# Charles Sound

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Charles_Sound
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Charles_Sound.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Sound
> Source revision: 1334833626
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Fiord of the South Island of New Zealand

Charles Sound Taiporoporo (Māori) View of Charles Sound taken from the International Space Station Charles Sound Location in New Zealand Show map of Fiordland Charles Sound Charles Sound (New Zealand) Show map of New Zealand Location Tasman Sea Coordinates 45°03′00″S 167°04′59″E / 45.05°S 167.083°E / -45.05; 167.083 Etymology Named after Taiporoporo, a tūpuna (ancestor) of local Māori, and Charles McLaren, captain of a sealing boat.[1] River sources Irene River, Windward River Ocean/sea sources Tasman Sea Catchment area 276 square kilometres (107 sq mi)[2] Basin countries New Zealand Max. length 14 kilometres (8.7 mi)[2] Max. width 1 kilometre (0.62 mi)[2] Surface area 17.4 square kilometres (6.7 sq mi)[2] Max. depth 221 metres (725 ft)[2] Location Interactive map of Charles Sound

**Charles Sound** ([Māori](/source/M%C4%81ori_language): *Taiporoporo*; officially **Taiporoporo / Charles Sound**) is a [fiord](/source/Fiord) of the [South Island](/source/South_Island) of New Zealand. It is one of the fiords that form the coast of [Fiordland](/source/Fiordland).

## Geography

Extending south from [Milford Sound / Piopiotahi](/source/Milford_Sound_%2F_Piopiotahi), Charles Sound is the sixth fiord in Fiordland, on the southwest coast of New Zealand's South Island, situated between [Taitetimu / Caswell Sound](/source/Taitetimu_%2F_Caswell_Sound) to the north and [Hinenui / Nancy Sound](/source/Hinenui_%2F_Nancy_Sound) to the south.[3] At a length of just under 14 kilometres (8.7 mi), it is the second shortest standalone fiord in Fiordland (after [Te Rā / Dagg Sound](/source/Te_R%C4%81_%2F_Dagg_Sound)).[2] Despite this, Charles Sound has the deepest [sill depth](/source/Aquatic_sill) of the northern fiords, with a depth of 83 metres (272 ft) before deepening to a maximum depth of 221 metres (725 ft) in the main basin of the fiord.[2] The main body of the fiord extends in a southeasterly direction from the outer Fiordland coast, before splitting into two arms of similar length in its upper reaches: the Emelius Arm (to the north) and the Gold Arm (to the south). The latter of these is protected by the [Kahukura (Gold Arm) Marine Reserve](/source/Kahukura_(Gold_Arm)_Marine_Reserve). Other parts of the fiord are included in the [Taumoana (Five Fingers Peninsula) Marine Reserve](/source/Fiordland's_marine_reserves).

The [Irene](/source/Irene_River_(New_Zealand)) and [Windward Rivers](/source/Windward_River) flow respectively into the ends of the Emelius and Gold Arms. The short [Juno River](/source/Juno_River) enters to [Tasman Sea](/source/Tasman_Sea) just to the north of the fiord's mouth.

Several small islands are located within the fiord, in the Gold Arm these are [Catherine Island](/source/Catherine_Island_(New_Zealand)), [Fanny Island](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fanny_Island&action=edit&redlink=1) and [Lloyd Island](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lloyd_Island_(New_Zealand)&action=edit&redlink=1), and at the mouth of the Emelius Arm sits [Eleanor Island](/source/Eleanor_Island_(New_Zealand)).[3]

## History

Charles Sound was known as Charlie's Sound during the early to mid-19th century. It was very probably named after Charles MacLaren, the captain of the *Sydney Cove*, a [sealing](/source/Seal_hunting) boat that visited the sound in 1810.[4] In October 2019, the name of the fiord was officially altered to Taiporoporo / Charles Sound.[5]

### 2003 tsunami

During the magnitude 7.0 23 August [2003 Fiordland earthquake](/source/2003_Fiordland_earthquake), a significant landslide swept into Charles Sound causing a 4- to 5-metre high tsunami that damaged a wharf and helipad in the sound.[6]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-LINZ_1-0)** ["Place name detail: Taiporoporo / Charles Sound"](https://gazetteer.linz.govt.nz/place/58048). *New Zealand Gazetteer*. [Land Information New Zealand](/source/Land_Information_New_Zealand). Retrieved 30 August 2023.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-NZOI_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-NZOI_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-NZOI_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-NZOI_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-NZOI_2-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-NZOI_2-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-NZOI_2-6) Stanton, Basil; Pickard, George (1981). [*Physical Oceanography of the New Zealand Fiords*](http://docs.niwa.co.nz/library/public/Memoir%20088_Physical%20Oceanography%20of%20the%20New%20Zealand%20Fiords.pdf) (PDF). Wellington: New Zealand Oceanographic Institute. pp. 14, 15. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200718224628/http://docs.niwa.co.nz/library/public/Memoir%20088_Physical%20Oceanography%20of%20the%20New%20Zealand%20Fiords.pdf) (PDF) from the original on 18 July 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2020.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-topo_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-topo_3-1) [NZ Topographic Map: Charles Sound](https://www.topomap.co.nz/NZTopoMap/nz14269/Charles-Sound/Southland)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Reed, A.W. (1975). *Place names of New Zealand*. Wellington: A.H. & A.W. Reed.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["NZGB notices – October 2019"](https://www.linz.govt.nz/regulatory/place-names/recent-place-name-notices-and-place-names-interest/nzgb-notices-october-2019). Land Information New Zealand. 17 October 2019. Retrieved 15 December 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-TeAra_6-0)** De Lange, W., and McSaveney, E., "[Tsunamis – New Zealand's underrated hazard'](https://www.teara.govt.nz/en/tsunamis/page-1)," [Te Ara](/source/Te_Ara) - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 13 July 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2018.

