From East Cape to Cape Palliser, East Coast

Variation—East Cape, 140 15′ East.

Cape Runaway is the E. termination of Bay of Plenty, and N.W. point of East Cape lat. 37° 31′, long. 178° 1′, is 958 feet high, page 57 S.W. of this Cape is Whangaparawa roadstead, an old whaling station with shelter from N.E. On S. side under Orete Point there is shelter in S.W. and W. winds, by bringing outer extreme of rocks off it to bear W. by N. and anchoring in 7 fathoms, fine sand. It is not advisable to remain long in this roadstead. H.W.F. & C. 9.16, range 7 feet. From Runaway to Lottin Point is 9 miles, land behind rise to 10,000 and 15,000 feet, no danger, soundings 2 cables off shore, 20 fatboras.—Matakawa, the N. point entrance of Hick's Bay is 700 feet high, distance 7 miles from Lottin Point. The bay is nearly 2 miles deep by 1½ wide and open to E. N. point is a long low rocky tongue; rocks are all visible; 25 fathoms within a cable of entrance; afford secure anchorage in W. winds from N. to S. also from N. get well within Matakawa Point, bottom is greenish mud, good holding ground, shoaling suddenly towards sandy beach at head. N. and S. shores are very steep, faced by perpendicular cliffs and outlaying rocks, the latter within ½ cable of high water mark. N.E. gales, which generally spring up from E., and gradually freshen, give sufficient warning to weigh. No vessel should lie here with N.E. or S E. winds; from S.E. wind vessels may be sheltered by standing down towards White Cliffs, 5 miles S.E. of Hick's Bay, anchorage in from 9 to 12 fathoms in Kawa Kawa roadstead, 1½ miles W. of Awatera River, and within 1 mile of the beach.—Awatera River 3 miles E.S.E., and 9 miles further is East Cape. From Matakawa Point to East Cape Islet is E. by S ¾ E., 14 miles, great depth of water, but no danger. Land about East Cape is high, summits of five distinct ranges are visible, the highest, Ikaurangi, 28 miles S.W. of the cape, is 5,535 feet.

East Cape Islet ½ mile in circuit, is steep with a ledge of rocks ½ mile off its N. extreme, is 420 feet high and a good landmark, in lat. 37? 40′, long. 178° 36′, H.W.F. & C. 9.0, rise 7 feet. N. of East Cape flood sets W., and S. of cape floods set N. Tide races are very strong and sudden changes of winds are frequent off the cape; give the cape a berth of at least 2 miles, as several official notices of rocks and shoals have been reported in the inside passage.

Waiapu River entrance is 7 miles S. of East Cape Islet; is a large stream, and freshes come down with great violence, which renders it unsafe for anchorage; but there is now a considerable trade by small coasters to this river.—Whararaki, the next point, is 11 miles from Cape Islet; height, 950 feet.

Open Bay N. head entrance is 21 miles S. of Cape Islet; and inland, the land rises 1,230 and 1,690 feet; the bay is 1 mile in depth, and 4 miles from N. to S. at entrance. There is temporary anchorage, with off shore winds. Mowhiaru Reef, 30 feet, surrounded with reefs, 1¼ miles S. of S. head, Open Bay, and ½ mile from the coast.

Tokomarua Bay is 30 miles S. of Cape Islet and 4 miles S. of S. Head of Open Bay; 2 rocks awash lie in the centre of the bay, and a reef on S. side. None but coasters should seek shelter here.

Waipara Bay is 4 miles from S. Head, Tokomarua, is quite open; the N. Head is rocky, and so is nearly the whole of the bay. On S. side is Anaura Islet, surrounded with rocks.

Marau Point, next projection, S. of Waipara Bay, is 7 miles S. of Mawai Point, and 4½ N. of Tolago Bay. A reef of rocks (Tokamapuhia) lies 1 mile E. of the Bluff.

page 58

Tolago Bay, lat. 38° 22′, or 43 miles S. of Cape Islet, is 1 1/3 miles from head to head, there is anchorage in all westerly winds, 10 fathoms between the heads, shoaling everywhere gradually, and 5 fathoms within ½ mile from sandy beach; there is one small patch ½ across from S. towards N. head, anchor within this line. On setting in of E. winds, vessels should leave in good time.—Motara Bluff and Islet Rocks extend 1/3 mile from it; it is 2½ miles S.S.E. of S. Head, Tolago, and from it Gable End bears S. ½ W. 7 miles, rocks extend ½ mile off shore.

From Tolago to Gable End Foreland 10 miles, and on to Poverty Bay 16 miles. A sunken (Star of the South) rock is reported 3 miles S.S.E. of Gable End.

