Whanganui_Inlet
Whanganui Inlet, commonly known by its former name Westhaven Inlet or West Haven, is a large natural indentation in the northwest coast of the South Island of New Zealand.
.png){kind=link}
The inlet is a drowned river valley running parallel to the west coast. It is some 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) in length and on average is about 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) wide. A narrow channel halfway along the valley connects the inlet to the Tasman Sea.[1] This channel is located 19 kilometres (12 mi) southwest of Farewell Spit.[2]
It is still in a largely unspoilt natural state, with seagrass and salt marsh providing an environment friendly to sea life. It is a popular site for fishing and boating, and much of the inlet is protected by a wildlife management area and by the Westhaven Marine Reserve.[3] 42 species of water bird have been seen in the Inlet, including South Island oyster catcher, bar-tailed godwit, knot, banded dotterel and banded rail.[4]
In 1846 it was reported that ships of up to 80 tons could cross the bar and that one had taken a cargo of coal away from outcrops on islands at the south end of the harbour.[5] Logging continued until at least 1952,[6] there was a flax mill[7] and gold was mined. In 1908 the town of Rakopi was established opposite the entrance, with a telegraph office, sawmill, wharf, school and houses. Declining resources, an economic downturn and the dangerous passage for ships through the entrance caused its decline.[4] The Benara Timber Co and Westhaven Coal Co were still operating at the south end of the Inlet in 1941.[8]