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. 262

                                 New Wales or East Coast of New Holland

May 1770    From this last the land Trends a little more to the Westward & low & Sandy next the Sea, for what may be behind it I know not, if land it must be all Low for we could see no part of it from the Mast head we saw people in other places besides the one I have mentioned some Smokes in the day & fires in the Night. Having but little wind all Night we kept on to the Northward having from 17 to 34 fathoms from 4 Miles to 4 Leagues from the Land the Northermost part of which bore from us at day light WSW & seemed to end in a point from which we discover'd a Reef stretching out to the Northward as far as we could See, being at this time in 18 fathoms,for we had before it was light hauld  our Wind to the Westward & this course we continued until we had plainly discover'd breakers a long way upon our Lee Bow which seem'd to stretch quite home to the land. We then edged away NW & NNW along the East side of the Shoal from 2 to 1 Miles off having regular even Soundings from 13 to 7 fathoms, fine Sandy bottom. At Noon we were by Observation in the Latitude of 24 degrees 26 minutes South which was 13 Miles to the Northward of that given by the Log. The Extream Point of the Shoal we judged to bear about NW of us & the point of land above mentioned bore S3/4W distance 20 Miles. This point I have named Sandy Cape on account of 2 very large patches of Sand upon it; it is of a height Sufficient to be seen 12 Leagues in Clear weather ( Latitude 24 degrees 46 minutes Longitude 206 degrees 51 minutes West) From it the Land tends away WSW & SW, as far as we could see _______________
Monday 21  In the pm we kept along the East side of the Shoal until 2 when judging there was water for us over I sent a Boat ahead to sound & upon her making the Sign, for more than 5 fathoms we hauld our wind & stood over the Tail of it in 6 fathoms at this time we were in the Latitude of 24 degrees 22 minutes South & Sandy Cape bore S 1/2 E distance 8 Leagues but the Direction of the Shoal is nearest NNW & SSE, at the time we had 6 fathoms the boat which was not above 1/4 of a Mile to the Southward of us had little more than 5 fathoms. From 6 fathoms we had the next Cast 13 fathoms & then 20 immediately as fast as the Man could heave the Lead, from this I did suppose that the West side of the Shoal is pretty steep too whereas on the other side we had gradual Soundings from 13 to 7 fathoms. This Shoal I called Break Sea Spit because now we had smooth Water whereas upon the whole Coast to the Southward of it we had always a high Sea or swell from the SE. At 6 the Land of Sandy Cape extending from South 17 degrees East to South 27 degrees East distance 8 Leagues. Depth of Water 23 fathoms which depth we keept all Night as we stood to the Westward, with light Airs from the Southward but between
12 & 4.