Story: Charting the sea floor
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.
About this item
Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: MapColl-830a/1642(1726)/Acc.32129
Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.
