WEST COAST HARBORS.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 199, 8 January 1866, Page 2

WEST COAST HARBORS.

The following are the sailing directions for the West Coast Harbors, as given by Fred. D. Gibson Esq., Marine Surveyor :— Hokitika River is situated on the west coast of the Province of Canterbury, Middle Island, in latitude, by observation, 42deg. 41min. 3sec. S.; longitude, by chronometer, l7odeg. 59mm. 15sec. E.,°and is navigable for vessels of a light draught of water for the distance li miles from the entrance. There is good anchorage from two to three miles off its mouth, in from 8 to 10 fathoms, dark sand and good holding ground. Should vessels intending to take the bar have to anchor to await daylight or high-water, they should brine up a little to the southward ofthe port; for whereas there is usually a southerly current in the offing, a very strong northerly set will often be found within the break on the bar. A constant heavy westerly swell rolls in on this portion of the coast, and although the prevailing gales blow from the N.W., S.W., and S.E., enabling vessels to he well off shore and obtain an offing, the masters of vessels should not neglect watching the weather carefully, and in the event of its threatening put to sea in good time. The heaviest break of the sea is immediately outside the bar, in two fathoms water. The bar itself is continually shifting in direction and varying in depth, . and after a heavy fresh the river runs straight out to ! sea, and during the interval of moderate or fine I weather the sea fills up either the northern or southern spit, and makes a series of middle banks, forming two or three channels, as the case may be, averaging only a depth of from twelve to eighteen inches at low water. It is high water, full and change, at Hokitika bar nine hours thirtynine minutes (9h. 39m.), and the mean rise and fall of tide averages from eight and a half to nine feet ; but this is of course greatly affected by the amount of fresh in the river. Grey River is situated in latitude 42deg. 23min. S , longitude I7ldeg. llmin. E. The bar at its entrance, like those of all the other rivers on the West Coast, is constantly shifting, and after a heavy fresh, when tha chanel breaks straight in a westerly direction, it is perfectly safe and easy of access for small vessels drawing from 8 to 9 feet, whereas in the absence of any freshet in the river the channel makes either to the north or south, but usually in the former direction, runnmg for a short distance nearly parallel with the coast line ; and at such times the entrance of the Grey river is far more dangerous than that of the Hokitika, because vessels crossing the bar take tlie sea abeam when in the heaviest break, and, unless under the command of very small helm, stand in danger of becoming stranded on the j beach before they are in a position to keep away j for the entrance of the river, which of itseli, although of a great depth of water, is very narrow. I It i" high water, full and change, at ten hours i fifteen minutes (10th. 15m.), but the highest tides ] often occur the day following. A buoy, painted red, is placed on the only dangerous snag lying in the fairway, abreast the Maori pah. Teremakau River, which is situate ten miles to the southward of the Grey, empties itself into the sea at the present time by two channels, the one running northwards, wliich is nearly dry at low water, and the other in south-westerly direc tion, with from five to six feet. The entrance is not so confined as that of the Grey, nor yet ! is it equal to the Hokitika, but small vessels drawing from four to five feet could cross its bar without incurring a greater risk than they would at either of the other rivers. The only obstacle to the navigation of this river is a dangerous snag in the northern side of the S.W. channel, in the break on the bar, which could easily be removed. It is hifh-water, full and change, at nine hours fifty-five minutes (9h. 55m.) ; mean rise and falls nine feet. .' „ Bruce Bay is situate in latitude 43deg.30min. b. and Mount Cook bears N. 71deg., E. magnetic. It is a bay shown on the Admiralty chart, lying between "Makawiho and Porangirangi Points. The anchorage is close under the south head, in three fathoms, at dead low water, hard speckled sand, but apparently good holding ground. _ This bay is a much better harbor than either Timaru, Oamaru, or Moeraki, because it is protected from everything except a northerly wind, which seldom blows here with any violence, and on necessity a sailing vessel could put to sea without any difficulty, besides which vessels could generally discharge their cargoes in their own boats, so little surf is there on the beach, and were there a short uncxpensive jetty constructed in the south corner, on the sand, eveninanortherly breeze cargoboat communication would not be intercepted. This is the only protected anchorage between Wanganui Inlet and Jackson's Bay, which latter place it closely resembles. The southern headland is a bold rocky promontory stretching out a mile and a half in a north-west direction, and forming the shelter ; whereas in the adjoining bay to the south this same headland offers protection from the only winds to which Bruce Bay is exposed. The Grey, Teremakau, and Hokitika Bay ara risky for sailing vessels drawing over five feet water and steamers over six feet when loaded; but with vessels drawing under these figures, taking intoconsideration the establishment of pilot and signal stations at each of the above ports, the risk with careful shipmasters is not greater than that incurred every day by small vessels on the East Coast bars. In the above the draft for sailing vessels is limited to one foot under steamers, as the former cannot so well be confined to the deepest part ofthe channel.