Astrolabe Reef
Encyclopedia
Astrolabe Reef is near Motiti Island
, off the Bay of Plenty
coast in New Zealand
. The reef
, which breaks the water surface at low tide, is a renowned scuba diving
spot that drops off to 37 metres (121.4 ft) in different parts. The reef was named by Jules Dumont d'Urville
after his ship Astrolabe, when it nearly ran aground there on 16 February 1827.
Motiti Island
Motiti Island is located off the Bay of Plenty coast of New Zealand's North Island. It is north-east of Tauranga and north-east of Papamoa. There were 18 homes occupied by 27 people on the island in the 2006 Census....
, off the Bay of Plenty
Bay of Plenty
The Bay of Plenty , often abbreviated to BOP, is a region in the North Island of New Zealand situated around the body of water of the same name...
coast in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. The reef
Reef
In nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
, which breaks the water surface at low tide, is a renowned scuba diving
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
spot that drops off to 37 metres (121.4 ft) in different parts. The reef was named by Jules Dumont d'Urville
Jules Dumont d'Urville
Jules Sébastien César Dumont d'Urville was a French explorer, naval officer and rear admiral, who explored the south and western Pacific, Australia, New Zealand and Antarctica.-Childhood:Dumont was born at Condé-sur-Noireau...
after his ship Astrolabe, when it nearly ran aground there on 16 February 1827.