SAILING DIRECTIONS FOR ENTERING THE PORT OF INVISRCARGILL.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 26, 6 January 1864, Page 6 (Supplement)

SAILING DIRECTIONS FOR ENTERING THE PORT OF INVISRCARGILL.

From the Provincial Government Gazette, Aug. 7 . ' Vessels bound for Neiv River, should steer for the north end of Point Island, around which', > 10 within a cable's length, there is not less than •*§ five fathoms water. A small patch, is said ttT 8 ? exist about a quarter of a mile off in ,i westerly } dhection, but the pilots have not been able to '*; find less than five fathoms water on it, l.dfcl sand "^ bottom. Outside the Bar, in six fathoms, is * moored a spiral-shaped black buoy, bearing from ; the north end of the Island north half a mile. '-, Steer for this buoy, and as you approach it the •' leading beacons, painted white, will come on with each other bearing from you IS. f S. Keep the beacons in one, leaving the black buoy oa t jour port hand, which will lead you ovei the j bar in fifteen feet at loiv 'vrater, spring tides. The breadth of the bar is* about a good cable's length, aid ii)«si le of it, in four fathoms, is a spiral-shaped white buoy, marking the south Side of tlie.cTiannel. The cou:se from tips buoy, to flboul two aoles' Jengtli above the Pilot Station, is E \- r), and from thence, to about {our cables' length , farther up, Eby N. The channel then^radually 4 bends to the northward until past the Bombay^ Rosfc. \ The Pilot Station is situated between tl>R 1 leading beacons, and, except in heavy sralesV"^^" pilot will boiid the vessel abieast of the station, * but, should the wind and, sea be too strong for "* him to put off, the shipmaster by attending to *: the following directions, may be able himself 4 to conduct bis vessel to a place of safety : — & The channel is tnaiked by white buoys on the. ' starboard or south side, and by black buoys on the port or north side. Keep midway v between the black uid white buoys. " - About three c-ibles' length brlf\j\vfhe "Bombay v a Rock lies a small lock cajlediftne "Guiding^ Star Hock," wiih only four feet/water over it. }. 1 A white buoy has been placed on the west side" i of this rock, in iweUa feet waver -/The Sand"^ Spit, on the opposite s'rle of the Channel, has. S been advancing into it during the last six i ,- month", aud at present the breadth of the pas-'-sa<;e between the Spit and the lock is so narrow • that it would not be prudent for a stranger to ,iun through. - ■ ; It would be safer to anchor abreast of the " ! .second black buoy, above the Pilot Station, :,' .where a vessel with good ground tackle could „<- --lide in comparative safety. - * - _ - "J -^ The leading mark to p/iss mkl'vay between the -\ rock and the Spit i» : — Keep die high hummock - on the extreme^ end of Sandy .'Point a sail's t breadth open to the eastward ot Jie iron white beacon on Bombay Hock, bearing. N E } N. y < When abreast of the white buoy,, keep ofl''a*-| little, so as not to shave the point of the Spit '< too close; a N by E half E course will then lead yon through between the Bombay Rock and , the black 'buoy on the opposite side of the channel. \ i On the west aide ol\ the Bombay Hock is \ plaotid j. 1 * non beic>>:i, suuncHiii'f-J by si band, painted whi'e. Tie top of thj ue.icon is fifteen, jJ feet abovj lo.v \\&\t\ niaik, and the rock pio- ' # jects from the beacon twenty te% W N"~W into « the channel ; .immediately beyond there is & eighteen feet water. The course tiom abieast of * this beacon to the stcond uhite buoy as you £ proceed up>va>.ds is N E by N. -uui from thence 'j to the third \Uike buoy N 12, but allowance S must be undo for the sot of trie tide, which runs V through .the blind channel and strikes across ' the ship channel, between the Bombay ltock | and the first white buoy above it. The flood setting ea«t, the ebb west. ' The best anchoi ago for a stranger lo take is abieast of the third white buoy from the Bam bay r Hock, letting go the auchoi s nearest to tKe S W ' side, as it is preltj' steep, too. The depth of" , water near the shore is ihree, and, in-- midchannel, five fathoms — good holding ground. It is high-water full and change at the Pilot 7 Starion'at 12h. 30m., and the rise of tide from six to eleven feet, according to the winds and < state of the tides; westerly winds setting the - tides up. ' ~i A flagstaff has been erected on Steep Head, t on which wi.'l bo hoisted, on and after the 15th Au»ust, 1863, tidal signals, nearly the same ay y, shown at Lonsclale Point, Port Phillip, viz. : — "' ' BETWEEN SUNBISB AND SUNSET. ' "! During the first quarter flood, a blue flag-half-mast high. During the second quarter flood, a blue flag „ at .the mast-head Dvi ing the third quarter flood, No 7 Marryatt's, *' half-mast high. Dvi ing the last quarter flooJ, No 7 Marryatt's at the mast-head. EBBTIDE. During first quarter, a blue flag half-mast .' high, with a baU underneath. Dji'ing second quarfer, a blue flag at v mast-head, with a ball underneath. During third quarter, No 7, Mai ry art's, halfmast high, with a bail underneath. s ' Last quarter, No 7, ilavryatt's, at the mast- • " head, with a ball underneath. ; "When the sea is high on the bar, a black ball < will be hoisted at the north yaidar'u, in addition ? to the tidal signals , but,' when jr. is unfit for <i "■ vessel to entei the harbor, the tidal signals wil.^ not be shown, but two black balls will b> * hoisted at the north yarciann. Commuuicatiou 4 may be had with vessels at sea, by means of^t Marryatfs signals, af the south yarJarni. ]^ Marryatt's signals, at the north'yardarm, v>ilU»f be intended for the pilots at the station. jj Masters of vessels should not lun for th*-'. harbor during the ebb tide, unless with a goj>! , commanding breeze smooth water, and with -. vessel easily steered. The bearings and couises given are by co'tipass, and the souudings at low water sprit j tides. J. B- GREIG, llarbov Master.