87
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

which, in a pamphlet, together with a coast
chart, shewing the soundings within the range
of the lights, may be obtained at the Harbour
Master's Office.

By order of the Board,

H. H. BROWNE,
Chairman.

JOHN CROOK,
Harbour Master.

W. J. WILSHIRE,
Secretary.

Steam Navigation and Pilot Board Office,
Sydney, 6th May, 1858.

APPROACH AND ENTRANCE.

Vessels approaching the Harbour having
made the High Light House should keep it
within bearings from N.W. to S.S.W., which
will leave the Low Light House open, and
ensure its being seen when within its radius.
Care must be taken not to shut the High
Light House in with the Cliffs south of it,
which it will do if brought to the northward of
N.W. by N., nor close it in with the North
Head, which it will do if brought to the south
of S. by W. W., the latter bearing being
the guide to clear the extremity of Long Reef.
The entrance of the Harbour lies betwixt the
Signal Station Cliff and the North Head, the
distance between them 12 miles, which con-
tracts betwixt the Inner North Head and the
reef extending from the base of the Low Light
House erected on the Inner South Head to
of a mile, and is further contracted about 300
yards in the channel between the tail of the
reef and the precipitous Middle Head, which
bears W.N.W. from it.
chequered obelisk below it, on the bearing of
S.E. by E. E., when the ship will have
passed the shoal and deepened her water to 9
fathoms, and may safely proceed up the Har-
bour and choose her anchorage by giving either
shore a berth of a couple of cables' length.

WESTERN CHANNEL.

To preserve a weather gauge, ships entering
with winds from the southward or eastward
should pass as close as possible to the tail of the
reef, which extends 450 feet from the base of
the Low Light House. On this reef the sea
always breaks. With a commanding breeze
the breakers may be passed within a cable's
length, in 8 fathoms, care being taken not to
close the High Light House with the Cliffs
north of it (which it does on the bearing of S.
by E.) until the Low Light House bears S.W.,
and the two white Obelisks on the western
shore are brought in one, on a bearing of W.
S., which course will clear a dangerous 16
feet patch, lying 800 yards west of the Lower
Light House, and should be steered until
Elizabeth Mansion, an imposing white square
building with round dome, closes behind Brad-
ley's Head, bearing S.W. S. A S.W. S.
course must then be steered, (carefully keep-
ing Elizabeth Mansion just closed over the low
part of Bradley's Head, and leaving the Light
Ship at about a cable's length on the port
hand) until the High Lighthouse has opened
its own breadth north of the red and white
Beating up the Western Channel the deep
water will be found on the western shore with
the exception of a small shoal patch, having 18
feet on it, which lies in Obelisk Bight, in a
line betwixt George's Head and Middle Head,
500 yards from the former. Avoiding this
patch, you may make free with the western
shore to within half a cable's length, but in
standing over to the opposite eastern side,
beware of the 16 feet patch before alluded to as
lying West of the Low Lighthouse; to avoid
it do not bring the Lightship to the westward
of S. by W. W. Betwixt George's Head
and the upper south-western tail of the Sow
and Pigs Shoal, the channel is contracted by
an 18 feet detached bank to the width of about
350 yards; to clear this the Lightship must
not be brought so far to the westward as to
bring her and the obelisk on the North Head
in line until the High Lighthouse is open at
least its own breadth north of the chequered
obelisk below it; when you will be past the
shoal and be able to work up with plenty of
room in from 9 to 16 fathoms water.

Vessels of lighter draught than 15 feet can
pass over these two shoal patches, and the
upper portion of the Sow and Pigs Shoal, and
stretch right across from shore to shore by not,
when passing to the southward of the Light-
ship, coming nearer to her than two cables'
length, or not before the line from George's
Head to the north Obelisk on the eastern shore
bearing E. S. is passed, remembering that
the deepest water over the Sow and Pigs, 22
feet, is obtained by closing Elizabeth Mansion
behind Bradley's Head and keeping the high
windmill which stands on the heights east of
the Elizabeth Mansion a sail's breadth open of
the Head.

Having cleared the Sow and Pigs Shoal the
navigation up the Harbour is free from obstruc-
tions, with the exception of a ledge extending
a cable's length from Bradley's Head, and a
reef of the same extent off Shark Island, the
first island that will be approached. A knoll,
which lies 500 yards west of the Bottle and
Glass (conspicuous rocks forming the south
boundary of Watson's Bay), having 4\u00bd fathoms
on it cannot, of course, impede a ship which
has passed through either of the channels. It
is, therefore, only necessary to keep at a
cable's length from the shore, and when an-
choring to take a berth which will admit of a
long scope being veered to southerly squalls.

The following schedule of courses, distances,
and soundings, will show at a glance, the
nature of the navigation in the Western Chan-
nel, commencing from the position where the
Lighthouse touches the cliffs north of it, and
the two western obelisks are in one.