U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 4 ¢ 195 marks the end of the east jetty. A seasonal lighted bell of Osterville Grand Island, connects Cotuit Bay and West buoy about 1 mile southeastward of the entrance marks Bay. The privately dredged channel in the river had a the approach. Private seasonal buoys mark the channel reported controlling depth of 6 feet in 2004. Cotuit Bay through West Bay. In 1981-2001, a depth of 2.9 feet was is usually closed by ice each winter. available in the entrance channel, thence 6 feet to the (194) Popponesset Bay, west of Cotuit Anchorage, is highway bridge. The channel is subject to shoaling, and shoal with depths of 1 to 4 feet in the greater part of strangers should obtain local information before entering the bay. In 2001, a controlling depth of 3.3 feet was the bay. reported in the narrow entrance channel north-northwest (188) Ice closes the bay for about 2 months each year. of Thatch Island. The wharves at Osterville have reported depths of 6 feet (195) A small marina is on Daniels Island near the bridge alongside. to Popponesset Island. A launching ramp, a pump-out station, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, some marine (189) supplies, and some services are available. A privately marked channel with a reported depth of about 3 feet Small-craft facilities leads to a marina on Mashpee Neck. Gasoline, water, (190) Small-craft facilities are on either side of the channel and engine repairs are available. A flatbed trailer at the marina can haul out craft to 30 feet. north of the highway bridge. Berths, moorings, electricity, (196) Wreck Shoal, about 3 miles south of Cotuit gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, marine supplies, a pump- Anchorage, is about 1.4 miles long in an east-west out station and storage facilities are available. Marine direction and about 0.3 mile wide. Depths on the shoal railway to 40 feet, lifts to 70 tons, and hull and motor range from 4 to 13 feet. A lighted bell buoy marks the repairs are available on the east side of the river with an east end of the shoal and another lighted bell buoy approach depth of 7 feet and alongside depth of 13 feet southwestward of the shoal marks the channel between reported in 2009. Lifts to 75 tons and hull, engine, and Wreck Shoal and Eldridge Shoal. An unmarked shoal electronic repairs are available on the west side with an covered 8 to 15 feet is about 1.5 miles northeast of Wreck approach depth of 5 feet and alongside depth of 6 feet Shoal and southward of Cotuit Anchorage approach. reported in 2009. Broken ground with a least known depth of 13 feet is between this shoal and Wreck Shoal. (197) Eldridge Shoal, about 0.9 mile south of Wreck Shoal, is about 1 mile long in a northeasterly direction (191) Little Island, about 1 mile northward of the entrance and about 0.2 mile wide. Depths on the shoal range from to West Bay, separates West Bay from North Bay to 5 to 14 feet. A buoy marks the northern side. A channel the northward. In 1981, a reported depth of 5 feet was between Eldridge and Wreck Shoals has depths of 23 available in the narrow channel eastward of Little Island to 41 feet. A channel between Eldridge and Horseshoe into North Bay. Strangers should obtain local information Shoals has depths of 21 feet or more. before navigating in North Bay, which has depths of about (198) Succonnesset Shoal extends about 2.4 miles 6 to 17 feet. The harbormaster can be contacted for local westward from Wreck Shoal to the shoal area off the information on moorings and berthings; telephone 508– shore southwestward of Succonnesset Point. Depths of 790–6273. A 6 mph speed limit is enforced in Cotuit, 1 to 5 feet are on the shoal. A lighted buoy is off the North, and West Bays by the Barnstable harbormaster west end. Between Succonnesset and Wreck Shoals is a and police. narrow unmarked channel. Between Succonnesset and L’Hommedieu Shoals, a shoal area with a least depth of (192) The highway bridge across the channel between 9 feet is marked by a buoy. Osterville and Little Island has a 31-foot bascule span with (199) Waquoit Bay, 5 miles southwestward of Cotuit a clearance of 15 feet. (See 33 CFR117.1 through 117.49 Anchorage, has depths of 1 to 8 feet. The entrance, about and117.622, chapter 2, for drawbridge regulations.) 250 feet wide, is between two stone jetties. A private Advance arrangements for bridge openings can be made seasonal light marks the end of each jetty. In 1971, the through the Department of Public Works. controlling depth in the entrance channel was reported to be 4 feet. A seasonal lighted bell buoy, about 0.6 mile (193) Cotuit Bay, northwestward of Cotuit Anchorage, is west-southwestward of the jetties, marks the approach, separated from West Bay by Osterville Grand Island. and buoys mark a 5-foot channel for about 0.8 mile Cotuit is a village on the west side of the bay. A church through the bay. The Waquoit Yacht Club is on the west spire and two elevated water tanks are prominent. A town side at the head of the bay. wharf, with a depth of about 5 feet at its face, and a small- (200) The Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research craft launching ramp are at the village. In 1981-2001, a Reserve, a Marine Protected Area (MPA), includes privately dredged channel, with a reported controlling Waquoit Bay and associated waters and protected depth of 4 feet, leads from Cotuit Anchorage to off Cotuit wetlands. Highlands; thence in 2001, a winding channel, with a depth of 6 feet, curves between Sampsons Island and Bluff Point into Cotuit Bay. The channels into Cotuit Bay and North Bay are marked by private seasonal buoys. A reported depth of about 6 feet was in the channel from Cotuit Bay to North Bay in 2005. Seapuit River, south
196 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 4 (201) west side of Green Pond just north of the bridge. Berths, diesel fuel, water, ice, repairs, and marine supplies are Small-craft facility available at this facility. (202) Great River and Little River empty into the (211) Chapter 5 describes other ports on the south side of Cape Cod westward of Green Pond. southeasterly side of Waquoit Bay. A marina is on the west side of Little River, about 0.5 mile above its junction (212) with Great River. Gasoline, water, ice, a launching ramp, limited marine supplies, and storage facilities Chart 13241 are available. Hull, engine, and electrical repairs can be made; lift to 11 tons. A reported depth of about 3 feet can (213) NantucketIsland,onthesoutheastsideofNantucket be carried to the marina. Sound, is about 13 miles long, hilly, partly wooded, and covered with vegetation that flourishes in sandy soil. The highest part of the island, about 100 feet high, is in the eastern part; the eastern and southern sides have steep and (203) Between Waquoit Bay and Falmouth Inner Harbor sand bluffs. The northern shore is fringed with shoals for about 3.6 miles to the westward, are several ponds formed a distance of about 1 mile. The island was for