This Fiordland, New Zealand geography article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information.

- [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Fiordland-geo-stub)
- [t](/source/Template_talk%3AFiordland-geo-stub)
- [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Fiordland-geo-stub)

This article about a fjord is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information.

- [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Fjord-stub)
- [t](/source/Template_talk%3AFjord-stub)
- [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Fjord-stub)

v t e Fiordland, New Zealand Fiords Doubtful Sound / Patea Deep Cove Hāwea / Bligh Sound Hinenui / Nancy Sound Bradshaw Sound Milford Sound Taiari / Chalky Inlet Charles Sound Caswell Sound Tamatea / Dusky Sound Thompson Sound Sutherland Sound George Sound Breaksea Sound Dagg Sound Rakituma / Preservation Inlet Bays Big Bay Martins Bay Pearl Harbour Te Waewae Bay Islands Anchor Island Arran Island Bauza Island Bay Rock Belle Vue Island Breaksea Island Brig Rock Buncrana Island Centre Island Chalky Island Coal Island Cooper Island Elizabeth Island Great Island Indian Island Long Island Pomona Island Resolution Island Secretary Island Lakes Lake Alabaster Lake Alice Lake Fergus Lake Gunn Green Lake Lake Hauroko Lake Innes Lake Manapouri Lake Marian Lake McKerrow / Whakatipu Waitai Mirror Lakes Lake Monowai Lake Poteriteri Lake Quill Lake Te Anau Waiuna Lagoon Marine reserves Hawea (Clio Rocks) Kahukura (Gold Arm) Kutu Parera (Gaer Arm) Moana Uta (Wet Jacket Arm) Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) Taipari Roa (Elizabeth Island) Taumoana (Five Finger Peninsula) Te Awaatu Channel (The Gut) Te Hapua (Sutherland Sound) Te Tapuwae o Hua (Long Sound) Mountain ranges Darran Mountains Franklin Mountains Humboldt Mountains Hunter Mountains Kepler Mountains Murchison Mountains Wick Mountains Mountains Alice Peak Mount Belle Mount Christina Coronation Peak Mount Crosscut Mount Danae Mount Edgecumbe Mount Eglinton Mount Elliot Mount Gifford Mount Grono Mount Gunn Karetai Peak Mount Luxmore Mount Madeline Mitre Peak Mount Moir Mount Moturau Ngatimamoe Peak Odyssey Peak Mount Pembroke Mount Philipps Poseidon Peak Pyramid Peak Mount Richardson Sabre Peak Mount Sparrman Mount Talbot Te Wera Peak Mount Titiroa Tuhawaiki Mountain Mount Tūtoko Mount Underwood Rivers Aan River Arthur River Awarua River Big River Bowen River Camelot River Carrick River Castle River Cavendish River Cleddau River Clinton River Coal River Dark River Donne River Doon River Dry Awarua River Edith River Eglinton River Electric River Elizabeth River Forgotten River George River Glaisnock River Gray River Grebe River Gulliver River Hollyford River Irene River John o'Groats River Juno River Kaipo River Light River Lyvia River Mike River Misty River Monowai River Namu River Newton River Olivine River Pandora River Pitt River Pyke River Rea River Red Pyke River Rooney River Seaforth River Shag River Spey River Stillwater River Talbot River Thurso River Transit River Tūtoko River Waiau River Waikōau River Wairaurāhiri River Waitutu River Walker River Wapiti River Whitewater River Wild Natives River Wilmot River Wilson River Windward River Wolff River Waterfalls Bowen Falls Browne Falls Grainger Falls Helena Falls Humboldt Falls Lady Alice Falls Sutherland Falls Settlements Manapouri Milford Sound Port Craig Te Anau Structures Homer Tunnel Manapōuri Power Station Milford Sound Airport Monowai Power Station Milford Road Port Craig tramway Puysegur Point Lighthouse Te Anau Airport Walking tracks Dusky Track Hollyford Track Hump Ridge Track Kepler Track Kepler Challenge Milford Track Routeburn Track Routeburn Classic Other features Aurora Cave Awarua Point Fiordland National Park Foveaux Strait Hollyford Valley McKinnon Pass Puysegur Point Te Ana-au Caves Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Site West Cape Wilmot Pass Programmes and expeditions Fiordland Islands programme New Zealand American Fiordland Expedition

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Charles Sound](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Sound) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Sound?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.