Marks for the North end of the Good∣win-Sands, and other directions for such as may be forced to the South∣wards from the Foreland in the Night.
If you be at the North-Foreland, bound for the Downs, and that your Tydes do fall out to be too early or too late to turn into the Downs with the Wind at South-west, or S. S. W. follow these ensuing dire∣ctions; If it be in the morning before day, then be sure to weigh your Anchor in convenient time, that you may be at the North-sands-hand, * 1.1 at the turning of the Tyde to the southwards. From the Foreland you may steer out with a Flood-tyde, South-east by East, and South-east; or keep the Light of the North-Foreland North-west by North, and this course will lead you out: but for the more certainty, be sure to have your Lead well kept, and then you may borrow off and on with the aforesaid Winds in seven or eight fathom; and steering out in the aforesaid course, you shall come to have the depth suddenly change to fifteen or twenty fathom; then you may hale up close to the southward alongst the back of the Goodwin, which Sand lyeth di∣rectly (I mean the eastermost side of it) S. S. W. and N.N.E. twelve or fourteen fathom, and is not above a Saker shot from the Sand; but if it be in the day time, and that the Wind doth blow so hard that you cannot well tack your Ship to turn through the Gulls, then your Marks to carry you out at the North-sand-head, Is the flat Church upon the Foreland, called St. Peters, a Ships length to the northwards of Broad-stairs Peer∣head; or borrow upon the Sand by the Lead as afore∣said; and so taking the first of the said Tyde without the Sand, you may stand to the South-eastwards, until you bring the South-Foreland West by South from you, * 1.2 then cast about, and you shall weather the South-sand-head, and be in the Downs-Road before any other Ship that parted with you at the Foreland.
To turn through the Gulls; * 1.3 the Mark for the South-sand-head, (viz.) the longst Mark to go without the Goodwin-sands, coming from the South-westwards, is Foulstone-Steeple open of Dover-Land, or the high Cliff of Dover open of the Foreland: these being shut in, you running right upon it, the directest thwart Mark of the South-sand-head, is Ring-joul Church, * 1.4 right over the Valley or Village of Kings-down, and then the Wood end to the northward of the Church will be right over the white mark of the Gulls; running over in this Mark, you shall have three fathom at low-water; but if you keep so far to the southward as to bring the Wood end aforesaid right over the Valley of Kings-down, you shall have five fathom at low-water; and when you have brought the round Grove of Trees on the North-Foreland right over against the Valley of Rams∣gate, then you may be sure you are within the Sand; or if you be turning out, you can keep Deal-Church to the southwards of Sand-down Castle; you may like∣wise steer out with that Mark, and it will carry you clear out: the Sand is flat and fair, shoaling both at the South and North-Head, but steep too on the East side.