more than a by the barrier beach, some of which have outlets. Many century a principal seat of the whaling industry and since jetties or groins are built out from the shore for beach has become a famous summer resort. erosion control. (214) Great Point, the northeastern end of Nantucket (204) Eel Pond, about 0.8 mile westward of the entrance Island, is a long, low, sandy point marked by Nantucket to Waquoit Bay, is entered through a narrow jettied (Great Point) Light (41°23'25\"N., 70°02'54\"W.), 71 feet entrance. A private seasonal light on the west jetty and a above the water and shown from a white tower. midchannel buoy about 500 yards southeastward of the light mark the approach. The privately marked channel (215) Point Rip is a shoal extending 3.8 miles east- into the pond had a reported controlling depth of 5.1 northeastward of Great Point. For 2 miles from the point, feet in 2000. The channel is subject to shoaling; extreme the shoal has little water over it; farther eastward the depths caution and local knowledge is advised. range from 12 to 18 feet. Buoys mark the northeasterly and easterly sides of the shoal. Shoal water with depths (205) A boatyard is on the west side of the northeasterly of 16 to 22 feet extends about 1 mile northward from arm of Eel Pond at the mouth of Childs River. In 2009, these buoys; a lighted bell buoy marks the northern side a reported approach depth of 4 feet was available. Berths, of the shoal water. A rock, covered 11 feet, is 2.2 miles electricity, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, marine southeastward of Nantucket Light. supplies, pump-out station, launching ramp, 40-foot marine railway, 50-ton marine lift, and storage facilities (216) Squam Head is a summer resort on the east side are available at the boatyard; hull and engine repairs can of Nantucket Island, about 5 miles south of Great Point. be made. Several large houses show prominently from seaward. (206) Seapit River, about 0.8 mile southward of the mouth (217) Sesachacha Pond, 6.3 miles southeastward of Great of Childs River, connects the northeasterly arm of Eel Point, has a nonnavigable cut into it through the shore. Pond with the upper part of Waquoit Bay. A reported From seaward, breakers mark the cut. In the winter the depth of about 3 feet can be carried in Seapit River. The entrance fills in, and each spring it is cut through for river is marked by private seasonal buoys. drainage purposes. (207) Menauhant is a summer resort on the west side of (218) Sankaty Head Light (41°17'04\"N., 69°57'58\"W.), Eel Pond and the east side of Bournes Pond. Menauhant 158 feet above the water, is shown from a 70-foot white Yacht Club is on the west side of Eel Pond. A bridge, tower, with a red band in the middle, on a high bluff on crossing the entrance to Bournes Pond, has a 45-foot fixed the east side of the island. span with a clearance 5 feet. (219) Siasconset, a village on the southeast end of the (208) Green Pond, about 1 mile westward of Eel Pond and island, is marked by a prominent standpipe. The village 4.2 miles eastward of Nobska Point, has a narrow jettied has seasonal bus service with Nantucket. entrance which, in 2001, had a reported controlling depth of 3.5 feet. The entrance is reported to shoal rapidly after (220) The south shore of Nantucket Island has no harbors dredging; local knowledge is advised. A private seasonal and is frequented only by local fishermen. A LORAN light marks the west jetty. A seasonal lighted buoy marks tower about 0.6 mile southward of Siasconset and a tank the approach, and private seasonal buoys mark the and several towers along the south coast are prominent channel above the jetties. from offshore. (209) The village of Davisville, on the east side of Green (221) The thorofare between the western point of Esther Pond, and the village of Acapesket, on the west side of Island and Tuckernuck Island is full of shifting unmarked the pond, are principally summer resorts. shoals. The passage is used only by small fishing vessels and a few pleasure craft. Private seasonal aids mark the (210) Menauhant Road highway bridge crossing Green channel. Pond about 0.3 mile inside the entrance has a 33-foot span with a clearance of 6 feet. In 2002, a reported depth of 3 (222) Tuckernuck Island,Esther Island, and Muskeget feet was in the approach to, and inside the marina on the Island are low sandy islands extending westward from
U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 4 ¢ 197 (233) N Nantucket Harbor, Massachusetts Image courtesy of Marblehead Power Squadron (2009) Nantucket Island. They are separated by sandbars, some (226) All vessels 65 feet or greater in length overall bare at low water, which are constantly shifting. (L.O.A.) and subject to the jurisdiction of the United (223) Madaket Harbor and Hither Creek, immediately States are restricted to speeds of 10 knots or less in the to the southward, are on the western side of Nantucket Block Island Sound Seasonal Management Area between Island. Madaket Harbor is shoal with depths of 2 to 10 November 1 and April 30. The area is defined as the feet. The northerly approach to the harbor and creek is waters bounded by: marked by a seasonal lighted bell buoy. The channel that leads southward from over the bar in Nantucket Sound (227) 40°51'53.7\"N., 70°36'44.9\"W.; is marked by private seasonal buoys, floats, and markers. (228) 41°20'14.1\"N., 70°49'44.1\"W.; With local knowledge, a depth of about 3½ feet can be (229) 41°04'16.7\"N., 71°51'21.0\"W.; carried over the bar and channel to Hither Creek. Local (230) 40°35'56.5\"N., 71°38'25.1\"W.; thence back to knowledge is also required to enter the harbor from the southwest. A public boat landing and a boatyard are in starting point. (See 50 CFR 224.105in chapter 2 for Hither Creek. Gasoline, berths, a 10-ton mobile hoist, regulations, limitations, and exceptions.) a pump-out station, storage facilities, ice, provisions, water, and marine supplies are available at the boatyard; (231) hull and engine repairs can be made. Chart 13242 (224) (232) Nantucket Harbor is near the middle of the north North Atlantic Right Whales shore of Nantucket Island. A shallow lagoon about 5 (225) Endangered North Atlantic right whales have been miles long extends northeastward from the harbor. The harbor is the approach to the town of Nantucket on the reported off the southern coast of Nantucket Island (peak western shore. The principal industry is fishing. Small season: November through April). The Northeast Marine coastal tankers carry fuel to Nantucket. Year-round Pilots distribute educational material to mariners in an passenger, vehicle, and cargo ferry service is maintained effort to reduce right whale ship strikes. (See North between Nantucket and the mainland, to either Woods Atlantic Right Whales, indexed as such, in chapter 3 Hole or Hyannis. A passenger ferry also operates from for more information on right whales and recommended Falmouth and Oak Bluffs during the summer. measures to avoid collisions.)
