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frZ ri A Iri ' r i f q-'*rier. from th e hg h lh o u se) th ere . . a small re ef, one o f the o u te r rochs of whleli dries a t h a lf tide
T h e se dangers can almost always be se e n : th e ir outer edges lie n e a rly in a line, an d th e y '
may be approached witlnn a cable’s len g th . I f th e y are n o t seen, do n o t sh u t in t i l
R akovya signa bluff. Off P in n a cle P o in t th e lead finds deeper w a te r than niid-ehannel,
and v e ry irre g u la r soundings.
T o the no rthwa rd o f S tanitski P o in t th e Baboushka may be opened to the eastward
a h ttle , with th e s « ,m U t a f f bluff, b u t be careful of a .slioal w l i i l cxteiids about h ee bias’
eu g th south o f t e Baboushka. B aboushka has no d an g e r to th e eastward a t I gTeller
distance th an a c a b le s len g th , and when it is passed th ere is no th in g to apprehend on
th e we ste rn shore, ini.il N. N. W . o f th e signal-staff. off whicli th ere is a long s im a r wi“
only two an d two and a h a lf fatlioms. T h e wa te r shoals g radnally toward it, and .h i helm
may safely be p n . down in four fathoms and th ree q u a rte rs ; b u t u certain guide is n o t to
open th e » * ,■ » ta u g e n t o f Babonshha with Stanitski P o in t sonth o f it. T h e re is no other
d an g e r on tins side o f th e entrance.
m e n a cable’s lengtli north o f P in n a cle Reef, yon may stretc h into Ismena i Bay,
g u ded by the soundings, winch are regula r, taking care of a tliree-fathom knoll which l i l l
half-way between P in n a cle P o in t an d the cape no rth of it. T h is bay affords good anchorage
an d 1. may be convenient to anclmr th ere for a tide. T h e re is no other dange r than .h i
aboim-mentioned knoll. T lie large square rock a t the u orthern p a rt of this bay (Ismenai
Rock) may be passed a t a cable-leiigth distance. T h is rock is connected with th e land to
th e northward by a reef, and m standing back toward it th e P m m c k P o in t must be k ep t open
with t h e ^ M o „ , , c . W h e n in one, there are b u t th ree fathoms an d a l.alf. Rakovya signal-
staff to tlrn northward in one with th e bluff south o f i t (which has a larg e g re en bnsii over-
hanging its brow), will place you in five fathoms close to th e rocks.
Off the nor th Wnff o t Ismenai B a y th e re extends a small re e f to a full cable-lengtli from
th e shore ; until this is p a s t do n o t sh u t in P in n a cle P o in t with the liglit-house. B u t to the
iiltle T t h “ r i “ “ «■We-kng.h o f th e bluffs, ex ten d in g th a t distance a
littie o ff th e signal-staff bluff, in consequence o f some rocks wliich lie off there
Northward of Rakovya signal-staff th e only d an g e r is tl.e Rakovya shoal, npon the W
p a r t which th ere is a buoy in th e summer, and to clear tl.is k eep tl.e Brotl.ers m sieht.
I h ere IS no good mark for dete rm in in g wl.en yon are to the nortliward o f this slila l, and
^ th e tides in th e ir course np R akovya H a rb o u r are a p . to set yon towards it. it is be tte r to
keep tlieB ro tiie rso p en nn til yon are certain, b y y o u r distance, o f having passedit; (its northern
edge IS seve „-e ,ghtl.s of a mile from Rakovya Waff) particularly as you may now stretch to
th e westward as far as you please, aud as there is nothing to obstruct your beat-up to the
uueliorage. Pl.e gro u n d is eve ry where good, and a person may select l.is own berth.
Rakovya H a rbour, on th e eastern side o f Awa tska Bay, will afford good security to a
vessel ru n n in g m from sea witl. a souti.erly gale, a t which time she miglit find difficulty in
b rm g in g up a t tl.e usual auchorage. In this case th e Rakovya shoal must be .-ounded and
left to the northwa rd; five and five and a l.a lf fatl.oms will be close npon tl.e edge of it but
th e wa te r sliould not be shoaled u nder nine fathoms.
T h e little harbour of Petrapaulski is a convenient place for a refit of an y kind. In
en te rin g it is only necessary to guard ag a in st a n ea r approach to th e signal-staff on the
peninsula on th e west. T h e sandy p o in t may be passed within a few yards’ distance.
W e ig h in g from th e anchorage off th e P en in su la flag-staff with lig h t winds and with
th e b eg in n in g o f the ebb, it is necessary to g u a rd ag a in st b ein g swept down upon the
Rakovya shoal, and when p a s t it upon the signal bluff on the same side. T h e re are strong
eddies all over this b a y ; and when th e winds are light, ships often become unmanageable.
I t is be tte r to weigh with th e last drain of the flood.
Tareinski Harbour, a t the S. W . angle of Awatska Bay, is an exc ellent p o rt, b u t it is
n o t frequented. I t has no danger, and may safely be ente red by a stranger.
I t is high wa te r a t St. Petrapaulski a t 3h. 30m. full and change.
T id e rises . . . 6ft. 7 inches spring tides.
2 2 neap tides.
SA N F R A N C IS C O .
CALIFORNIA.
T h e harbour o f San Francisco, for the perfec t security it affords to vessels of any
bu rth en , and the supplies o f fresh beef and vegetables, wood, and fresh water, may vie with
an y p o rt on th e N . AV. coast o f America. I t is not, hoM'ever, without its disadvantages, of
whicli the difficulty o f landing a t low water, and th e remoteness of th e watering-place from
th e only anchorage which I could recommend, are the gre atest.
Ships bound to San Francisco from the northward and westward should ende avour to
make P u n ta de los Reyes, a bold and conspicuous headland, without any dange r ly in g off it
sufficiently far to endanger a ship. I n clear weather, when ru n n in g for th e land before the latitude
is known, or th e P u n ta can be distinguished, its situation may be known b y a table hill
te rminating the range tliat passes a t the back of Bodega. T h is hill in one with th e P u n ta
de los R eyes bears E . (mag.). I f s h ip s are n o t too far oft', th ey will see, a t the same time,
San Bruno, two hills to the southward of Sau Francisco, having the appearance o f islands;
and from the mast-head, if the we ather be very clear, the South F arallón will in all probability
be seen. P u n ta de los Reyes, when viewed from the AAA or S. AAA, has also the appearance
o f an island, bein g connected by low laud to the two hills eastward. I t is of moderate
h eig h t, and as it stands a t the angle formed by the coast line, cannot be mistaken. Soundings
may be had off this coast, in depths varying with the latitude. In th e p arallel of the F a ra llones
they extend a gre a te r distance from the main land, in consequence of these islands
ly in g beyond tlie general outline o f th e coast.
T h e Farallones are two clusters o f rocks, which, in consequence o f the shoals about
them, are extremely dangerous to vessels approaching San Fiancisco in foggy weather.
T h e southern cluster, of which in clear weather one o f the islands may be seen from the
mast-head eig h t or nine leagues, is th e larg e st and highest, and lies exactly S. 3« E . tru e,
e ighteen miles from P u n ta de los Reyes. T h e small cluster o f rocks lies to the N. AV.,
and still fu rth e r in th a t direction there are breakers, b u t I do not know how fa r th ey
extended from the rocks above water. I n a thick foggy n ight, we struck soundings in
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