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Tidal stream.-In Sir Francis Drake Channel there is scarcely any stream, except close inshore where small vessels may gain some advantage from it on the ebb stream when beating to windward.

VIRGIN GORDA.

General remarks.-Virgin Gorda is easily distinguished on making the land, by its rising gradually to a distinct summit in Virgin Peak, 1,370 feet high; the coastline of the island is extremely irregular, affording good anchorages. Its scattered inhabitants are employed in the raising of stock and vegetables, and burning charcoal, for the market of St. Thomas.

From Pajaros Point in latitude 18° 31' N., longitude 64° 18′ W., on the east, to Mountain Point on the west, the north side of the island is 52 miles long, and from the latter point to the southern point of the western shore is 5 miles. The center portion is about 2 miles square, and occupied by Virgin Peak above mentioned. Thence the eastern end of the island is a narrow strip of land composed of irregular rugged hills, terminating at Pajaros Point in a remarkable pinnacle rock, 120 feet in height. The southern portion is about a mile in breadth, more regular in outline, from 250 to 450 feet high, and nearly separated from the center by an isthmus about 200 yards

across.

The most remarkable feature of Virgin Gorda is on its western side, between Colison Point and the southern end of the island. The eastern side of this peninsula has been broken up by some violent action of nature into immense granite blocks, which lie scattered about on the shore. The cays and islets to the southward as far as Round Rock, 2 miles distant, are also composed of the same kind of stone; and the largest, which lies nearly 1/2 mile from the southern end of the island, from its having the appearance of a town in ruins, is named Fallen Jerusalem.

Many of these blocks are 60 and 70 feet square; some are merely confined in their places by the weight of others leaning on them; and many with deep rents and fissures in their sides appear ready to fall by the slightest shock. In one or two places the sea finds its way through the crevices, and forms beautiful natural baths. It is also a curious circumstance that similar granite blocks are found scattered about on Beef Island, the opposite side of Sir Francis Drake Channel, and nowhere else.

Water. The island of Virgin Gorda is badly watered; there are two small wells at the southern end of the beach in St. Thomas Bay, but the yield is little and indifferent. The supply in Gorda Sound is equally deficient.

Necker Island.--On the northern side of Virgin Gorda there are several small slightly wooded cays and islets, the outer or northernmost of which is Necker Island, lying northwestward, about 21⁄2 miles from Pajaros Point. It is nearly 1/2 mile long north and south, and about 1/4 mile wide, and toward its northern end it is 110 feet high; its southeastern side is low and sandy. The northern side is fairly bold and steep-to, there being from 6 to 10 fathoms water within 300 yards; but on the eastern and western sides it is foul and dangerous to the distance of nearly 11⁄2 mile.

Virgin Sound. From the southern side of Necker Island a detached reef extends off nearly 1/4 mile, leaving a clear channel named Virgin Sound, with 9 fathoms water in it, and 1/4 mile wide between the island reefs and those extending northward of Eustatia Islet. It affords good temporary anchorage in 7 or 8 fathoms of water, but care must be taken to avoid the foul ground to the northwestward of the latter island. There is a tidal current of 1/2 knot shown on the chart, the flood to the eastward and ebb to the westward.

The Invisibles are two small rocky heads with only 3 feet water on them, and do not always break. They lie about 3/4 mile eastward from Necker Island; between them and the reef on the eastern side of Necker Island the depths are from 5 to 6 fathoms, but on their north and east sides there are depths of 10 fathoms at a short distance.

Eustatia Islet, 650 yards long northeast and southwest, and 170 feet high, lies 34 mile to the southward of Necker Island, and nearly 12 mile from the nearest part of Virgin Gorda. Its northern side is foul to the distance of 200 yards, and thence a barrier reef extends on almost a straight line along the shore to Pajaros Point, under the lee of which, in Eustatia Sound, there is a safe anchorage for small vessels.

The entrance is through a small cut in the reef, about 1/2 mile eastward of the islet; but this part of Virgin Gorda should be avoided by strangers, as the ground is foul for some distance outside the cut.

Prickly Pear, the largest of the islets off the northern side of Virgin Gorda, is 1 mile in length northwest and southeast, about 1/4 mile in breadth, and 230 feet high. Its eastern end is not quite 1/4 mile from the nearest part of a small peninsula of Virgin Gorda, and in the space between is the Saba Rock, 25 feet high.

From the western end of the island, the Cactus, a dry reef, extends 300 yards in that direction. The northern side is bold.

Mosquito Island, the highest of the islets off the northern shore of Virgin Gorda, lies nearly a mile westward of Prickly Pear, and is 1,300 yards in length northeast and southwest, about 1/4 mile in breadth, and 250 feet high. From its northern end small detached rugged rocks extend off 300 yards, the outer end, Mosquito Rock, being 24 feet high. From it Colquhoun Reef, dry in most places, extends to the southeastward about 11⁄2 mile, and is bold and steep-to outside. This reef, with Mosquito Island, forms the northwestern side, and Prickly Pear Island and Cactus Reef the northern side of Gorda Sound.