198 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 4 (234) Prominent from offshore are: a radio tower about 1.2 for the lighted bell buoy off the entrance to Nantucket miles east of Madaket Harbor; a standpipe (chart 13241) Harbor. about 1.5 miles west of Nantucket; a gilded cupola atop a church clock tower, and a church belfry about 500 yards (244) northwestward of it; the spire of a large white church in the town; and the navigational lights at the entrance to Currents Nantucket Harbor. (245) The tidal current off the Nantucket Harbor entrance (235) Brant Point Light (41°17'24\"N., 70°05'25\"W.), 26 has a velocity of 0.3 knot; the flood setting eastward feet above the water, is shown from a white cylindrical and the ebb westward. The tidal current in the entrance tower connected to the shore by a footbridge on the west channel sets into the harbor at a velocity of 1.2 knots and side of the entrance near to the harbor. A sound signal is outward on the ebb at a velocity of 1.5 knots. at the light. Brant Point Coast Guard Station is on the point. (246) (236) Weather, Nantucket and vicinity (247) The climate of Nantucket is influenced directly by Channels (237) A dredged channel leads from Nantucket Sound the proximity of the ocean and is characterized by cool summers and comparatively mild winters. Extremes between two submerged breakwaters to deep water of either maximum or minimum temperatures are very in Nantucket Harbor off Brant Point. (See Notice to rare. The mild temperatures of the winter season are Mariners and latest editions of charts for controlling neutralized to a degree by sustained periods of high wind. depths.) Shallow water extends about 1 mile offshore The summers, though cool, are very humid. Heavy fogs on both sides of the channel. A lighted bell buoy marks are frequent, particularly during the spring and summer. the approach and the channel is marked by lighted and There is a marked lag in the seasons as compared with unlighted buoys and a 161.9° lighted range. A light and inland areas. sound signal mark the outer end of the east jetty, and a (248) July and August are relatively cool with average buoy marks the outer end of the west jetty. A 6 mph speed maximum temperatures around 75 °F and average limit is enforced in the harbor. minimums about 61 °F. The average temperature for the island is about 50 °F. January and February are the (238) coldest months, having normal mean temperatures near freezing, that is, average maximum of 38 °F and average Anchorages minimum of 25 °F. The extreme maximum temperature (239) Anchorage in Nantucket Harbor may be had in for Nantucket is 100 °F recorded in August 1975 while the extreme minimum is -3 °F recorded in December depths of 6 to 17 feet off the south and southwest sides 1962. An average year sees 100 days with temperatures of Brant Point or in depths of 12 to 17 feet in the general below 32 °F and only one day with a temperature below anchorage south of Brant Point. (See 33 CFR 110.1 and 5 °F. Seldom do temperatures exceed 90 °F, a fact which 110.142, chapter 2, for limits and regulations.) In general, has occurred only during June, July, and August. the bottom is sticky. Although shelter is afforded to (249) The average wind velocity is about 11 knots with vessels it is advisable for small craft to use heavy tackle as the highest monthly averages during December through the harbor becomes choppy with easterly winds. Caution April. Gales have occurred during every month except should be exercised to avoid anchoring in the fairway June and July. Coast storms are frequent during the winter and maneuvering area to the ferry wharf or the cable area with winds of 40 knots or more. Hurricanes, during the northeast of Brant Point. late summer and fall, may cause high winds. Since 1871, (240) The long sweep of strong northeast winds down the forty tropical storms or hurricanes have passed within 50 harbor makes anchorage for small craft off the wharves nautical miles of Nantucket. There have been ten direct dangerous and uncomfortable. Small craft may find more hits. The latest was tropical storm Esther in 1961. Esther sheltered anchorage under these conditions in Head of the had been a 125-knot hurricane earlier, but was dissipating Harbor (chart 13241) or, with local knowledge, in Polpis at the time it crossed the island. Harbor (chart 13241). (250) Precipitation is fairly evenly distributed throughout (241) Launch service is available to craft at moorings or the year averaging about 41 inches (1041 mm) in any at anchor in the harbor. given year. An average of 180 days each year records precipitation with 28 days having greater than 0.50 inches (242) (13 mm). The wettest month is December averaging 4.35 inches (111 mm) and the driest month is June averaging Routes (chart 13237) only 2.2 inches (56 mm). Total snowfall for the winter (243) Vessels approaching Nantucket Harbor from season averages about 30 inches (762 mm); however, melting is usually rapid and snow cover rarely lasts more Pollock Rip Channel can set a direct course from than a few days. The greatest snowfall in a 24-hour period Handkerchief Shoal Buoy 14 (41°29.2'N., 70°05.1'W.) was 14.9 inches (397) in February 1952. February is the to the lighted bell buoy off the entrance. Approaching snowiest month averaging nearly nine inches (229 mm). from the channel northward of Cross Rip Lighted Gong Buoy 21 (41°26.9'N., 70°17.5'W.), pass to the eastward of Tuckernuck Shoal Lighted Bell Buoy 1, and then head
U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 4 ¢ 199 Snow is absent from May through September. An average Unmarked shoals and foul areas extend off the several five days each year records greater than 1.5 inches (38 points. mm) of snowfall. An average of 18 thunderstorms affect (259) Polpis Harbor is at the east end of the harbor just the island in a given year with the greatest frequency south of Head of the Harbor.The entrance channel, marked occurring during July and August. Fog is present about by private seasonal buoys, had a reported controlling 200 days each year. depth of 6 feet in 1994. (251) Except in severe winter, the harbor is seldom closed by local formation of ice. However, the harbor is (260) frequently closed by drift ice from the sound which packs and remains across the entrance during northerly winds. Charts 13238, 13233, 13241, 13237 (252) (See Appendix B for Nantucket climatological table.) (261) Muskeget Channel is an opening 6 miles wide on the south side of Nantucket Sound between Muskeget and Chappaquiddick Islands. The channel is subject to numerous shifting shoals. Although this channel is (253) Nantucket Boat Basin, on the west side of Nantucket partly buoyed, strangers should never attempt it as tidal Harbor, is entered about 0.4 mile south-southwestward of currents with velocities of 2 to 5 knots make navigation Brant Point Light. The basin is enclosed on the north and dangerous. The currents through the channel are strong, south sides by Straight Wharf and Commercial Wharf, having a velocity of 3.8 knots on the flood and 3.3 knots respectively, and its entrance is protected by two long on the ebb about 1.5 miles east of Wasque Point. The flood bulkheads on the east and southeast sides. Depths in sets north-northeastward and ebbs south-southwestward. the basin range from 3 to 10 feet. About 180 slips are available in the basin, and yachts 100 feet long and larger (262) Wasque Shoal extends southward of Wasque Point, can be accommodated. The outer end of the north side the southeastern extremity of Chappaquiddick Island. of Straight Wharf is used by excursion boats. A private The shoal, which dries about 2 miles south of Wasque seasonal light is shown off the end of the wharf and is Point, rises abruptly from the deep water of Muskeget operated only when tour boats are approaching the wharf Channel. in fog. Gasoline, diesel fuel, and ice can be obtained on the south side of Commercial Wharf. Water and electricity (263) Mutton Shoal, 0.6 mile east of Wasque Shoal, has are available at each slip. The basin’s dockmaster has a least depth of 5 feet and is marked on its southwestern his office on the outer end of Commercial Wharf. The side by a lighted bell buoy. The best water in Muskeget dockmaster can be contacted on VHF-FM channel 16. Channel is between Mutton and Wasque Shoals. Eastward of Mutton Shoal are numerous shoals covered 2 to 6 feet. (254) The Woods