THE TIDAL WAVE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5034, 12 May 1877, Page 2

THE TIDAL WAVE

After an interval of nine years, New Zealand has again been visited by a tidal wave. Between 6 and 7 a.m. yesterday some persons on the Queen’s wharf discovered a great commotion in the bay, aud immediately the water was observed to rise two or three feet above the ordinary level, and subsequently to recede with similar rapidity, the time occupied in the flux aud reflux not exceeding a quarter of an hour. This abnormal ebb and flow continued, gradually decreasing all the morning in rapidity and volume till noon was reached, when the ebb and flow occurred almost every seven minutes, and the height of the rise became insignificant. Towards the afternoon, however, the rise and fall increased, aud about 5 p.m. it had reached nearly six feet. After this it fell away again, and during the evening became merely nominal. Of course the above figures are principally estimates, as there is unfortunately no apparatus or convenience in the harbor for gauging tidal movements. At Meech’s baths, it was calculated that the greatest difference between the extreme rise and extreme fall was three and a half feet ,* but at the wharf and at the Star Boating Club sheds, a much greater difference was observed. The height to which the water rose ia variously stated as between one and two feet above the highest spring tide recorded. During the day some peculiar commotions occurred in the centre of the harbor, which are quite beyond explanation ; but the result of one of these was probably seen by the Ringarooma. Near Point Jerningham a quantity of bluish mud was observed, which at first sight was taken to be a shoal suddenly raised in the fairway. In the Strait those on board the steamer observed nothing particularly striking except that the sea was coming in from the eastward iu a long roll. The Tui, which arrived during the evening from Lyttelton, experienced a very heavy sea off the Kaikouraa, aud the schooner Ruby, which also arrived in ‘ port from Kaikoura last evening, reports having felt a shake off Capo Campbell. At the opening between Mills’ foundry and the breastwork of the new reclamation a strong rush of water occurred while the tide was advancing or receding, and occasionally, when the long atrip enclosed by the breastwork and extending from the foundry to the railway station had not time to discharge its superfluous water before the wave again began to advance, a kind of rip was formed, the contending waters rushing up in a vertical pillar several feet high, and iu mid-air dashing their spray in all directions. Just outside this opening some rather strong eddies occurred, and small craft were spun round and round like a teetotum, while even the barque Auatraliud was swayed to such an extent by the current that the hands were unable to prevent her being driven so close to one of the T’s that her jibboom played considerable havoc with the New Zealand Times posting board, and very nearly crushed in the side of agoods-shed. A party of excursionists engaged a waterman’s boat from the gridiron, to see “how it felt in the harbor,” as they said. They embarked when the wave was fully in, and upon its recoding were rather surprised to find their boat high and dry. According to the telegrams it seems that there were distinct waves noticed in other ports 2, the colony, but in Wellington there was almost a continuous ebb and flow, differing only iu degree. The same thing was observable iu 1863, ami wo hud that Dr. Hector, in a paper on the occurrences of that period, read t before the

Wellington Philosophical Society, explains the difference between Wellington and the other ports of the colony in this respect in the following paragraph:—“ln this harbor, Weilington, where I caused exact observations to be taken at frequent intervals —as might be expected from the wide expanse of water and the narrow entrance—these waves could not be so clearly distinguished as on more exposed parts of the coast ; but there is a general agreement ameng all the observations taken at the different stations, which leads to the conclusion ” that there were three great tides or rushes. However, what took place in the other ports of the eastern coast of the colony may be gathered from the following telegrams;—

Russell, 3.30 p.m.—A tidal wave this morning rushed into the bay and surrounding harbor. The tide rose about eight feet in as many minutes.. It did not come up the bay as far as the township, but at noon to-day the tide fell very suddenly about four feet below the ordinary low-water level, and rose again very fast.

Auckland, 3.30 p.m.—At the three-quarter ebb at 10.30 a.m. the tide rose rapidly about nine inches, and then receded. The flood tide came in very fast. There were four distinct tidal waves at Warkworth (Knahurangi) at 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 10 a.m., and 12.40 p.m. The highest wave was six feet, at 7 a.m. Tauranga, 2.25 p.m.—Tide coming in suddenly, fell seven inches. The phenomena still going on.

