WEST COAST HARBORS.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 223, 2 March 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, lVOdeg. 59min. 15sec. E., and is navigable for vessels of a light draught of water for the distance H 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 bring upa little to the southward of the 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 though the prevailing gales blow from he KW., S.W., and S.E., enabling vessels to lie well off shore and obtain an offing, the maters of vessels should not neglect watchings 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 flea, and during the interval of moderate or fine weather the sea fills up either the northern or outhern spit, and makes a series of middle basks, 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, foil 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 venteaace, 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 usually in the former direction, running for a short distance nearly parallel with the coast Jine ; and at such times fee entrance of the Grey river is far more dangerous than that of the Hokitika, because vessels crossing the bar take 4he sea abeam when in the heaviest break, and, nnless under the command of very small helm, stand in danger of becoming stranded on the fceach before they are in a position to keep away for the entrance of the river, which of itself, although of a great depth of water, is very narrow. It is high water, &li and change, at ten hours 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 feirway, abreast the Maori pah.