Hole-Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority Wharf is about 0.1 mile northward (264) Between Muskeget Channel and the main channel of the boat basin. A private light is shown from the roof of north of Cross Rip Shoal are numerous shoals, some of a shed on the northeast end of the wharf, and is operated which are separated by unmarked channels. Tuckernuck only when Authority vessels are approaching the wharf Shoal, northeast of Muskeget Channel, has a least depth in fog. The submerged ruins of a pier which uncover at of 2 feet; it is marked on the northeastern end by a lighted low water are between the boat basin and the Steamship bell buoy and a buoy on the northern side. Shovelful Authority Wharf. A buoy marks the ruins. Unpainted pile Shoal, westward of Tuckernuck Shoal, is covered 3 to dolphins mark the former pierhead. Mariners are advised 17 feet. Long Shoal, northwestward of Shovelful Shoal, to exercise caution in this area. is covered 3 to 16 feet. Edwards Shoal, south of Cross Rip Shoal, has a least known depth of 10 feet. Norton (255) A boatyard, about 0.2 mile southward of Nantucket Shoal, southwestward of Cross Rip Shoal and covered 8 Boat Basin, has moorings, gasoline, a 23-ton mobile feet, is marked by a buoy on its north side. Hawes Shoal, hoist, storage facilities, water, and marine supplies; hull westward of Norton Shoal, has a least depth of 1 foot; and engine repairs can be made. The channel leading to buoys mark its northwestern and southwestern ends. the boatyard, marked by private seasonal buoys, had a reported controlling depth of 6 feet in 1981. (265) (256) Nantucket maintains ferry service with the mainland Charts 13238, 13233 and daily airline service with New York and Boston. Seasonal bus and taxi service is also available. (266) Martha’s Vineyard and Chappaquiddick Island have a combined length of 18 miles; the two islands are (257) separated by Edgartown Harbor, Katama Bay, and the narrow slough connecting them. The northern extremity Chart 13241 of Martha’s Vineyard is about 3 miles southeastward of the western end of Cape Cod. Martha’s Vineyard is well (258) A narrow unmarked channel leads through the settled, especially along its northern shore, and is popular lagoon northeast of Nantucket Harbor to Head of the as a summer resort. Along the northern shore the island Harbor. In 1981, a reported depth of about 3 feet could presents a generally rugged appearance. The southern be carried with local knowledge as far as the village of shore is low and fringed with ponds, none of which has Wauwinet on the southeast shore of Head of the Harbor. navigable outlets to the sea. Approaching from the south,
200 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 4 (272) N Edgartown Harbor, Massachusetts Image courtesy of Marblehead Power Squadron (2009) the principal landmarks are a standpipe at Edgartown, an outer and an inner harbor. The outer harbor is used aerolight near the center of the island, a church spire near principally as a harbor of refuge in southerly and easterly Chilmark in the western part, a tall radar tower north of winds and as a night anchorage. At the head of the outer Chilmark, and Gay Head on the west side. harbor, a narrow arm makes southward into Katama Bay, (267) Communication with the mainland is by ferry, forming the inner harbor. The inner harbor affords good airline, cable, and telephone. The principal towns are anchorage and is the approach to Edgartown, a fishing Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, and Vineyard Haven. and resort town on the western shore. Many yachts and (268) CapePoge,thenortheasternpointofChappaquiddick pleasure craft use the harbor during the summer. Island, is a bare, bluff, precipitous head, which may appear from a distance to be a small island. Cape Poge (273) Katama Bay, used by local fishermen and small Light (41°25'10\"N., 70°27'08\"W.), 65 feet above the pleasure craft, is large and shallow. Extensive shoaling water, is shown from a white conical tower on the cape. has been reported in the southerly end of the bay. A 4 mph (269) Cape Poge Flats, extending about 1.5 miles speed limit is enforced in the bay. northeastward from Cape Poge, are marked at the northeast end by a bell buoy. The southerly edge of the (274) white sector of West Chop Light is about 0.9 mile north of the buoy. Shoal water extends about 0.4 mile offshore Prominent features westward and northwestward of Cape Poge. A buoy, 1 (275) Edgartown Harbor Light (41°23'27\"N., mile west-northwestward of Cape Poge Light, marks the western side of the shoal water. 70°30'11\"W.), 45 feet above the water, is shown from (270) Cape Poge Bay, a lagoon of considerable size in a white conical tower on the west side of the head of the northern part of Chappaquiddick Island, is entered Edgartown outer harbor. Also prominent are: a church from Edgartown Harbor. The unmarked entrance is used belfry in the town, a microwave tower 1 mile to the mostly by local pleasure and fishing craft. In 1981, it was west-southwestward of the light, a standpipe about 1 reported that 4 feet could be carried through the entrance mile southwestward of the light, and the numerous beach channel with local knowledge. cabanas on Chappaquiddick Point. (271) Edgartown Harbor, on the eastern side of Martha’s Vineyard and westward of Cape Poge, is divided into an (276) Channels (277) The buoyed channel through the outer harbor has depths of 20 to 36 feet until nearly to Edgartown Harbor
U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 4 ¢ 201 Light. Near the light, the channel narrows and makes from a position about 0.5 mile southward of Hedge Fence a sharp bend westward, leading to the wharves at the Lighted Gong Buoy 22 to enter the harbor. In the daytime, town. Abreast the town, the channel narrows and curves the channel southward of Squash Meadow is sometimes southward to Katama Bay, bordered on the eastern side used. Strangers in sailing vessels seldom enter the inner by Middle Ground. Katama Bay is subject to frequent harbor, as a fair wind is necessary to keep in the channel. changes, as is the shoreline between the bay and the ocean. (288) (278) Currents (289) The tidal current in the narrow part of the channel Anchorages (279) Anchorage with good shelter from easterly gales inside Edgartown Harbor Light and off the town has a double flood and a double ebb, and in general follows the is found westward of Cape Poge on the eastern side of direction of the channel. Near the middle of each flood the outer harbor. In westerly and southerly gales vessels or ebb period there is an approximate slack preceded find shelter in the southern end of the outer harbor and followed by maximum of velocity. The average about 0.4 mile eastward or east-southeastward from velocity is about 1 knot. (See the Tidal Current Tables Edgartown Harbor Light. In northerly or northeasterly for predictions.) In 2007, it was reported that a breach gales vessels usually go to Woods Hole or Tarpaulin Cove had occurred on South Beach just southward of Katama for sheltered anchorage. Vessels should not anchor in the Bay. The breach has affected the published tide and tidal channel abreast the town where the bottom is hard sand, current predictions so that mariners are cautioned about the channel narrow, and tidal currents strong. Southeast the accuracy of the information. of the town, anchorage may be found south of Middle Ground, muddy bottom. (280) Small craft usually anchor in the special anchorage in the vicinity of Middle Ground. (See 33 CFR 110.1and (290) Fogs are prevalent during the summer and at times 110.38, chapter 2, for limits and regulations.) appear without warning. Drift ice from the sound, driven into the entrance by the wind, obstructs the entrance to (281) sailing vessels during a part of the winter. It is reported that the harbor is normally closed by ice during January and Dangers February. The Chappaquiddick ferry channel is usually (282) On the western side of the outer harbor is a shoal kept open. The tidal currents keep the inner harbor open except for a few days at a time during severe winters. area extending 2.8 miles northward of Edgartown Harbor Light. A bell buoy marks the northern edge of the shoal; (291) There are no pilots for Edgartown Harbor. Tugs are vessels entering or leaving the harbor pass eastward of seldom used and none are available. Fishing craft or the this buoy. The depths over the