CHARTING OF COASTLINE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23686, 19 December 1938, Page 5

CHARTING OF COASTLINE

ADMIRALTY SURVEY ■■-.■■ WORK OF THE ENDEAVOUR LARGE SECTION COMPLETED • Peb United Press Association) AUCKLAND, Dec. 18. Over 2000 square miles of sounding and 250 miles of coastlinefhav* now been charted within and-but-side of Hauraki Gulf by the Admiralty survey ship Endeavour, which berthed to-day on one of her brief periodical visits to port. A year ago the Endeavour began a survey, of an eastern section of- the Gulf, comprising 83 square miles of sounding and 12 miles of coastline. Then she turned her attention to a block of 67 square miles centred in Mercury Bay,, which involved another 56 miles of coastline. .The scene of the next task was a long strip of sea and coast extending from the east coast of Cororriandel Peninsula,to a point north of the Great Barrier Island, and thence westward to the mainland, some distance south of Whangarei. About 2035. square miles of sounding.and 192 miles of coastline were charted in this section of the vessel's work. One has only to inspect some of the Endeavour's maps closely, covered with figures representing ocean depths, to realise the painstaking and minute nature of her work. At an earlier stage a number of iinaccuracies—some of them serious—were found in existing*chart's, but the more recent work of the ship has been free from such important discoveries. Although the likelihood of the Endeavour being replaced by another vessel before she completes in New Zealand waters'has already been announced, nothing definite is yet known in this connection. About the middle of next year, however, she will see an almost complete change in personnel since most of the and men will have completed their term'and Will be returning/to England when the others arrive, to take the' ship over. In the meantime, the Endeavour will continue her work on the northern coast.