TAURANGA HARBOUR.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 822, 18 June 1853, Page 4

TAURANGA HARBOUR.

Between Mercury River and Wellington, Tailranga in the Bay of Plenty is the only safe anchorage in all winds for Vessels of burden. There is room for a fleet. The approach to it is remarkably distinct. The difficulty of entering this harbour in its deepest channel, is the s >mewhat tortuous course and the liability to eddy winds on rounding Mount Monganui, and the channel at one place is only half a cable wide, but during those winds which would cause the Bay of Plenty to be a lee shore, Tauranga is most accessible, and the following directions are the results of the Survey of H.M.S. Pandora, in November 1852. * On approaching Tauranga from the Northward, the Mayor Island should be brought to bear North, when a high flat topped hill (Monganui) will make at first like an island. It rises abruptly from the sands, and forms the eastern head of the harbour. On approaching nearer, an Islet (Motu-ota«) and a hummocky projection from the sand, bo'.h within a mile East of Monganui, are the only interruptions to a uniform sandy beach, extending sixteen miles S. Easterly to Maketu. The west entrance of Tauranga is formed by low undulating sand hills. The Island of Karewa (a rugged island about half a mile in circumference) six miles N.E. by N. of Monganui, is two miles off this sandy beach, having a channel on either side, of 12 to 15 fathoms. The soundings decrease gradually towards the harbour, from abreast of Karewa, 15 fathoms, and 7 fathoms a mile from the heads. The course in, will now be S. 7* 45' E. or S. $ E., avoiding a spit that generally breaks more than mile out and extending a mile off the west shore. Mooganui at first is bold. The channel in is one third of a mile wide, deepening from 4 to 7 fathoms, until reaching the S. W. extreme of Monganui, from whence a stony point extends two-thirds of a cable, which although generally visible, is covered at | flood. If it is intended to haul round to the East channel (where there is an excellent anchorage under the mountain) the extreme of this spit should be seen, for the channel here though deepest is not much more than half a cable. After Stoney Point is past. Monganui is quite steep to, and a good anchorage is found in the first sandy bight in 6 fathoms, a cable from the shore. j .Vessels of any size can proceed a mile'and a half above the channel, having sto 7 fathoms ; it is best to keep about a cable off the H. W., and the Una of bank opposite (which is steep to) will almost always be distinct. Here will be seen a small rise of ground, immediately above which the channel divides, one running to the Westward with irregular soundings, and the other continuing towards Te Papa gradually shoaling. A Vessel could moor half a mile North of Te Papa having 17 feet at low water springs, and she will then be near three miles from the harbour's mouth. There is another anchorage near the Western entrance to Tauranga, which if buoyed would be generally the simplest. It is by keeping on the same course S. f E., and passing along the Western shore, until Monganui is shut in by the West sandy point Panipani." There is a bank, the- White Bank, to be avoided two-thirds of the way across from Monganui to the West beach. This bank is J of a mile long, and lies North and South, and has two ftet water; within there is a channel, for small craft only. To clear this bank, continue the course in S. f E, until the extreme point Panipani bears S.W. \ W., and haul up towards this sand point which is steep to, keeping Monganui just shut in, and an anchorage, 6 fathoms sand, will be found \ a mile beyond the point. From this anchorage vessels can leave without detention, whereas, within Monganui bluff, the prevailing wind being Westerly, and the channel off Stony Point being very narrow, a ship may be detained. Above Te Papa, there is. only a boat channel amid extensive flats, and three miles above, it narrows again into a small but deep river running to the Southward, which is navigable for boats 15 miles, and by it a journey can be accomplished to the Roto-rua lakes in less than two days.The Western branches of Tauranga are connect-* ed at high water/with 'the Kati Kati. The mouth of the River Wairoa, 2 mi'es S.W. from Otumoiti, runs South- Westerly from 12 to 15 miles. Te Papa, the residence of Archdeacon Brown, is a thorough comfortable English establishment, the site well chosen on elevated ground,' on the South side of the harbour, 3 miles from Monganui. Two miles to the Westward of it is the Village of Otumoiti, where there is a Roman Catholic establishment, and a very neat church, the interior gorgeously decorated by Native wicker-work. ' Four or five Englishmen reside here, chiefly engaged in building small craft, and I am informed, three Frenchmen live at the mouth of the Wairoa. The total Native population of the Tauranga district is estimated at 1,000, and large tracts of land are under culth ation. The greatest strength of the tides is 3 knots: at , Stony Point it may reach 4. The middle flats are hardly ever uncovered, having from lto 4 feet at low water. During the,23 days we were in Tauranga, it blew very fresh almo st continually from the S.W., but we were assured such strong winds weie unseasonable. We bad little rain. , During the 25th and 26th of November, a fog lasted for 48 hours, , succeeded by a strong N t W, breeze. Water can be obtained just within Stony Point, in small quantities. The natives provided us with pigs and poultry at reasonable rates. o i it Latitude of Monganui, Apex 37 3i 50 S. 1 * • Longitude of do. 176 12 55 E. H.W. at F. and C.-r7h. 10m. Rise and Fall 6 feet. Byron Drdrv, Commander H. M. S. Pandora.

* In the old and existing Charts and Maps, there !■ an island laid down, termed High and Flat, it does not exiit, but there it 110 doubt this is Monganui, •which would hare the appearance of a high flat island from seaward. Captain Cook did not make this mistake, it must have been the error of a subsequent voyager.