152
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

DIRECTIONS FOR ENTERING THE DEEP
WATER ANCHORAGE.

inland. A rocky ledge runs out S. W.
about two cables' length from the point. The
extensive sandbank, which partly blocks up the
eastern passage, having only four feet of water
over it in most places, stretches out from
Griffith Point upwards of three-quarters of a
mile to the S.W. and westward. The S.W.
tongue lies about two cables N.E. from Red
Point, with four feet over it, and two ca-
fathoms close to its edge. In bad weather,
especially during ebb tide, the sea always
breaks over the edge of the bank, which dries
in patches at the north end.

White Beacon Patch

Lies N. W. W. one mile from Red
Point; is a small rocky patch on the west
end of the sand, with three feet over it,
and two fathoms close to the western
end; is marked by a pillar beacon and white
ball.

The N.W. end of the sand is marked by a
white cask buoy, moored in 12 feet, with the
following bearings :—

Sandy Peak, just open to the west-
ward of white beacon ... S. by W.
Griffith Point ... E. by S.

Davis Point.

The westernmost part of the main land
is low, sandy, and wooded to the water's
edge; it forms the eastern side of the
inner head; a long mud flat extends from it in
a N.E. direction. The N. W. part, on which
there is a heap of loose stones, is marked by a
pillar beacon with white ball; the edge of the
channel to the north of the flat, is marked by
three white cross beacons placed in five feet
water, bearing from each other N. by E. E.
and S. by W. W.

The coal shaft recently opened lies N.E.
three-quarters of a mile from Davis Point,
close to the water's edge. Should coal be
found in large quantities, there is excellent
shelter for vessels to lie and load up to sixteen
feet within three cables' lengths of the shaft.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ANCHORAGES.

The distance between the N.E. part of Cape
Wollamai (Red Point) and Griffith Point is
about a mile.

The navigable channel into Western Port
and the anchorages is between these points
close over towards Cape Wollamai at its south-
east end, and close to Davis Point at its north
end.

The deep water anchorage is to the N.W. of
Red Point, between the south-western edge of
the sand and the sandy bight off the east end
of Phillip Island; the available anchorage
space is two cables broad and about half a mile
long, in three and four fathoms sandy bottom.

The inner anchorage is further to the north-
ward, past Black Reef beacon, is from two to
three cables broad, and about a mile and a mile
half long, with from fifteen to twenty feet
water, sandy and mud bottom.

After rounding the south-east end of Cape
Wollamai, haul in to the northward for Red
Point, keeping a look out for the tail of the
sand, taking care to be within a cable's length
of the point before it is brought to bear S.W.
and three to clear the sand spit which lies N.E. two ca-
bles' length from Red Point, passing which
you may anchor midway between it and Black
Reef beacon, keeping as close to the island
side as the depth of water will admit. The
soundings shoal gradually from eight fathoms
off the S.E. part of Cape Wollamai to three
fathoms close to Red Point and the tail of the
sand.

If bound to the inner anchorage, after
passing Red Point keep midway between
Black Reef beacon and the western edge of
the sand, where the channel is only a cable's
length broad, but widens out immediately you
are past the reef, to the N.W. of which you
will find good shelter, going as close in shore as
the depth will permit; or after passing reef
beacon steer N.W. half-a-mile, keeping the
white beacon a little on the starboard bow,
giving it a berth of half a cable's length in
passing, and anchor midway between it and the
white buoy; or you can run to the northward
of the white busy and anchor between it and
Davis Point. The channel here is over three
cables' length wide, and gives more room for
getting under weigh again.

Vessels drawing twelve feet can, by choosing
a proper time of tide, enter Western Port by
the eastern passage, but they should wait at
the inner anchorage until nearly slack water,
as the tide runs with great force through the
narrows up to the north black buoy.

The navigable channel above Woody Point
through the mud flats, which has been beaconed
off, has not over seven feet at low water at its
northern and southern ends.

The directions already given for the inner
anchorage will take vessels bound into Western
Port up to Davis Point, which may be passed
within twenty fathoms, and a course shaped
for the south black buoy, bearing from Davis
Point N.N E. 6-10 of a mile, pass to the east-
ward of it about half a cable's length, when
haul to the N.W. towards the edge of the mud
flat off Woody Point, and when you open the
northernmost white beacon to the westward of
the other two stand up N.N.E midway between
them and the black beacons until past the
northernmost black buoy, when you are clear of
the mud flats. If bound towards Observation
Point, a N. W. N. course four and a half
miles will carry you to it, keeping in three
fathoms.

A small rocky patch, with only three feet
on it, lies E. by N. N. about three-quarters
of a mile from the north black buoy, and a
mile N.W. N. from Anderson's Bluff. The
patch is marked by a black and red chequered
buoy.