Author: Unknown
Published on: 08/01/2025 | 01:17:55
AI Summary:
New Zealand has not seriously considered an undersea tunnel beneath the strait that more than 1 million people cross by sea each year. A Cook Strait tunnel would dramatically reduce the three- to four-hour sailing time between the North Island, home to 75% of the population, and the South. New Zealand is the same size as the United Kingdom — but the U.K. Has a population of 69 million, more than 13 times New Zealand’s. Sailing on both Cook Strait ferry services resumed Wednesday after two days of dangerous waves. Some passengers on one carrier said they could not book a new berth for a fortnight. The strait is less calm than many worldwide because it features opposing tides at each end. Laurie Perino, an Australian tourist, said the pristine and scenic ocean views had prompted her to book. “It would be more convenient,” she said, referring to a Cook Strait tunnel.
Original: 687 words
Summary: 160 words
Percent reduction: 76.71%
Not a single mention of how deep the waters are in the strait, how deep they’d have to dig to build that tunnel. Journalism!
EDIT: the average depth is 128 meters, but they’d have to go a bit further down than that. Say 150 meters, to round out the figure.
EDIT2: for comparison, at its’ deepest the Chunnel is 75 meters below sea level, and the Øresund Tunnel linking Denmark and Sweden is a mere 22 meters below sea level.