2.35 p.m.—Since telegraphing X have made further enquiries, and find the tidal disturbance was felt here about 8 o’clock this morning, causing a rise of about two feet. GISBORNE, 9.10 a.m.—The sea got up yesterday afternoon, but has gone down again. There was a strange phenomenon in the tide this morning. At three-quarter-ebb tide it rushed into past high-water mark and then receded again, and a second rush in took place not quite so much as first. 2.45 p.m.—The tidal disturbances continue. At 7 a.m. the tide rose eight feet in ten minutes; at 9 a.m. it rose about four feet; and at 11 a.m. about three feet. At 0.40 p.m., and again at 3.30 p.m., it rushed in for about ten to fifteen minutes, rising three to four feet. The sky has a very windy appearance, and it is commencing to blow from the S. It looks like a S.E. gale. Great tidal disturbances are reported as having occurred throughout last night. This morning a wave came over Poverty Bay, and rose eight feet over the top of the hull of the Go-A-Head. The men had to fly to the rigging to save their lives. From that time to about noon there were seven more waves. Bar., 29'90; wind, W.S.W., strong; cloudy.

Pout Ahuuibi, 9 a.m.—Tidal disturbances. At high-water proper this morning, about 4 o’clock, there was an extremely high tide. At 7 a.m. the tide commenced to rise rapidly, and at 7.15 it was as high as good spring tides. It fell as rapidly. The tide immediately commenced to rise again, and at 8 was as high as ordinary neap tide, and then fell rapidly, and is now rising again.

Napier, 9 a.m.—Tidal disturbances occurred this morning. High water proper was at 4 a.m., when there was an extremely high tide. At 7 a.m. the tide commenced to rise rapidly, and at 7-15 was as high as good spring tides. It fell as rapidly, after which the tide immediately commenced to rise again, and at 8 o’clock was as high as ordinary neap tides. It then again fell rapidly, and is now rising again.

Akaroa, noon.—A heavy tidal wave was experienced here this morning, first at 7 o’clock, when it was nearly dead low water. The sea came in with great force, and receded in a few minutes, the rise and fall being about Bft. Waves still are coming in at intervals of about twenty minutes. No damage is reported. Port Chalmers, 11.35 a.m.—Extraordinary fluctuations of tide are now going on here. At 10.30 a.ra, to-day the flood tide rose Sin. in seven minutes, and fell immediately afterwards 2in. in three minutes.

4 p.m. Subsequent observations show an alternate rise and fall of the tide from 11 a.m. to 1.45 p.m. The greatest rise 8 inches in 1 minute, and the greatest fall 4 inches in 3 minutes. The tide is now ebbing in the ordinary way. Bluff, 12.15 p.m.—Tidal waves have been rushing in and out every hour since 9 a.m. The rise and fall is 4ft. to sft.

Oamabu, 11.30 a.m.—There has been an extraordinary sea commotion since midnight. Tidal or volcanic waves are coining from the north-eastward, and are ebbing and flowing Bft. to 10ft. No damage has been done to the shipping as yet. Lyttelton. —A strange disturbance has been felt in the harbor all the morning, the water rising and falling rapidly, after having been above the usual high-water mark at half flood, and it has fallen exceedingly low. No damage has been done to shipping. 7 p.m. —The effects of the tidal wave were much felt in Pigeon Bay. The water rose about 12ft. above the ordinary high-water mark, covering the handrail of the wharf. The yacht Jimmy Flynn has been washed into the bush.

Christchurch. —There was a strange tidal disturbance this morning in Lyttelton harbor from seven o’clock till late (one o’clock). The water has been rising and falling in an unusual manner, at times rising three feet in a few minutes and falling equally rapidly. No damage was done. It was felt in the Waimakariri, also at Timaru. 7 p.m.—There was very great excitement in Lyttelton this morning, consequent upon another tidal wave. The harbor was in a great state of turmoil about 7 olclock, and throughout the whole of the morning the tide rose and fell with very great rapidity. At one period it rose 3ft. in nine minutes, falling again as rapidly. The whole of the harbor has been stirred up, the water being very thick with mud. No damage has been done to any of the shipping. The tide was at about its proper level at 1 o’clock.

Riverton, 7 p.m.—A tidal wave was experienced here at one o’clock thi? morning, and advanced find receded seven times between that hour and twelve noon. The first wave lifted the Express from her moorings and brought her closer in shore, but carried away her funnel and mainmast. Before the wave rolled in, the steamer’s decks were dry, and the men were about to commence pumping out. No other damage is as yet reported. The cause of the great phenomenon which yesterday visited us is at present veiled in mystery, but one or two solutions of the problem have been suggested. First, that the rush of water all along the coast is neither more nor less than the effects of a great gale in the South Pacific, the proximity of which has been indicated by the extraordinary depression of the barometer and high tides in the southern part of the South Island. It may be remembered as a matter of fact that on the 7th, Bth, and 9th the indications referred to did present themselves at the Bluff and Port Chalmers, but whether they have any connection with the occurrence of yesterday, or whether there was any connection between the high tides and the falling barometers on those days, must be left for determination by minds above the common herd of mankind. The idea which finds most favor is that the whole occurrence is a repetition of the event of 1868, and that the effects visible in our harbors yesterday proceed from a similar cause to that which produced the former tidal wave, though the earthquake may have been leas severe.

