Ninety Mile Beach (New Zealand)
The Ninety Mile Beach is a beach on the west coast in the far north ( Far North District ) of the North Island of New Zealand .
It extends from Kaitaia to Cape Reinga along the Aupōuri Peninsula . It begins in the south at Reef Point , west of Ahipara Bay , runs briefly in a north-easterly direction, but then for the longest part in a north-west direction. It ends at Scott Point , five kilometers south of Cape Maria van Diemen . In the north half of the beach are the two small islands Matapia Island and Te Wakatehaua Island .
The name Ninety Mile Beach is misleading - in fact, it's only 55 mi (89 km ) long. The reason for its name is unknown, there are several theories for it here.
traffic
In 1932, Ninety Mile Beach was used as the runway for one of the first airmail services between Australia and New Zealand. Even today, Ninety Mile Beach can be used by cars as an alternative to the official road north of Kaitaia, although this is only recommended with all-wheel drive. The beach is officially part of the trunk road network and there is a speed limit of 100 km / h. Use by vehicles is expressly at your own risk. There is a warning sign on the access roads indicating the risks. Time and again, careless and reckless drivers get stuck in loose sand or water. Often these "breakdowns" end with the loss of the car to the flood, as there is no towing service at Ninety Mile Beach. Minibus tours of the beach are also offered.
Since 1993, Ninety Mile Beach has also been the venue for a marathon and ultramarathon , the Te Houtaewa Challenge , which is run exclusively on the beach .
Web links
Coordinates: 34 ° 43 ′ 0 ″ S , 172 ° 56 ′ 0 ″ E