Ariel Rocks, a very dangerous outlying reef, with 12 feet on them at low water springs, covered with kelp, breaks only in heavy sea; the bearings from the rock are Cape Gable (a conspicuous white cliff) N. by W. ¼ W. 12 miles. Tua Hine (N. head, Poverty Bay) W. ½ S. 10 miles. False Gable (the nearest point of land) W. by N. ½ N. 8½ miles.

Poverty Bay, s. Head, lat. 38° 45′, long. 1770 59′. 5miles from head to head, N.E. and S.W. of each other, are the S. white-coloured projections on coast until Table Cape, 24 miles further S. is reached; bay is 4 miles in depth. S. Head is 520 feet high; anchorage 1½ miles within, off Wero-wero River, in 3½ fathoms ½ mile from mouth, nearer than ½ mile on entering as the ground is very foul, changing from 8 fathoms to 9 feet. On N. side of Poverty Bay, 1 mile inside outer point, is Tua Motu, off this a reef extends 2 cables S., and between this and Turanganui River are rocks ½ mile from shore, the outer ones are awash at low water; some foul rock ground extends S.E. 2 miles off N. head or Tua Hine. With these exceptions, the bay is free of dangers. H.W.F. & C., Wero-wero River 6° 5′, rise 6 feet.

Table Cape, N.E. point, Mahia Peninsula, 21 miles S. by E. ½ E. from Young Nick's Head, the peninsula frends S.S.W. 12 miles, 3 miles W. of Table Cape is a good roadstead off Whangawai River, with shelter in S. and W. winds; anchorage in 10 fathoms; the cape bearing E. ½ S. and 1 mile N. of river, but N. of river is dangerous in E. winds. The E. coast of Mahia is dangerous within 3 miles of the shore. One rock 3 miles E. by N. off the S. point, Mahia, has 8 feet water and breaks in easterly winds, another patch, between this and the shore, has only 6 feet water on it.

Portland Island, off the S. point of Mahia is 2 miles long, and is the N. entrance point to Hawke's Bay; from this to the S. point, Cape Kidnapper is 40 miles N.E. and S.W., the depth is 26 miles, The bay is open to S.E. and affords only temporary shelter. There are settlements at, and a considerable coasting trade with the rivers Nuhaka, Whakaki, Wairoa, and Mohaka.

Long Point Roadstead, on N.E. extreme Hawke's Bay is sheltered from all winds but W., there is protection from black N.E., wind, by anchoring 1 mile from Long Point, it bearing S.S.W. To ride out a S. wind, get well inside Long Point, or let it bear S.W., in 7 fathoms.

Ahuriri Bluff is S.W. by W. ½ W., 45 miles from S. end Portland, and from Cape Kidnapper N.W. ½ W., 13 miles.

page 59

Hawke's Bay; Port, lat. 398° 29′, long. 176° S5′; best anchorage for coasting vessels is ¾ mile from signal staff, Cape Kidnapper well shut in, and Bluff bearing S.E. by E. when there are from 4 to 5 fathorns water. A fixed white light from a tower E. side of Bluff, ½ mile S. of extreme point, also a light visible 8 or 9 miles is placed at the entrance of the Port West extreme East Spit, it shews red in the direction of Pania Rock and white clear of the rock.—Pania Rock (white buoy) with only 8 feet bearing N. by E. ¾ E. from the bold white cliff of the Bluff distant 2 miles.

Vessels approaching from the N. should keep in the white light. Coming from the S. will find this light no guide for them, and must avoid the rocky patch called Auckland Rock, which has only 14 feet on it at low water springs. Bearings magnetic,

From recent surveys, Cape Turnagain lies 8¼ miles S. by W. from the old position assigned to it, and is in lat. 40° 29′ 30′′, and long. 176° 40′ E. S. of Castle Point, between Flat Point and Kahau Rocks, are several sunken dangers which are thought to extend further seaward than marked on the chart. Vessels should not approach this part nearer than 4 miles. H.W.F. & C. 7.50, rise 3 feet.

Cape Kidnapper—Bare Island 13 miles from the cape, and 2 miles off shore; 9 miles S. of Bare Island is Manawarakau River, 8 biles further is Tungara Cove, with anchorage for coasters, but very dangerous from sunken rocks. Porangahau River, 28 miles S. of Bare Island and 5 miles S. of Black Head.

Cape Turnagain to Castle Point, S. by W. ¾ W. 31 miles. Castle Point to Cape Palliser 73 miles, with dangerous rocks within 3 miles of the coast.

Castle Point to Flat Point, coast trends S.S.W. 24 miles, from there to Cape Palliser S.W. ½ S. 40 miles. The coast line between Kidnapper and Cape Palliser is rocky and dangerous.