At two, the wind shifting again to the south-south-east, the signal was once more made to veer ship, and change the tack, as lying off east would clear the coast; a strong current setting to the southward.
19 July 1788 Lieutenant Shortland, having now lost sight of the Prince of Wales and Borrowdale, was fully determined to go to Lord Howe Island to wait a day or two for them, expecting that they might probably touch there with similar intentions.

On the 19th, therefore, he steered a direct course for that island, with a strong gale at south-west, but as this wind, which was exactly favourable to the intended course of the voyage, and made the anchoring place off Lord Howe Island a lee shore, continued unvaried, and blew very hard on the 20th, it appeared best to relinquish the design of calling there.

At two in the afternoon, therefore, Lieutenant Shortland again altered his course and sailed north-east by north.

The Prince of Wales and Borrowdale transports, were seen no more throughout the voyage, and it has since been known that they took another course; but the Friendship continued close in company with the Alexander.
About noon this day, the men at the mast head discovered a very extensive shoal on the larboard beam, bearing from north by west to north by south, distant between two and three leagues.

It trended north by east and south by west, and was judged to be in length about three leagues and a half.
The breadth could not be ascertained, for, while the ship ran along it, the sand bank was seen to extend as far as the eye could discern.