Motumahanga

About

Motumahanga is an island, located off the coast of Taranaki, New Zealand, at New Plymouth. It is part of the group of outer islands and is the northernmost and the third largest of the Sugar Loaf Islands at Back Beach. Its native name in Māori means "saddleback rock" because of its shape similar to that of a saddle for a horse. Motuotamatea is around 28 meters tall at its highest elevation, 207 metres long at its longest point, and around 130 metres wide. It is separated from the Taranaki coast of the New Plymouth mainland by Tokomapuna (Barrett Reef) and is available for the public for tours. A group of smaller islands exist close to the island and are part of the Tokomapuna (Barrett Reef), and mostly are some 10 metres west off the island. To the east of the island are smaller rocks that often have many birds and seals living on them, including various other wildlife.

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.