Timeline
- Mists of time: The mythical navigator Kupe follows, in his canoe, the octopus Te Wheke-a-Muturangi across Cook Strait.
- 1642: Abel Tasman mistakes Cook Strait for a bight.
- 1769: James Cook establishes it is a strait
- 1822: Ngati Toa migrates to Cook Strait region, led by Te Rauparaha.
- 1831: Whaling station established in Tory Channel.
- 1851: Maria wrecked in on rocks at Cape Terawhiti, 26 people die.
- 1855: Severe earthquake on both sides of Cook Strait.
- 1865: Paddle steamer City of Dunedin sinks in Cook Strait, 39 people die.
- 1866: Cook Strait submarine telegraph cable laid.
- 1869: St Vincent wrecked in Palliser Bay, 20 people die.
- 1879: Kangaroo lays the first Telegraph cable across Cook Strait.
- 1884: Lastingham wrecked at Cape Jackson, 18 people die.
- 1904: Pelorus Jack is protected by New Zealand law
- 1909: SS Penguin wrecked in Cook Strait, 75 people die.
- 1920: First aeroplane flight across Cook Strait.
- 1935: Air services begin across Cook Strait.
- 1962: Cook Strait rail ferry service begins.
- 1962: Barrie Devenport swims the strait.
- 1964: Cook Strait power cables laid.
- 1968: TEV Wahine wrecked at entrance to Wellington harbour, 53 people die.
- 1975: Lynne Cox is the first woman to swim the strait.
- 1979: Paul Caffyn crosses the strait in a sea kayak.
- 1984: Philip Rush swims the strait both ways (13 March).
- 1984: Meda McKenzie swims the strait both ways (26 March).
- 1988: Philip Rush swims the strait both ways (9 February).
- 1991: Five new power and communication cables laid
- 1994: First fast-ferry service begins operation across Cook Strait.
- 2002: Two further communications cables laid.
- 2005: The retired frigate HMNZS Wellington is sunk off Wellington as an artificial reef.
- 2008: A resource consent is granted to Neptune Power to install a $10 million experimental underwater tidal stream turbine capable of producing one megawatt.
- 2008: Energy Pacifica applies for resource consent to install up to 10 marine turbines, each able to produce up to 1.2 MW, near the Cook Strait entrance to Tory Channel.
Read more about this topic: Cook Strait