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Cape Maria Van Diemen to New Plymouth, West Coast, North Island.

Variation—Cape Maria, 13° 35′ East.

Vessels coming from the N. and W. bound for Hokianga, Kaipara, or Manukau will sight the Three Kings Islands, and then run down the West Coast. Off the cape the tides and races run rapid; give the coast a berth of 3 or 4 miles. On the West Coast the flood sets south-ward, and 1½ miles off shore tides are twice as strong as at 3 miles off.

Pandora Bank, 6 miles S.S.W. ½ W. of the cape, frequently breaks heavily and sometimes appears like a race, but there is not less than 5 fathoms water on it. The shoal part covers 2 square miles, hard sand and sea weed. There is 20 fathoms outside and 13 inside.

Six miles S. of the cape a hard sandy beach extends 40 miles, with a rocky islet, Motu Pea, 11 miles from the cape and ½ mile from the coast.—Mangonui Rock, 6½ miles S. of Motu Pea, is connected with the main. Ahipara roadstead, extreme of sandy beach has no shelter from W. winds, but in fine weather vessels of any tonnage ship the produce of the Victoria Plains and the fertile country inland. In a small nook (Ongaonga) boats can ship cargo. Approach is clear and anchorage is after bringing Reef Point (Tauroa) to bear S.W.

Herekino (False Hokianga) is 9 miles S. of Reef Point and 16 miles N. of Hokianga, is a small and dangerous harbour, no vessel Drawing over 6 feet should approach it.

Whangape is a small port 6 miles S. of Herekino, is used by small vessels in fine weather, there is no bar, but a sunken rock is in the channel, and strong tides set across from point to point.

Hokianga.—A vessel should be off entrance so as to carry flood into harbour; ½ flood best time for crossing; should first ebb have Made and bar appears passable, there is still a tide of 5 knots to contend against, with chance of wind failing, as also that anchorage between bar and heads is bad. In approaching Hokianga from N.W., and when within 4 or 5 miles of the heads, keep to E. until the two white beacons in Martin's Bay, which may be seen at a distance of 5 miles, are Brought to bear E.N.E., then stand in, keeping the two beacons in line which leads for deepest water on bar, 17 feet low water springs. Attention to the semaphore arm will lead to deepest water, as the channel shifts occasionally. After crossing the bar, the beacons in line lead clear of all dangers until inside. Pilot boards off S. head. S. head is 150 feet high, and has signal staff on it. New Zealand Bar Harbour Signals used. Outer edge of bar 1¾ miles from the heads, it will shoal from 8 fathoms to 3½ at one cast. Mangonui Bluff is then in one with a low point bearing S.E. ¾ E. about 6 miles distant, shoalest water is when the Bluff is in line with a nearer point; when three points are in one, bar is crossed and water deepens. Between heads depth from 16 to 27 fathoms, two dangers on N. side of channel narrow it considerably; these are 9 feet rocks and a patch of 2 feet of N. head; keeping the beacons in line, these dangers will be avoided; ebb sets directly on S. head spit, and in going out due allowance must be made for clearing it; small vessels have Drifted on this spit during light winds.

Kaipara, S. head, lat. 36° 25′ S.; long. 1740 15′ E.—The most extensive inlet in New Zealand; has perfect security for any number of vessels, largest size; it has 700 miles of water frontage inside. To page 62 enter by N.E., or Kemp's, on the chart called Galatea Channel, which is about a mile in width, and has about 7 fathoms at low water mid. channel, bring middle green hillock and beacons on N. sand head to bear N.E. ½ N., and green triangular tuft called Puketu, 430 feet high, S. sand hills to bear N.E. by N.. then the course to inner N. head will be N.E. ¼ E.; or in clear weather a peaked hill on E. shore, called Makahuranga, 476 feet high, will bear N.E. easterly, or just open with inner N. head; it will carry a vessel clear of all danger up to N. head a sandy hill 490 feet high. The Pilot Station is now fixed at Pouto Point within the N. head. Wairoa, the northern branch, is full of shifting sandbanks, with a channel between for vessels Drawing 18to 19 feet water for 38 miles, small vessels for 70 miles. Course from N. head into Kaipara, the southern branch, E. by N., deep water in this river up 19 miles. Oruawharo branch has deep water up 23 miles from the heads; small vessels go 12 miles further. Otamatea branch has deep water 25 miles; small vessels go 10 miles further. Arapawa branch of the Otamatea is a fine deep river up to Makakohae Creek. Wharf at Mangawhare, on Wairoa branch, ships load to 19 feet afloat at low water.

