Otago Harbor new zealand

Otago Harbor is about 22 km long and averages 2.3 kilometers wide. It is a sheltered bay in the city of Dunedin, New Zealand with access to the Pacific Ocean. Formed between Port Chalmers and the Portobello centered volcano, it is, nestled between the hills of the Otago Peninsula and the hills around Mount Cargill, a popular destination and tourist attraction.

Sailing, windsurfing, fishing and shellfish, provide opportunities for activities. The two banks of roads on both sides of the bay (towards the coast from Dunedin); provide many different insights into this fascinating landscape.

The origin of this landscape was in the 3 major phases of the eruption of the volcano over 11 to 13 million years ago. Trained as a shield volcano, the very low viscosity lava flowed mainly in two directions, which are now the bed of Otago Harbor. The volcano reached an altitude of approximately 1,000 meters. The edges of the volcano are still in existence in the Otago Peninsula and Mount Cargill, which is 680 meters at its peak. Interesting rock types within radius are interesting not only for geologists.

Description

Otago Harbor, home to two port facilities (Dunedin and Port Chalmers), is the second largest port in the South Island of New Zealand. Originally a shallow water area, the tide is about 30% “dry” of water. Otago Harbor (Lower Harbor), Port Chalmers, Quarantine and Goat Iceland and Portobello are the so-called “Lower Harbor” (from the Quarantine and Goat Islands – Port Chalmers height – off) the water during a tidal cycle is changed given rise to significant currents at the harbor entrance, the other also supplies the harbor basin with significant amounts of fresh water.

Biodiversity on the seabed appears significant, as a documentation of the Victoria University of Wellington shows. The University of Otago has also the New Zealand Marine Studies Center, a research station, 1km from Portobello away on a small peninsula into the bay.

Here, in addition to the research made available simultaneously is an exhibition with adjoining aquarium marine ecology for the public. As for salmon fishing, one can do this in Otago Harbor, where there is a small industry of New Zealand shellfish, nicknamed Pipi. Pipi (Paphies australis), is a small to medium-sized mussel (16-75 pieces per kg), which are found in shallow waters and are rich in nutrients. It is harvested throughout the year and has become a delicacy as a small export.