remainder of the shoal harbormaster’s vessel will act as tugs in an emergency. are irregular, and there are a rock awash and several rocks covered 3 to 5 feet. Strangers should never attempt (292) to pass across this shoal. The channel into Edgartown Harbor is marked by a lighted buoy and unlighted buoys. Harbormaster An obstruction, covered 19 feet, is at 41°23'32\"N., (293) The harbormaster has control of the anchorage of 70°29'28\"W. (283) Sturgeon Flats, covered 2 to 18 feet, extend about vessels in the harbor. He will usually be found at the 600 yards off the southeastern shore of the outer harbor Edgartown Yacht Club and can be contacted on VHF- between the narrow entrance to Cape Poge Bay and the FM channel 16 or at 508–627–4746. Copies of harbor entrance to the inner harbor. regulations may be obtained from the harbormaster. (284) A sandbar is making off eastward from Edgartown Harbor Light. A buoy is on the eastern end of the shoal. Except for this shoal, the entrance to the inner harbor is not difficult to navigate. Middle Ground, in the inner (294) The depth at the Town Wharf is 25 feet. Depths at harbor south of the town, has a least depth of 10 feet. the other wharves are about 11 feet. A marina, boatyard, and a yacht club are at Edgartown. The boatyard has a (285) marine lift that can handle craft to 9 tons for hull and engine repairs and dry open or covered storage. Gasoline, Routes (chart 13237) diesel fuel, water, ice, marine supplies, and moorings are (286) Vessels approaching Edgartown Harbor from the available. Launch service to moored craft is available. eastward, from a position about 400 yards north of Cross (295) A small ferry operates between Edgartown and Rip Lighted Gong Buoy 21, can steer 267°, heading for Chappaquiddick Island. No schedule is maintained, but the standpipe on Martha’s Vineyard southward of Oak the ferry runs on call. There is seasonal bus service to Oak Bluffs, passing northward of Nantucket Sound Channel Bluffs, Vineyard Haven, and other island points. Ferries Lighted Bell Buoy 21A. When Cape Poge Light bears connect Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven with Woods 155°, head south-southwestward into the harbor. Hole, Falmouth, Hyannis, and Nantucket. (287) Vessels approaching from the westward and passing northward of Squash Meadow can head on a 180° course (296) Sengekontacket Pond, about midway between Edgartown and Oak Bluffs, has two entrances which are subject to shoaling. The southerly entrance is the main entrance and had a reported controlling depth of 10 feet in 1981. There are no public landings in the pond and it
202 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 4 (302) Oak Bluffs Harbor, Massachusetts N Image courtesy of Marblehead Power Squadron (2009) is used by local and fishing craft only. The south entrance (303) Numerous submerged rocks, covered 10 to 14 is crossed by a fixed highway bridge with a vertical feet, are in the harbor approach, in an area within 0.4 clearance of 6 feet. The fixed highway bridge over the mile of shore bounded on the north by a line extending north entrance has a vertical clearance of 5 feet. northeasterly from the breakwaters and on the south by (297) Squash Meadow is a shoal south of the main channel Lone Rock. The chart is the best guide for approaching through Nantucket Sound and about 4 miles northwest of the harbor; however, it is advised that mariners transiting Cape Poge. The hard sand shoal has depths of 13 to 18 the area exercise extreme caution as other uncharted feet and is marked on its southeastern end by a bell buoy rocks may exist. and on its western end by a buoy. (298) Harthaven is a small pond northward of (304) East Chop Yacht Club is on the north side of the Sengekontacket Pond. The entrance is through a privately harbor, and several private piers are on the west side. The dredged channel between two short jetties. In 2000, a town wharf extends along the bulkhead on the south and depth of 4 feet was reported in the entrance. The pond has east sides of the harbor. The town maintains berths with depths of 2 to 6 feet. There are no services or landings in electricity, a launching ramp, a pump-out station, and the pond. guest moorings. Gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice and some (299) Lone Rock, covered 4 feet and marked by a buoy, marine supplies are available; hull and engine repairs can is 350 yards offshore about 750 yards southeastward of be made. Oak Bluffs wharf. (300) Rhode Island Rock, covered 14 feet, is about 700 (305) Martha’s Vineyard hospital is on the beach road yards northward of the breakwater light. close westward of the town. The harbormaster monitors (301) Oak Bluffs Harbor, 4.8 miles northwestward of VHF-FM channel 71; telephone 508–693–4355. Edgartown Harbor Light, is a landlocked basin frequented by pleasure craft and some fishing vessels. The entrance (306) A no-wake speed limit is enforced in the harbor. is protected by two breakwaters. A light is on the end of (307) Oak Bluffs Wharf, about 0.2 mile southward of the the north breakwater. Oak Bluffs is a summer resort and fishing village on the harbor. Prominent are a church breakwater light, is reported to have a depth of 13 feet dome and a cupola in the village and the bluff north of at the head. Several obstructions with lesser depths have the entrance. been reported about 400 yards northeast of the wharf face. A private seasonal light and sound signal are operated from the seaward end of the wharf when ferry vessels are approaching the wharf in fog. There is seasonal ferry service from the wharf to Woods Hole and Nantucket.
U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 4 ¢ 203 Seasonal ferry service is also maintained between Vineyard Airport about 4.5 miles southwestward of the Falmouth, Hyannis and New Bedford. Seasonal fast ferry town. service is maintained from Quonset, RI, and year-round (308) A 530-foot groin, marked at its outer end by a fast ferry passenger service is maintained from New daybeacon and partially submerged at high water, is about Bedford. Oak Bluffs is a port of call for cruise ships. The 650 yards south of the ferry wharf; caution is advised. Vineyard Transit Authority provides island-wide transit (309) Other ports on the north side of Martha’s Vineyard, service year-round. There is air service from Martha’s westward of Oak Bluffs Harbor, are described in chapter 5.
204 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 5 71° 70°30' Index of Chart Coverage in Chapter 5 42° 42° MASSACHUSETTS 13230 13236 Onset CAPE COD CANAL New Bedford Marion Mattapoisett RMHASOSDAECISHLUASENTDTS BUZZARDS BAY 13229 Woods Hole Falmouth 41° 13232 13235 41° 30' Naushon Island VINEYARD SOUND 30' 13228 Pasque Island Vineyard Haven Cuttyhunk Island Nashawena Island Edgartown Gay Head Martha’s Vineyard 13229 13238 Nomans Island 13233 RHODE ISLAND SOUND 13237 13218 41° 41° 71° 70°30'
U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 5 ¢ 205 Vineyard Sound and Buzzards Bay (1) This chapter describes Vineyard Sound and Buzzards (10) Bay following the Massachusetts coast of Vineyard Sound, the northwestern shore of Martha’s Vineyard, the Anchorages eastern shore of Buzzards Bay, the Cape Cod Canal, and (11) Woods Hole is the only anchorage providing shelter the western shore of Buzzards Bay. Also described are Woods Hole, Cuttyhunk, Onset, Wareham, and the port from all winds for vessels drawing more than 10 feet. In of New Bedford, as well as the numerous fishing and northerly and westerly winds, good anchorage may be yachting centers along the sound and bay. had in Tarpaulin Cove. In southerly winds, shelter can be had in Menemsha Bight, although Vineyard Haven (2) is generally used. Several general anchorages are in Vineyard Sound. (See 33 CFR 110.1 and 110.140(c)(1), COLREGS Demarcation Lines (c)(2), and (d), chapter 2, for limits and regulations.) (3) The lines established for this part of the coast are (12) described in 33 CFR 80.145, chapter 2. Currents (4) (13) The time of current becomes somewhat earlier from No-Discharge Zone Hedge Fence westward through Vineyard Sound. The (5) The State of Massachusetts, with the approval of current velocity increases from 1.2 knots at Hedge Fence Lighted Gong Buoy 22 to about 2.4 knots off Nobska the Environmental Protection Agency, has established Point, and then gradually diminishes to 1.6 knots off a No-Discharge Zone (NDZ) in all coastal