From Cape Colville to East Cape, Including Bay of Plenty.

Channel Islet lies N.N.W. ¼ W. 2¾ miles from Cape Colville, is 270 feet high and bold to, is a fine leading mark for vessels from the eastward, it bears from Cuvier Island W. by S. 21 miles; it may be passed on either side; but, unless with a commanding breeze, it is better to pass to the N. of it, as strong tide races run off the cape, which should not, for this reason, be approached within 1½ miles; and the Rocky Point 3½ miles E. of the cape, should be given the same berth.—Charles's Cove, 3 miles from E. point Colville, is a small bay not safe anchorage; 6 miles farther S. is Waikawau Bay; and 6 miles farther, or about 15 miles from Colville, is Kennedy Bay; its entrance ½ mile wide, bearing from N.W. end Great Mercury Island S.W. ¼ W 9 miles, with anchorage for coasters in 3 and 5 fathoms, with W. winds from N. to S., a rock awash N.E. ½ N. from outer S.E. cliffy point of the bay ¾ mile.—Whangapoa River lies 4 miles farther S., with 5 feet on bar at low water. The coast now trends E.N.E. 8 miles to Tepaki; off this point are Mercury Islands.

Great Mercury Island, 4 miles from N. to S., and 3 miles broad; its N. end bears from Cuvier S. by E. 7 miles.—Red Mercury is outside, and bears from S.E. end of Great Mercury E. by N. 4 miles.—Richard's Rock (dangerous), uncovered only at low water springs, lies N. 18° W. or N. by W. ¾ W. from N. cliffy point of Red Mercury 1¾ miles distant; it also bears from S E. end of Cuvier S.E. by E. 11 miles, and from N.E. end Great Mercury E. by N. 7 miles.

Mercury Bay, 30 miles S.E. of Cape Colville, is 5 miles wide at entrance, affords anchorage during W. winds in sandy bays on its N. and S. shores. Cook's Bay, on S. side mouth of Oyster River preferable anchorage. Head of Mercury Bay, S.W. angle is Mangrove page 55 River, a snug anchorage, secure from all winds. Approach Mercury Bay by inner passage between Great Mercury and Tepaki Point, a channel 3 miles wide. Tepaki Point has some islets off it; passing it within 1 mile steer rather close outside next point, which bears S.E. by E. nearly 2 miles; 1 mile off this latter point is Man Rock (not marked on the chart), about 125 feet high and conical, and between the two, midway, a sunken rock is supposed to exist; the point must be kept close on board; no dangers near the point; depth 9 fathoms between it and sunken rock. Middle Island has foul ground off its N.W. and S. extremes for 2 cables, but is bold to W. Tower Rock rises 188 feet; within 1 mile of S. entrance point has also foul ground 2 cables round it Approaching from S. in S. entrance a rock exists, seldom showing, but which occasionally breaks, 9 to 13 fathoms round it; this rock bears N.N.W. ¾ mile from Te-tui Island, S. entrance point of bay, and E. by N. 1½ miles from Tower Rock. No other dangers until Shakspere's Cliff is passed. Soundings, 10 fathoms either side of Middle Island, 3½ to 4 fathoms up to Shakspere's Cliff, off which a vessel may anchor, cliff bearing S. to S.S.E.

Tairua River, 12 miles S. of Mercury Bay, is now much frequented by coasters—Shoe Island lies 2 miles E.N.E. of Tairua, ½ mile E. of it are some black rocks, above water.—Slipper Island lies 4 miles S.E. from Tairua, with a reef to S. of it extending S. miles; there is no safe passage inside these islands.—Alderman Island, 9 miles E.N.E. of Tairua and E. by 8. ½ S 14 miles from Mercury Bay.

Whangamata River, from Mayor Island W. 17 miles from S. end of Slipper S. 7 miles, coast free of danger with 30 fathoms 6 miles off, decreasing to 9 fathoms within 1 mile on to Kati Kati no danger.

Kati Kati, 1½ feet on the bar at low water, which is 1½ miles seaward of Te-ho Head; to enter, bring Te-ho Head to bear W.S.W., then steer direct for it, keeping that course until within ½ cable of the bead, then follow the land about same distance off until inside, there is plenty of room with 7 or 8 fathoms water. Bears from Mayor Island S.W. by S. 16 miles; N. side sandy bay 4 miles long, coast S. between it and Tauranga Harbour, straight sandy beach 13 miles. N. head is 170 feet high; 2 miles E water shoals suddenly from 6 to 3½ fathoms. Breakers extend 1 mile from entrance, which appears choked with Banks. W. by S. ½ S. 7½ miles from Te-ho Head is a small island, Karewa, 350 feet high; it lies 3 miles off Sandy Beach, with a channel between off from 10 to 13 fathoms, sand and shell.

