From Three Kings Islands to Hauraki Gulf, East Coast.

Variation—Three Kings Islands, 13° 30′ East; Auckland Harbour, 14° 10′ East.

Vessels from the westward, bound for Auckland Harbour or any of the ports on the east side of North Island, should sight the Three Kings (N. E. extreme of N. E., island is in lat. 340 6′ S., long. 1720 10′ E.) a duster of islands lying 38 miles W.N.W. of Cape Marie Van Diemen, which forms the N.W. point of the North Island. The group estends 7 miles in an E.N.E. direction. Great Island 995 feet high, may be seen 20 miles. Tides and races between these islands run from 3 to 5 knots, and frequently have the appearance of shoal water. A rock a little above water lies east of Great King about ? mile. Vessels may pass on either side of these islands; but north side is best at a distance of 2 leagues, the strong currents are avoided, as also tide races which exist between them and the land. Leaving Three Kings a course should be steered to pass North Cape at about the same distance.—North Cape bears from the North King island E, ¾ S. 47 miles, a steep flat-topped cliff, 740 feet high, sloping for 3 Miles to the N.W., and nearer it exhibits a reddish appearance. Off page 44 the pitch of the Cape, but connected by a ledge of rocks, is a peaked islet, and for 1/3 of a mile N.E. by E. of the islet is foul ground, with a rock at its extremity only uncovered at low water.—Cape Brett—When abreast of North Cape, distant 2 leagues, an E. by S. ¾ S. course should lead 10 miles outside Cape Brett, a bold headland, 1,200 feet high, E.S.E. from North Cape, 78 miles distant. A high steep islet (Percy Islet), perforated with a hole or archway, lies N.E. by H. from the Cape, nearly ½ a mile distant.—Poor Knights—On rounding Cape Brett, Poor Knights will be seen; two rugged-looking islands, 200 feet high, their N. end bears from Cape Brett S.E. by E. 1/3 E. 26 miles, and 11 miles from nearest point of the mainland. Steer for these islands, passing on either side, no dangers; 3 miles S. ½ E. of their S. extreme are three steep cone-shaped islets, and a 4th samel character, S. ½ W. 4½ miles; can be seen 10 or 12 miles. Should Poor Knights be passed on the outside at a distance of 2 miles, a vessel, when abreast, should steer S.S.E., which is a direct course into the Hauraki Gulf, between Moro Tiri isles, and Moko Hinou and Fanal Islands, 4 miles from the former, and 8 from the latter. Moro Tiri bears from S. Poor Knights S. by E. 23 miles; from Bream Head the W. Chicken bears E. by S., distance 5 miles, are clear of dangers.—Bream Head lat. 350 52′, long. 1740 37′, 1,500 feet is the N. head of Whangarei bay and harbour, bears from the S. Poor Knights S. ¾ W. 22½ miles.—Moko Hinou and Fanal Islands, 15 miles E. of the Moro Tiri Islands, consists of 3 islands, about 250 feet high. The two principal lie close together, from S. Poor Knight S. E. 1/3 J E. 29 miles, from E. Chicken E. ¾ N. 14¾ miles: no dangers but what are visible. Fanal Island is E. by S. ½ S., 2 miles distant from S.W. Moko Hinou; and N. by E. of it ¾ mile, lies a long reef, half a mile in extent E. and W. always above water. Navire rock lies S. by W. ¾ W., ¾ mile from the S.W. point of Fanal, and Simpson rock S. ½ W. 2¾ miles. These are well out of water; the latter may be seen at 3 miles.—Taranga Island lies 2½ miles S. of Chickens; is 2½ miles in length from E. to W., 1 mile from N. to S., and has a high double peak on its W. end, resembling Bream Head. 2 miles S. of the W. end of Taranga Island is Sail Rock, a steep islet resembling fore-and-aft schooner. In mid-channel, between Sail Rock and Bream Tail, is a sunken rock (McGregor), with 11 feet water at low water spring tides, it has a pinnacle formation, with from 6 to 13 fathoms water within a boat′s length of it; and bears magnetic from Bream Islet S.S.E. ½ E., magnetic from Sail Rock S.W. ½ W., magnetic from Mangawai Islet N. ½ E. From McGregor Rock Bream Island bears N.N.W. ½ W. westerly—Sail Rock bears N.E. ½ E., distant 2¾ miles. Vessels passing within 2 miles of Sail Rock, or keeping Rodney and Takatau Points in line, will lead clear of danger. Having passed Hen and Chickens, same course S.S.E. leads between Rodney and Little Barrier, nearly in mid-channel, and 3 miles E. of Flat Rock Vessels entering Hauraki Gulf from the N. should pass always inside or W. of Little Barrier.—Rodney Point, lat. 36° 17′, long. 174′ 51′ The W. entrance point of the Hauraki Gulf is bold and cliffy, and has no dangers of it: it is backed by a wooded hill, 1,300 feet high with two round summits, bearing W.S.W., 6 miles from the point.—Hauraki Gulf—Principal entrance is between Rodney Point and Little Barrier Island, a breadth of 11 miles clear of danger. Between Little and Great Barrier (the latter an island of considerable extent and page 45 high) is a passage of 8 miles in width. Horn Rock lies nearly midway between, and is the only danger; it bears from the S.E. end of Little Barrier E. by S. ½ S. 4 miles, and breaks when there is any swell.—Takatau Point is S.E. ¾ S. 6 miles from Rodney Point, and has several conical rocks on its extremity, there are sunken rocks extending about a cable's length from this point.—Kawau Island, nearly 2 miles S. of Takatau Point, is 4 miles in length, about same in breadth, and until the channel between it and Takatau Point is opened out the island will appear like a continuation of main land.