waters of Gay Head Light. (See Current Diagram–Vineyard and Massachusetts covered by this chapter except a small area Nantucket Sounds in the Tidal Current Tables.) from Woods Hole to Vineyard Haven, extending about 3 (14) At the western entrance to Vineyard Sound, west- miles offshore (see charts 13246 and 13237). northwestward of Gay Head Light, the tidal current is (6) Within the NDZ, discharge of sewage, whether rotary, turning clockwise. The velocity is only 0.2 to 0.5 treated or untreated, from all vessels is prohibited. knot. Since the tidal current is weak, winds greatly affect Outside the NDZ, discharge of sewage is regulated by it and the current frequently sets approximately with the 40 CFR 140 (see chapter 2). winds. (7) (15) Charts 13230, 13237, 13218 Weather: Vineyard Sound, Buzzards Bay and vicinity (16) Buzzards Bay is open to winds out of the south and (8) Vineyard Sound and Buzzards Bay are deep and easily navigated day or night. Vineyard Sound, together southwest, which are common from spring through fall. with Nantucket Sound, provides an inside route from Winds increase as they move from the surrounding land New York to Boston which avoids Nantucket Shoals. out over the Bay. Its northeast-southwest orientation Buzzards Bay, together with Cape Cod Canal and Cape causes southwesterlies to strengthen as they funnel up Cod Bay, provides the shortest deep-draft route between from the mouth of the Bay to its head. The result is that New York and Boston. speeds are often double those at nearby land stations and southwesterlies may prevail even when land stations are (9) Vineyard Sound is bounded on the north by the reporting west or northwest winds. However, as a general southwestern part of Cape Cod and the Elizabeth Islands, rule southwesterlies blow harder close to the Elizabeth and on the south by part of Martha’s Vineyard, which Islands than in the middle of the Bay. The relatively presents a rugged and generally inaccessible shoreline. shallow water of the Bay increases the steepness of waves To the west, it joins Rhode Island Sound on a line and their closeness to one another; this can cause a stiff between Cuttyhunk Island and Gay Head. To the east, it chop. With southerly or westerly gales there is a heavy joins Nantucket Sound on a line between Nobska Point sea in the westerly entrance to Vineyard Sound and heavy and West Chop and provides an inside passage clear of seas occur at times off the entrance to Quicks Hole. Nantucket Shoals. The navigational aids are colored and numbered for passing through the sound from the (17) eastward. The channel through the sound is well marked and generally free of dangers. Deep-draft vessels entering Pilotage,Vineyard Sound and Buzzards Bay or leaving Vineyard Sound should stay at least 3.5 miles (18) Pilotage is compulsory for foreign vessels of 350 southward of the southwest end of Cuttyhunk Island. gross tons or more, U.S. vessels under register of 350 gross tons or more, and tank barge towing vessels carrying 6,000 barrels or more of petroleum cargoes. Pilotage is
206 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 5 (25) N Vineyard Haven Harbor, Massachusetts Image courtesy of Marblehead Power Squadron (2009) available from Northeast Marine Pilots, Inc., Newport, (24) Vineyard Haven Harbor is a funnel-shaped bight RI, 02840; telephone 401–847–9050 (24 hours), 800– in the northern side of Martha’s Vineyard between East 274–1216; FAX 401–847–9052; email: dispatch@ Chop and West Chop, about 1.4 miles long in a southwest nemarinepilots.com. direction and about 1.3 miles wide at the entrance. This haven, easy of access, is the most important harbor of (19) refuge for coasters between Provincetown and Narragansett Bay. The depths range from 46 feet at the Charts 13238, 13233, 13229 entrance to 15 feet near the head of the harbor. (20) East Chop and West Chop are prominent points on (26) Although Vineyard Haven Harbor is exposed to the north side of Martha’s Vineyard and on the east and northeasterly winds, vessels with good ground tackle can west side of the entrance to Vineyard Haven. Both points ride out most blows. The greatest danger encountered by terminate in high wooded bluffs which show prominently vessels at anchor in a northeast gale is from vessels with from the sounds; each is marked by a light. poor ground tackle, which are likely to drift, foul other vessels, and then go ashore. (21) West Chop Light (41°28'51\"N., 70°35'59\"W.), 84 feet above the water, is shown from a white conical tower; (27) The harbor is the approach to the village of a sound signal is at the light. Vineyard Haven. A detached breakwater, marked on its southeastern end by a light, is on the flats on the western (22) A lighted gong buoy, 0.5 mile northeastward of the side of the harbor near the head. The natural channel is light, and a buoy, 0.5 mile eastward of the light, mark shoal clear; soundings are the best guide for finding anchorage. water and rocks awash to the eastward of West Chop. It When well inside the entrance, the water shoals gradually has been reported that during strong tidal currents, the toward the western shore, but the eastern shore is steep buoy may be submerged. and should be given a berth of about 0.2 mile. (23) East Chop Light (41°28'13\"N., 70°34'03\"W.), 79 (28) feet above the water, is shown from a white tower on the east side of the entrance to Vineyard Haven. East Chop Anchorage Flats, covered 5 to 18 feet, extend 0.2 mile northward (29) Vessels anchor according to draft, anywhere from and 0.5 mile eastward of East Chop. A lighted bell buoy, about 0.5 mile east-northeastward, and a buoy, about 350 the points at the entrance to the head of the harbor. yards northward of the light, mark the flats. Shallow-draft vessels favor the western shore.
U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 5 ¢ 207 (48) N Falmouth Harbor, Massachusetts Image courtesy of Marblehead Power Squadron (2009) (30) Vessels entering the harbor with a head wind or (35) The harbormaster has control of the anchoring of light breeze, at the end of a favorable current through the vessels in the inner harbor; he will usually be found at sound, should continue on in the channel until the harbor the town dock on the west side of the harbor and can be is well opened before standing in for the anchorage. This contacted on VHF-FM channel 16, or at 508–693–1368. will help clear the entrance points. Approaching from the A 4 mph speed limit is enforced inside the breakwater eastward, vessels will keep clear of Squash Meadow and and within 150 feet of moored craft. East Chop Flats by keeping in the white sector of West Chop Light. The anchorage basin behind the breakwater (36) Pilots are not available at Vineyard Haven. A twin- has depths of 5 to 12 feet and is usually filled to capacity screw, 500-hp tug, also equipped for salvage work, is during the summer. When anchoring in the harbor, care based in the harbor. must be taken to avoid obstructing the approach to the ferry slip and the approach to the oil wharves on the (37) A ferry terminal, several wharves, two marinas and a southerly side of the harbor. boatyard are in the harbor. A yacht club is on the west side of the harbor, about 0.3 mile northward of the breakwater. (31) (38) Guest moorings, maintained by the town, are Dangers available off the municipal wharf, 200 yards northward (32) Flats, partly bare at low water and marked by a buoy, of the ferry terminal; other moorings can be hired from the boatyard and marinas. make off 300 yards from the eastern shore of the harbor about 1 mile inside East Chop Light. A rock, covered 9 (39) The Martha’s Vineyard Hospital is on the beach road feet, is 0.3 mile northward of the breakwater light. near Oak Bluffs. (33) (40) The Woods Hole-Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority maintains year-round ferry service Currents from Woods Hole. Air service is available from Martha’s (34) The tidal currents have little velocity in the harbor; Vineyard Airport, about 4 miles south of the town. however, care should be taken on the ebb, which sets (41) Lagoon Pond, eastward of the town of Vineyard westward, not to approach too closely to West Chop as Haven, has its entrance about 0.5 mile northeastward the current in that vicinity sets on the ledges eastward and of Vineyard Haven Breakwater Light 10. A short jetty, northward of the point. marked by a light, extends from the northwestern end of the jutting point on the northerly side of the entrance. In 2004, the controlling depth through the entrance was
