are frequently to be met with and the position is one of great peril when the direction of the waves is contrary to that of the wind".[31] He also compared Foveaux Strait with Bass Strait, writing that currents were "much stronger".[32] The combination of wind, tides and seafloor topography in Foveaux Strait can lead to dangerous overfalls and tidal rips. In 2009, following several accident investigations, Maritime New Zealand arranged for warning notes to be added to charts of the area.[33]

Numerous shipwrecks and capsizing ships have occurred in the strait — particularly near Waipapa Point — with the most fatal accident being in 29 April 1881, the SS Tararua struck on Otara reef 13 km (8.1 mi) off Waipapa Point,[34][35][36] Of the ship's 151 passengers, only 20 survived. This prompted a lighthouse to be built at the point.[37][38]

Lighthouses[edit]

Main articles: Dog Island Lighthouse, Puysegur Point Lighthouse, and Waipapa Point Lighthouse
Dog Island Lighthouse in the early 1900s

From the early days of European settlement it was clear that a lighthouse was needed in Foveaux Strait, but there were long discussions in the 1860s where to place it. Captains with local experience were asked for their opinion, and they suggested possible sites on Raratoka Island, Ruapuke Island, Stewart Island, Solander Islands, and Dog Island.[39] The latter was chosen as Southland's first site for a lighthouse; the recommendation was made by the Invercargill Harbour Master to James Alexander Robertson Menzies, the first Superintendent of the Southland Province.[40]

A lighthouse was also constructed on Raratoka Island (also known as Centre Island). In 1853, the island was purchased from the Māori owners. The lighthouse tower was built from kauri timber and is 12 m (39 ft) tall. It started operating from 1878.[41][42] The most remote lighthouse in Southland is the Puysegur Point Lighthouse at the northwest point of the entrance to Foveaux Strait and overlooking the Tasman Sea.[43][44] Operation of the light at Puysegur Point began in 1879.[45] A further lighthouse at Waipapa Point was established in January 1884 after the sinking of SS Taraura.[46]

Bluff oyster fishery[edit]

Main article: Bluff oyster

The type of oyster found in Foveaux Strait is also found around other parts of New Zealand. However, it is only in Foveaux Strait that the quantities are sufficient to sustain a commercial fishery that is now one of the oldest industries in New Zealand.[29][4] The oysters are harvested by a fleet of dredging boats — mostly operating from Bluff Harbour in the South Island — between March and August each year.[47][48] Oystering began on Stewart Island in the 1860s, and gradually moved into the strait with the discovery of larger oyster beds there in 1879.[49][4] The oyster quota was severely reduced in recent years due to the effects of the toxic protozoan parasites such as Bonamia ostreae on the oyster beds, which led to a rāhui being placed by local iwi in 2021.[50][51]

Transport[edit]

There are ferry services that travel between the Stewart and South Islands regularly. The journey is about 32 km (20 mi) and typically takes an hour to complete.[52][53] After World War II the Matai ship was no longer needed, and in 1941 it was first used as a ferry service to transport people accross the strait and laying the power cables, it was later sold to buyers in Singapore.[54] The ferry Wairua was launched in 1961, she was the largest New Zealand-made vessel, with a weight of 626 tons.[55]

In 1999 a Southern Air Cessna crashed into the strait after losing power to both engines, resulting in five deaths.[56]

Swimming[edit]

Not many people have swum across the Foveaux Strait, mostly due to the unpredictable weather conditions and great white sharks residing in the area.[57] The strait crossing distance is 25–30 km (16–19 mi) long.[58][59] The first known person to swim across the strait was John van Leeuwen, who completed it on 7 February 1963 in a time of 13 hours 40 minutes.[60][61]

Wildlife[edit]

The Foveaux Strait coastline often hosts New Zealand fur seals and Hooker's sea lions.[62] The strait itself hosts numerous seabirds such as, gannets, mollymawks, terns, muttonbirds, and Foveaux shags, which is endemic to the strait.[63][64][65] The strait has been historically regarded as rich for fishing,[66] with the Tītī / Muttonbird Islands nearby being significantly important to Ngāi Tahu, with large seasonal harvesting of muttonbirds.[67] With yellow-eyed penguins also occupying the area,[68][69] the penguins would usually mate ashore on Dog Island, occasionally they would go under the lightkeeper's house and irritate him with their noise,[64] the lightkeeper was also able to collect pāua in low-tide.[70] Giant petrel have been recorded in the strait, the southern giant petrel in much larger numbers rather then the northen giant petrel.[63] The gannets have one bird colony on Little Solander Island, the southernmost gannet colony in New Zealand.[71]

Citations[edit]

