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Farewell Spit is situated at the northern end of the South Island of New Zealand; running eastwards from Cape Farewell, the island's northernmost point.
It forms the northern side of Golden Bay and is the longest sandspit in New Zealand, stretching for about 26km above sea level and another 6km underwater. The spit runs in from west to east, and is made from fine golden sand, mostly silica but with traces of other heavy minerals, garnet, illmenite, magnetite and pyroxene.
The northern side of the dunes are steeper and unstable being constantly exposed to the prevailing winds which average over 25km/hr.
The southern side, that which faces Golden Bay is more stable and largely covered with vegetation. The tide here can recede as much as seven kilometres exposing some 8000 hectares of mud flats; a rich feeding ground for the many sea birds in the area but also a death trap to the frequently stranded whales.
The knew Farewell Spit as Tuhuroa. Abel Tasman in 1642 was probably the first European to see the Spit, he called it Sand Duining Hoeck. Captain James Cook was the next European visitor in 1770. His charts show Farewell Spit as a broad peninsula, for once he got it wrong. However he did name the nearby Cape Farewell, it was the last bit of New Zealand he saw before returning to England. The name stuck and early European settlers originally called the nearby promontry Cape Farewell Spit before it was shortened to its present name.
The light house at the end of the Spit was first lit in 1870. The last lighthouse keeper left in 1984 when it became automatic.
The Spit is administered by the Department of Conservation as a sea bird and wild life reserve. Apart from a small area at the base of the Spit it is closed to the public except through organized tours.
Tours include the opportunity to jump off a sand dune, a visit to the lighthouse and the gannet colony. The south side of Farewell Spit is home to many thousands of sea birds; it also the site of frequent whale strandings. The northern side is bounded by the Tasman Sea.
Farewell Spit is located about 50 kilometres north of Takaka and 20 kilometres from Collingwood.
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