Tasman Sea
The Tasman Sea is the large body of water between Australia and New Zealand, approximately 2,000 kilometres (1,250 miles) across. It extends 2,800 km (approx.) from north to south. It is a south-western segment of the South Pacific Ocean. The sea was named after the Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman, the first recorded European to encounter New Zealand and Tasmania. The British explorer Captain James Cook later extensively navigated the Tasman Sea in the 1770s as part of his first voyage of exploration.
The Tasman Sea is nicknamed The Ditch, eg crossing the ditch means going to Australia from New Zealand or vice versa.
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Geography
Extent
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Tasman Sea as follows:[1]
On the West. A line from Gabo Island (near Cape Howe, 37°30'S) to the Northeast point of East Sister Island (148°E) thence along the 148th meridian to Flinders Island; beyond this Island a line running to the Eastward of the Vansittart Shoals to [Cape] Barren Island, and from Cape Barren (the Easternmost point of [Cape] Barren Island) to Eddystone Point (41°S) in Tasmania, thence along the East coast to South East Cape, the Southern point of Tasmania.On the North. The parallel of 30°S from the Australian coast Eastward as far as a line joining the East extremities of Elizabeth Reef and South East Rock () then to the Southward along this line to the South East Rock.
On the Northeast. From the South East Rock to the North point of Three Kings Islands () thence to North Cape in New Zealand.
On the East.
- In Cook Strait. A line joining the South extreme of the foul ground off Cape Palliser (Ngawi) and the Lighthouse on Cape Campbell (Te Karaka).
- In Foveaux Strait (46°45'S). A line joining the Light on Waipapapa Point [sic] (168°33'E) with East Head (47'02'S) of Stewart Island (Rakiura).
On the Southeast. A line running from South West Cape, Stewart Island, through The Snares (48°S, 166°30'E) to North West Cape, Auckland Island (), through this island to its Southern point.
On the South. A line joining the Southern point of Auckland Island () to South East Cape, the Southern point of Tasmania.
Ridge
The Tasman Sea's mid-ocean ridge developed between 85 and 55 million years ago as Australia and Zealandia broke apart during the breakup of supercontinent Gondwana. It lies roughly midway between the continental margins of Australia and Zealandia, so it runs much closer to the Australian coast than New Zealand's.
Islands
The Tasman Sea features a number of mid-sea island groups, quite apart from coastal islands located near the Australian and New Zealand mainlands:
- Lord Howe Island (part of New South Wales)
- Ball's Pyramid (part of New South Wales)
- Norfolk Island, in the extreme north of the Tasman Sea, on the border with the Coral Sea (External Territory)
- Middleton Reef (part of Coral Sea Islands Territory)
- Elizabeth Reef (part of Coral Sea Islands Territory)
See also
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- Crossing the Ditch
- Axis naval activity in New Zealand waters
- Shipwrecks in the Tasman Sea
- Moncrieff and Hood - the first attempt to fly the Tasman
- Charles Kingsford Smith- the first successful Tasman flight
References
- ↑ "Limits of Oceans and Seas, 3rd edition". International Hydrographic Organization. 1953. http://www.iho-ohi.net/iho_pubs/standard/S-23/S23_1953.pdf. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
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