  1. ^ Cullen 1967, p. 13.
  2. ^ Esler, Lloyd (2020). Early Days in Foveaux Strait. Invercargill, New Zealand. p. 9. ISBN 0473538288.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  3. ^ a b "Estuary origins". National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research. Archived from the original on 2 November 2021. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Cullen 1967, p. 11.
  5. ^ Cullen 1967, p. 17.
  6. ^ a b Turnbull 2010, p. 14.
  7. ^ Cullen 1967, p. 33.
  8. ^ Bain 2010, p. 13.
  9. ^ Haami, Bradford (12 June 2006). "Te whānau puha – whales – Whales and Māori society". Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 7 January 2022. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  10. ^ W.A., Taylor (1952). Lore and history of the South Island Māori. Christchurch, New Zealand: Bascands. p. 162.
  11. ^ J.H., Beattie (1944). "Māori place-names of Otago: hundreds of hitherto unpublished names with numerous authentic traditions / told by the Maoris to Herries Beattie". Otago Daily Times. Dunedin, New Zealand. p. 77.
  12. ^ W.H.S, Roberts (17 January 1914). "Place Names of Otago and Southland". The Southland Times.
  13. ^ Cameron-Ash, M. (2018). Lying for the Admiralty. Sydney: Rosenberg. p. 139-145. ISBN 978-0-6480-4396-6.. But see also G.A. Mawer, review of Lying for the Admiralty: Captain Cook's Endeavour Voyage, The Globe, No. 84, 2018, pp.59-61; Nigel Erskine, “James Cook's False Trail: Hidden Discoveries, Altered Records”, Signals, No. 125, Dec 2018 – Feb 2019 pp.72–73.
  14. ^ a b c Bain 2010, p. 4.
  15. ^ Mawer, GA (2018). "Lying for the admiralty: Captain Cook's endeavour voyage [Book Review]". The Globe (84): 59–61 – via ProQuest.
  16. ^ Lovell-Smith, Melanie (24 September 2007). "Early mapping – Traders, whalers, missionaries: 1800–1840". Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  17. ^ "Place name detail: Foveaux Strait". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  18. ^ Howard, Basil. and Stewart Island Centennial Committee. Rakiura: a History of Stewart Island, New Zealand, Basil Howard Reed for the Stewart Island Centennial Committee,Dunedin,1940, p.22; Charles A. Begg and Neil C. Begg, Port Preservation, Christchurch, Whitcombe & Tombes, 1973, p.61; Peter Entwisle, Behold the Moon: The European Occupation of the Dunedin District 1770–1848, Dunedin, Port Daniel Press, 1998.
  19. ^ Rowe, Damian (19 June 2020). "Auckland man starts campaign to change Foveaux Strait name". Stuff. Archived from the original on 6 July 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  20. ^ Hall-Johns, John (1979). The South Explored. Invercargill, New Zealand. p. 15. ISBN 0589012568.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  21. ^ Hall-Johns, John (1979). The South Explored. Invercargill, New Zealand. p. 15. ISBN 0589012568.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  22. ^ "Place name detail: Foveaux Strait". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  23. ^ John O'C. Ross, William Stewart, Sealing Captain, Trader and Speculator, Aranda (A.C.T), Roebuck Society, 1987, p.100; Anne-Marie Whitaker, “From Norfolk Island to Foveaux Strait: Joseph Foveaux’s Role in the Expansion of Whaling and Sealing in Early Nineteenth Century Australasia”, The Great Circle, vol.26, no.1, 2004, pp.51–59.
  24. ^ McSaveney, Eileen (24 September 2007). "Nearshore islands". Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 3 May 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  25. ^ "Place name detail: Foveaux Strait". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  26. ^ Don Grady (1986) Sealers & whalers in New Zealand waters, Auckland, Reed Methuen, p.150. ISBN 0474000508
  27. ^ Levermore, Elizabeth; Arnold, Karen (20 May 2006). "Foveaux Strait passage perilous Foveaux Strait passage perilous". The Southland Times. ProQuest 330801212.
  28. ^ Gorman, Richard; Laing, Andrew K.; Bryan, Karen R. (September 2003). "Wave hindcast for the New Zealand region: Nearshore validation and coastal wave climate". New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research. 37: 567–588. doi:10.1080/00288330.2003.9517190.
  29. ^ a b Cranfield, John (March 2007). "Dire strait - Bluff oysters: Foveaux Strait's disappearing oysters". New Zealand Geographic. 084.
  30. ^ "With H.M.S. Acheron on her Early Surveys". The Star (Christchurch). No. 17889. 3 July 1926 – via Papers Past.
  31. ^ Samsara, Chris. "Foveaux Strait: Rocking, rolling, riding ..." New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  32. ^ Cullen 1967, p. 9.
  33. ^ "Foveaux Strait charts updated to reflect wave hazards" (PDF). Safe Seas Clean Seas. 28. Maritime New Zealand: 7. June 2009.
  34. ^ Bain 2010, p. 117.
