LIGHT STEEPLE ROCK?

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1501, 25 July 1912, Page 2

LIGHT STEEPLE ROCK?

OFF SEATOUN BEACH. REPORT ON A WEIRD NOTION. "That a pile beacon ba erected on Steeple Rock Shoal as a leading light for Port Nicholson," was tho cfl'ect of n suggestion recently made by the Merchant Servico Guild to the Wellington HarbmilBoard. Is Not Somes Light Sufficient? On this suggestion, tho harbourmaster reported as iollows;—It seoms to me that it requires serious consideration Ix'foro establishing another controlling -light such as tho one suggested, and lor this reason: We liavo Soinos Island light cut by thrco segments for tho navigation of tho channel—red, white, and green. The whito segment controls the main deepwater channel; the red indicates danger on tho western side; and tho green on the eastern side. Tho low level light, situated on Pencan-ow Point, eastern entrance to tho harbour, is also cut by segments to clear buoys and dangers both inside the harlxmr and at the approach to it. If a third light of tho same description were introduced® wo should get somewhat mixed in the navigation of the channel, and in my opinion the light fttggested is impracticable for tho following reasons -.— (1) Tho main channel leading into Port Nicholson gives a straight line, one course north 8 degrees west, up to Somes Island, and to a safe anchorage.; Therefore a light at Steeple Hock could not bo a safe guide into the harbour by tho deep-water channel. A_ glance at the chart will substantiate this statement. (2) A light at Steeple Rock would tend to draw all the vessels to tho shallow sido of the channel and into danger. The 1912 "New Zealand Nautical Almanac," edited by Captain H. S. Blackburne, in giving the directions for entering the port by night, on page 200 says:— "Or, after passing Pencarrow Point, . on which the low level light is situated, a course may be token by keep- . ing in the blending of the whito and green lights of Somes Island lightliouso nofth 8 degrees west. This courpo leads through tho deepest water in the main channel with ample room on each side." This paragraph is correct,' and hears out my contention that vessels should bo directed to tho east side of the channel, and not to the west, as the light at Steeple Rock would assuredly do. On the face of it, it seems to mo doubtful if the Marine Department would approve of a light such as tho ono suggested. (3) Any ve.s=el entering or leaving tho harbour in thick or foggy weather and tryin" to pick up a lght at Steeple Roelc would he courting imminent danger, and stand a chanco of finding the rocks before tho light. The position as indicated on the chart submitted is in shallow water, and tho inside or western side of the assumed light is wholly bounded by rocks and (liitigers which should b3 avoided by all vessels keeping away from that side. (4) Tho cutting or segment of tho pile light on the western side of .the entrance to the harbour, as shown On the. chart submitted by the Guild; is three-quarters of a cable to the westward of the white segment of Somes Island light; that is, there would be a bright.light showing in the red segment off Somes Islnud light, and it would lead vessels into the kelp off Barret Reef, with the result that lio master could navigate his vessel into such a position without courting disaster. (5) There is a statement in tho Guild's letter to this effect:— "It has been recognised for years past by shipmasters that the light on Somes Island is, in very many eases, useless for tho purpose, lying, as-it does, so far back from tho entrance." l r rom this I must assume that tho suggested pile light is supposed to take the placo of Somes Island light in thick or foggy weather when tho latter light is obscured. Tho chart submitted indicates this, as the pile light shown on it is'cut Ipy .tlireo segments, viz.—red, white, and green. The segments aro in. the same order as Somes-Island light, viz., red on the west side of tho entrance, whito in, the supposed channel, and green on the east..side. Wo shall ..assume, a strange vessel is off the entrance 'of th« port in thick weather, and tho pile, light is seen, and not at all unlikely mistaken for Somes Island light, that light being obscured. Then the vessel entering the channel would find the rocks" before the anchorage, and all vessels, intercolonial, coastal, or otherwise, are liable to this snmo mistake. For this reason also the suggested light 'seems impracticable and dangerous in the extreme.

Halswell Point. Tho guild also suggest in their letter as follows:— "If this suggestion wore acted upon tho light bUoy tow moored on Falcon Shoal would not bo required there, nnd it would answer a. good purpose if placed at Halswell Point." Tlie Falcon Shoal buoy was placed in its present position to define the deep water channel for the ocean steamers of heavy draught,' nnd cannot be removed until the whole bank is removed by dredging, which will take some years." There is no Tenson whatever for a buoy to be placed off Halswell Point, lighted or otherwise. On August 26, 1907, I wrote to' tho secretary of tho board as follows "As no. dangers extend of? this point beyond low water and tho water being deep riglit up to tho point, I would recommend that,, the buoy there bo removed and a concrcto beacon bo erected nt low water mark and painted white. Then should it be considered necessary a light can be placcd on the beacon at any time." Every buoy placed in the .harbour becomes a rock in so far as navigation is concerned as vessels havo to keen clear of. them, and the ljuoy off Halswell Point is a nuisance, and I would again recommend that it l>e removed and n beacon be erected on Shore. It costs .£6 or ilO every year to keep tho buoy in rejmir, cleaned awl painted. There is only ono objection to tho beacon being lighted. When vessels entering or leaving the harbour are navigated close along the-shore Halswell Point becomes a turning point, that is, a change in tho vessel's course. Then the danger of a collision at once arises. Such has been tho case at Jerniiigham Point buoy on two fir three occasions. Olio case has yet to come before the Court. For this reason I am doubtful as to its utility. One might Snjr there is 110 limit to tho room for a wide course around this point as it can be measured by miles, but some masters will cut the distance close along the shore to save time, and careless navigators havo to be considered as Well as the careful. Supposing the beacon is lighted it would-have to bo a bright occulting light ns Jorningham buoy carries a red light, and green cannot bo brought into use on that side of the harbour. The Maori Incident. This suggestion and the above report concerning it were considered by the board last night. The .Wharves Committee, had recommended ithat the harbourmaster's report be adopted, and the board acted by the Tecomniendation. In the course of the discussion mention was made of the Maori incident of last week, when • the. ferry steamer did not leave the harbour. It had been stated in a letter to the nross that tho reason why the Maori could not get out was that he capain could not pick np the Somes Island light. The harbourmaster, however, had stated that the complaint in the letter was altogether gromuUess. Tt was generally agreed that the result of setting up another coloured leading light within range of the Somes Island light would lead to nothing but confusion, and would do no good whatever.