WAIPAPA POINT.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 6, Issue 308, 27 November 1883, Page 3

WAIPAPA POINT.

(Lyttelton Times.') .iVhen the New Year opens there will be a light on Waipapa Point, and there will be one danger the less on the Southern coast. It will be a light visible in dear weather for 13 miles. To the westward (towards the Bluff) is the Dog Island light, distant 22 miles, and to the northward and eastward, some 50 miles further up the coast (towards Dunedin), is the Nuggets light, visible 23 miles, Tha Dog Island light is a revolving light, the Nuggets is a fixed light. The new light is to be a ten seconds flash light, visible 13 miles. It will come into view of a steawer going Soutk from an hour to two •hours (20 miles is the distance between the radii of the lights) after losing sight' of the light at the Nuggets, and it will be sighted from an hour to an hoar and a-half before the Dog Island light is sighted. The latter and the Waipapa light will for some time be in sight at once. The Bluff passage will, it is evident, be rery much safer tkan it can be aaid to be now. Whether it will be as safe as it can be made is another question— one great poiat gaimed will be that there will .be no doubt about the position of Waipapa Point. B»t the difficulty of iudeing the distance of land from the ship will remain; soundings ought to give that with tolerablQ accuracy. But late event* have proved that founding is net alwaji resorted to. An imperative rule about sounding would make matters, safer. Will owner! make such a rule for the guidance of their Z erßT *, There to aiw *- V 8 however chwee of foggy weather. The three li 2 hte of the > coast being of different kinda-rerolv. mg, flash, and fixed— no mistake is possible 1 V M0 ,2? foff btnks obscuring one or tke <®f\ JH«Miti« of a -WlL* off the most useful In foggy wea ther it -would serve as a warning, and in bright weather it would enable a ship'a distance to be iudred with perfect safety. * •