  35. ^ Ingram, C.W.N. (1972). New Zealand Shipwrecks 1795–1970. Wellington, New Zealand. ISBN 9780589007157.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  36. ^ Clark, Thomas Alvah (1963). The Sea is My Neighbour – A Lighthouse Keeper's Story. Christchurch, New Zealand. p. 109.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  37. ^ Murno, Bruce (8 February 2021). "Long gone silver". Otago Daily Times. Archived from the original on 3 May 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  38. ^ Pickett, Brittany (29 April 2016). "Descendents pay respect to SS Tararua victim". Stuff. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  39. ^ Bain 2010, p. 7.
  40. ^ Bain 2010, pp. 7f.
  41. ^ Bain 2010, pp. 18.
  42. ^ Begg, A. C; Begg, N. C (1973). Port Preservation. Christchurch, New Zealand: Whitcombe and Tombs Ltd. p. 268. ISBN 0723303797.
  43. ^ Bain 2010, p. 23–25.
  44. ^ Esler, Lloyd (29 January 2010). "Remote point of light was welcome in the south". Stuff. Archived from the original on 4 May 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  45. ^ Weaver, Georgia (7 February 2022). "The lighthouse that kept Southland man Lance Thomas awake". The Southland Times. Archived from the original on 29 January 2023. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  46. ^ Murno, Bruce (8 February 2021). "Long gone silver". Otago Daily Times. Archived from the original on 3 May 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  47. ^ "High demand for recession-proof oysters". The New Zealand Herald. 2 March 2009. Archived from the original on 10 December 2023. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  48. ^ "Oysters inconsistent across the fishery". Otago Daily Times. 30 March 2024. Archived from the original on 3 May 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  49. ^ Baker, Che (11 March 2023). "Dredging for Bluff oyster gold in Foveaux Strait". Stuff. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  50. ^ Steyl, Louisa (21 March 2021). "Rāhui to be placed on Foveaux Strait after oyster parasite find". Stuff. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  51. ^ Smith, Laura (25 March 2021). "Further tests after oyster parasite found near Bluff". The Otago Daily Times. Archived from the original on 25 March 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  52. ^ McLean, Gavin (11 March 2010). "Ferries – Cook and Foveaux strait ferries". Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 3 May 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  53. ^ "Foveaux Strait: Rocking, rolling, riding ..." The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 17 December 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  54. ^ Russel, Martin Eric (1969). Marine Department Centennial History 1866–1966. Wellington, New Zealand. p. 85.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  55. ^ Esler, Lloyd (20 April 2024). "About the South: A ferry, large plough and Stewart Island". Stuff. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  56. ^ "Foveaux Strait tragedy revisited". Southland Times. 31 January 2009. Retrieved 5 May 2024 – via Stuff.
  57. ^ Searle, Jamie (1 March 2021). "Sharks show little interest in swimmer's crossing of Foveaux Strait". Stuff. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  58. ^ Chapman, Alex (12 September 2020). "Teen raring to tackle treacherous Foveaux Strait". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  59. ^ Lewis, Liz (6 June 2023). "Librarian, concert cellist completes historic Foveaux Strait swim". Newsroom. Archived from the original on 30 November 2023. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  60. ^ McSaveney, Eileen (24 September 2007). "Nearshore islands". Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 3 May 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  61. ^ "Te Ara-a-Kiwa: How Foveaux Strait came to be according to Māori legend". Stuff. 17 September 2021. Archived from the original on 17 September 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  62. ^ Anderson, Lydia (25 May 2017). "Endangered sea lions breeding well on Stewart Island". Radio New Zealand. Archived from the original on 4 May 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  63. ^ a b McClellan 2020, p. 4.
  64. ^ a b Bain 2010, p. 94.
  65. ^ Mack, Ben (19 February 2016). "New species of shag discovered in Southland and Otago". Stuff. Archived from the original on 22 November 2017. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  66. ^ Jacomb, Chris; Jennings, Chris (2010). "Review of the archaeology of Foveaux Strait, New Zealand". The Journal of the Polynesian Society: 25. Archived from the original on 3 May 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  67. ^ "Place name detail: Tītī / Muttonbird Islands". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  68. ^ McClellan 2020, p. 17.
  69. ^ Spencer Davis, Lloyd (12 June 2006). "Penguins – Little and yellow-eyed penguins". Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 3 May 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  70. ^ Bain 2010, p. 96.
  71. ^ McClellan 2020, p. 29.

References[edit]

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