49

SAILING DIRECTIONS FOR KAWHIA
HARBOUR.

On coming from seaward the Harbour of Kawhia
may be known by the distant bills rising in notched
peaks, (called Pironghia), and also by the high wooded
headland to the northward (Woody Head).

Steer for Pironghia peaks until Albatross point shuts
in the land to the southward; you will then have passed
Gannet Island. (which is small, and about 70 feet high,
and lies N.W. 1/4 W. 11 miles from Albatross Point,
and W. by N. 1/2 N. 13 miles from Kawhia South Head)
and you will see the break of the land forming the en-
trance to Kawhia Harbour.

The South Head is cliffy, having a very conspicuous
yellow patch on it; and the North Head is a low sandy
point (the gradual declension of the sand hills, which
stretch between this harbour and Aotea).

Get the South Head to bear E.S.E., and steer for it,
until the leading mark inside becomes visible; it is an
arched cliff, reddish, and dotted with trees. Keep this
a little open of the outer extreme of the South Head,
bearing E. by S. 3/4 S. and cross the bar, which
is one mile from the Heads, gradually hauling
towards the North Head, as the channel over the bar is
close to the south spit, and after having run about
three cables, you will be in 3 1/2 fathoms, when you may
steer for between the Heads, and on that line E. by S.
until the rocks off the inner and outer South Heads are
in line, when steer up the left channel, which is two
cables broad, having from 4 to 6 fathoms in it toward
Leathart's Point (which is 1 1/2 miles within the North
Head), and after rounding it, a vessel may anchor
off the Native Church, about a cable's length from
shore, in from 4 to 5 fathoms low water (14 feet in the
channel over the south bar at low water Spring
Tides).

The marks for crossing the North Channel over the
Bar are—Mr. Joseph's house on Ohaua Point, just open
of the rock off the South Head, bearing S. 48 E.; water
on bar at low water Springs 11 feet. There is more
shoal water crossing this bar than the southern one,
and, with a westerly wind, a heavy beam sea. Steer on
the leading marks until into deep water, 5 fathoms, and
then for the entrance, when the same directions are
good which were previously given.

The tide sets out over the South Spit with a slight
inclination, and the flood the contrary.

Strength of tide between the Heads from 4 to 6
knots.

High water, full and change, on bar, 9h. 50m.
Rise at Springs, 12 feet.
Latitude South Head, 38d. 4m. 6s. S.
Longitude ditto ditto, 174d. 46m. 30s. E.

branches off into the Waitetaima River, Kokaka and
Waikuku creeks.

Good anchorage inside the points leading into Ko-
kaka River—so also there is in every part of it.

Small vessels generally anchor off the first limestone
rocks under the North Head, in 9 fathoms. Off Hou
Village there are three other creeks, besides those men-
tioned, flowing into the main branch.

Strength of tide between the Heads, from 4 to 6
knots.

Time of high water on the Bar at full and change,
9h. 30m.
Rise, 12 feet.
Latitude, South Entrance Point, 37d. 47m. 31s. S.
Longitude, ditto ditto, 174d. 51m. 1s. E.

SAILING DIRECTIONS FOR AOTEA
HARBOUR.

On approaching the harbour of Aotea, the entrance
looks like a great gap, with sand hills on either side;
the South point (Kupua te mauna) is 4 miles north of
Kawhia, and its summit is darker than the rest of the
hills on the coast.

The North Head is a low point formed by a gradual
slope of the sand hills.

The high water marks between the heads are 3/4 mile
distant.

From the North Head a long sand-spit, dry at half-
tide, runs to the southward for 1 mile; and 1/2 mile to
the southward of the South Head, the south spit runs
off, and outlies the north spit, and dries out at low water
about 1/4 of a mile.

In steering for the Bar, two small triangular patches
of yellow cliff, to the right of the south point, will be
seen; the right of these patches in line with where the
summit of the dark hill meets the sand hill (or where
they appear to join), bearing E. 3/4 N.

After crossing the Bar, in 11 feet low water, haul in
along the spit (E.S.E.) until abreast of the tail of the
north spit (always showing); you will then gradually
have to haul up, keeping the north spit on board to the
North Head—still keep the north shore on board (as
there is an extensive sand bank on the south shore),
until abreast of the abrupt termination of the sand on
the north shore; when steer for the red cliffs on the
south shore, and anchor off them in from 4 to 6
fathoms.

The depth of channel from the Heads to this point is
from 2 to 4 fathoms, which continues to the eastward 3/4
of a mile towards the White Bluffs, when it turns to the
northward, and divides into three small channels; the
westernmost one leading to the Mission Station, above
which it is dry; the middle, towards the Pakaka
Creek, dry at low water; and the east one to Maka-
maka Creek also dry at low water.

Latitude of South Head, 37d. 59m. 52s. S.
Longitude ditto, 174d. 47m. 16s. E.
High water on Bar, at full and change, 9h. 30m.
Rise and fall. 12 feet.
The tide runs between the Heads from 3 to 5
knots.

There are two rocks lying to the northward of Aotea,
about a mile off shore. The north one is awash at low
water and is nearly always breaking; the south one
about 1/4 of a mile from the other, breaks only in heavy
weather,—one cable inside is 4 fathoms.

The bearings of the first are—from North Head
W. 3/4 N., and from the Bar N.W. 3/4 N. 1 1/2 miles: the
one which seldom breaks is 1/4 of a mile south of the
north one.

All bearings magnetic.

BYRON DRURY,
Commander and Surveyor.

SAILING DIRECTIONS FOR WHAINGAROA
HARBOUR.

Woody Head, or Karehoe Peak, is a high conical
hill, 2000 feet high, and an excellent mark
for Whaingaroa. The harbour is to the northward of
the hill, in a bight formed by it and the land, running
towards Waikato; when the bight is made the entrance
to the harbour may be known by a reddish cliff hill over
the South Head. The Bar lies off the entrance about
one mile, formed by two spits which dry out nearly
half way at low water. The entrance is two cables
broad.

The North Point is sandy and low, with high woody
land behind. The south point is also low, but not
sandy, sloping down from the reddish cliff hill. The
marks for crossing the Bar are the extreme of North
Point, in line with a point on the south side of the har-
bour, gradually sloping from a low hill about 3 miles
inside, bearing N.E. by E. 1/2 E.; water on the Bar at
low water spring tides, 9 feet, and the channel straight
in from the Bar to the Heads, carrying in 2, 3, 4, and
5 fathoms between them. When inside, by keeping
mid channel, you may sail up to where the river

Printed and Published by WILLIAMSON & WILSON, for the New Zealand Government.