PORT OF BLUFF HARBOR.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 212, 5 February 1866, Page 2

PORT OF BLUFF HARBOR.

AEEIVED. February 3.— Otago, schooner, from the New River. SAILED. February 2.— N.Z.S.N. Company's Wellington, s.s., 400 tons, H. B. Francis, for Northern Ports. Henderson & Bonar, agents. "EXPECTED ABEIVAXS. From Melbourne— s.s. Alhambra, about sth instant. ,«.*•• a. From Northern Ports— s.s. Phcebe, onlOthmst., leaving for Northern Ports on 12th inst. _ From London via Otago — Ship Parisian, arrived at Otago, on 16th January. From Glasgow direct— Ship Maria ; sailed lbth November. ♦—

The rock upon which the steamer Star of the South struck in Chalky Inlet is thus described by Captain Hodge, in his evidence at the official enquiry at Hokitika:— The vessel struck when off the S.E. end of Great Island. The chart I was guided by at the time is one of Stokes (Acheron survey) • charts, and although I had carefuUy examined it, found no rock laid down m the place where she struck. There is a rock visible at aU stages of the tide, about a cable's length to the northward of where we struck, which is marked on the chart. I have since surveyed the position of the rock on which the steamer struck, being assisted in so doing by Captain TurnbuU, Harbor Master of Hokitika. We found there was about fiye feet of water on it at low tide, and that it was situated about a cable's length south of the rock laid down in Stokes's chart, and about the same distance from the shore on the right hand going out of the entrance. The rock is a pinnacle, and does not seem to extend far, there being, from five to nine fathoms close to and round t. — Daily Times. WEST COAST HARBORS. The foUowing 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. 59min. Issec. E., and is navigable for vessels of a light draught of water for the distance 1£ 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-w*er, they should bring up a little to the southward of the port, for whereas there is usuaUy a southerly current in the offing, a very strong northerly set wfll often be found within the break on the bar. A constant heavy westerly sweU 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 Ue weU off shore and obtain an offing, the masters of vessels should not neglect watching mrcmcixiATig ywv w^ulA—- ... 0 3 — ;-v_A3.<. ATtAwvfc_.nT_.fca' break of the sea is immediately outside the bar in two fathoms water. The bar itself is continuattysliiftingin direction and varying in depth, and after a heavy fresh the riverjruns straight out to sea, and during the interval of moderate or fine 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, fuU and change, at Hokitika bar nine hours thirtynine minutes (9h. 39m.), and the mean rise and faU of tide averages from eight and a half to nine feet ; but tbis 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 the 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 usuaUy in the former direction, running for a short distance nearly paraUel 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 the sea abeam when in the heaviest break, and, unless under the command of very small helm, stand in danger of becoming stranded on the beach before they are in a position to keep away for the entrance of the river, wliich of itself^ although of a great depth of water, is very narrow. It is high water, fuU and change, at ten hours fifteen minutes (10th. 15m.), but the highest tides often occur the day foUowing. A buoy, painted red, is placed on fhe only dangerous snag lying in the fairway, abreast the Maori pah.