OFF KARAMEA COAST

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 253, 22 July 1929, Page 12

OFF KARAMEA COAST

TUTANEKAI’S SURVEY NO RADICAL CHANGE , The Government steamer Tutanekai returned to Wellington on Saturday morning after having completed a close survey of the West Coast between the Mokihinul and Karamea Rivers. The master of the vessel, Captain J. Bollons, stated that soundings had been taken over an area from the Mokihinul River entrance to Little Wanganui River to ascertain whether any shoaling off the coast had been caused by the earthquakes. The vessel worked inshore to five fathoms, a quarter of a mile off the beach, and out to nine and ten fathoms, one mile off shore. The mud and sand bottom was found to shoal regularly on each t :k inshore, and, although there was sufficient sea and broken water to show any shoal of four fathoms and under, no such shoaling or any other change was perceptible. Care,f soundings were made when abreast of Whitecliffs, where the upthrust and escarpment was plainly visible for three-quarters of a mile about one hundred yards inshore, but no shoaling whatever could be found. The ship’s anchor was hanging to a depth from five to seven fathoms. From Little Wanganui River to Karamea entrance soundings were also obtained. After passing Karamea on July 17, Captain Bollons kept his vessel close along the shore, and closely examined beaches, hills, cliffs, and the shoreline generally. The weather was perfect! clear, and, with the aid of good glasses, all the coast-line features were distinctly visible. There were, however, very few indications of earthquake faults to be seen, apart from a few small slips, some of which were the usual winter rain and frost displacements, neither was any shoaling or discoloured water to Indicate shoals to be seen. From the time the Tutanekai left Westport until she was abreast of Karamea, the sea was of a uniform light muddy colour, and from Karamea to Westhaven the surface water was a peaty-brown.