SAILING DIRECTIONS FOR ENTERING THE PORT OF INVERCARGILL.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 96, 2 October 1863, Page 2

SAILING DIRECTIONS FOR ENTERING THE PORT OF INVERCARGILL.

I From the Provincial Government Gazette, Aug. 7. Vessels bound for New River should steer for the north end of Point Island, around wliich, to within a cable's length, there is not less than five fathoms water. A small patch is said to exist about a quarter of a mile off in a westerly direction, but the pilots have not been able to find less than five fathoms water on it, hard sand bottom. Outside the Bar, in six fathoms, is moored a spiral-shaped black buoy, bearing from the north end of the Island north half a mile. Steer for this buoy, and as you approach it the leading beacons, painted white, will come on with each other bearing from you E. f S. Keep the beacons in one, leaving the black buoy on ' your port hand, which will lead you over the* bar in fifteen feet at low water, .spring tides. The breadth ofthe bar is about a good cable's ' length, and insi'lc of it, in' four fathoms, is a 1 spiral-shaped white buoy, marking the south side of the channel. The course from this buoy, to about two cables' length above the Pilot Station, is E i N, and from thence, to about four cables' length farther up, Eby N. The channel then gradually I bends to the northward until past the Bombay i . Rock. The Pilot Station is situated between the ' leading beacons, and, except in heavy gales, a i ;' pilot will board the vessel abreast of the station ' but, should the wind and sea be too strong for " Kirn to put off, the shipmaster, by attending to ; the following directions, may be able himself 7 to conduct his vessel to a place of safety : — ■7 . ' The channel is marked by white buoys on the '■ starboard or south side, and by black buoys on • the port or north side. Keep midway between ; the black and white buoys. I „; About three cables' length below the Bombay A Rock lies a small rock called the "Guiding } Star Rock," with only /bur feet water over it. Ya white buoy has been placed on the west side fYofthis rock, in twelve feet water The Sand j'v'Spit, oh the opposite side of the Channel, has ,7 been advancing into it during the last six 1 7- months, and at present the breadth of the pas- ! Bage between the Spit and the rock is so narrow : that it would not be prudent for a stranger to run through. i" - It would be safer to anchor abreast of the ■ second black buoy, above the Pilot Station, .--. where a vessel with good ground tackle could 7 ride in comparative safety. The leading mark to pass midway between the y rock and the Spit is:— Keep the high hummock j .1 on the extreme end of- Sandy Point a sail's , breadth open to the eastward ofthe iron white 7 beacon on Bombay Rock, bearing N E % N. t. When abreast of the white buoy, keep off a t little, so .as not to shave the point of the Spit \ too close ; aNby E half E course will then t lead you through between the Bombay Rock and a the black buoy on the opposite side of the \ channel. - 1." ■ On the west ' side of the Bombay Rock is |7 placed an iron beacon, surmounted by a barrel .{£ painted white. The top .of the beacon is fifteen | feet above low water mark, and the rock prov jects from the beacon twenty feet W N W into •the channel-; -immediately beyond there is 7 eighteen feet water. The course from abreast of 7 this beacon to the second white buoy as you r-7 proceed upwards is N E by N, aud irom thence

i td ibe. third \i*hile7buoyvNyE, bntYaHoyvarice *;■". must be7niada;iftir ithe se"t of; the. tid^, ■which runs _ vtlirouglij-'the blind' chartijelj and strikes .across 7 the>HipvchaiiSci; betwjeeii^tlie Bombay] RockJ vaii'-d tlifevfirst wiiite Tbuoy?above it. "'-77; x--'i i The ftoodsetting east, the ebb west.yy**7 The best anchorage for a stranger to take is •abreast of the third wliite buoy from the Bombay • Rocky'lstting go^ theanchors-nearest-tothe-vS Wi side, as it is pretty steep, too. The depth of water near the shore is three, and, in midchannel, five fathoms— -good holding ground. ,' . ( V..,.1t.-is.',h%^-wat^.fu.ll and change at the Pilot Station at i2h. 30m., and the rise of tide fromi six to eleven feet, according to the wiittis and state of the tides-; westerly winds setting the ; _ tides up. A flagstaff has. been erected on Steep Head,; on which will be hoisted, oaand after the 15th August, 1863, tidal signals, nearly the same as shown at Lonsdale Point, Port Phillip, vis. : — BETWEEN SCNKI-SR AND SUNSET. During the first quarter flood, a blue flag half-mast high. During the seooud quarter flood, a blue flag at the must-head Duringthe third quarter flood, No 7 Marryatt's, halfc-tnast high. During the last quarter flood, No 7 Marryatt's at the mast-head. E»B tide. , During first quarter, a blue 'flag half-mast 'j high, with a ball underneath. During second quarter, a blue flag at mast-head, wilh a ball underneath. During third quarter, No 7, Marryatt's, halfmast high, with a ball underneath. Last quarter, No 7, Marryatt's, at the masthead, with a ball <undernealh. When the sea is high on the bar, a black ball w'Al be hoisted at the north yardarm, in addition to the tidal signals i bat, when it is unfit for a vessel to enter the harbor, the tidal signals will not be shown, hut two black bails will be hoisted At the north yardarm. Communication may be bad with vessels at sea, by nieans of Marryatt's signals, ac liie south yardarm. Marryatt's signals, at vie north yardarm, will be ituended 'for the nilo-.s at ihe suuioii. Masters of vessels should not run for liie harbor during tlie ebb ; ide, unless wuh a good commanding breeze, smooch wa.er, and with a vessel easily sheered. The bearings and courses given are by compass, and the soundings a; low wa.er spring tides. J. E. GREIG, Jla-bor Mas er.