WEST COAST HARBORS.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 226, 9 March 1866, Page 2

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. 3 see. S. ; longitude, by chronometer, l7odeg. 59min. 15sec. E.,°and is navigable for vessels of a hght 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, f-houid vessels intending to take the bar have to anchor to await daylight or high-water, they should brine up a little to the southward of the port, for whereas there is usually a southerly current in the offing, a very strong northerly set wttl often be found within he 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 N.W., S.W., and S.E., enabling vessels to lie weU.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 sea, 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 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 this is of course greatly affected by the amount of fresh in the river. Grey River is situated in latitude 42deg. 23min. S., longitude l7ldeg. 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 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 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, full and change, at ten hours fifteen minutes (10th. 15ra.), but the highest tides often occur the day foUowing. A buoy, painted red, is placed on the only dangerous snag lying in the fairway, abreast the Maori pah.