From Cape Brett to Auckland Harbour, East Coast.

The inshore course and distance, from a berth 2 miles abreast Percy Islet, Cape Brett, into Hauraki Gulf is S.E. ½ S. 30 miles, this will lead 3½ miles off Wide Berth Islands (S. point Wangaruru Bay) inside Poor Knights and Sugar Loaf Rocks, 3½ miles from the latter, to abreast of Tutukaka Harbour at a distance of about 4½ miles. When abreast of Tutukaka Harbour, which will be known by three headlands called Three Gables, S. by E. ½ E. 23 miles will lead midway between Bream Head and Chicken Group, and abreast Sail Rock. [McGregor Rock see page 44.] Course is then S.E. for 25 miles to abreast Takatau Point, 2 miles distant, having passed Rodney Point within 1¼ miles. If it is intended to pass outside Flat Rock, which, when abreast Takatau Point, will be 5 miles distant, same course will lead 2 miles clear of it; if inside, S. by E. ¼ E. will be about a middle course between it and Kawau Island, 1 mile distant from either. A vessel passing inside Flat Rock will take Whangaproa Channel to Auckland Harbour, which bears from S.E. end of Kawau Island, S. ¼ E. 9 miles.

Whangamumu Harbour, from Cape Brett the coast trends S. ¼ E. 5 miles to this harbour, only danger between is a flat rock 2 feet out of water 1¾ miles S. of Percy Islet, and ¼ mile off shore, entrance to harbour is ½ mile wide with 15 fathoms water, and 1½ miles inside N. head, is secure anchorage with 5 or 6 fathoms water. Home Point lies S.E. 4½ miles, and Bland Bay S. of it with no shelter, Danger Rock standing 8 or 10 feet out of water, lies just off Bland Bay 1 mile, it bears from Home Point S.E. 1½ miles, and from N. entrance page 51 Whangaruru N. ¾ E. 2½ miles, it is steep and may be passed within 2 cables, in 24 fathoms.

Whangaruru Harbour is S.S.E. 13 miles from Cape Brett, lies in the N.W. corner of a bay 5 miles in length; it is a good harbour for vessels, well sheltered and ease of access. Entering from S., after giving Wide Berth Island a berth of 1½ miles, in 14 fathoms, steer W. will lead between Henry and Nop's Islands. When in mid-channel steer N.W. ¾ N., or for Grove Point, and anchor. The reef which extends ¼ mile S. by W. from S. point of Henry Island, is awash; within 3 cables will have 9 fathoms; if in 7 fathoms they are too close. Wide Berth Islets off S. head Whangaruru, the N.E. edge lies E. by N. ¾ N. from S. head 1½ miles distant, the inner one ¼ mile off shore, give them a berth of 2 miles.

Elizabeth Beef, 6¾ miles N. of N. head Tutukaka, and bears from Wide Berth Islet S.E. ½ S. 5 miles, Four Islet bears from Elizabeth Reef N.W. ¾ W. 2 miles, and Wide Berth Islet S.S.E. ½ E. and ¼ miles off coast. Sandy Bay, S. of Elizabeth Reef, with no shelter.

Tutukaka Harbour is 30 miles from Cape Brett and 13 froms, head of Whangaruru, from Poor Knights S.W. ½ S. 11 miles, and will easily be recognised by Three Gables. For entering, avoid reefs off S. head islet, by giving it a berth of ½ mile, and make for N. head, passing between it and the entrance rock with 8 fathoms mid-channel. The passage in is 1 cable wide, inside opens out to 2 cables, anchorage 2 cables inside in 4½ or 5 fathoms; a vessel will then be ¼ of a mile from a high wooded islet in centre of harbour distant W. by S. ½ a mile from entrance rock.

Nongoda River lies in a bay 1½ miles S. of Tutukaka. Good anchorage, with off shore winds, 6 and 7 fathoms sandy bottom. Coasters carrying 4 feet may enter, 4 miles. Entrance is narrow with a sock in the centre. A sandy bay extends S. to Bream Head, 12½ miles, with rocky projection, nearly half-way.

Bream Islet lies 1 mile N. of the Cape and Bream Rock lies N.E. by E. ¾ mile outside the islet, with 16 feet water on it at low spring tides, and breaks only in heavy weather.—Bream Rock bears from Bream Head N. by E. ¼ E., from Tutukaka Head S.E. by S. ½ S., from Sail Rock N.W. ½ N., from centre of Bream Islet N.E. by E.

Bream Head, North point of Whangarei Bay, is 42 miles S S.E. ¾ E. from Cape Brett, nearly 16 miles from N. head of Tutukaka Harbour, and W. by N. 5 miles from W. or nearest Chicken Islet. S. by E. from it 11 miles is Bream Tail, a bluff of moderate height, and S. limit of bay 7 miles in depth, running in a curve W., with a sandy beach of 10 miles. 2 miles from this beach there is anchorage in W., winds ranging from N. to S., in 5 and 6 fathoms, sand bottom except within 2 miles of its N.W. extreme, off which extends (Mare Bank) a sand flat.

