George Sound

George Sound
Location of George Sound

George Sound is a sound of the South Island of New Zealand. It is one of the sounds that form the coast of Fiordland.

Geography

The sound is located between Caswell Sound and Bligh Sound,[1] on the northern central Fiordland coast. At 26 kilometres (16 mi) in length and over 1,500 metres (1,600 yd) wide at its widest point, it is the largest sound in northern Fiordland in length. George Sound extends in a roughly northwestern direction, and has two major indentations, Southwest Arm in the south, and Anchorage Cove halfway along its northeastern shore.

Several rivers enter the sound, the largest of which are the George River, the Whitewater River, and the Edith River. The George River flows into Anchorage Cover, halfway along the northeast coast of the sound. The Whitewater River enters the sound's southwest coast almost opposite the mouth of the cove. The Edith River and nearby smaller Katherine Creek both enter the southeastern end of the sound, with the Edith River flowing through Lake Alice and over the 56-metre (184 ft) Alice Falls into the waters of the sound.[1]

A walking track connects the mouth of Katherine Creek with Lake Hankinson, close to the top of Lake Te Anau, over the Henry Pass.[1]

Name

A. W. Reed lists two plausible origins for the sound's name in his seminal Place Names of New Zealand (1975): "Although it has been recorded that the sound was named after the King George, commanded by Captain S. Chase, it is almost certain that it was named after George Stevens, the pilot of HMS Acheron."[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 NZ Topographic Map: George Sound
  2. ↑ Reed, A.W. (1975). Place names of New Zealand. Wellington: A.H. & A.W. Reed. pp. 137.

Coordinates: 44°51′S 167°21′E / 44.850°S 167.350°E / -44.850; 167.350

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