2004/02/13

Farewell Spit, South Island of New Zealand
ASTER VNIR Level 1B

Farewell Spit is located at the northwesternmost point of the South Island of New Zealand. The Spit stretches out 25km in an easterly direction from Cape Farewell. Its north side is built from many layers of schist sand dunes, while the west side facing Golden Bay is wet soil. Some of the East Australia Current, traveling up north the Tasman Sea, flows into the Pacific Ocean by a way through Tasman Bay, which connects the North Island and the South Island, and Cook Straits. This ocean current, washing sands north along the West Coast of the South Island, is believed to have formed the Spit at the northernmost point of the South Island.

Cape Farewell and Farewell Spit were both named after an episode of Captain James Cook who said "Farewell" to the land when he left these shores of New Zealand in 1770.