—Flat Rock is marked by a black beacon with a cage surmounted by a diamond, is 4 feet out of water, and resembles in size and appearance, the hull of a large boat, can be seen off ship's deck about 4 miles, steep-to—and may be passed on either side; it bears from S.E. point of Kawau E. by N. ½ N. 2 miles, from Takatau Point S.E. 5½ miles, from S.W. extreme of Little Barrier S. by W. 14½ miles" N.W. extreme of Tiri Tiri N. ¼ E. 9 miles. Should inside passage between Fat Rock and Kawau be taken, care must be observed to avoid Kelson Rock, only 9 feet water on it at low water, with 9 to to fathoms close to, it lies about 4 cables from the Kawau shore, and bears from S.E. extreme of Kawau N. by E. ¾ E., from Flat Rock W. ¼ N., from Tiri Tiri Lighthouse N. by W. ½ W., Takatau Point S.S.E. by E. On S.E. end Tiri Tiri Island, Hauraki Gulf, a lighthouse is erected, 48 feet high, painted red. Lantern 300 feet above high water mark, showing a fixed white light all round horizon; may be seen from deck 23½ nautic miles. Passing Kawau Island, passage to Auckland may be made E. of Tiri Tiri, or through Whangaproa Passage, between it and Whangaproa Peninsula. Tiri Tiri—which is 1½ miles long in a N.W. and S.E. direction, and bears S. by E. from S.E. end of Kawau, 8½ miles—should not be passed on its cast or outer side within 2 miles, as Shearer Rock, with only 2 feet on it at low water, steep-to, lies from eastern extreme of Tiri Tiri E. by N. a mile distant. A red buoy lies in 16 fathoms N.N.E. of and close to Shearer Rock, distant from lighthouse about 1 mile, with the following magnetic bearings:—from the buoy lighthouse bears W.S.W. distant 1 mile, N. extreme of Tiri Tiri W. by N. [unclear: N.], and its S. extreme S.W.[unclear: W.]—Whangaproa Passage Will be found perfectly safe and easy, having a clear working width of 1½ mile with 9 to 15 fathoms. The shores should not be approached too near on either side. From a berth 2 miles E. of Shearer Rock, 10½ miles on S.S.W. course, or from centre of Whangaproa Passage, same distance on a S. course, will take a vessel into Rangitoto Channel, which latter is 1¼ miles wide, and when in it, mid-channel course is S.E. 2½ miles to abreast North Head, Auckland Harbour. From Tiri Tiri Island, and generally from some miles to N. of it, Rangitoto will be plainly seen; it is 3½ miles in diameter, rises to a height of 920 feet, and shows three peaks or nipples. Rocky ledges extend off W. shore of Rangitoto Island; should not be approached within 3 cables' length, and opposite shore, near North Head, should also be approached with caution, as an outlying sunken rock, with only 1 foot on it at low water, lies ½ a mile N.W. by N. from Takapuna Head, first point of land N. of North Head of Auckland Harbour, distant from it ¾ of a mile. A black cask buoy has been placed on the N. side of this sunken rock, which is steep-to having 3 fathoms close on all sides. From the rock, flagstaff at Mount Victoria bears S. ¼ E.; buoy on Rough Rock S.E. by page 46 E. ¾ E.; Rangitoto Peak N.E. ½ E. A rocky patch, about 1/3 of a cable in extent, with 8 feet water on it at low spring tides, lies between Takapuna Heads and Rough Rock, with the following marks and compass bearings:—Rough Rock buoy on with centre of Koreho Island East, Takapuna Head W.S.W., Flagstaff, Mount Victoria S.W. by S., extreme of North Head S. by E. ½ E. As a sandbank is forming near Rough Rock, with only 12 feet water at shoalest part at low spring tides, a red and black buoy in 3 fathoms, has been placed on S.E. edge, with the following marks:—Mount Eden just open of the North Head S.S.W. ¼ W., Rough Rock buoy N.N.W. ¼ W., flagstaff on Mount Victoria S.W. by W. ¼ W., TakapunaHead W.by N. ½ N. Do not get too near W. shore of Rangitoto Channel, or inside of Rough Rock which is on W. side of Rangitoto Channel, with 6 feet at low water, lies N. by E. ¾ mile from N. Head of Auckland harbour, has a buoy chequered red and white on its E. edge in 2½ fathoms low water. Also, bearing E. by S. from North Head nearly 1 mile distant, are Bean Rocks, uncovered at low water (there is no ship channel within these rocks), and upon which a lighthouse has been erected, showing a white, red, and green light respectively between the following bearings, toward the light, viz.:—Red between bearing W. ½ S. and S.W. by W. ¾ W., that is red in Waiheki Fairway, and on S. side Koreho Channel, covering reef N. Koreho Island. White between bearings S.W. by W. ¾ W., and S.W. ¼ W., that is, white in fairway of Koreho Channel, and S.E. side Hieh Channel. Green between bearings S.W. ½ W. and S.S.E. ½ E., that is, green on N.W. side of Hieh Channel, N. side of Koreho Channel, and E. side of Rangitoto Channel covering Rangitoto reef. White between bearings of S.S.E. ½ E. and S.E. ¾ S., that is, white in fairway of Rangitoto Channel. Red between bearings of S.E. ¾ S. and E. by N. ¾ N., that is, red on W. side of Rangitoto Channel (covering the Rough Rock) and the N. shore of the harbour, covering the Sandspit buoy and Depot Point. White between bearings of E. by N. ¾ N. and N.E. ½ E., that is, white in fairway of harbour and over its S. shore, above Orakei Bay. There will be no light visible S, of lighthouse between bearings of N.E. ½ E. and W. ½ S., that is, between Resolution Point and East Tamaki Head.

