Rakituma / Preservation Inlet

Rakituma / Preservation Inlet
Rakituma (Māori)
View of Te Awaroa Long Sound near the top of Rakituma Preservation Inlet
Te Awaroa / Long Sound, in the upper reaches of Rakituma / Preservation Inlet
Location of Rakituma
Location of Rakituma
Rakituma / Preservation Inlet
Location in New Zealand
Location of Rakituma
Location of Rakituma
Rakituma / Preservation Inlet
Rakituma / Preservation Inlet (New Zealand)
LocationTasman Sea
Coordinates46°05′20″S 166°38′31″E / 46.089°S 166.642°E / -46.089; 166.642
Primary inflowsLong Burn, Gray River, Richard Burn, Margaret Stream, Jeanie Burn, Blacklock Stream, Dawson Burn
Catchment area562 square kilometres (217 sq mi)[1]
Basin countriesNew Zealand
Max. length36.5 kilometres (22.7 mi)[1]
Max. width1.8 kilometres (1.1 mi)[1]
Surface area93 square kilometres (36 sq mi)[1]
Average depth371 square kilometres (143 sq mi)[1]
IslandsOnly Islands, Cording Islands, Weka or Long Island, Steep-to Island, Coal Island
Sections/sub-basinsTe Awaroa / Long Sound, Useless Bay, Revolver Bay, Isthmus Sound, Otago Retreat

Rakituma / Preservation Inlet is the southernmost fiord in Fiordland National Park and lies on the southwest corner of the South Island of New Zealand. With an area of 93 square kilometres (36 sq mi), it is the fourth largest fiord in New Zealand, after Tamatea / Dusky Sound, Doubtful Sound / Patea, and the neighbouring Taiari / Chalky Inlet to the north. Rakituma was briefly the site of an attempted fishing and gold mining settlement at Cromarty during the 19th century, however this was quickly abandoned once the level of gold declined in relation to more promising fields elsewhere.[2]

Map
Rakituma / Preservation Inlet
  1. ^ a b c d e Stanton, B. R.; Pickard, G. L. (1981). Physical Oceanography of the New Zealand Fiords (PDF). Wellington: New Zealand Oceanographic Institute. p. 14. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  2. ^ Warne, Kennedy (July–August 2009). "Walking the Line: The Telephone at the End of the World". New Zealand Geographic (98). Retrieved 25 December 2021.