SAILING DIRECTIONS FOR ENTERING THE PORT OF INVERCARGILL.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 40, 8 February 1864, Page 6 (Supplement)

SAILING DIRECTIONS FOR ENTERING THE PORT OF INVERCARGILL.

JVo'tn ttie Prb'vihcial'OorohiMent Gazette. Aii<>. 7. 'Vessels bound for 7 .New Biver should steer for the ' north end of Point Island, around which,!to Within a cable's length, there is nob lees than five fathoms water.'- A small patch i is said to exist .abotit a qu&rter of a mile oil' in l.'a'wtjsWirly direction, but the pilots have not I been: able ' to fi rid less than five fathoms water hard sand bottom. ' ■ Outside the Bar,- in: ; Bix. fathoms, is- mooi'ed a- »piral-sha,ped black ibuojy boui'iag .from tho north end of the. ! Island nor ill half a mile. Steer for this buoy,* ? and as you approach it the leading beacons, painted white, will come :on. with eaoh other .'bearing '.from. .you J£. J ; S. Keep, the beacons* in one, leaving the black buoy on your port ■hand, which .will lead- you over the bar iu fifteen / feet at low water, spring tides. The. breadth. of the bar is about a good cables' length, and iiisideof it, in four fathoms, is a . spii-al-iihaped white buoy, marking the south side t;f .tho chanucl. ; ; The course from this buoy-, to about two cables' length above the Pilot •Station, i3 35. \ N., and '..from thence, to about four cables' length farther up, E. by N. Tie channel then gradually bends to the northward until pa3t the Bombay Ttock. The Pilot Station is situated between the leading beacons, and, except in heavy gales, a pilot will board the vessel abreast of the station, but, . should the vfind and sea be too strong for him to put oil', the shipmaster by attending to the following directions, may be able hhiLsclf .to conduct his vessel to a place of safety : — The channel is marked by while buoys on the Ktarbuard or south side, ami by bla-k buoys on port or north side. Keep midway be ween the black and white buoys. About three cables' length bciow the Bombay Jrioek lies a small rock called the " Guiding Star Rock," with only four feet of watur over it. A white buoy has been plac-«d on tin- westside of thi< rock, in twelve feet walor. The ImiiJ Spit, on the opposite side of the Channel, ha.* been advancing into it during the hist six months, and afcp'rc«ent the breadth of the passage between the Spit and the rock is no narrow that it would not be prudent for a stranger to run through. It would be safer to -anchor abreast of the second black buoy, above tho Pilot Station, where a vessel with good ground tackle could ride in comparative safety. The leading mark to pass midway between (he rock ruid .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 the Bombay Rock, bearing Tf.E. $N. When abreast 'of the white buoy, keep oil' a little, so a-s not to shave the point of the Spit too close ; a N . by E. halfE. course will then lead you Ihrougli between the Bombay rock and the black buoy on the opposite side of the chaimol. On the west side of the Bombay Rock is placed an iron beacon, surmounted by a barrel painted wliitc. The top of the beacon is fifteen feet above low .water mark, and the rock projects -from the beacon twenty feet '\V.2\.\V. i into the channel ; immediately beyond there i are eighteen feet water. Tho course from iabreast of this beacon to the second white buoy a.-- you pnx-ocd upwards is M.E. by N.. and ! from thence to the third white buoy N.E. but allowance must be made for the sot of tho tide, wliioli runs through. tKe blind olvamwl u.ncl strikes across the. ship channel, between the Bombay Rock and the first white buoy above it. The flood setting east, the ebb west. Tin- best anchorage- for a stranger to lake is abreii«t of the third white buoy from the. Bombay Rock, lotting'' go t he-anchors nearest to tlje S. W. side, as itT is prettty steep, too. The depth .of water near the shore is three, and, in mid-channel, live fathoms — good holding ground. It Is high water full and change at the Pilot Station at 12h. 30m., tinrl the rise of tide from six to'-eleveii feet, according 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 15th I August, 1863, tidal signals, nearly the same as fch.iwn at Lonsdale Point; Port Phillip, viz. . — j BETWEKX SUNRISE A.VD SUNSET. | During the first, quarter (lood, a blue flag t half-mast high. During the second quarter flood, a blue flag at the mast-head. During the third quarter flood, Iso 7 Marryatt's, half-mast high. | During the last cjunrtor flood, No 7 Marryatt's, at the mast-head. Klilt TiDE. During first quarter, a blue Mug ha-lf-mast high, with a ball uuderneath. During second quarter, a blue Hag at masthead, with a ball underneath. During third quarter, Xo. 7, Marryatt's, half-mast high, with a ball underneath. Last quarter, 2so. 7, Marryatt's, at the mast-head, with a ball underneath. When the sea if high on the bar, a black ball will be hoisted sit the north yartlarm, 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 ball'" i will be hoisted at the north yard-arm. Co"imunication may be had with vessels :>? - '• means of Marryatt's si<r»--Wi.-- •■•: <; - ■■ - ■■< '■ arm. Murryatf'* -•■ v,-iH !.- I.-