SAILING- DIRECTIONS FOR ENTERING THE PORT OF INVERCARGILL.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 43, 15 February 1864, Page 7

SAILING- DIRECTIONS FOR ENTERING THE PORT OF INVERCARGILL.

Fromthe Provincial Government Gazette, Aug. 7 '. Vessels bound for Newltiver should steer for 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 off in a westerly /'direction, but the pilots have not been able to find less than five fathoms water Qn it, hard sand bottom, Outside the Bar, iu six fathoms, is moored a, spiral-shaped black buoy, -tieftring from thei north: end of tihe Jsl&nd sorth half a mile. Steer for this buoy, fwid 49 jqu spproßch it the leading beacons, pafnted w^t§i mil como on with each qtbey peMng from vou ; YE, fSY Keep the beacons in erne, leftHag tho "lii^ck fe-uoy* onZy-onxr -penrp hand, w&oh will lojtd you over the* bar ii* fifteen feot at, lpw w&te*» spying tides, Tho breadth of tbo bit* ja about &; gpod :<?ahJea ? length, and inside of it, ip foiir ffttboww, is a, j3piral»sbA*;ped white buoy, m&rifing the south side of the o&fcnnel, .; The YCQtt»se iyoia this buoyy to v about ■ two cables' iength ftboye the .Pilot Station, is 2S t & 'Ni, and fyorn thence, ■ to- ftbout four cables length ftythev upi Y®. by-2-T, The ohannelfhen bends to the northward-' until pasfc the EomW Rpolf, ;y ; .; Y '^libEUtifc gtfttian is situated between, tke leading. bc$CQU9| and, expept; hi heavy gsie3,6 pilot 'will board the Vessel ftbi-e^st af tno sta* fion> bn** 6hot\ld the wind and soft be tOS strong hi him to putoff, thfl; Bhipmastey by attending to the following directions, may She able himself 4;q .aonclttct Ins vessel to jv pluca of safety i~- .' - : -'■• y- a : T.a a The gh&nnelis -marked by- white-buoys on the starboard or, south side, and by blaolc buoys on port or north side. "Keep midway boween the bHok and wliite Utbys; y About throo cables' length below tlie Bom* bay Eocte lies a small rock called the " G-uiding Star Book," -ivith only four feet of water over it. A white buoy has been placed on the west sido of this, rock, in twelve feot water. The Sand Spit, onthe opposite side of the -Ohannel, has been advancing into it during ; thc last ..sis months, and at present the breadth of the pas* eageibetween the Slpit andiherbokis sbnarro'* that it -would not be prudent for Ai[ stranger to rjin through; .. '■■■•■' -■■-AA'rzAyi It would be safer to anchor abreast of the second black buoy, above the Pilot Station, where a vessel with good ground 7 taeHe 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 the Bombay Bock, bearing N.E. i 18. When abreast of the White buoy, keep off a littleYso as not to shave the point of the Spit too close.;, a 18.. 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. :.,'■ y;.,- ; On the west side of the Bombay Rock is placed an h'on beacon, sui*niounted by a barrel painted white. The top* of the heacon is fifteen feet above low water mark, and the rock projects from the^beacon twenty, feet W.TB.W. into the clianiiel ; immediately beybiid there are eighteen feet water. "' The course from iabreast of this beacon tb the second wliite buoy as you proceed upwards is N.E. by NY, and from thence to the third white buoy N.E. but allowance must be made for the set of the tide, which runs through the 'blind clianiiel and strikes across the ship channel, between the Bombay Rock and the first white i buoy above it. The flood setting east, the ebb west.. •' y , The best anchorage for a stranger to' take is abreast of the third white buoy from the Bombay Rock, letting go the anchors nearest to the S.W. side, as it is prettty steepY too. The depth of water near the* shore is three, and, in mid-channel, 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, according to the winds and state of the tides ; westerly winds setting the tides up. A flagstaffhas been erected on Steep Head, on which will be hoisted, onand after the 15th, August, 1563, 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^ half-mast high. '.;'■■*-' During the second quarter floed, a blue flag at the mast-head; During the third quarter flood, No 7 Marryatt's, half-mast high. During the last quarter " flood/ Np 7 Marryatt's, at the mast-head. EBB TIDE. During first quarter, a blue ; flag half-mast high, with a ball underneath. During second quarter, a blue flag at masthead, with a ball underneath. During third quarter, No: 7j Marryatt's, half-mast Wgh, with a ball underneath. ' Last quarter, No. 7, Marryatt's, at the mast-head, with a ball underneath.'' Wlien the sea is high- on the bar, a black ball will he hoisted at the north yardarm, in : addition to the tidal signals ; but, wheu it is unfit for a vessel to enter the harbor, the tidal signals will not be shown, but two blackballs will be hoisted at the north yard-armY Commiuiication may be had withTessels 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. aSEIGi-Y DIRECTIONS . TO MASTERS OF VESSELS BOUND TO RIVERTON. Frohrthe Provincial Government Gazette Nov. 21. ■ The entrance to this port being intricate, a . stranger should not, tinder any circumstances, attempt to sail in without a pilot, but -should make fast tothe 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. ' yA •• * v 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 ofthe huoy care should he 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 flagstaff, 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, Avill be hoisted at the north yard arm. A black ball hoisted above this number will show thatthe sea is too high. on the bar for the pilot to get off. Two black baHs without the number will mean that some recent change has taken place iii-tke chaunel or tbat 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 cannot. get off may hold communication with him by means of Marryat's signals which in this case will be hoisted at the s „,t' 1 .. ..-A arm. J'in- :-..)t vA.n is provided with a boat and ore.-, "i fov>> nen will, when it is practicable,* always put oif in his boat an 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, and there is rarely less than eight feet at high water lowest neap tides. ... 'J. B. Greig, Harbor Master.