The bearings, courses, and trend of the land as given in this work are true, but for convenience the corresponding correct magnetic directions, to the nearest degree, generally follow in parentheses (variation in 1904). Distances unless otherwise stated, are given in nautical miles. Bearings of lights are given from seaward. Soundings of new surveys are referred to the mean of lower low waters; the former surveys were referred to practically the same plane. Winds are referred to by the direction from which they blow. Currents are referred to by the direction toward which they set. Port Cataingan, Masbate; Libucan Daco Island, Libucan Group; Port Aguirre, Canahauan Islands; Parasan Harbor, Parasan Island; Tacloban, Leyte; Port Bicobian, Dilasac and Casiguran Bays, Luzon; Port Alabat, Alabat Island; Apat Bay, San Miguel Bay, Sisiran Bay, Pitogo Bay, Atalayan Bay, Coal Harbor and Port Sula, east coast of Luzon; Laguan, Port Palapag, Port Borongan, Pambujan and Quinapundan Bay, Samar, are the principal harbors of refuge described in this section. They are referred to in their order in the detailed description of the coasts. GENERAL DIRECTIONS FOR PORTS ON THE WEST COAST OF SAMAR AND THE COAST OF LEYTE.* Vessels bound from Manila for the east and southeast coasts of Samar pursue the course advised for vessels as far as San Bernardino Strait (Section II, 1903, p. 9). Vessels bound for the west coast of Samar and ports in Leyte pursue the track recommended in above section as far as San Miguel Island or Black Rock Passage if intending to pass north of Masbate Island, or that in Section III (p. 10) if going south of Masbate. From passage north of Ticao.-Large vessels are advised to pass around the north end of Ticao Island at night and not attempt the Black Rock Passage. When San Miguel Island bears South (S. 1° E. mag.) 2 miles distant, an East (N. 89° E. mag.) course should be steered for 6 miles and then altered to S. 37° E. (S. 38° E. mag.). This course made good should carry a vessel about 2 miles to the westward of Rasa Island of the Naranjos Islands, and 24 miles clear of Destacado Island of the same group. The influence of the tides is very strougly felt here and must be carefully guarded against. When Uto Point, the southern extremity of Destacado Island, bears N. 45° E. (N. 44° E. mag.) the course should be changed to S. 63° E. (S. 64° E. mag.); this course made good should *C. and G. S. charts Nos. 4219, 4715, 4719. H. O. charts: Nos. 1729, 2049, 2050. carry a vessel 3 miles clear of Tagapula Island. The España Bank is shown on the chart as lying 1 mile off the northeast point of Tagapula. but it has been reported as extending farther out. The tides from San Bernardino Strait run strong in this vicinity and a liberal allowance must be made for them. Continuing on, the same course should carry a vessel to a position from which the middle of Camandag Island will bear S. 45° W. (S. 44° W. mag.) distant 3 miles. From Black Rock Passage.-Vessels that have passed through the Black Rock Passage between Ticao and Masbate would do well to cortinue East (N. 89° E. mag.) until Mount Calumpan on Vigia Point bears South (S. 1° E. mag.), when the course should be set S. 65° E. (S. 66° E. mag.). This course made good will carry a vessel 3 miles of Destacado Island and the same distance off Tagapula, coming together with the track of vessels that have gone north of Ticao, 34 miles N. 45° E. (N. 44° E. mag.) of Camandag Island. For Calbayog. From above position, if bound to Calbayog alter the course to East (N. 89° E. mag.), giving the shore near the mouth of the Jibatan River a berth of 2 miles, and when Calbayog bears about N. 22° E. (N. 21° E. mag.) haul in and anchor with the church bearing N. 56° E. (N. 55° E. mag.), about mile from shore, in 3 to 4 fathoms. or 1 mile off in 5 fathoms. For Catbalogan.--If bound for Catbalogan, when the middle of Camandag Island bears S. 45° W. (S: 44° W. mag.), distant about 31 miles, alter the course to S. 36° E. (S. 37° E. mag.), and when the high land on the southern part of Timpasan Island, Canahauan Group, bears N. 45° E. (N. 44° E. mag.), distant 11⁄2 miles, the course should be altered to S. 72° E. (S. 73° E. mag.) to pass about 1 mile to the southward of the Cavantiguianes Islands. When the southern island of this group. which is 138 feet high, small and bold, bears North (N. 1° W. mag.). distant 1 mile, the course should be altered to N. 78° E. (N. 77° E mag.) heading for the south point of Buri Island; this point should be given a berth of about mile and the vessel steered for the town, giving Jesus Point a berth of about mile. Anchorage may be taken up mile to the southward of Jesus Point in 30 feet, mud bottom, or farther in toward the town, care being taken to avoid the telegraph cables to Calbayog and Carigara, the locations of which are shown by cable-mark buoys. Vessels may use the channel south of the Lutao Reefs by bringing the light to bear N. 57° E. (N. 56° E. mag.) when Cagdullon Island bears N. 45° W. (N. 46° W. mag.) and steering for it. This will give the northern part of Quinituay Reef and the shoal water eastward of Lutao Reef a berth of over mile. There is at present a red nun buoy moored in 4 fathoms off Quinituay Reef, an BLACK ROCK PASSAGE-CARIGARA. 11 For San Juanico Strait.