The following resume of the disturbances observed in August 15th, 1868, is taken from “Transactions of the New Zealand Institute,” Vol. X.,p. 101; Bluff. —Tide rose higher last night (14th) than ever known before. Between 8 and 9 this morning terrific rush of water, rose very high, although the time of high water was not till 10.27. At 11 a.m. the tide fell nineteen inches in twenty minutes, and rose again a short time after.

Port Chalmers. —At 10 a.m. water rose one foot, and fell again in a few minutes. Large ships in the harbor swung round their anchors three times In one tide. Ordinary high tide at 1.40 p.m., water then rising and falling continually, at the rate of two inches per minute. Oamaku. —At 11.50 a.m. extraordinary change in the sea level, the tide rising and

falling fifteen feet perpendicularly at intervals of fifteen minutes, and receding eight or ninefeet perpendicularly below low-water mark. Agitation continued all day. Timahu.—At about 5 a.m. sudden rise of the sea of about six feet, which in the course of five minutes fell to a lower level than has been ever witnessed in Timaru. Sea rose and fell on the beach rapidly for the space of four hours, with a strong current, changing with the rise and fall of the tide. Succession of whirlpools in the offing, very distressing to ships. Pigeon Bat (Banks Peninsula), —At about 4 a.m. loud rumbling noise from the sea—first waves were not witnessed otherwise. At 7 a.m. water considerably lower than ordinary low-water mark, great rush of water, m ten minutes it was a foot higher than ordinary high-water mark. Fish of all descriptions were thrown up by the water. Water keptrising aud falling about five feet every half hour, until ten minutes to 10 a.m., when it rushed in very quickly and rose four feet above highest high-water mark. At twenty minutes past 10 a.m. it fell equally fast, and was at its lowest point at 10.35 ; again at 11.15 the water came in with a great rush, carrying away a small jetty and some garden fencing, which was about four feet above high-water mark. At ten minutes to 12 it retired to its lowest point. Advancing again, it came in with greater force than any of the previous waves, carrying away a boathouse, more garden fencing, and forty thousand feet of timber* stacked five feet above highest high-water mark. At five minutes past 12 the water retired once more ; at 12.40 the water having risen seven feet above the ordinary high-water mark, carried away another jetty, also the ketch Courier, 30 tons, which was brought back within a few feet of her old berth by the next rush at 1.5 p.m. After this the water continued to rise and fall at intervals of about three-quar-ters of an hour, each wave getting smaller as 1 the tide retired. Port Lyttelton.—At 4 a.m. the harbor was observed to be quite dry from the wharf JyOfficer’s Point, and the vessels lying on sides. In a few minutes an immense wape came up the harbor, tearing the vessels from the wharves, and breaking their warps and eight-inch hawsers. Much injury was done to vessels. Water rose and fell for hours. At 6 a.m. the tide was below low-water mark, and in a quarter of an hour it was above high-water mark. At 9.30 a.m. another roller came in. The water sometimes rose and fell three feet in five minutes.

By other observers: At 11.30 p.m. on Saturday (15th) the water was half-flood, stood at this some time ; at 12.30 a.m. on Sunday it rose to the usual high-water mark ; at 1 a.m. it fell back to half-ebb ; at 4.30 it was halftide again. After this the water gradually fell back ; at 6 a.m. it was down to low-water mark, making three times high water in six hours ; at noon it was high water ; at 1 p.m. the water dropped suddenly four feet. At 2 p.m. the tide rose higher than usual, covering the Beef. The agitation is still (5 p.m.) going on.

Hokitika (West Coast). —No particular disturbances of the tide noticed. Kaiapoi (four miles from the mouth of the Waimakariri). —At 3 a.m.—two hours after ebb—an immense wave, four feet high, rushed up the river, doing much damage to the ships lying at the wharf. First wave at about 3 a.m., followed by two others at intervals of about fifteen minutes. Up to 4 o’clock, seven in all, but not of such magnitude as the first two or three, had rushed up the river. The greatest force of the waves went up the south branch of the river, thus saving the town from disastrous consequences. Waves continued to come up at intervals during the day. PlCTON.—Nothing unusual in the tide.

