Why is the Tasman Sea called the ditch?

The Tasman Sea has for many years been referred to as The Ditch by Australians and New Zealanders. The exact etymology for this term is uncertain, however when traveling between Australia and New Zealand, it is commonly referred to as crossing the ditch.



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Richard Barnes has successfully kayaked 2,000km across the Tasman Sea, between Australia and New Zealand. The 62-year-old landed in New Zealand after 67 days at sea. He began his journey from Hobart, on the Australian island of Tasmania.

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14 days. The 1,270nm route from Hobart to Picton across the infamous Tasman Sea.

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The name Tasman Bay is generally applied to the broad triangular indentation, approximately 47 miles across and 35 miles deep, in the northern coast of the South Island between Separation Point and D'Urville Island. The bay was discovered by Tasman in 1642, but was not named.

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The opening of the Tasman Sea basin through seafloor spreading took place along a mid-ocean ridge (now extinct) that was producing oceanic crust between Late Cretaceous to Eocene times (~84-52 million years ago).

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