NOTICE TO MARINERS.

Southland Times, Issue 1058, 18 November 1868, Page 2

NOTICE TO MARINERS.

A Rock. — Information has been received by the Admiralty from Commander H. L. Percival, H.M.S. Falcon, that a sunken rock (now called the Falcon Rocfc). having two or three feet over it at low water, lies midway between the north extreme of the Three Steeples (off Cape Foulwind) and the entrance of the River Buller. Axtebation op Light at Hoeitika. — Also that the red light exhibited from the flagstaff at the north side of the entrance of the Brunner of HoMtika River has been changed to a white light. The best anchorage off HoMtika is in fifteen fathoms, with the flagstaff bearing east-south-east, distant two and a half or three miles, veering cable to sixty or seventy fathoms ; this is in good holding ground, and a vessel may here ride in safety, except with westerly winds. Attstbaxia, South Coast. — Axtebation of Light, Pobt Adelaide. — The Colonial Governmeiit of South Australia has given notice, that from about the 31st December, 1868, the following alteration in the light at the entrance of Port Adelaide Creek, St. Vincent Gulf, will take p]ace : — Th e light at present exhibited from the light- vessel will be discontinued, and a light will be exhibited from a tower on the south side of the outer bar of the creek in lieu thereof. The j new light will be a fixed white light, elevated j fifty feet' above the high-water level of the sea, and in clear weather should be seen from a distance of fourteen mile3. The illuminating apparatus will be dioptric, or by lenses of the fourth order. Further notice will be given when the precise date of the alteration can be stated. [The bearing is magnetic. Variation, 15£deg. easterly in 1868.] Chaets. — The notice affect3 the following Admiralty charts: — New Zealand G-eneral, No. 1,212 ; River Waiauto Cape Foulwind, No. 2,59] ; and Cape Foulwind to D'Urville Island, No 2,616; also New Zealand Pilot, third edition, page 263. It will also affect Australia, South coast, Sheet 111., No. 1,061 ; St. Vincent and Spencer Gulfs, No. 2,389; and Adelaide Port, No. 1,752. Rock in Whtrlpooi. Reach op the Riveb Tahab. — Mr Jameß Putwain, the diver, returned from Whirlpool Reach on Friday evening. He had been at the reach on the last occasion for eight dayß, during which time he made a careful examination of the rock, and, with the aid of Capt. Smart, of the tug, prepared a chart for it. Every day he went down — sometimes twice in one day. The great rush of tide, however, made the work very difficult and hazardous, and it was impossible to remain below the surface more than forty-five minutes at slackwater of high tide, or twenty minutes to half an hour at low water. The rock is somewhat elliptical in figure, and lies parallel with the reach— about N.E. and S.W, For three-fourths of its circumference it is shelving, whilst on its southern and south-western sidefl it is precipitous, plunging down abruptly over twenty fathoms. A five-fathom sounding at low water gives the dimensions of the rock as 160ft. long by 80ft. wide, with a bunch of pinnacles about the centre of the south- western side, one of which is from twelve to fourteen feet high. It waß on one of these that the schooner Petrel recently struck. The spiracle entered her bilge, and as the vessel fell over the piece snapped off. Anything more dangerous in such a place can scarcely be conceived. — ' Launceston Examiner,' Nov. 3.