White’s Bat.—At 10 and 10.20 a.m. sudden recession of the sea, about forty yards down the beach from the usual tide mark. It rose again suddenly with a heavy swell and surf. High and low tides all the morning alternately. Nelson.—Time of ordinary high water, 6,30 a.m. The tide receded in its customary way. At 7.54 a.m. water suddenly returned, rising rapidly until 8 a.m., rushing in, in all directions, over the Boulder Bank, which appeared to have then more water upon it than at the time of high water. Estimated height of wave, four feet. About noon there was another considerable rise and fall of the water. Also, at 5.10 p.m., with a sudden fall of about two feet. Sunday morning (ICth) high water, ordinary, at 7.40 Ebbed for about ten minutes, then suddenly returned and. covered former high-water mark, Sunday afternoon further irregularities, which continued till Monday, in a slight degree. Castlepoint.—Tide last night higher than it has been for ten years, with one exception. Time of ordinary high water 2 p.m. At 11.52 a.m. tide was as high as ordinary high water, Napier.—At 10 a.m. tide rose highei and fell lower in ten minutes, in the “Iron Pot,” than, has ever been known before. Water continued to ebb and flow every hour, from three to six feet.

Opotiki. —Tidal disturbances on the 15th August. First appearauce at 8.30 a.m., it was then low water, and a wave about six feet high rushed up the river at the rate of six or seven knots, filling the river up to high-water mark; remained thus for a few minutes, thenrushed back, and in fifteen minutes it was low again. Several smaller waves followed. Next day slight oscillations still continued. At Opapi and Tibirda, similar disturbances.

At Cape Runaway, great wave between 4 and 5 a.m., doing much damage. Indications ou the beach show this wave to have been nearly ten feet high. Auckland Harbor,—No perceptible difference in the tides, but at Orewi and Port Charles tide rose to an unprecedented height, rising and falling about six feet several times. Mongonul —Great tidal disturbances, which continued in a minor degree till the 17th; water frequently rose and fell from four to five feet between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Such au occurrence never observed here before. SYDNEY. —TiIe tide water rose and fell repeatedly fully four feet. No serious damage done.

MELBOURNE. —Marine disturbances were not observed in or about Port Phillip. Chatham Islands. —Early on the 15th, three immense waves rushed in, causing great destruction of property and the loss of one life (a Maori). At Tupanga, on the northern side of the island, the phenomenon was felt with the greatest force, the settlement being*entirely destroyed. Similar disasters occurred at Waitangi, and great loss was occasioned. Thus it will be seen that in direction the movement of the tide of 1868 was much the same as that experienced yesterday, while the abated force with which the latter struck both the New Zealand aud New South Wales shores (for it will be seen by our telegrams that it was felt in New South Wales), seems to lead to the conclusion that the displacement of the waters immediately over the seat of the disturbance was not so violent as on the previous occasion.

This disturbance in 3808 was a great submarine eruption, at a considerable distance from shore. However, we will quote from Hr. Tlector’s paper on the subject:—“ In America there I appear to have been two distinct shocks of great magnitude ; although smaller ones were felt at frequent intervals, between the 13th and 16th, as was the case in New Zealand. The first great shock w« experienced at Peru at 5 p.m, on the 13th August, which time corresponds in Wellington with 9 30 a.m. on the morning of Friday the 14th. This shock is described as coming from the south and west, and there is no doubt that it was the result of a great submarine eruption at a considerable distance from the const, as within a short time it was followed by three ocean waves, which destroyed the towns al>ng the coast of Peru for a distance of 1000 miles, between lat. 12deg. and 23deg. south. There is no reason to doubt that it was the westerly propagation of the same three waves, the first of which reached New Zealand at 2.30 on the Saturday morning, having traversed the width of the South Pacific Ocean (over 6000 miles) in seventeen hours, giving an apparent average velocity of six mile* per minute. This agrees with the velocity formerly calculated for the wave, from the diiference between the time witli which it broke on the Chatham Islands and the Australian c v a*t. A wave having its origin a few hundred yards

from the coast of Peru, say in lat, 25deg. S., as appears to have been the case in this instance, would reach the Australian seas by the shortest route, following what is termed a great circle, and would appear to reach us, not from the north-east, as might be expected, but from the south-east ; the reason of which can be readily assigned by examining a globe. The force which originated such a wave must have been tremendous ; and there is no instance on record in history of any. earthquake wave of equal extent and magnitude. The second calamitous event, sn far as we yet know, only affected the province of Ecuador, whore at 1.20 on the morning of the 16th, or at 6.10 on the evening of Sunday the 16th in Wellington, a tremendous earthquake shock passed slowly from east to west, devastating the districts lying on the western slopes of the Andes between the Equator and sdeg. S. There is no reason to suppose that this shock, although its direction was the same, had any connection with the shock which was experienced in New Zealand on the following morning of Monday, the 17th, at 9.56 ; but it is interesting to find that at that particular period tbo cause wbicb gave rise to earthquakes was in [activity at wide distances apart on the earth’s surface, giving strong support to the view advanced in [a] lecture before the New Zealand Institute, that the primary cause of earthquakes is an influence external to our planets ; so that earthquakes are to be considered as the remote cause, rather than the effect of volcanic phenomena.”