Tasman Bay
The Tasman Bay is a large V-shaped bay in the north of the South Island of New Zealand . It is located in the middle of the north coast of the island and has about 120 km of coastline and at its widest point an east-west extension of 70 km. It is part of the Tasman Sea on the western approach to the Cook Strait . It is named after the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman .
In the far west of the bay, the land is uneven and densely forested. Separation Point , the westernmost point of the bay, is located in the Abel Tasman National Park and separates the bay from the neighboring Golden Bay . To the east, the coasts are also steep and border the flooded valleys of the Marlborough Sounds . The island of D'Urville Iceland is located northeast of the eastern end point of Tasman Bay. The elongated, flat island of Rabbit Island is located near the south coast of the bay.
The land is flatter between the endpoints. The coastal plains around the mouth of the Waimea River at the southernmost point of the bay are also located here. The Riwaka River , Motueka River and Serpentine River also flow into the bay .
The fertile land around the center of the bay is used intensively for agriculture. For example, olives , grapes , hops and fruits are grown . Tobacco was also grown in the past and there is a tobacco museum in Motueka .
The area is the most densely populated part of the north coast of the South Island, Nelson and several smaller towns such as Motueka , Riwaka and Richmond are close to the coast.
Coordinates: 41 ° 11 ′ S , 173 ° 10 ′ E