-Vessels bound for San Juanico Strait should steer S. 29° E. (S. 30° E. mag.) from the position described off Camandag Island; this course should take a vessel 3 miles from Canahauan Islands, and about 2 miles from Daram Island, and Baluarte, the southern entrance point to the Janabatas Channel, should be made. ahead. When Cananay Island bears S. 60° E. (S. 61° E. mag.) it may be steered for and a pilot picked up for the strait. For Carigara. Vessels bound for Carigara after rounding Camandag Island should steer S. 20° E. (S. 21° E. mag.); this course will give the east side of Biliran Island a berth of about 2 miles, and when the south side of Bilaran Island bears West (S. 89° W. mag.) a South (S. 1° E. mag.) course will take the vessel to Carigara. From Jintotolo Channel.-Vessels bound to ports in Samar and Leyte by the Jintotolo Channel, from a position 2 miles south of Jintotolo Island should steer S. 83° E. (S. 84° E. mag.) to give Caduruan Point a berth of about 2 miles. When Caduruan Point bears North (N. 1° W. mag.), 2 miles distant, the course should be altered to N. 77° E. (N. 76° E. mag.) to pass 1 mile south of Maripipi Island. For Calbayog. If bound for Calbayog, when Mount Maripipi, 2,992 feet high in the center of the island, bears N. 45° W. (N. 46° W. mag.) the course should be altered to N. 43° E. (N. 42° E. mag.), passing about 1 mile east of Limbancauayan Island; from here a course N. 31° E. (N. 30° E. mag.) should be steered for Calbayog and the town made ahead. For Catbalogan. If bound to Catbalogan, after passing Maripipi and bringing the center to bear N. 45° W. (N. 46° W. mag.), the vessel should be steered N. 87° E. (N. 86° E. mag.) to pass about 1 mile south of the south island of Cavantiguianes Group, and the previous directions. followed. For San Juanico Strait.-Vessels bound for San Juanico Strait should, when Maripipi Island bears N. 45° W. (N. 46° W. mag.), steer East (N. 89° E. mag.) for 12 miles, and bring the highest part of Biliran Island to bear S. 45° W. (S. 44° W. mag.), when the course should be altered to S. 37° E. (S. 38° E. mag.) for Baluarte Point. For Carigara. Vessels bound to Carigara should bring the highest part of Biliran to bear S. 45° W. (S. 44° W. mag.), as previously directed, and then steer S. 23° E. (S. 24° E. mag.) until the south side of Biliran Island bears West (S. 89° W. mag.), when a South (S. 1° E. mag.) course will lead to Carigara. EAST COAST OF MASBATE.* (For description of north coast of Masbate see Philippine Islands. Sailing Directions, Section II, 1903, pages 49 to 51.) *C. and G. S. charts, Nos. 4715, 4718; H. O. charts Nos. 2049, 1729. The east coast of Masbate from Vigia Point to Caduruan Point, the southeastern extremity of the island, is clear, with depths of 4 to 8 fathoms at a short distance from it, except in the immediate vicinity of Vigia Point. PORT CATAINGAN, † about 20 miles south and east of Vigia Point, is a clean and capacious harbor, open southeast, of good depth of water and good holding ground; it is 14 miles wide at the entrance and extends 4 miles northwesterly in the direction of the Tetas de Cataingan, two prominent round hills at the head of the port. On the eastern side of the long peninsula which forms the port the 5-fathom curve of soundings is about mile from the coast. Dumurug Point, the eastern entrance point, is bordered by a shoal extending about 300 yards southward. Baslay Island liesmile S. 22° E. (S. 23° E. mag.) from Dumurug Point, is surrounded by a narrow reef, and has a bank extending to 11 miles southward. Ordonez Bank, covered by 5 fathoms, lies about 1 mile S. 55° W. (S. 54° W. mag.) from Dumurug Point and less than mile from the shore. The channel between Dumurug Point and Baslay Island is mile wide, and 13 fathoms deep in the middle, and that between Baslay Island and Ordonez Bank is 1 mile wide and 20 fathoms deep. On the eastern side of the port the bottom is rocky and there are three isolated shoals. The first of these is a circular rocky shoal mile in diameter, lying mile inside of Dumurug Point; there is 1 fathom least water on it, and apparently no channel between it and the shore. The second lies N. 17° W. (N. 18° W. mag.) distant mile from the western edge of the first, and mile from shore. It is very small and has fathom on it. The third is 2 miles from the entrance and 300 yards from shore; it is 300 yards long northeast and southwest and very narrow, with a depth of less than 1 fathom on it. The head of the port is sandy on the western side. The northern part of the port is shallow with regularly decreasing soundings, and at 600 to 800 yards from the head of the bay the depth is only 14 fathoms. Anchorage. There is anchorage mile S. 45° E. (S. 46° E. mag.) of the town of Cataingan at the head of the port, in 4 or 5 fathoms; another recommended anchorage is off the bight on the western side of the bay and about 600 yards northward of Mintag Point. Bugtun and Balanguingue Islands lie 5 and 7 miles, respectively, S. 22° E. (S. 23° E. mag.) from Dumurug Point. Bugtun Island is 313 feet high. Reefs extend about 200 yards off Balanguingue. The channel between them and the coast of Masbate appears safe and deep. † C. and G. S. chart: Harbors on the coast of Masbate, No. 4455. H. O. chart: |