208 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 5 6.3 feet (7.9 feet at midchannel). The channel is marked (51) by private buoys and daybeacons. The pond is primarily used by local fishing craft. Robbins Rock, marked by a Small-craft facilities daybeacon, is off the west shore, about 1 mile above the (52) There are several small-craft facilities in Falmouth entrance. The highway bridge across the entrance is under construction (2014). Inner Harbor. (42) Charts 13230, 13229 (53) The harbormaster is at the town-operated Falmouth Marina, on the west side halfway up the harbor; telephone (43) Falmouth Harbor, the open roadstead off the south 508–548–9796. The harbormaster monitors VHF-FM shore of Cape Cod eastward of Nobska Point Light, channels 16, 12, and 9. A ferry operates in the summer to affords an anchorage for vessels in 24 to 36 feet about Oak Bluffs from the wharf at the head of the harbor. 0.8 mile from shore. Smaller vessels can anchor closer to the shore in 15 to 18 feet. The bottom is generally sticky (54) NobskaPoint,about29mileswestwardofMonomoy and good holding ground; the depths shoal gradually Point, is a bluff with Nobska Point Light (41°30'57\"N., toward the shore. The anchorage affords a lee in northerly 70°39'18\"W.), 87 feet above the water, shown from a winds; in southerly winds the sea is somewhat broken by white tower, at the south end. A sound signal is at the L’Hommedieu Shoal and the shoals westward of it so that light. Nobska Point Ledges, partly bare at low water, a vessel with good ground tackle can ride out a gale in extends 150 yards eastward and southwestward from the comparative safety. (See 33 CFR110.1 and 110.140(c) point. (5), and (d), chapter 2, for limits and regulations of the anchorage area.) (55) (44) Falmouth Harbor is frequently used by vessels Charts 13233, 13229 with good ground tackle that prefer this anchorage to the anchorage in Vineyard Haven Harbor, which may (56) Middle Ground, covered 6 to 18 feet, is the easterly be crowded in bad weather. Vessels approaching the half of a narrow, somewhat shifting ridge that extends anchorage are cautioned to stay clear of the two shoal for about 9 miles westward from a point about 0.5 mile areas with depths of 10 to 16 feet marked by buoys which northwestward of West Chop Light. A buoy is at the extend westward of L’Hommedieu Shoal. northeast end, and a lighted bell buoy off the southwestern end. (45) Vessels can enter Falmouth Harbor from the southward on a course of 344° with West Chop Light (57) Lucas Shoal, covered 17 to 30 feet, is the astern, and pass about 0.1 mile westward of Falmouth southwestern end of the ridge. It is separated from the Harbor East Shoal Buoy 17. Vessels in the vicinity of Middle Ground by a natural channel with a depth of 31 Nobska Point Light can pass 0.4 mile eastward of the feet. A buoy marks the southwestern end of the shoal. light on a north-northeasterly course, and when Tarpaulin Cove and Nobska Point Lights are nearly in range, stand (58) Lake Tashmoo, a landlocked pond on the northwest eastward to an anchorage. side of Martha’s Vineyard, is entered through a narrow jettied entrance which had a reported controlling depth (46) Falmouth Heights, about 3 miles east-northeast of of 2½ feet in 1981. The lake, only used by local craft, has Nobska Point Light and east of the town of Falmouth, general depths of 3 to 10 feet. A private seasonal light is a prominent yellow bluff on the summit of which are marks the east jetty and private seasonal buoys mark the numerous homes and a large hotel. channel through a shoal area just inside the entrance. (47) Falmouth Inner Harbor, westward of Falmouth (59) A 4 mph speed limit is enforced in the pond. Heights, is a dredged basin about 0.7 mile long and less Anchoring is prohibited in the entrance channel. than 0.1 mile wide, on the north side of Falmouth Harbor. The yacht club dock and flagpole, just inside the entrance (60) A small boatyard is on the easterly side of the lake; on the east side of the harbor, are conspicuous from close a flatbed trailer can handle craft up to 30 feet for hull and inshore. The harbor is entered through a dredged channel engine repairs. Guest moorings and limited supplies are between two jetties; a light marks the end of each jetty. available. (61) Norton Point and Cape Higgon are prominent (49) bluffs on the northwest side of Martha’s Vineyard about 3 and 8 miles, respectively, southwestward of West Chop Currents Light. (50) The tidal current in the sound about 1.5 miles south (62) Menemsha Bight, on the northerly side of the of the harbor sets east-northeastward on the flood at a western end of Martha’s Vineyard 2.5 miles east of Gay velocity of 2.3 knots, and west-southwestward on the ebb Head, affords shelter from southerly and easterly winds at 1.7 knots. in depths of 25 to 60 feet, sticky bottom. (See 33 CFR 110.1 and 110.140(c)(1) and (d), chapter 2, for limits and regulations for the anchorage area.) There are no dangers in the bight if the shore is given a berth of 0.3 mile. (63) Menemsha Creek, on the northwestern shore of Martha’s Vineyard and about 3 miles eastward of Gay Head Light, is entered from Menemsha Bight through a
U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 5 ¢ 209 dredged channel that leads southeastward to Menemsha Nomans Land. (See 33 CFR 334.70, chapter 2, for limits Basin, on the north shore just inside the entrance. From and regulations.) the basin, the dredged channel continues southward (73) Several sunken rocks and ledges are in the passage through the creek to Menemsha Pond, about 1 mile above between Nomans Land and Martha’s Vineyard. Lone the entrance. The entrance to the creek is protected by Rock, covered 8 feet, and Old Man, a ledge covered jetties. The east jetty is marked by a light. A bell buoy, 4 feet, are marked by buoys. A buoyed channel about about 300 yards northwestward of the light, marks the 0.7 mile wide between the islands may be used by small channel approach, and buoys and daybeacons mark vessels in the daytime. Shoal water extends 0.5 mile the channel. The channel south of Menemsha Basin is southward of Squibnocket Point, the southernmost point reported to shoal rapidly after dredging; mariners are of Martha’s Vineyard. advised to seek local knowledge before attempting to go beyond Menemsha Basin. (74) (64) Menemsha is a small fishing village on Menemsha Basin. Menemsha Pond, a rectangular basin about 1 mile Charts 13230, 13229 long and 0.7 mile wide, has general depths of 2 to 18 feet, with the deepest water in the southern half of the pond. (75) Elizabeth Islands, including Nonamesset, Uncatena, Weepecket, Naushon, Pasque, Nashawena, (65) Penikese, and Cuttyhunk Islands, extend about 14 miles west-southwest from the southwest end of Cape Cod. The Currents islands, forming part of the northern shore of Vineyard (66) The tidal currents through the entrance have an Sound, separate the sound from Buzzards Bay. They are hilly and partly wooded; the shores are, in general, estimated velocity of 3 knots or more. Slacks are reported low bluffs. Westward of Woods Hole are several buoyed to occur 45 minutes after local high and low waters. channels between the islands, but Quicks Hole is the only one recommended for strangers. (76) (67) Guest moorings are available in Menemsha Basin, and anchoring is permitted in the pond. Berths are also Charts 13235, 13229 available at the public facilities at Dutcher Dock, on the northeast side of the basin. Commercial fishing and charter (77) Woods Hole is that water area lying between the boats berth at the dock or at the private piers on the west southwest tip of Cape Cod and Uncatena and Nonamesset side of the basin. Menemsha Coast Guard Station is on Island, the easternmost of the Elizabeth Islands, with the south side of the basin. The harbormaster controls Buzzards Bay on the northwest and Vineyard Sound all berthing and mooring in the basin. The harbormaster on the southeast; it includes Great and Little Harbors in has an office at Dutcher Dock and can be contacted by the eastern part, and Hadley Harbor in the western part. radiotelephone on VHF-FM channel 16 or by telephone Woods Hole is also the approach to the town of Woods at 508–645–2846. Hole on the northeastern shore of Great Harbor. The town is a busy commercial