Kaipara to Manukau, a distance of 40 miles, is almost a straight coast and free from dangers, but no landing can be effected on any part of it. Vessels running South down the West Coast should keep 4 miles off shore until the marks are on for entering.

Manukau Harbour, N. Head, easily distinguished, coast gradually increasing in elevation from Kaipara to Manukau, where hills on N. shore rise 1,280 feet. N. of port the country is an extensive forest, while all that facing seaward S. of entrance is peculiarly barren for 20 miles. Most conspicuous objects first visible from W. are three conical peaks near N. Head: one of them forms island Paratutai, may be considered N. head, being connected at low water; 350 feet above the sea; about ¾ mile from it, inside harbour, on side of hill; N. side of entrance, are three beacons erected, which are steering marks for S. channel. S. head presents a rounded barren face of brown soil, with table land to the S.; Manukau has three different channels, viz., north, main and south, two former channels only a large ship could enter, but owing to want of leading marks, and distance of entrance from signal staff, S. channel is now the only one used; in it least water found is 2¾ fathoms, tide strong, and channel shifts after strong S.W. gales; buoys have been laid down, but their position cannot be relied on; two leading beacons on S. head do not always either show direct through fairway, therefore vessels going in or out should pay particular attention to steering, by keeping the vessel in the direction semaphore arms on signal staff points, and steadying helm moment the arm Drops. Vessels making for S. channel should bring S. head to bear N.E. by N. ½ N., running on that course until signal mast is made out, then course steered should be directed by semaphoer arm until three beacons on N. side entrances are brought in one, then course must be sharply altered and care taken to keep them in one till the harbour is well open. There is a fixed white light on the brow of the Bluff forming the S. entrance from Paratutai, distant 1 1/3 mile. Pilot, if necessary, will board inside entrance; should there be no pilot and vessel bound to Onehunga, keep red buoys on starboard and black on port hand. H.W.F. & C. entrance 9h. 30m., springs rise 13 feet, neaps 10 feet. Signals—1. One ball at masthead—Wait for flood tide page 63 2 Ball at masthead and north arm pointed up—Wait for half flood. 3 Ball at masthead, both arms pointed up—Wait for high water. 4. Bill at each arm—Steam vessel take S. channel. 5. Two balls at S. arm and one at N. arm—Take S. channel or take Fanny Channel. 6. Ball at N. arm half-way down and two balls at S. arm—Take Fanny Channel. 7. Ball at masthead and one at each arm—Bar dangerous. 8. Both arms pointed down—No wind about the heads. 9. N. arm horizontally and S. arm downwards—Come to an anchor. 10. Both arms pointed upwards—Remain at anchor. 11. S. arm pointed up and N. arm downwards—Will send a pilot. 12. Both semaphore arms horizontal—Get under way. 13. N. arm pointed up and ball at N. arm—A vessel in danger and wanting assistance. 14. Both arms pointed up and ball at each arm—A steamer is coming to your assistance. 15. When signals are intended for vessels outward bound, signal in from of a T, painted red, will be shown below the yard.

Waikato. lat. 37° 24′, is the largest river in" New Zealand, bar harbour. Two white beacons have been erected on the N. bank; 25 feet high, and 200 feet apart; when in line bearing N.E. by E. ½ easterly will lead over deepest part of bar, with not less than 10 feet at low water springs.