Gorda Sound is an excellent and capacious harbor, 134 miles long, east and west, and 34 mile broad, with an average depth of 11 fathoms over sand and mud; sheltered from all winds, and protected from the rollers.

As there is no health officer or other representative of the Government here, vessels before visiting it should obtain pratique at the port of entry, Road Harbor, Tortola.

Depth.-Approaching Gorda Sound there is a uniform depth of from 9 to 12 fathoms. From either side of the entrance (which lies between the ends of Cactus and Colquhoun reefs, 1/4 mile apart) the depth gradually increases to 6 fathoms, in a very narrow channel, in

a north-northwesterly and south-southeasterly direction. Between the 5-fathom curves the channel is only 60 yards wide.

Beacons. No natural marks can be given for the channel, but there are two pole beacons, each surmounted by a triangle, painted white. The front beacon, 18 feet in height, is situated on Gnat Point. The rear beacon, with triangle inverted, is about 100 yards from highwater mark, about 300 yards southeastward of the eastern point of Gun Creek. These beacons in line, bearing 178° true (S 14 W mag.), lead in not less than 5 fathoms between Cactus and Colquhoun reefs, but very close to 32 fathoms. The beacons are not easily seen when the sun is behind them.

DIRECTIONS. Steamers coming from the eastward approach Virgin Gorda Sound by Necker Island Passage, which lies between Virgin Gorda and Herman reefs. The approach is dangerous at night, so that vessels should time their arrival to daylight.

Bring Virgin Gorda Peak to bear 261° true (W % S mag.) and steer for it on that bearing. When within 7 or 8 miles of Pajaros Point, Necker Island will come in sight, and may be steered for, when bearing between 273° true (W 5% N mag.) and 290° true (NW by W 34 W mag.), when a vessel will be in the fairway. When Pajaros Point bears 222° true (SW W mag.), distant about 11⁄2 miles,, steer to pass northeastward of the Invisibles off the eastern end of Necker, which are not seen until close upon them. Give Necker Island a berth of 1/2 mile or more, and when the peak of Virgin Gorda bears 210° true (SW % S mag.) steer for it until the leading beacons for the sound are in line, bearing 178° true (S 14 W mag.), which will lead into the sound in not less than 5 fathoms, but only about 50 yards eastward of the extremity of Colquhoun Reef; the marks might be opened a little eastward when approaching this spit.

Coming from the northward it is better to pass to the westward of Anegada. Virgin Gorda Peak, bearing between 155° true (S by E 34 E mag.) and 133° true (SE 4 S mag.), is the best line of approach.

Sailing vessels can follow the directions for steamers given above, but from the northward, if passing eastward of Anegada, they should on no account attempt to pass close to windward of Horseshoe Reef, which has been the cause of many disasters.

It should be borne in mind that Horseshoe Reef may be distinctly seen, as it breaks in the finest weather; but Herman Reefs only break with a swell or strong breeze, and the White Horse, the dry sand bore to the northward of them, being only 3 feet out of water, is scarcely visible at any distance.

Pajaros Point may, if necessary, be rounded at the distance of 400 yards.

Tides. It is high water, full and change, in Gorda Sound at 8h. 30m., and the rise is about 12 feet. The tidal currents at the entrance of the sound, between the reefs, seldom run more than 1/2 knot, and the flood sets toward Prickly Pear Island. Between Mosquito Island and Anguilla Point, south of it, the flood sets to the eastward with a velocity of 1 and 12 knots. Between Pajaros Point and Horseshoe Reef it seldom runs more than 1 knot, but its duration varies.

Western Roads.-There are two excellent anchorages for vessels of any draft under the western side of Virgin Gorda. The first is situated in the bay between Mountain Point, the northwestern end of the island, and Colison Point, 3 miles southwestward of it, and is partially protected to the northwestward by the Dog Islands. It seldom, however, blows hard to the westward of north, and the only thing to be prepared for is the ground swell in the winter months. At this season it will be better to anchor in about 13 fathoms water, midway between Great Dog and Virgin Gorda, a mile from either, where with good ground tackle and a long scope of cable there will be nothing to fear, as the rollers are seldom accompanied by much wind.

The southern anchorage, in the same depth, 13 fathoms, between Colison Point and Fallen Jerusalem, 211⁄2 miles to the southward of it, is the best for sailing vessels, as, if necessary, they can weigh and run out to the westward with more ease than in the former. The holding ground is good at both places, and, except occasionally, the water is always smooth. There is a small patch of 414 fathoms lying 800 yards westward from Colison Point.