Mayor Island is S.E. ¾ S. 19 miles from S. Alderman and 14 miles from mainland, and 16 miles N.E. by N. from Kati Kati.

Tauranga Harbour, in lat. 37° 36′, and long. 176° 11′, the only safe harbour in the Bay of Plenty; Mount Mangonui, E. side entrance, is a flat-topped hill 860 feet, from seaward like an island, and bears from S. end of Mayor Island, S. 19 miles, from S. end Motiti, W. ½ S. 11 miles; W. entrance low sand hills to Kati Kati, 13 miles; on N. side of Mangonui, ½ cable from beach lie North Rocks, and on S. side, within entrance, Stony Point extends out ¾ cable, covered at ¾ flood; on outer end an iron beacon is erected; W. by N. of Stony Point, distant about a cable, is a black buoy, and E.S.E. about 1½ cables is a red buoy, the former should be passed on port hand, and latter on starboard hand going in. Least water is found on bar immediately after passing North Rocks, where it shallows to 3½ fathoms, breaking in N. and E. weather right cross entrance. Vessels bound to Tauranga page 56 to avoid outside banks to W. should bring Mangonui to bear S., then steer for it, until within 2 or 3 cables of North Rocks, then a course keeping Mangonui aboard from I to 1½ cables until first black buoy bears E. by N. distant about ½ cable, when haul sharp up to Stony Point beacon which will be found steep to; passing that point and bringing it to bear W.S.W., distant less than ½ mile, and pilot house which stands at base of Mangonui on E. side to bear N.; good anchorage will be found in 5 fathoms, about a cable from beach, from all winds. Vessels bound to Te Papa, by keeping E. shore aboard about a cable, and passing black buoy on port and red buoy on starboard hand will find no difficulty. Owing to strong tides around Stony Point, narrowness of channel, and baffling winds coming off Mangonui, it is especially necessary that strangers entering harbour should wait for slack water. H.W.F. & C. 7.10, rise 3½ to 6, tide 3 to 4 knots.

Kaituna River, Okure is the E. head entrance, a cliff 100 feet high, ground foul, entrance narrow, with 3 feet at low water; but deeper inside and also 8 miles up.

Matata River in the centre Bay of Plenty, white cliffs N.W. of Matata rise to 500 feet; small coasters can enter. Ruarima Rocks lit 4 miles N.E. off Matata

Whakatane.—Kohi, N.E. point of this river, is 637 feet high covered with ridges and ditches, has curious appearance; the channel into this river is between large boulder rocks just covered at high water on either side of the bar, which at low water has only 2 feet on it, and 9 or 10 feet at high water springs. Whakatane River is a favourite resort for the coasting trade, schooners reach as far as the Pupuarue 3 miles. Whale Island lies 5 miles N.W. by N., from Whakatane.

Ohiwa River 7 miles E. of Whakatane, has a bar entrance, to the W. land, is low and sandy, ½ mile E. there is a wooded cliff about 500 feet high, is a good guide to the river, bar ¾ mile from heads 2 cables wide, has 15 feet water at high water springs. Course in is S. by E. ¼ E. and anchorage ¼ mile up in 6 fathoms.

Opotiki River, entrance not more than a cable across. Both heads are sand with no natural marks to lead in; bar changes freshes, and N.E. gales also effects it; depth varying, navigable for coasters, 1 mile inside. H.W. 7.0, rise 7 feet, flood sets Opotiki to Cape Runaway 44 miles N.E., there are numerous bays and rivers, and a large and industrious native population, this district is much frequented by coasters. A shoal extends 1 mile S.W. by S. from Motiti Island, a rocky patch extends ¾ mile S.W. of Plate Island

White Island (Whakaari), an active volcano in lat. 37° 30′ S. long. 177° 12′, lies off the depth of the Bay of Plenty, 26 miles from shore, is 3 miles in circumference, 860 feet high, base of crater 1½ miles in circuit, and level with sea. A boiling spring 100 yards in circumference, sending volumes of steam full 2,000 feet high, numerous geysers sounding like high pressure engines; a stone thrown in is immediately thrown into the air.