Raglan or Whaingaroa, S. point lat. 37° 46′, long. 174° 53′. May be known by Karehoe Mountain, immediately over outer S. entrance head, height 2,370 feet, excellent landmark. Harbour is just N. of the mountain, in a bight formed between it and land running towards Waikato. Entrance distinguished by a reddish cliff hill over S. head; N. head is low and sandy, with high woody land behind; S. point is also low, but not sandy. Bar is a mile outside, formed of two spits, Dry nearly half-way out at low water, passage between, two cables wide.

Albatross Point bears from Gannet Island, a small island about ¾ mile in circumference and 70 feet high, S.E. easterly, 11 miles. Kawhia entrance E. by S. ¾ S. 12 miles. Raglan entrance N.E. ½ N. 17 miles. Waikato entrance N. 33 miles. Manukau entrance, S. channel, N. by W. ½ W. 50 miles.

Aotea Harbour, S. head lat. 38° 0′. From N. head a sandspit, Dry at half-tide, runs S. 1 mile; and ½ mile S. of S. head, S. spit runs off and outlies N. one. In steering for the bar, two small triangular patches of yellow cliff right of the S. point will be seen; right of these patches, in line with where summit of dark hill over S. head meets sandhill, or where they appear to join, bearing E. ¾ N. leads over bar in 11 feet at low water; after crossing bar, about a cable in width, haul in along the spit E.S.E. until abreast the tail of N. spit, which is always showing, then gradually haul up, keeping N. spit on board to N. head, still keeping N. shore on board cables distance, as there is an extensive sandflat on S. shore.

Kawhia Harbour, S. head lat. 38° 5′. In approaching from W. steer for Pironghia Mountain (15 miles inland, 2,800 feet high), until Albatross Point shots in land to S., which will be about 5 miles from shore. Then enter S. channel, nearly 2 cables wide, 14 feet low water; bring S. Head to bear E.S.E. and steer for it until leading mark inside becomes visible—an arched cliff of reddish colour and dotted with miles within. Keep this cliff a little open of the extreme of S. head, E. by S. ¾ S. steer in with these marks on; water will shoal to 14 feet at low water. Albatross Point, 5 miles N.E. of Kawhia, is bold and craggy, forms a bight in the land.

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Mokau River, lat. 38° 4′, has at high water 14 feet; vessels of 20 tons cross it under very favourable circumstances; good anchorage within. Navigable for boats for many miles, subject to heavy freshes.

Waitara River is 8 miles N.E. of New Plymouth; 2 feet water on bar at low springs; tide 7 to 12 feet. Anchorage off native village ¼. mile within entrance, in 3 or 4 fathoms. River navigable 4 miles. Signals—Take the bar—two red lights vertical; bar dangerous-two lights vertical, red over white. From vessel: Want to come in before daylight—two white lights horizontal with one red over, forming a triangle. During daylight Colonial signals are used, and vessels are guided by semaphore arm. Vessels approaching New Plymouth or Waitara at night, requiring a pilot, should fire a gun and burn blue lights. Waitara is neither dangerous nor difficult to enter, except during heavy freshes, and then it should never be attempted.

New Plymouth, Flagstaff, lat. 39° 4′, long. 174° 5′, 20 miles N.E. of Cape Egmont. Anchorage opposite the town bearing N. ½ W. from flagstaff; Sugar Loaves bearing W.S.W. from anchorage 2½ miles; large vessels anchor in from 8 to 9 fathoms 1 to 1½ miles from shore, flagstaff bearing S. ½ E., bottom sand and rocks. There are reefs N.E. of Sugar Loaves running ¼ to 1 mile seawards. Signals—From the shore: A boat will come off—two red lights, vertical. From vessels: A pilot wanted—two white lights, horizontal, with one red over, forming a triangle. The two lights on shore will appear vertical when a vessel is in the line of anchorage, the Flagstaff bearing S. ½ E. Ball at yard arm, and one on mast below—Wait till the tide ebbs. Ball at each yard arm—Stand in safely. Two balls at each yard arm—Stand in safely; a boat will be put off. Two balls at one yard arm and one at the other—Keep to sea. When anchorage is unsafe at night two guns will be fired. No. 2 Marryat's over 2nd distinguishing pennant masthead—You are running into danger.