Kaitorete Spit facts for kids
Kaitorete Spit is a long, narrow strip of land in the South Island of New Zealand. It stretches along the coast of the Canterbury area. This special landform is about 25 kilometres (15.5 miles) long. It acts like a natural wall, separating the large, shallow Lake Ellesmere / Te Waihora from the huge Pacific Ocean.
The spit starts near Banks Peninsula and goes west. It connects to the land at both ends, like a barrier. At its narrowest point, it's less than 100 metres (328 feet) wide. Sometimes, during very high tides, the ocean water can briefly break through this narrow part. Kaitorete Spit is known for being quiet and having beaches covered in small stones.
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What is Kaitorete Spit Like?
This land barrier is quite low, but it usually doesn't flood. A gravel road runs along about half of its length. This road starts from a small place called Birdling's Flat at the eastern end.
At this eastern end, the spit is at its widest, about 3.5 kilometres (2.2 miles) across. A tidal lagoon, called Kaituna Lagoon, touches the northern side of the spit here. This lagoon is like a wide arm of Lake Ellesmere. State Highway 75 also runs close to the spit's eastern end, following the hills of Banks Peninsula.
Home to Special Plants and Animals
Kaitorete Spit is very important for nature. It is home to many rare and special plants and animals.
Rare Plants
One very important plant found here is the shrubby tororaro (Muehlenbeckia astonii). This plant is nationally endangered, meaning it's at risk of disappearing from New Zealand. Most of the remaining shrubby tororaro plants live on Kaitorete Spit.
Unique Moths
The sand dune areas of Kaitorete Spit also have a special group of moths. Many of these moths are naturally rare. Some moth species are endemic to Kaitorete Spit. This means they are found nowhere else in the world! Examples include Kiwaia jeanae, Scythris niphozela, and Kupea electilis.
Kaitorete Spit and Space Rockets
Kaitorete Spit has a history with rocket launches.
Rocket Lab's Plans
In 2015, a company called Rocket Lab wanted to use Kaitorete Spit as a launch site for their satellites. They planned to send rockets into space from here. However, they were only allowed to launch twelve rockets per year. Because of this limit, Rocket Lab decided to move their launch site to Māhia Peninsula in the North Island instead.
NASA's Past Use
Interestingly, Kaitorete Spit was also used for rocket launches many years ago. In the 1960s, the American space agency NASA used this very spot to launch rockets.
Images for kids
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Kaitorete Spit is to the south of Lake Ellesmere / Te Waihora. You can see Christchurch and Lyttelton Harbour to the north.
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