The Channel Islands Pilot, Or, Sailing Directions for Guernsey, Serk, Alderney, and Jersey

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1870 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER III. THE ISLAND OF JERSEY, WITH ITS APPROACHES AND ADJACENT DANGERS. Variation 21 West in 1870. .--The form of this island is that of a parallelogram, its greatest length E.S.E. and W.N.W. being 9J miles, and its breadth 5 miles. The middle of the island (in an E.S.E. and W.N.W. direction) presents an uniform level surface, elevated about 280 feet above mean tide; its northern shore being from 100 to 150 feet higher. By a singular contrast with the island of Guernsey, the declivity of which lies towards the northwest, Jersey declines towards the south-east; and to this circumstance may probably be attributed the pre-eminence which the latter enjoys in the richness of its productions, the luxuriant appearance of its surface, and the peculiar mildness of its climate. Granite and syenitic rocks are the principal formations. The interior of the island is well wooded, fertile, and intersected by deep beautiful valleys, running from south to north; through which numerous streams find their way to the low land on the south coast; several occasionally uniting before discharging themselves into the sea. Jersey possesses several good bays or roadsteads besides its artificial harbours. The best among the former is Gorey roads, at Grouville bay, on the east side of the island; and St. Aubin bay on its south coast; in either of which a good and well found ship may ride out the heaviest gales from any quarter in safety. The principal artificial harbour is at the seaport of St. Helier, which is the chief town of the island, and is situated at the east side of St. Aubin bay. There are also harbours of inferior magnitude at St. Aubin (on the north side of the bay), at Gorey and Rozel, but they all dry at low water spring tides. Jersey has its own...