The Snares

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The position of The Snares relative to New Zealand.

Snares Islands - viewed from the North East. Broughton Island on the LHS and Dapton Rocks on the RHS

Looking South - across Punui Bay, Ho Ho Bay, Mollymawk Bay then Broughton Island the last wooded land.

Ho Ho Bay - with Yacht 'Tiama'anchored inside - a view looking North

A southern Buller's Albatross nesting above 'Penguin Slope' - April 6, 2008

The Snares (also known as Tini Heke and, unofficially, as Snares Islands) is a small island group at 48°01′S, 166°32′E approximately 200 kilometres south of New Zealand's South Island. The Snares consist of the main island North East Island and the smaller Broughton Island as well as the somewhat isolated Western Chain Islands approx 5 km to the WSW. As a group of islands, the Snares cover a total of approximately 3.5 km².

The island group was discovered on 23. November 1791 independently by the two ships HMS Discovery under Captain George Vancouver and HMS Chatham commanded by Lt. William R. Broughton both of the Vancouver Expedition. Vancouver named "The Snares" because he considered the islands a shipping hazard, an islet east of the Western Chain bears the name Vancouver Rock, and the second largest island is named after Lt. Broughton. The islands were already known to the Māori, who called one of the larger islands Te Taniwha ("The sea-monster"). Unlike other subantarctic islands that were greatly affected by the whaling and sealing industry in the 19th century, The Snares remain one of the last pristine areas in New Zealand.

The islands are home of endemic bird species such as the Snares Penguin (Eudyptes robustus) and the Snares Island Snipe (Coenocorypha aucklandica heugli) as well as several endemic invertebrates. North East Island is forested and is the world's premier breeding area for the Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus griseus) with up to 3 million individuals being present during the breeding season (November-April). A dangerous reef (Seal Reef) lies ten kilometres to the south of the group. Megaherb communities grow on the islands.

The Islands enjoy a status of high protection and are rated as 'minimum impact islands'. Landing on the island is generally prohibited or by special research permit only.

The area is among one of five sub-Antarctic island groups designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. ^[1]