Cook Strait | |
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Te Moana-o-Raukawa (Māori) | |
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Coordinates | 41°13′46″S 174°28′59″E / 41.22944°S 174.48306°E |
Basin countries | New Zealand |
Min. width | 22 km (14 mi) |
Average depth | 128 m (420 ft) |
External videos | |
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![]() – YouTube |
Cook Strait (Māori: Te Moana-o-Raukawa, lit. 'The Sea of Raukawa') is a strait that separates North Island from the South Island of New Zealand. The strait connects the Tasman Sea on the northwest with the South Pacific Ocean on the southeast. It is 22 kilometres (14 mi) wide at its narrowest point,[1] and is considered one of the most dangerous and unpredictable waters in the world.[2] Regular ferry services run across the strait between Picton in the Marlborough Sounds and Wellington.
The strait is named after James Cook, the first European commander to sail through it, in 1770.[3] In Māori it is named Te Moana-o-Raukawa, which means The Sea of Raukawa. Raukaua is a type of woody shrub native to New Zealand.[4] The waters of Cook Strait are dominated by strong tidal flows. The tidal flow through Cook Strait is unusual in that the tidal elevation at the ends of the strait are almost exactly out of phase with one another, so high water on one side meets low water on the other.
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