Vessels entering Auckland Harbour at night by N. or Rangitoto Channel should make for white or fairway light, steering in on this line of light until North Head bears S.W., then keep away S. across red into white (Harbour, fairway light) bringing three white lights (in a triangle) on Queen Street Wharf to bear S.W. by W. ¾ W. which will lead up Harbour to usual anchorage ground below the wharf. Vessels having to work in should not enter on green light when near Rangitoto Reef (outer rock of which bears W. ¼ S. from peak of Rangitoto), nor on red when near Rough Rock, which bears N.E. ¼ E. from Flagstaff 011 Mount Victoria, and should also keep well in white Harbour light when passing Sandspit buoy and Depot Point. Vessels entering by Waiheki (or Tamaki Strait) will see red light over the low (S.) part of Koreho Island, taking care not to approach within a mile of Koreho before passing over dark are E. of it, and the red N. of it, into white fairway light of Koreho Channel; then steer so as to pass about 2 cables N.W. of lighthouse, crossing green, white, and red lights of Rangitoto Channel into white, and up harbour as before described. Vessels entering by Hieh Channel will keep on the line page 47 (S.W. ¼ W.) intersecting green and white lights, edging away into the white, passing N.W. extreme of Hieh Island, and then up Koreho Channel, and into harbour as before described. Lighthouse is an open, framed structure, surmounted by keeper's dwelling and lantern; painted white, height 60 feet. The beacon hitherto marking Bean Rocks has been removed, and is now erected on N.E. extreme of adjacent reef, distant 3 cables S.E. of lighthouse. All bearings are magnetic. Tides.—On E. coast of North Island flood streams run N., ebbs S. about 1 knot but in Hauraki Gulf take a contrary direction, flood running S. and ebb N. The body of flood stream, entering S. between Cape Barrier and Cape Colville, separates about False Head on W. side of Great Barrier, and sweeps around S. through different channels leading to Auckland, filling Thames and Waitemata rivers. Ebb tide runs from 1 to 1½ knots to S.E., between Great Barrier and Cape Colville. Range of tide in Hauraki Gulf, from 6 to 10 feet. In Whangaproa Channel tide runs from 1 to 2 knots; in Waiheki Strait ½ a knot, but from 2 to 3 knots in adjoining narrow channel.

The preceding directions will be sufficient to guide the mariner from Three Kings Islands to Auckland Harbour. We now will give a more particular description of the coast and the intermediate ports.

Ships' compasses may be adjusted at Auckland. Charge—under 50 tons, £3 3s.; under 100 tons, £4 4s.; under 300 tons, £5 5s.; under 500 tons, £6 6s.; over 500 tons, £7 7s.