“On rounding the north part of Naalsöe we took a fisherman on board as
pilot, and at 10·50 anchored in Thorshaven, and immediately commenced
an inquiry and examination of the locality, and testing the accuracy of
all the charts and maps in our possession.
“The results were as follow:--Thorshaven and bay is protected by
Naalsöe, and is land-locked, excepting on two points to S.E., and
on one point to N.E. A swell sets in to the inner harbour with S.E.
gales, but this cannot be to any very great extent, from the fact
that vessels lie at their moorings throughout the winter. The bay
has good anchorage, varying in depth from 25 to 8 fathoms, bottom of
sand, gravel, and shells, with a few patches of hard ground. Vessels
usually moor in the two inner harbours or creeks, the northern being
most frequented for the facility it offers for loading and discharging
cargoes. Either of the inner harbours would do very well to land the
telegraph wires, but from the many vessels frequenting the port it
appeared desirable to select another place, for even were the cable to
be buoyed, the risk from the ships’ anchors would be considerable, on
account of the want of space--but half a mile southward of Thorshaven
is a small cove called Sandygerde, where the cable could be landed in
safety and clear of ships’ anchors. This cove is 1-1/2 cable’s length
across and about the same depth, and shoals gradually to a sandy
beach; it is intersected at the head by a water-course and mill, the
land sloping gradually up an extensive valley to the interior. As
many additional soundings were obtained across the fiord as our time
would admit, proving that although the channel is uneven there is
nothing to prevent bringing a cable in from sea. From the most reliable
information from pilots and our own observations, the stream on the
flood never exceeds 4 knots on the strongest spring tides, whilst on
the ebb it is much weaker, and at times scarcely perceptible. It is
high water at full and change at 4 o’clock, the flood runs to the
southward. The gulf stream appears to sweep round these islands from
left to right, or direct as the hands of a watch, and therefore in
sailing from Thorshaven for the northward, by starting with the first
of the flood and passing to the southward of Stromöe and through
Hestöe, and Westmanshaven Fiords, you can carry a 9 hours favorable
tide. The rise of tide at Thorshaven does not exceed 6 feet.”