Abel Tasman's Staten Landt

Abel Tasman's Staten Landt

Abel Tasman is considered the first person to have mapped New Zealand’s coast, in 1642–43. He named the place he discovered Staten Landt, thinking it was part of South America. His chart is oriented with north to the left and south to the right. The most readily recognisable feature is the curve of Farewell Spit (middle right). There are no depth soundings on the chart, but it is clear that Tasman knew that the area around Farewell Spit was shallow, as he has marked sandbars there.

• Early mapping

• European discovery of New Zealand

• European exploration

• Pacific migrations

• When was New Zealand first settled?

• HYDROGRAPHIC SURVEYING

• MAPS AND MAPPING

• SEA FLOOR

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