Breaksea Sound

Te Puaitaha / Breaksea Sound
Te Puaitaha (Māori)
View of Te Puaitaha Breaksea Sound from a plane flying past its mouth
Te Puaitaha / Breaksea Sound from the air
Map
Location of Te Puaitaha
Location of Te Puaitaha
Te Puaitaha / Breaksea Sound
Location in New Zealand
Location of Te Puaitaha
Location of Te Puaitaha
Te Puaitaha / Breaksea Sound
Te Puaitaha / Breaksea Sound (New Zealand)
LocationTasman Sea
Coordinates45°34′S 166°47′E / 45.57°S 166.78°E / -45.57; 166.78
Basin countriesNew Zealand
Max. width1 km (0.62 mi)

Te Puaitaha / Breaksea Sound is a small fiord on the southwestern coast of South Island, New Zealand in the Tasman Sea. Breaksea Island in Fiordland National Park lies at its entrance. In the 1850s, early settlers Henry Hirst and John Watts-Russell explored the area for flat land suitable for sheep farming, but they were unsuccessful.[1] In October 2019, the name of the fiord was officially altered to Te Puaitaha / Breaksea Sound.[2]

  • Breaksea Island at the entry to Te Puaitaha / Breaksea Sound.
    Breaksea Island at the entry to Te Puaitaha / Breaksea Sound.
  • 2022 satellite image of Te Puaitaha / Breaksea Sound, showing bleached sea sponges
    2022 satellite image of Te Puaitaha / Breaksea Sound, showing bleached sea sponges
  • 19th century sketch of the Narrows in Breaksea Sound by Charles Heaphy
    19th century sketch of the Narrows in Breaksea Sound by Charles Heaphy

References

  1. ^ "Obituary". The Press. Vol. LXVII, no. 14233. 22 December 1911. p. 7. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  2. ^ "NZGB notices – October 2019". Land Information New Zealand. 17 October 2019. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
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