Cook Strait

Geographical location

The Cook Strait (English Cook Strait, Raukawa Māori ) is the strait between the two main islands of New Zealand. It is named after Captain Cook and is one of the stormiest sea routes in the world.

Geography

The strait separates New Zealand almost in the middle of its length expansion and runs approximately north-south between the North Island and the South Island. It is 22 km wide at its narrowest point and connects the Tasman Sea (in the west of New Zealand ) with the Pacific Ocean that spreads east of New Zealand.

The seabed in the northern part of Cook road is rather flat at 100 m to 200 m water depth, where he at the narrowest point - 100 m to 300 m is in its form varies widely and deeply - caused by tectonic shifts and by the ocean current. The seabed of the southern part of Cook Strait hand, resembles a giant canyon deep drops up to 1500 m.

Geology

The Cook Strait is crossed by recent investigations of twelve seismically active faults, of which the Wairau Fault is by far the most important. It finds its continuation in the south-west running valley of the Wairau River and moves with a speed of 3 to 5 mm per year. The northeastern part of the fault should therefore find connection in the Pukerua Fault, which runs along the west coast of the North Island to the north.

In 2008, the National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research ( NIWA ) found that between the upheavals of the North Island and the South Island via the Cook Strait is no direct link, which would alter the assessment of earthquake risks along the dislocations fundamentally. However, all faults have a potential of earthquakes of magnitude 7 on the Richter scale and what increases the risk of tsunamis considerably across the region. What dramatic impact the seismic activity in the Cook Strait may have showed an investigation, according to which in the deep 300 m, steep undersea Nicholson Canyon, 15 km from Wellington Airport, once a landslide of 10 million cubic meters of rock must have taken place.

The Wairarapa earthquake of 1855, in which the Rimutaka Range, approximately 15 km east of Wellington city center located, lifted by 6 m with an earthquake magnitude of 8.2 and northeast by 18 m in the horizontal direction shifted, had three different triggered to to 2.5 m high tsunamis in Wellington Harbour result, a) by the horizontal displacement, b ) by the unilateral lifting of the dock and c ) through the large-scale raising of the sea floor in parts of Cook Strait.

History

Long before the first Europeans came to New Zealand, crossed the Maori Cook the road with their canoes ( Māori waka ). They gave the strait the name Raukawa and declared the waters to be sacred, from which numerous myths arose. So could a Erstüberquerer canoe not to the left or right, and certainly do not look back, only forward. Failure to observe the rule of the standstill of the boat was the result. Naturally, this is when you consider the harsh weather conditions in the Cook Strait. From Te Rauparaha (1760-1849), leader of the Ngāti Toa, who often crossed on military campaigns, it is known that he amidships with a deck connected two canoes together to give the up to 30 -meter-long boat more stability and security.

The first European to see the Straits, in 1642, was the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman ( 1603-1659 ). He held, however, for a large bay, so that the merit to have passed through the strait as the first Europeans, the British navigator James Cook (1728-1779) was granted on 22 January 1770. According to him, the Strait was then named.

The heaviest ship disaster in the history of Cook Strait occurred on February 12, 1909, when the New Zealand passenger steamer Penguin stormy seas and complete darkness at the entrance to Wellington Harbour crashed into an underwater rock and sank. 72 passengers and crew members were killed, including all the children on board, and all women except one.

Transport links

The ferry in Cook Strait set for passengers, and particularly for long distance freight traffic with one of the most important transport links between the two main islands dar.

Between the two ports Wellington and Picton, on the most of the transport is handled, operate the ships of Strait Shipping Limited, the ferry operated since 1992 and since 2003 with the Blue Bridge line represents a competition for Interislander line. The Interislander line belongs since 2008 to the state and is operated by KiwiRail. It offers next to the passenger and freight transport, including the transport of railway wagons and is thus an important link between the rail networks of the North and the South Island.

For tourists make the ferry across the Cook Strait a varied 3-hour voyage, which equipped the fascinating coastal scenery on both sides of the strait near brings the traveler and the trip through the Queen Charlotte Sound to an experience. The fact that sometimes the crossing can also be an experience of a different kind, the video shows from 6 February 2002 in which the cargo ship MS Suilven struggling against the storm and the rolling sea in Cook road at the exit from the Wellington Harbour in an impressive way.

Cable connections

The Cook Strait has always provided for the trip and also to communicate between the two main islands a considerable barrier represents only a few decades after the arrival of the first Europeans in New Zealand, did you also about proper communication links thoughts. In 1866 the first copper cable was laid through the inhospitable strait, what then on 26 August 1866, first telegram from Wellington was sent to Christchurch. But the cables held the harsh conditions of the Cook Strait was not long. Always repeating cable breaks made ​​initially only an average operational readiness of about three months is possible. It should take some time to better technical conditions allowed a more secure communication.

In May 1965, the first power cable was laid between the islands, which greatly simplified the power supply during shortages.

The first fiber optic cable was laid by the Cook Strait until 2000.

All previously laid submarine cables are exposed in the Cook Strait extreme conditions. The temporary strong tidal currents, and tectonic shifts and sudden earthquakes require a high technical standard. To prevent the risk of cable breaks, which can be caused by crossing vessels, today all modern cables are routed in a designated as a security zone cable route.

Swimming in the Cook Strait

A challenge of a very special kind offers of Cook Strait Swim. Who is not afraid of tidal currents, sudden winds, cruising ships and sharks, can one if in good condition, measure the achievements of the previous 74 Float (as of March 2010). The record for the floating to 26 km Distances currently stands at 4 hours and 37 minutes and was installed only on 13 April 2008 by New Zealanders Casey Glover. Ranging had the whole with the then 27 -year-old New Zealander Barry Devonport, which, however, still 11 hours and 20 minutes required on 20 November 1962 the distance.