Puysegur Point Explained

Puysegur Point is a headland located in the far southwest of the South Island of New Zealand. It lies within Fiordland National Park on the southern head of Preservation Inlet and is west-northwest of Invercargill. The name 'Puysegur' was bestowed by Lieutenant Jules Dumont d'Urville or Midshipman Jules de Blosseville during a South Pacific expedition of La Coquille; probably in honour of the French naval officer Antoine-Hyacinthe-Anne de Chastenet de Puységur (1752–1809).

Geography

Puysegur Point has been said to be the windiest place in New Zealand, with gales recorded on an average of 48 days a year.^[1] The 2009 Dusky Sound earthquake^[2] pushed Puysegur Point closer to Australia by .^[3]

Biodiversity

Humpback whales pass the point during annual migrations.^[4]

Lighthouse

See main article: Puysegur Point Lighthouse. A lighthouse on the point was first illuminated on 1 March 1879. The original wooden lighthouse was destroyed in an arson attack in 1942.^[5] The lighthouse was operated by permanent lighthouse keepers from its establishment in 1879 until it was temporarily shutdown in 1980, with a further period of staffed operation from 1987 until it was fully automated and destaffed in 1989.^[6]

The landing

The main access to Puysegur Point and the lighthouse is via a track from a beach landing point at Otago Retreat - a narrow waterway between the mainland and Coal Island in Preservation Inlet to the north west of the point.^[7] The name Otago Retreat originates from the passage of the schooner Otago that found shelter in this narrow passage during a voyage accompanying the survey ship HMS Acheron on a survey of the South Island around 1850-51.^{[8] [9] [10]} There are buildings remaining at the landing that formerly served the lighthouse. One of the buildings is a Department of Conservation shelter, known as the Landing Shed.^[11]

External links

• Puysegur Point lighthouse at Maritime New Zealand
• Puysegur Point - Furthest Frontier II - EP7 video at Youtube

Notes and References

1. News: 13 April 1950 . Puysegur Point . Ashburton Guardian . 29 January 2023 . Papers Past.
2. Web site: Magnitude 7.6 - OFF WEST COAST OF THE SOUTH ISLAND, N.Z. . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090812231210/http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/eqinthenews/2009/us2009jcap/ . 12 August 2009 . 31 May 2014., retrieved 24 August 2009
3. News: Ramnarayan . Abhinav . 22 July 2009 . Earthquake brings New Zealand closer to Australia . . 4 August 2020.
4. Dawbin, H. W. (1995) The Migrations of Humpback Whales which Pass the New Zealand Coast. Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Volume 84, 1956–57. pp.147–196. Department of Zoology, Victoria University College, Wellington. National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved on 9 July 2014
5. News: 10 February 1942 . Keeper assailed - Lighthouse set on fire - Puysegur sensation . 28 January 2023 . Evening Star . Papers Past.
6. Web site: Puysegur Point lighthouse - Maritime NZ . 2023-01-28 . www.maritimenz.govt.nz.
7. Web site: Still exploring Fiordland - Part 2 . 2 February 2022 . Power Boat Magazine . en-NZ.
8. News: 13 March 1874 . The cruise of the Luna . Wellington Independent . Papers Past.
9. Web site: The Acheron arrives to survey New Zealand waters . 2023-02-02 . nzhistory.govt.nz . en.
10. News: 30 April 1851 . The Acheron's Late Surveying Cruise . 2 February 2023 . New Zealander . Papers Past.
11. Web site: Landing Shed . Department of Conservation . 30 January 2023.