In the eastern entrance the winds will frequently favour a
ship’s arrival off’ the First Narrow; where, if she selects a good
anchorage on the bank which bounds the northern side of the
channel, she may await an opportunity of passing through the
First Narrow and of reaching Gregory Bay ; where also a delay
may safely be made for the purpose of passing the Second Narrow
and arriving at the neighbourhood of Cape Negro; at which
place the difficulties and dangers of the eastern entrance cease.
The dangers being carefully placed on the chart, and now
sufficiently described, nothing need be repeated here; and
indeed much must be left to the judgment and discretion o f
the navigator.
The tides answer best for vessels entering the Strait at the
period of full and change of the moon, since there are two
westerly tides in the day. In the winter season, if the morning
tide be not sufficient to carry a vessel through the First Narrow,
she may return to Possession Bay, select an anchorage,
and be secured again before night; or, in the summer, if she
has passed the Narrow, and has been enabled to anchor for
the tide, there will be sufficient daylight for her to proceed with
the following tide to Gregory Bay, or at least to a safe anchorage
off the peaked hillocks on the north shore.
I have twice attempted to pass the First Narrow, and
been obliged to return to the anchorage in Possession Bay; and
twice I have passed through it against a strong breeze blowing
directly through, by aid of the tide; which runs, in the
narrower parts, at the rate of ten or twelve miles an hour.
When the tide and wind are opposed to each other, the sea is
very deep and heavy, and breaks high over the decks; it is
therefore advisable to close reef, or lower the topsails on the
cap, and drift through; for the tide, if at the springs, will
generally be sufficient to carry a ship to an anchorage, although,
not always to one where it would be safe to pass the
night. On this account, it would be prudent to return;
for, although the holding ground is exceedingly good, yet, to
part in the night, or drift towards, or through the Narrow,
could scarcely happen without accident.
In leaving the anchorage in Gregory Bay, attention must
be paid to the tide, which continues to run to the eastward in
the Second Narrow, three hours after it has commenced setting
to the S.W. at the anchorage.
With a leading wind through the Second Narrow, a ship
wdl easily reach an anchorage off Laredo Bay, but, if the tide
fails upon emerging from it, she should seek for a berth in the
bay to the north of Elizabeth Island, as near to the island as
possible, but to the westward of its N.E. end, to be out of the
influence of the tide. The depth of water, however, will be the
best guide.
Directions for passing round the south side of Elizabeth
Island are given elsewhere; and as this pai't offers some dangers,
the chart and the description should be carefully referred to.
^ The only advice that seems wanting, to improve the
directions for the coast from this to Port Famine, is, with a
south-westerly wind, to keep close to the weather shore, in
order to benefit by the flaws down the valleys ; but this must
be done with caution, in consequence of the squalls off the high
land, the violence of which cannot be well imagined by a person
unaccustomed to them.
Of the anchorages between Port Famine and Cape Froward,
the only convenient one for a ship is St. Nicholas Bay, to
which, if defeated in passing round the Cape, she had better
return; for it is easy to reach as well as to leave, and extremely
convenient for stopping at, to await an opportunity of
proceeding.
From Cape Froward to the westward, unless favoured by
a fair wind, it is necessary to persevere and take advantage of
every opportunity of advancing step by step. There are
severa] anchorages that a ship may take up, such as Snug
Bay, off Woods Bay, near Cape Coventry, in Fortescue Bay,
Ehzabeth Bay, and York Roads. To the westward, in Crooked
Reach, the anchorages are not so good, and excepting Borja
Bay, none seem to offer much convenience. Borja Bay, however,
is well calculated to supply the deficiency, although for a
square-rigged vessel there must he some difficulty in reaching it.
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