Page 5 Advertisements Column 2

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 30, 15 January 1864, Page 5 (Supplement)

SAILING DIRECTIONS FOR ENTER.^ ING THE PORT OF INVERCA.RGILL. From the Provincial Goocrnment Gazette, Aug. 7 .Vessels bound for New River should steer foV the north end of Point Island, around which, to -'within a cable's length; there is not less than . five fathoms water. A small patch : is said to exist about a quarter of a mile pfF in a westerly direction, but the pilots have. rrdt been able to find less than five fathoms waterpn it, hard sand' bottom. ; . Outside the • Bar, in. six fathoms, is mjoored a spiral-shaped black buoy, bearing from" thenorth end of the Island north half a mile. Steer for this buoy, and as you approach it the lending. beacons, painted white, will come on with each other bearing from you E. f S. Keep the beacons in one, leaving 1 the black buoy on your port hand, which will lead you over the bar in fifteen feet at low' "water, spring tides. The 'breadth of thebar is about a good cable's length, and insHe of it, in four fathoms, is a spiral-shaped white buoy, marking the south side of the channel. The course from this buoy, to about two jioles' length above the Pilot Station, is E J if, and from thence, to about four cables' length farther up, Eby N. The channel then gradually bends to the northward until past ihe Bombay. Rock. ■"'"■ The Pilot Station is. situated between the lending beacons, and, except in heavy gales, a pilot will board the vessel abreast 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 to conduct his vessel to a place of safety : — The channel is marked by white buoys on the starboard or south side, and by black buoys on the port or north side. Keep midway between the black and white buoys. • About three cables' length below the Bombay Rock lies a small rock called the "Guiding Star Rock," with only four feet water over it. A white buoy has been placed on the west side of this rock, in twelve feet water The Sand Spit, on the opposite side of the Channel, has been advancing into it during the last six months, and at present the breadth of the passage between the Spit and the rock is so narrow that it would not 1)e prudent for a stranger to run 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 ride in comparative safety. The leading mark to pass midway between the rock and the Spit is:— Keep the high hummock on the extreme end of Sandy Point a sail's breadth open to the eastward of the iron white beacon on Bombay Rock, bearing N E -f N. When abreast of the white buoy, keep off a little, so as not to shave the point of the Spit too close ; a N by E half E course will then lead you through between the Bombay Rock and the black buoy on the opposite side of the channel. On the west side of the Bombay Rock is placed an iron beacon, surmounted by a barrel painted white. The top of the beacon is fifteen feet above low water mark, and the rock projects from the bencon twenty feet W N W into the channel; immediately beyond there is eighteen feet water. The course from abreast of this beacon to the second white buoy as you proceed upwards is N E by N. and from thence to the third white buoy N E, but allowance must be made for the set of the tide, which runsthrough the blin-.l channel and strikes across the ship channel, between the Bombay B-ock and the first white buoy above it. The flood setting east, the ebb west. The best anchorage for a stranger to take is abreast of the third white buoy from fhe Bsmbay Rock, letting go the anchors nearest to the S W side, as it is pretty sleep, too. The depth of water near the shore is three, and, in midchannel, five fathoms — good holding ground.. It is high-water full and change at the Pilot Station at 12h. 30m., and the rise of tide from six to eleven feet, a'ceording to the winds and -, state of the. tides ~, westerly winds setting the tides up. A flagstaff has been erected on Steep Head, on which will be hoisted, on and after the loth August, 1883, tidal signals, nearly the same as shown at Lonsdale Point, Port Phillip, viz. : — BETWEEN SUNRISE AND SUNSET. During the first quarter flood, a blue flag halt-mast high. During the second quarter flood, a blue flag at the mast-head Duringthe third quarter flood, No 7 Marryatt's, half-mast high. During the last quarter flood, No 7 Marryatt's at the mast-head. EB"E TIDE. During first quarter, a blue Hag half-mast high, with a ball underneath. During second quarter, a blue flag at - mast-head, with a ball underneath. During third quarter, No 7, Marryatt's, halfmast high, with a ball underneath. Last quarter, No 7, Marryatt's, at the masthead, with a ball underneath. When the sea is high on the bar, a black ball will be hoisted at the north yardarm, in addition to the tidal signals ; but, when it is unfit for a vessel to enter the harbor, the tidal signals will not be shown, but two black balls will be hoisted at the north ) r ardarm. Communication may be had with vessels at sea, by means of Marryatt's signals, at the south,yardarm. Marryatt's signals, at the north yardarm, will be intended for the pilots at the station. Masters of vessels should not run for the harbor during the ebb tide, unless with a good commanding breeze, smooth water, and with a vessel easily steered. The bearings and courses given are by compass, and the soundings at low water spring tides. J. B. GREIG, Harbor Master. * DIRECTIONS TO MASTERS OF VESSELS BOUND TO RIVERTON. From tho Provincial Government Gazette Nov. 21. The entrance to this port being intricate, a stranger should not, under any circumstances, attempt to. sail in without a pilot, but should make fast to the mooring buoy painted black, which is placed in twenty-one feet at low water spring tides with the following bearings : Steep Head, S.E. by E. North-west end of Stewart's Island, on with Howell's Point, S. by W. half W. The flagstaff on Bailey's Point, W. half N. The mooring anchors of this buoy are placed four hundred and fifty feet apart, east and west from each other ; on each side of the buoy care should be taken in dropping an anchor near by, not to hook the moorings. On and after the Ist of November, 1863, between sunrise and sunset the following signals will be made at the flagstafif, on Bailey's Point, viz. : — When a vessel is approaching the harbor a number from Marryat's code indicating in feet the depth of water on the bar at the time, will be hoisted at the north-yard arm. A black ball hoisted above this number will show that the sea is too -high on the bar for the pilot to get off. Two black balls without the number will mean that some recent change has taken place in the channel or that it is dangerous in the opinion of the pilot even for a coaster acquainted with the place to attempt to run in. Vessels outside the bar or at the mooring buoy, when the pilot'eannot get off may. hold communication with hhn by means of Marryat's signals which in this case will be hoisted at the south yard arm. The pilot who is provided with! a boat and crew of four men will, when it is practicable, always put off in his boat on the approach of a vessel not having the exemption flag flying. The depth of water on the bar is at the highest tides fourteen feet, aiid there is rarely less than eight feet at high water lowest neap tides. J. B. Greig, Harbor Master. Harbor Office, Invercargill, 24th October, ISS3.