COAST OF OREGON AND CALIFORNIA. 347 



only a few feet of water on it, forming a large segment of the bay, 

 which renders its shores quite inaccessible. 



The best anchorages are off Yerba Buena Island and at Sausa- 

 lito Bay : they lie on opposite sides of the entrance. The former is 

 now occupied almost exclusively by the trading vessels to San Fran- 

 cisco : it is exposed to the prevailing winds from the northwest, which 

 blow at times very strong. The accommodations for trade have 

 been very much improved, since the cove in front of the City of San 

 Francisco has been filled in. 



Sausalito or Whaler's Harbor lies under the high land of Table 

 Hill, which protects vessels from the prevailing westerly winds. 



On the north, inside of Boneta Point, we have Cavallos and Lima 

 Points ; on the south, Point Lobos and Fort Point, and outside of 

 Point Lobos is Mile Rock. Point Boneta appears like three dark 

 hillocks. A reef of rocks extends from it to the southeast, on which 

 the sea usually breaks : to the north of it there are some rocks which 

 appear white, being covered with guano. In entering and departing 

 from the Bay of San Francisco, the tide must claim attention, particu- 

 larly when leaving. The wind usually draws in from the westward, 

 and makes it less necessary in the first case, as there is usually suffi- 

 cient breeze to keep a vessel under command. 



The best course going in is northeast-by-east half east, to keep the 

 middle of the entrance, with the Island of Alcantras on with Fort 

 Point. If the south shore has been hugged, on deepening the water 

 inside the bar, and changing the soundings to red sand, haul to the 

 northward, until you bring the above range on, and then steer in : 

 this will lead into a mid-channel course,- — it matters not whether 

 the tide be flood or ebb; on both shores the tide makes ebb some 

 two hours before it changes in the middle. It is extremely rapid : 

 the flood-tide of the south bay runs 5i hours, while that to the north 

 is half an hour less in duration : where the tides meet, they form 

 extensive ripples. The ebb tide is very strong. The tide sets most 

 strongly from the southeast and northwest. The ebb tide from the 

 southern bay sets over towards Lima Point, opposite to Fort Point, 

 whilst that from the north bay sets from off Sausalito towards Fort 

 Point and Mile Rock : hence the necessity of steering a course to 

 guard against being carried towards either side among the rocks. 

 Those under water are well marked by the kelp growing on them ; 

 although there is frequently water enough for a large ship to pass 