DIRECTIONS.-To gain the Western Roads either the northern or southern channels may be taken. The passage between the islets are all bold and free of danger, with the exception of that between Scrub and the Dog Islands, in which lies Tow Rock with 21⁄42 fathoms of water on it, and as it is only 20 yards in extent, it must be carefully avoided. It lies a little more than 1 mile west-northwestward from the West Dog. The eastern extremity of Scrub Island bearing 180° true (S 12 W mag.) or 210° true (SW % S mag.) leads well clear on either side of it. When West Dog bears 90° true (E 1⁄2 S mag.) the vessel will be well within it, but the best direction to give is to keep either Dog or Scrub Island close aboard, as they are bold and steep-to.

The Great, George, and West Dogs can not be mistaken, being three small islets, and the nearest to Virgin Gorda; the two eastern are 250 and 270 feet high, and the western 150 feet. About 400 yards westward of the George or Northern Dog is Cockroach Rock.

Seal Dogs are a cluster of three much smaller islets, lying close together, about 12 miles northeastward of George Dog, with clear channels on both sides. The northernmost islet is only 6 feet high,

the others 100 and 74 feet.

ANEGADA ISLAND.

GENERAL REMARKS-Aspect.-Anegada, the most northern and eastern of the Virgin Group, is included in the British portion and has a population of 450, whose chief employment is fishing and wrecking; the principal settlement is on the south side, 6 miles from the west end. The island being low, the strength and irregularity of the tides and currents in its immediate neighborhood makes it dangerous to approach at night, unless very certain of the position. In the daytime, however, with clear weather, the risk is not so great, as Virgin Gorda Peak, 1,370 feet high, serves as a landmark to guide mariners clear of all its dangers. Anegada lies within 12 miles of the edge of the Virgin Bank, but the soundings are so deep

up to it that the lead is scarcely of any use. It is 9 miles in length east and west and from 1 to 2 miles in breadth, almost uniformly about 30 feet high, and covered with brushwood excepting in a few spots which are cleared for the cultivation of corn and vegetables. A large portion of the interior is cut up by extensive salt-water lagoons.

Fresh water may be obtained by digging wells in the sand, particularly near the beach at the western end of the island, but the inhabitants prefer drinking the rain water caught in the natural cisterns formed in the rock.

Horseshoe Reef.-The island of Anegada is skirted on its outer or northern side by a narrow barrier reef to the distance of from 200 yards at its extreme north point to 12 miles at its eastern end; thence a most dangerous reef extends 140° true (SE % S mag.) for 7 miles, upon which many vessels have been lost. This portion is called Horseshoe Reef, and from its southern end detached coral heads and shallow ledges extend 42 miles southwestward, where they terminate in Herman Reefs, on which the sea generally breaks.

Two miles west-southwestward from the elbow or easternmost point of Horseshoe Reef is a heap of dead white coral, 3 feet out of water, known as the White Horse; 21⁄2 miles to the eastward of the elbow there are depths of 34 fathoms close within the 100-fathom curve, and within a mile of it there are 10 fathoms. Abreast Herman Reefs the edge of soundings is a little more than a mile distant, which makes them still more dangerous. The southern end of this reef bears 62° true (ENE mag.) 52 miles from Pajaros Point, the eastern end of Virgin Gorda.

There is a detached 5-fathom spot about 11⁄2 miles southward from the summit of Herman Reefs.

Robert Reef is a small rocky patch with 42 fathoms of water on it,. lying 31⁄2 miles within or to the westward of Herman Reefs; from it Pajaros Point bears 196° true (S by W % W mag.), distant 44 miles.

At 14 miles to the north-northeastward of this reef there is also a small rocky head with 4 fathoms water on it.

Hawks Bill Bank is a small rocky ledge, with depths of from 3 to 5 fathoms, lying about 2 miles north-northwestward of Robert Reef. From the 3-fathom head Pajaros Point bears 186° true (S by W mag.) 534 miles. These patches should be avoided when anchoring under the lee of Horseshoe Reef. The water is, however, so clear that the bottom may be seen distinctly in 8 or 9 fathoms.

Anchorages. The reef fringing the northern side of Anegada terminates at the western end of the island at about 300 yards from the shore, but the southern side of the island is foul, with detached coral patches extending for more than 2 miles off.

There is good temporary anchorage off the western end, in from 5 to 6 fathoms of water, at about a mile distant. It will not be prudent, however, to remain here during the period of the rollers, which frequently occur from October to May; it will be better at that season to anchor well under the southern side of the island.

The best anchorage will be found in 6 fathoms, with the western end bearing 338° true (N by W 2 W mag.) distant 51⁄2 miles, and East Point 71° true (ENE 4 E mag.). Care, however, must be

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