James Cook - A Journal of the proceedings of His Majesty's Bark Endeavour on a voyage round the world, by Lieutenant James Cook, Commander, commencing the 25th of May 1768 - 23 Oct. 1770: No. 309

New Wales or East Coast of New Holland

Northward keeping a good look out until 12 at night when fearing to run too far upon one Course we tacked & Stood to the southward having run 6 Leags N. or N6E. since sun set, we had not stood above 2 Miles to the SSE before it fell quite Calm, we both sounded now & several times before, but had not bottom with 140 fam. of line at 4 o'clock hear & saw the breakers close to the westwd  of us, having a swell rowling in sight upon them &  not a breath of wind to help us & the depth of water unfathomable so that there was no pofsibility of Anchoring. in this distrefsed situation we had nothing to depend upon but our boats to tow the Ship off, the Pinnace was under repair & could not immediately be hoisted out, the Yawl was lower'd down the Longboat hoisted out very expeditiously &  sent ahead to tow the Ship round which with the help of our Sweeps abaft, we happily effected & the Carpenters having patched up the Pinnace , she was sent a head likewise, by this time it was 6 o'clock &  the Ship within 80 or 100 yards of the breakers & not-withstanding she was almost within the Swell of the Surf yet we had no ground with [Margin note] We narrowly escape shipwreck
120 fam  of line. It pleased GOD at this very juncture to send us a light air of wind which with the Help of our Boats carried us over a Cables length from the present dangers when it fell again Calm & left us but small hopes of saving the Ship, soon after this we saw a small opening in the Reef which I sent one of the Mates to examine, &  upon his making the Signal for Anchorage we tow'd the Ship round towards it having at this Time no other hopes of saving her, but as soon as we came before the Opening we found it impofsible to get in by reason of a strong Tide of Ebb setting out & the Mate coming on board he gave but an unfavourable account of it, we were obliged to Tow the Ship off again this stream of a Tide set away to the SE. &  was a great help to us in clearing another point of the Reef a little to the Northward of us, but the stream was so narrow that we could not keep in it long & it still continued Calm so that we had no other help but our Boats which had very little effect upon the Ship against the Swell, however they keept increasing our distance from the Reef &  yet we had but small hope of getting clear even should a breeze spring up as the NE. point bore from us N292N & the Southern on SE6S, being embay'd by the Reef &  the Ship driving all this time into the bight. the only hopes we had was a small op'ning in the Reef that appear'd about a Mile to the westward of us, which I sent Lieunt.t Hicks to examine  &  the NE part of the Reef being a detached shoal &  not to join the Main Reef which last trended away N. for their appeared to us to be a Pafsage between the 2, which we hoped to get thro' in Case a breeze sprang up in our favour but this we had no prospect of at noon Lat. observed 12º37'. The Main land in sight dist. about 10 Leagues.
Friday 17th. At 2 pm Mr Hicks returned with a favourable account of the Opening upon