When the winds are from the south, round by the west to north, the
bottom a clear sand.
The winds from north-east and south-east, if blowing strong, cause the
water to break across: but as those winds are fair for entering, no
danger is to be apprehended to vessels whose draft of water does not
exceed nine or ten feet. Should however circumstances render it imprudent
or impracticable to enter, the coast may be cleared on either tack, the
indenture of the coast line not being such as to cause it ever to be a
dangerous lee shore.
The port should be entered at or near high water, when, unless it blows
very hard, it seldom breaks on the bar. The tide of ebb runs with great
rapidity, sometimes nearly four miles per hour, owing to the great
quantity of fresh water in the Hastings River, and the narrowness of the
channel. The flood tide seldom exceeds one mile and three quarters per
hour. The tides are however very irregular in their operation, being
considerably influenced by local circumstances. The port is perfectly
capable to receive vessels of the class usually employed on the coasts of
this territory, and is in my opinion far better and safer than many
considerable bar harbours in Europe; and which are much frequented by
vessels adapted to their navigation.
Within the port the water deepens to five and six fathoms, which depth
continues for nearly ten miles, when the rapids of the river render it
impracticable for craft drawing more than six or eight feet; which depth
continues for six or eight miles farther, when the falls commence; it may
however, when the river is ordinarily full, be navigable for boats
some little distance farther.
My report to your excellency of the proceedings of the expedition of
discovery on its return in October, 1818, will have put your excellency
in possession of the nature and description of country watered by the
River Hastings from its source until it falls into the sea at Port
Macquarie.
To that report I respectfully beg to refer your excellency, as my
opportunities of examining the country, at that period, were of course so
much more extensive. To the productions of the country as then reported,
may now be added great quantities of rose wood, the flooded gum, and
coal. Flint was before noticed lying in large masses on the beach. The
coal, as appears to me, may be worked without difficulty, as I think that
a stratum of it pervades the whole of the south side of the harbour,
which stratum is again seen southerly as far as Camden Haven.
