Lake Te Paritu
| Lake Te Paritu | |
|---|---|
| Black Lake | |
.jpg) Caldera of the Mayor Island (New Zealand) in 1986 | |
  Lake Te Paritu | |
| Coordinates | 37°17′29″S 176°16′3″E / 37.29139°S 176.26750°E |
| Basin countries | New Zealand |
| Surface area | 3.2 hectares (7.9 acres) |
Lake Te Paritu, also known as Black Lake, is one of two small crater lakes on Mayor Island / Tuhua in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. It is connected to the larger Lake Aroarotamahine or Green Lake by a wetland, but there is no surface outlet to the sea as both lakes are in a depression.[1]
Black colour[edit]
The lake has a black colour due to fine sediment. According to Māori legend, the black is the blood of Tuhua (obsidian) which fought a battle with Pounamu (greenstone) who, defeated, fled to the South Island.[2]
References[edit]
- ^ New Zealand 1:50000 Topographic Map Series sheet BC37 – Mayor Island
- ^ Eagles, Jim (17 July 2009). "Bay of Plenty: The island of dark crystal". New Zealand Herald.
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