REMARKABLE SURVEY OF SHOAL BAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 169, 17 July 1907, Page 5

REMARKABLE SURVEY OF SHOAL BAY.

DEEP WATER OBTAINABLE.

Some investigations recently made in Shoal Bay by Messrs. Wilson'and Jackson, engineers and surveyors, have resulted in rather unexpected discoveries. The Takapuna Ferry and Tram Syndicate, anxious to ascertain whether a good direct route could be opened up for ferry steamers to O'Neill's Point at all stages of the tide, decided to nave a survey made. This has disclosed , an exceptionally favourable route which will be in a straight line from the new ferry wharf to the landing at O'Neill's Point. "The surroundings," report Messrs. Wilson and Jackson, '•'show that no impediments exist to dredginsr the channel to any depth required, suitable if necessary for ocean-going liners. . . The boring rods did no; reach bottom at a depth of 60ft. at a distance of 900 ft. from the point, while the average depth of mud for the whole distance of the channel (2500 ft.) is about 50ft. To provide a channel 7ft. deep at low water spring tides, an average depth of 6ft. of mud would require moving."' It is somewhat startling to find that the portion of the harbour known as Shoal Bay is really more adapted for the biggest ocean-going steamers than much of the southern foreshore, where our wharves at present exist, for the reason that there is an absence of rock in Shoal Bay, and the possibility of easy dredging to great depths.