New Zealand - Waiheke Island

Waiheke Island, Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand
Eighteen kilometres across the water from Auckland city is the best-known of the gulf's islands. 25km long and 20km across at its widest, fast sea transport has made Waiheke Island a virtual dormitory suburb of Auckland.

Sent by Phebe from Auckland in New Zealand.

This is from Wikipedia : Waiheke Island (pronounced [ˈwaiheke] in Māori b="_new"ut often /waɪˈhekiː/ in English) is an island in the Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand, located about 17.7 km (about 35 minutes by ferry) from Auckland.

The island is the second-largest, after Great Barrier Island, of all the gulf islands. It is also the most populated with just under 8,000 permanent residents plus another estimated 3,400 who have second or holiday homes on the island. This makes it New Zealand's most densely populated island, with 83.58 people/km², and the third most populated after the North and South Island. It is also the most accessible offshore island in the Gulf, due to regular passenger and car ferry services and some air links.

The island is 19.3 km long from west to east and varies in width from 0.64 km to 9.65 km, and has a surface area of 92 km². The coastline is 133.5 km, including 40 km of beaches. The port of Matiatia at the western end of the island is 17.7 km from Auckland and the eastern end is 21.4 km from Coromandel. The much smaller Tarahiki Island lies 3 km to the east. It is very hilly with few flat areas, the highest point being Maunganui at 231 metres. The climate is slightly warmer than Auckland with less humidity and rain and more sunshine hours.