New Zealand Ahoy! – Farewell Spit 7073!

Its 19:00 New Zealand Time , Monday 3 March 2014, and Our Ship the Glory has just passed Farewell Spit at a speed of 17.1 knots direction 150º on its way to Nelson on the Northern point of the New Zealand’s South Island.

Land Ahoy! New Zealand Ahoy! 

Farewell Spit is a narrow sand spit situated at -40.517, 172.867, at the northern end of the South Island of New Zealand. Known to the Māori as Tuhuroa, it runs eastwards from Cape Farewell, the island's northernmost point. It is located about 50 kilometres north of Takaka and 20 kilometres from Collingwood. It forms the northern side of Golden Bay and is the longest sandspit in New Zealand, stretching for about 26 km above sea level and another 6 km underwater. The spit runs in from west to east, and is made from fine golden sand – as Cape Farewell to the west of the spit is mostly composed of late Cretaceous quartz sandstones, i.e. silica but with traces of other heavy minerals, garnet, Ilmenite, magnetite and pyroxene. The erosion of the cliffs into fine sand carried on the sea currents creates Farewell spit further east.

Poo-poo?

Although I had heard of Pupu Springs in New Zealand, I was not really aware of the facts. Now that water has become such an important issue for us, not only in the rural areas but also in the towns where restrictions will probably be put in place unless substantial rainfall is received, I remembered the springs with the strange name. Here are some of the details:

The Te Waikoropupu Springs ('Pupu Springs') are located in Golden Bay, on the South Island.  The springs are known for the clarity of the water, and the volume of water discharged. The springs are spiritually significant to the Maori people.

The springs are notable for the volume of water discharged from the eight main vents. It is estimated that 14,000 litres of water are produced per second, approximately enough to fill 40 bathtubs. In a 1974 television documentary, it was noted that this would be enough water to supply a city the size of Boston Massachusetts. The floor of the lake is covered with white sand. Waters expelled from some of the smaller vents carry the sand upward. These vents are known as the 'dancing sands', which for the few scuba divers who have secured permission to dive in the springs, is one of the highlights of underwater sightseeing.

The Springs have been registered as Whai Tapu with the Maori Heritage Council of the NZ Historic Places Trust. Waikoropupu is the legendary home of the female taniwha, Huriawa, one of the three main taniwha of Aotearoa. She is a diver of land and sea, travelling deep beneath the earth to clear blocked waterways. She is brave and wise and believed to still rest in the waters of Waikoropupu, when she is not away attending to business.