Whangarei Harbour, from Bream Head, coast runs W. by S. towards the harbour; is steep, and terminates in Busby Head, the eatrance point, and ½ a mile farther is Home Point, 200 feet high, round this point is the first anchorage. To enter from N. or E. after rounding Bream Head extreme, the mountain (Bream Head) should be brought to bear N. by W. keeping ½ mile off shore; this bearing on, steer W by S. or parallel with the coast for 2 miles; Sugar Loaf off W. point of Busby Head will then bear N.W. by W. ½ W., and W. page 52 sandy entrance point will be just open of it; observing that on approaching on this course, Sugar Loaf will not appear as detached from Busby Head until above marks are nearly on Above marks on. steer W. by N. ¾ N. nearly a mile will lead abreast Sugar Loaf, 2 cables from it; when abreast alter course to N.N.W. ¼ W., or for left extreme of high islet on N. shore of Calliope Bay; ½ mile on this course will be abreast and 2 cables from Home Point. Haul close round this point ¼ mile, and anchor in 4 fathoms 1½ cables length from shore. H.W.F. & C. 7.0, rise 7 to 9, tide 3 knots.

Morotiri, or Hen and Chickens Islands off Whangarei, are a group of 4 islands and some small islets, lying E.N.E. and W.S.W, 5 miles in extent. They bear from S., Poor Knights S. by E. 23 miles; from Bream Head, W. Chicken bears E. by S., distant 5miles; from Rodney Point, E. Chickens bears N. by W., 23 miles.—Moko Hinou (light) and Fanal Islands are 14 miles E. of Moro Tiri. They bear from S. Poor Knights S.E. 1/3 E. 29 miles, and from E. Chicken E. ¾ N. 15 miles; give these islands a wide berth.

Waipu River, 10 miles S. ¾ E. of Busby Head, and 4 miles W. ¾ S. from Bream Tail; there is a bar at entrance, with shifting channel, but coasting vessels go in with perfect safety; inland abort 2 miles, river spreads into 4 branches, each navigable 2 or 3 miles farther. Outside in Mackenzie's Cove, vessels are safe except with N. or N.E. winds.

Mangawai River, 154 miles N.W. of Rodney, and 2 miles S. of Bream Tail, has a narrow bar entrance, which cannot be entered with E. winds: the river is polled off to guide coasters to landing-place, 4 miles from entrance. This is nearest harbour on E. coast to Otamatea and Oruawharo.

From Bream Tail coast trends S.E. ¾ E. to Rodney Point 17½ miles, and inland 6 miles Mount Hamilton rises 1,300 feet. Soundings off coast regular, 30 fathoms at 5 miles, shoaling to 6 fathoms within ½ mile. Rodney Point may be passed close to. 1 mile S. of Rodney is Little Omaha, and 3 miles farther is Great Omaha; both bays are frequented by coasters and are safe except with E. winds. 6 milles S. of Rodney is Takatau Point; the land now trends S.W. 7 miles in Kawau bay to Matakana River.

Kawau Island lies 2 miles S. of Takatau Point, is 4 miles in length, same in width. Coming from N. it will appear like mainland until the channel between it and Takatau Point is opened out.—Bon Accord Harbour, on the W. side, runs E. and W. 1¼ miles, and ¾ mile wide, at entrance, it carries 3 fathoms for 1 mile, there are several bays on its S. shore; in Momona, the outer bay, is the residence of the owner of the island, Sir George Grey, K.C.B. Vessels anchor here in mid-channel.—Maori Rock awash at low water; a cable in extent lies S. by W. less than 1 mile from Takatau Point. A shoal of 8 feet low water, bearing W. 3 cables from Kawiti Point, and the Iris Shoal, which is 6 cables in extent, and on its shoalest part has 20 feet, from which Kawiti Point bears N.E. by E. nearly 1½ miles, and Pemble's Islet S.E. by E. ½ E. ½ mile, with deep water channel between. On E. side of Kawau are Nelson Rock, with 9 feet at low water on it, ½ mile from shore, and Flat Rock, 4 feet above water at high water, is 2 miles from S.E. end, or Kawau Point. Tiri Tiri, with a lighthouse in it, lies in centre of Hauraki Gulf.

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Mahurangi Harbour, Whora Island ½ mile off the entrance and Motu Ora, lies N.W. by W. 7 miles from N. extreme of Whangaproa and W. by S. 1¾ mile from S. end Motu Ora; the S. end is wooded, N. end without trees. For entering steer passing S. end of Whora within ¼ mile, then direct in between the heads. Strangers are liable to mistake the arm which runs N. from Sadler Point for main harbour; there is shoal water in this arm. Direct course up is N.W. ½ W. for the Peninsula of Mangonui, which is high and makes as an island; it bears N.W. ½ W. from N. head distant 1½ miles, between this peninsula and S. shore best anchorage for large vessels, centre of Mangonui bearing N. by E. in 7 fathoms muddy bottom; channel here is scarcely ½ mile wide.