SAILING DIRECTIONS FOR ENTERING PORT OTAGO.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 136, 12 October 1844, Page 1

SAILING DIRECTIONS FOR ENTERING PORT OTAGO.

[Fro jx a letter of Captain Hay, of the icbooner Orotava, to Lloyd'i agent mt Wellington.] We left Wellington on Monday, the sth of August, 1844. At three o'clock, the pilot left us; and, as we had a fresh breeze from the north, we soon left Port Nicholson astern. On Wednesday evening at eight, p.m., we passed the easternmost end of Banks' Peninsula, which you can approach very close, but it being night and very dark, we could onlyjustseethe outline of the coast, which is very high, bold, and rocky. On Thursday, having run nearly the distance, we hove too, waiting for daylight, when we made sail, being abreast of Waikouaite, Mr. J. Jones's whaling-station, where we saw the Scotia at anchor. It is a very open place for a vessel to lie in ; and, if the wind comes in from the eastward, they must slip and put to sea, as the surf will sometimes break a mile and more from the shore during a gale of wind from that quarter. I found the appearance of the coast very different to that laid down on the chart. At two, p.m., on Thursday, we made Otago; but, owing to its being ebb tide and a very heavy sea on, I did not attempt to go in, as the sea was breaking right across ; and to a stranger it appeared to be Very dangerous. I therefore stood off, and spoke the Susannah Ann; and, in the evening, we made another attempt, but were baffled by the wind coming out ; and it being dark, we hauled off again till the morning. The next day we found the sea still breaking heavily overthe bar, so westoodoverto Waikouaite. On Saturday, the 10th, we had light winds from the N.E., with a much heavier swell than the day before. The place was not fit to take without any wind, as it invariably falls calm when you get in the swell on the bar, and the vessel becomes unmanageable. At one, p.m., spoke the Scotia from Waikouaite, who told me she had left her anchor there. The sea breaking a mile from the shore, and the boat being unable to put off, we kept beating off the land all three together, and occasionally looking ' out to keep clear of each other, as the weather had got very thick and foggy, with small rain, and exceedingly cold. This sort of weather lasted until Tuesday, when it commenced blowing a complete gale of wind from'E.N.E., with very thick weather, when, at one o'clock, I took the harbour and anchored about three miles from the heads, in three and a half fathoms, sandy bottom. The land about Otago is very high hills, the westernmost and northernmost head showing some distance off, the face of the hill having slid down, and leaving a sort of clay or sand which can be seen at fifteen to twenty ■ttffleS: The Leafron the larboard shore, which is the side you must keep on, forms with a kind of gap to the peninsula, which is a very good mark for knowing the head. On the larboard side is a reef, which extends about two-thirds of a cable's length from the head ; by giving it a berth you will be in the deepest water. As you go in you will find a very strong tide helping you up, running at the rate of four or five knots. On the starboard hand, there is a spit which runs out some distance at low water, and should be avoided until you are past it, when you must keep over to that shore, as the channel makes over that way. The best anchorage for large ships lies below Mr. Wei. ler's station, where you can have eight fathoms and good holding ground; but should not attempt to proceed higher up without a pilot Should you, however, go in at low water, by having a good look-out from the mast-head, you would be enabled to see the channel, as the sand-banks show very well at low water.

The place which Mr. Tuckett intends for the port, I believe, is about seven miles from the en. trance; and the township or settlement about seven or eight miles further up, which would make about fourteen or fifteen miles for the goods to be sent. My opinion is that the port should be placed where formerly Mr. Weller had his fishing station, as large ships would lose a great deal of time if compelled to go up the river ; or, if the masters of the ships had to pull up in their boats to transact business at the custom house, and then land all their bonded goods up at that place, it would cause the loss of a great deal of time, money, and goods. There is quite sufficient available land at the fishery for a township of considerable size ; and an excellent wharf might be built upon the tame spot — where Mr. Weller had his try-works and sheers, and where boats could discharge at all times of tide ; and the expense of making the wharf would be inconsiderable, a* the material it now a hard rock, that only wantt to be levelled and

faced to form a wharf of considerable magnitude which might be done under £1,000. The portof Otago is not much unlike other ports in New Zealand — the land being very high and full of gullies. I found the climate inside the harbour, during my short stay, very mild, much more so than I expected. We had the barque Magnet, schooner Susannah Ann, schooner Scotia, and schooner Orotava ; and afterwards arrived the Romulus, American whaler, which vessel unfortunately lost her false keel on the bar in coming in, which happened to be almost at dead low water.

After remaining about a week, some gentlemen took their passage with me for Port Nicholson ; and as I found that it was useless to stop any longer on the coast, as the oil was nearly all engaged to the other vessels, I determined to return to Port Nicholson. We were obliged to be towed out ; and I should say that the best plan is to get all ready, and weigh just upon the turn of the tide, as it does not remain long upon the stand but ebbs immediately, and very strong. After a person has been there a few days, he will see the set of the tide,, and allow for it accordingly. There are sonfe men living on shore near the old fishery who will offer their services, but I should not advise masters of vessels to take their services unless they had their branch from the Government or the Company. A few sticks or beacons placed upon the ends of the different spits would be sufficient for the guidance of vessels, provided they were marked differently on the starboard to the lar-board-hand. The soundings on the bar are from three and a half to four fathoms at low water, which will take in a vessel drawing fifteen or sixteen feet, but not more, as there is a great lift of a sea from the N.E. The tide rises and falls about eight feet.

The latitude and longitude of the entrance to the port is very correctly laid down according to - Norie's late edition, which corresponds with the chart very nearly. We had an excellent run from Otago to Fif eon Say, which is on the northern side of Banks' Peninsula, and forms an excellent harbour for whalers and others on the coast.