222

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

HYDROGRAPHICAL INFORMATION RELATING TO VARI-
OUS PLACES ON THE AUSTRALIAN STATION, RE-
CEIVED FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES. (Enclosure in
Hydrographical Memo. No. 7.)

AUSTRALIA, EAST COAST.
Extract of a Letter from Lieut. Suckling, H.M.S.
"Renard," 20th December, 1874.
Encountered very heavy weather for a day off
Port Stephens on the way up, and very strong south
erly current, setting the ship on an average of nearly
40′ a day.

AUSTRALIA, NORTH-WEST COAST.
Extract of a Letter from Lieut. Rendell, Commanding
H.M.S. "Beagle."
Broadhurst Bay.—No fresh water on east side of
Dolphin Island. We obtained 3 hhds. of brackish
water from pools in the rocks a little further north.
After passing through Flying Foam Passage,
found sufficient water in the pools to complete, but it
was brackish.
Hampton Harbour is the only fair one on the
coast, and is only suitable for vessels of light
draught. No fresh water obtainable.
Port Weld.—The deepest water is 2 fathoms. It
is surrounded by reefs and sandbanks, which render
it difficult of access.
Beadon Bay.—Fresh water, very good, obtainable
from wells dug in the soft sand at 100 yards from
high watermark. The anchorage is shoal. The
"Beagle" was obliged to lie about 1 from the
mouth of the creek in 2 fathoms.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA.
Notice to Mariners, 30th September, 1874.
Port Wakefield Light.—On and after 1st Novem-
ber, 1874, a red light will be exhibited at Port
Wakefield, instead of the present white light.

NEW ZEALAND.
Extract from Remark Book of Nav. Lieut. Mourilyan,
of H.M.S. "Basilisk."
At Cardwell there is now a red buoy placed on the
edge of the extensive mud flats off the township of
Cardwell, which marks the deep water. This buoy is
in about 2 fathoms.
Ahuriri Roadstead, Napier.—There is now a light
fixed close to the mouth of the Iron Pot, to clear the
Pania Rock. In clear weather it can be seen 8' to 9'.
It shows red when in line with the rock. White
clears the danger.
Auckland Rock.—The buoy on the Auckland Rock
has been washed away, and has not been replaced.
The least depth of water on the rock is 18 feet at
low water springs. It being found impossible to
keep the buoy in its position, it is to be discontinued.
Poverty Bay.—The river marked to the right of
Young Nick's Head does not exist. The mouth of it
has been filled up with sand and driftwood during
the heavy weather and S.E. winds.
The town is situated on the N.E. part of the bay,
on the Turanganui River, and is called Gisborne.
The entrance to this river is marked by two beacons,
and a black buoy is placed outside to show a rock
with 2 to 3 fathoms on it.
Extract from Report of Lieut. Sanders, Commanding
H.M.S. "Alacrity," 10th May, 1874.
Whangarei Harbour.—The inner anchorage is very
good. The directions in "New Zealand Pilot" are so
clear as to make it easy of access by night as well as
by day. Although there are large shoals on either
hand, I did not get less than 5 fathoms going to the
anchorage at night.

I think that Passage Island makes a better leading
mark than either of those laid down in the "New
Zealand Pilot" for altering course from N.W. by N.
to W. by N., rounding the Mares Bank. It is clear
of the land when necessary to alter course, and is
therefore more easily distinguished at night than
High Islet, which is under the land. I could not
easily distinguish Sandy Point.
Passage Island.—W. by N. + N., and almost clear
of Lost Point, forms a very good guide at night for
hauling up to W., proceeding to the inner anchorage.
Tutukaka Harbour.—The entrance is very narrow;
faces the eastward. There is generally a heavy swell set-
ting in, which, combined with baffling winds, makes it
very difficult and even dangerous to clear the harbour,
except with a fair wind. The swell sets on to the
rocks forming the south side of the entrance, and the
tide is very treacherous round these rocks.
Whangaruru Harbour is very snug, and a pretty har-
bour, and easy of access. There is very good fishing
off Hayes Island.
Whangaroa Harbour is snug, with good anchorage
for a large vessel as far as Peter and Sawyer's Points.
There is a good watering place in the bay, of which
Sawyer's Point forms the N.W. extreme.
Monganui Harbour.—A small, snug harbour, easy
of access.
Parenga-renga Harbour.—The bar renders the
entrance to this harbour often dangerous. I found it
difficult to make out the inner N. entrance point, which
is given as a leading mark for crossing the bar, as it
is low and sandy, and the high ground from it stands
back in a line with the rest of the high ground of the
coast, while the beach behind the point is all sandy;
so it is only when aloft that the point is made out.
The point is a little inside of Otehe Point (which
cannot be mistaken) on a W. bearing. The point
between Inner North Entrance Point and Coal Point
is bold, clearly defined, and is liable to be mistaken
for the former.
I found the leading mark given in the "New Zea-
land Pilot" leads fair in the channel over the bar.
Manukau Harbour.—The only channels now used
(except by small coasters) are the South and Fanny
Channels. The latter is a narrow one, just to the
southward of the South Channel, close in shore. The
sand shoals between the South and Main Channels
have shifted to the northward, making the South
Channel a good broad one. The Signal Station is now
on the South Head instead of on Paratutai Island.
The two beacons on the South Head, for leading
through the South Channel, are fitted on traversing
slides, so that when the channel shifts they can alter
the beacons so as to lead through. There are four
small beacons just to the left of the two large ones,
which, when in line, lead through the Fanny Channel.
From the Signal Station, vessels are guided in by the
semaphore arms, keeping to the northward or south-
ward according as the north or south arm is raised,
steadying directly the arm drops. I beat in H.M.S.
"Alacrity" through the Fanny Channel, being guided
entirely from the Signal Station.
The channel from the Manukau Heads to One-
hunga is very well buoyed.
Extract of Letter from Captain Simpson, H.M.S.
"Blanche," 3rd November, 1874.
Freshwater Basin, Milford Sound.—The plan of this
anchorage in Chart No. 2589, Sheet 12, is, in the
main, correct, except that the available space for
anchorage is decidedly less than shown on the chart,
and the entrance is shoaler, 3 fathoms at half-tide
being the greatest depth of water in the channel,
which is very narrow. It is, however, the best
anchorage to be obtained in the Sound.