OPUNAKE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume III, Issue 335, 2 November 1882, Page 2

OPUNAKE.

- .* MR. HURSTHOUSE'S REPORT ON : THE HARBOR. • ■

Wo print Mr. Hurathouse'a report on the Opunako Bay. To some extent the report is useless unlesa explained by the plan referred to in it, but wo have not received a copy of the plan. To those who have the plan the printed report will bo a convenience, and to others it will give a general idea of the position of things.

".I have the honor to transmit by this mail tbe plan showing survey of the above bay, in accordance with your instructions.

11 Tbe land part of the survey was done and plotted by Mr. Chetwynd; the soundings have been taken by myself.' I may say that had my time been less interrupted by other work and rough I weather, I should have taken more soundings, especially on the long reef which extends from the N,W. head, so as to have more accurately defined the patches of shoal water, i [However, I trust there is sufficient information, obtained to meet all ordinary requirement of navigation. , • , . _ "I have shown the .position of the usual anchorage of the Small steamboats trading to tbe place. It is at the intersection of the two red lines, being the lino of beacons on the N.W. head and , the line of- beacon And flagstaff. Thir latter lino is also, \ believe., the line on which steamers are directed , to enter the bay. You will notice' that it brings them, very near sh&al .water (lift.) at ' some" distance ' outside the anchorage. Withlthe object' of 'preventing any possible accident, I would recommend erecting fresh' ftteifctais on the blue line, oae

to v be close to, nigh water mavk fend the other on tbe -fcrow of the clitf. <The present beacon and flagstaff, are too ; c}ose together. This would give a good safe line to enter on,.and if the .anipior^ge is altereeLto where this blue Hhe infeVsecfcs the prolongation in blue of "the line of beacon on the N.W. head, there would be more swinging room in deep water. There are rocks on the bottom in patches, and no doubt others, isolated; alfcHpuiijb. 'I could no't"firid "anyTaboutr J the"anchoi i age.' " Off each heanland where marked 'foul b6t£om T "6h'~lhe'"map, ami' "from there into the shore, the whole bottom is rocky. In places sand, lies becweeftr the rocks, in other parts the rocks are covered with se"aWe*ff~aTid - 'trie"re"is no sand. Straight qu£ fronj „t he centre of the Bay, the bottom js generally!; sjindy, in places strewn with small- $>onlßers or: stones.

" There ■is a current! in ordinary weather running along the coast to the S.E. Its normal rate is about a mile an hour ; but after a heavy northerly blow, I found it double that. A branch of this corrent flows round the l>ay, enter- 1 ing at the N\W. side and running out at the S.E. side. This branch current varieSjWith the, flow-ant! eb,b of the tide, ttie Outgoing ' current being much stronger with the, tide receding than when it is flawing. Tlie greatest rknge of tide recorded was 10ft, 6in. at spring tide, and the least 7ft. 3in. at neap tide ; but on one occasion with a strong wind on shore and heavy sea, the rise was 12 feet above low water at springs. This occurred on the 9th May last, when the rise, should have been about IQftj* so that it appears that tbe wind affects the tide to the extent, of 2ft. in rise.

" Captain Morrison, who has commanded the A.C. Force stationed at Opunake for some time past, has a reliable record extending, I think, over two years, showing the state of the bay for landing purposes on each day. He has kindly, promised me a copy of it, which I will forward to you as soon as I receive it.

" C. W. Hubsthouse, R.S."