THE FOXTON BAR.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 835, 5 May 1910, Page 3

THE FOXTON BAR.

The following is the Pilot’s report on the local bar from Jan. Ist. On the date mentioned there was Bft of water on the bar but there was a bank inside with a foot less water. The bar was well to the northward.

On Jan. 24th, the s.s. Kennedy crossed but stuck on the bank inside and had to put out again and did not get in till the following morning. On the 26th, the s.s. Gertie crossed at 9.45 a.m., and also stuck on the bank inside and stopped there till the following tide, when she got off with assistance. No damage was done to the ship. On January 28th, the s.s. Himitangi crossed the bar at 11 a.m., and also grounded on the inner bank and was pulled off with assistance.

On Feb. 2nd, there was only Bft dinches at the top of high water springs-

On February 23rd, there was Bft 3inches at high water springs and at 10.30 a.m. the bar had broken out to the southward leaving a long flat running out for about a quarter of a mile which made it very bad for vessels to work with a northerly wind. There has been an average of Bft 6in at high water springs and 6ft 6in at high water neaps. On March 4th, the s.s. Queen of the .South got stuck on the bar but washed into the river and had to discharge about 40 tons of cargo into lighters when she floated off. Three days after this there was only 6ft on the bar at high water neaps. On March 22nd, there was only 6ft 6in at high water. On the 30th the s.s. Moa attempted co cross the bar, but got washed back. She anchored for two days till the tides made. At this date there was only 6ft at high water. On April 4th the Queen of the South attempted to cross, but had to put back to the wharf, where she was delayed from the 4th to the 9th. On the 6th, there was sft 6in at high water. The s.s. Gertie was delayed for five days waiting to get in.

On April 19th, the bar shifted farther to the north, almost straight out. The north and south spits made out a lot during the north-west winds, but the channel was no deeper—6ft at high water neaps—and three boats waiting a chance to get out. On May Ist the pilot reported that the bar is still in a very bad state, and had shifted to the uorth’ard. Bft 6in had been sounded at high water springs, and 6ft at high water neaps. The channel is more confined and a fresh is wanted to scour it out and to provide a good channel. The river is good from the bar to the wharf.

During April, 15 steamers passed inwards and 17 outwards.