How did Split Apple Rock came into existence?
Long ago, the gods were fighting over a delicious golden apple. In the fight that ensued, the apple slipped from the heaven and fell on to the ground and split, turning into a stone. And that, my friends is how the split apple rock formation came to be. Well that was a complete lie, told to me by my very humorous tour guide, as I came to see the famous Split Apple Rock formation here at Abel Tasman in South Island, New Zealand. He also mentioned the Maori legend, which states that two gods were fighting over a large boulder. To prove their strength, they each grabbed hold of one end of the rock, and the tugging resulted in the split. Such interesting stories!
How was Split Apple Rock formed?
The real, less mysterious, and more scientific origin story is that long ago, water seeped in through the cracks of a huge boulder. When the water froze, it expanded, causing the rock to split into two. The split apple shape of the rock is chalked up to coincidence. Well, I still prefer the God’s apple version of the story, and the many other interesting, and often mythological origin stories for this interesting boulder. It is estimated to be around 120 million years old after all!
Amazing Facts about Split Apple Rock
Made out of granite, the rock is a naturally occurring geological formation that sits in the water around 50m from the coast of the Tasman Sea. Visible from the shores, in times of low tide, it is accessible by wading. Or you could kayak up to it. It is quite a popular tourist attraction, as also a point of interest for visitors of the Abel Tasman National Park. Quite a few resorts and retreats have cropped up in the area and the rock is always a point of interest for the guests there as well. The Tasman Bay is a nice area to go kayaking, take long walks, or even go hiking / water sporting and other outdoor activities.