Lake Wakatipu near Queenstown, New Zealand
© Raimondo Restelli/500px
Lake Wakatipu near Queenstown, New Zealand
These are the seemingly flat, calm waters of Lake Wakatipu on the South Island of New Zealand. Wakatipu, the country's third-largest lake, is shaped like a lightning bolt. This unusual shape creates a seiche, or standing wave, which causes the lake’s waters to rise and fall a few inches every 26 minutes. According to Māori legend, this ‘tide’ is said to be caused by the heartbeat of Matau, a huge monster that sleeps at the bottom of the lake.
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