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THE PHILIPPINES.
fresh in the Bay at the same time; calm at the latter end of the monsoon, with squalls during the afternoon from S.E., S., and S.W., indicating the proximities of changeable weather, and winds from S. to W., which become established during the month of June; light N.E. and S.E. prevail now till 9 or 10 a.m., when the sea breeze sets in from S. and S.W. and W. during the intervals of the squalls, which are fresh from S. W., accompanied by thick, cloudy weather and rain. These squalls last six, eight, and ten days, and even as many as thirty, and from June to September; while they last, fine weather is seldom experienced.
At the beginning of the N.E. monsoon the land winds on the S.E. coast of the Bay are from the E.; from February they shift to S.E., and are generally fresh enough to raise a swell and oblige reefs to be taken in the sails, especially in Boca Chica (the northerly entrance), on account of the strong gusts which come down from the ravines on the Island of Corregidor; they commence about four or five p.m., extending from Point Fuego, on the southern coast outside the Bay, to Point Limay, on the northern coast inside the Bay, and cease before midnight; when these winds are unseasonably late they last longer, and sometimes till late on to the following morning; from April, they are generally very light. In the northern part of the Bay-entrance to Pampanga-the land wind shifts to the north about midnight, and when fresh at this spot it extends to all parts of the Bay; it ceases at sunrise, from which time the regular monsoon succeeds it according to the season.
Between the monsoons the winds are generally N.W. outside, but rarely extend inside the Bay, and during these times, especially from September to November, it is when the typhoons or hurricanes usually take place, and oftentimes without any previous warning, not even from the barometers.
During strong N. or N.W. winds there are no land winds, but otherwise they may always be counted upon inside the Bay.
The tides are very moderate, and high water may always be counted upon between eleven and twelve o'clock at the entrance to Manila during conjunction or opposition, and half an hour earlier at the Island of Corregidor; during the rest of the month they are very irregular as to time and duration. The rise and fall never exceeds six feet. At the entrances to the Bay when the ebb tide is backed by river currents and strong N.E. winds together, a delay of 12 or 14 hours takes place in the flow.
During strong S. Easterly weather, the tides are also longer in flowing than in ordinary times. To the S.E. of the Island of Corregidor the waters meet and pass through both entrances, forming currents in direction of the Island of Cabra. With an ebb tide and winds N.E. vessels should not hug the Island of Corregidor too closely, tacking when necessary between Points Fuego and Limbones-where the current is less, or to the West of Corregidor, if entering by Boca Chica, which is the better entrance on a N.E. wind.
The coast both N. and S. of the Corregidor is quite free from all dangers up to Point Luzon on the North and Point Fuego to the South. Vessels can tack weil up to the land, avoiding, of course, too near an approach.
The Monja has deep water all around and close up to it.
The Lechones are clean with the exception of one rock, which has six feet of water on it, about a cable's length from shore, and bearing S. 8 deg. W. from the most Easterly rock.
Outside the Corregidor there are the ports of Maraveles and Hamilo. The first to the N.W. of the Island (a plan of it is to be found on the chart of the Bay) is generally used as a halting place for tide or wind-bound vessels, anchoring on the Eastern side, and a look-out must be kept for the strong gusts which are felt sometimes on entering; during S.W. winds it is necessary to anchor on the sheltered or Western side. The port of Hamilo is a safe port, with an easy entrance, at the beginning of a typhoon; it is on the Southern coast at the bottom of the first Bay, between Points Fuego and Limbones-about five miles south of the latter. To find the anchorage, steer South from the entrance to Manila Bay till two small barren islands are sighted-the one to the North, near to the land, having the appearance of
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