center and a transshipping point (68) A marina is on the east side of Menemsha Basin. for passengers and freight to and from Nantucket and Repairs and hauling of craft to 45 feet can be arranged. Martha’s Vineyard. During the summer it is an active Gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, a launching ramp, and resort and frequently a port of call by yachts passing marine supplies are available. through to Vineyard Sound or Buzzards Bay. There is considerable waterborne commerce in seafood products (69) Seasonal bus service is available from Menemsha to and general cargo. Vineyard Haven and other points on the island. (78) (70) Gay Head, the westerly end of Martha’s Vineyard, is a prominent high bluff. It is marked by Gay Head Light Prominent features (41°20'54\"N., 70°50'04\"W.), 175 feet above the water, (79) The most prominent landmark approaching Woods shown from a 51-foot red brick tower on the head. A lighted gong buoy is 1.6 miles northwestward of the light. Hole is Nobska Point and light. A light marks the south Several rocks exist between Gay Head and the lighted end of Juniper Point, the finger of land separating gong buoy. Little and Great Harbors. Also prominent is the house high on Juniper Point, a standpipe 0.7 miles north- (71) Devils Bridge is a reef making off 0.8 mile northwestward of Nobska Point, the dome of the Woods northwestward of Gay Head. The reef has a depth of 2 Hole Oceanographic Institution and the buildings of feet about 0.4 mile offshore and 17 feet at its end. the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Marine Biological Laboratory. (72) Nomans Land, about 5.5 miles southward of Gay Head, is a prominent, high, and rocky island. Except for a (80) small section on its northwestern side, the shore consists of clay and gravel cliffs 10 to 18 feet high with boulders Channels lining the shores. In the interior of the island are many (81) Woods Hole Passage, a dredged section through the hills, the highest over 100 feet high, with considerable marshy area between the hills. A danger zone surrounds northern part of Woods Hole, connects Vineyard Sound
210 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 5 (85) N Woods Hole, Massachusetts Image courtesy of Marblehead Power Squadron (2009) and Great Harbor with Buzzards Bay, and consists of The marked for passage from Vineyard Sound to Buzzards Strait and a spur channel known as the Branch at the Bay. western end of The Strait, and Broadway, the southerly (84) A lighted bell buoy and gong buoy mark the entrance entrance to The Strait from Vineyard Sound. (See Notice to Great Harbor from Vineyard Sound and a directional to Mariners and latest edition of charts for controlling light, lighted and unlighted buoys mark the channel. depths.) The northerly entrance from Great Harbor into Mariners should guard against the current from Buzzards The Strait is preferred over Broadway with its sharp turn, Bay, which has a tendency to set vessels eastward. which is difficult in strong currents, especially for low- powered vessels and vessels under sail. (86) (82) Woods Hole Passage is a dangerous waterway surrounded by treacherous shoals, ledges and severe east/ Anchorages west currents. Particular attention should be given to the (87) (See 33 CFR110.1 and 110.140 (c) and (d), chapter navigational aids that mark the passage, especially Woods Hole Passage Junction Buoy SB at the intersection of 2, for limits and regulations of the deepwater anchorages The Strait and Broadway. Before attempting to transit in the vicinity of Woods Hole.) An anchorage about 0.2 the passage, mariners should carefully consult the current mile square, with poor holding ground and irregular edition of nautical charts for the area and the most recent depths ranging from 19 to 62 feet, is at the head of Great Local Notice to Mariners. Mariners are further cautioned Harbor. Shoals covered 5 to 9 feet are northwest of the to always use extreme care and prudent speed when anchorage. Good anchorage in depths of 29 to 36 feet is transiting the passage. Tidal currents are strong in the also available about 200 yards northwest of the National passage; buoys in the narrowest part of the channel are Marine Fisheries Service’s wharf. Small craft can find sometimes towed under by the current. Strangers to the good anchorage in Little Harbor and Hadley Harbor. area should attempt transit only at slack water. (83) The channels through Woods Hole Passage are (88) marked by buoys and lights, but extreme caution and slack water are required to safely navigate them with drafts Dangers greater than 8 feet. Mariners entering from Buzzards (89) Numerous ledges and shoals border the channel Bay should keep in mind that the buoys are colored and through Woods Hole. Great Ledge, an extensive rocky shoal awash at low water with a full northwest gale, lies between the entrances to Little and Great Harbors; it is marked by a buoy. Coffin Rock, eastward of Great Ledge
U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 5 ¢ 211 and covered 5 feet, is marked by a lighted buoy 120 yards the white sector of the Great Harbor Directional Light, eastward of the rock. Nonamesset Shoal, covered 10 feet, or from a point close to Nobska Point Lighted Bell Buoy extends about 0.2 mile eastward from Nonamesset Island, 26, steer 279° until in the white sector. Approaching from at the entrance to Great Harbor. Parker Flats extend as the westward in Vineyard Sound, give the south side of much as 200 yards off the eastern shore of Great Harbor the Elizabeth Islands a berth of about 0.5 mile and steer northward of Juniper Point. Most of these dangers are for Nobska Point Light on any bearing between 045° and marked by buoys. 051° until in the white sector. (90) Fringing the passage westward of Great Harbor are many other ledges and shoals. Red Ledge, grassy, and (99) Grassy Island, with its surrounding ledge marked by a light, are on the western side of Great Harbor Channel. Towage Middle Ledge, which uncovers 1 foot in places and is (100) Tug service is available at Woods Hole. marked by buoys, is on the south side of The Strait. A ledge, awash at low water and marked by a light, is about (101) 250 yards westward of Middle Ledge. Hadley Rock, covered 5 feet, is some 500 yards west-southwestward Wharves of the light west of Middle Ledge. A rocky shoal area (102) The ferry pier of the Woods Hole-Martha’s Vineyard extends more than 0.3 mile westward of Penzance Point, the southern extremity of Penzance, which is the curving and Nantucket Steamship Authority is on the eastern side peninsula sheltering the west and northwest sides of of Great Harbor. When a ferry is approaching in fog, a Great Harbor. Most of the dangers adjoining the passage private sound signal is sounded, a private quick flashing channel are marked by navigational aids. white light is shown from the southwest corner of the pier, and a private quick flashing yellow light is shown (91) from the southwest corner of the ferry slip. The ferry to Naushon Island lands at the service wharf about 60 Currents yards north of the ferry pier. The buildings and wharf (92) The current velocity at times exceeds 4.5 knots in the of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution are northwestward of the ferry pier. Northwestward of the narrow part of Woods Hole Passage. Velocities as high as Oceanographic Institution are the wharves of the Marine 5.0 knots have been reported by the U.S. Coast Guard. Biological Laboratory; the wharf, basin, and buildings of For daily predictions of the current, see the Tidal Current the National Marine Fisheries Service; the town pier; and Tables. several private buildings. (93) The velocity of the current is about 3.5 knots in (103) Depths at the principal piers vary from 11 to 30 feet. The Strait southward of Penzance Point. (See the Tidal A breakwater extends about 90 yards southwestward Current Tables for predictions.) Both the velocity of the from the south end of the National Marine Fisheries current and time of slack water are affected by strong Service wharf. Foul ground extends about 50 yards winds. At the north entrance to Woods Hole in Buzzards northwestward of the outer end of the breakwater. Bay, the velocity of the tidal current is 0.8 knot, whereas at the eastern entrance to The Strait in Great Harbor, it is about 1.3 knots. In the upper part of Great Harbor, near the National Marine Fisheries Service’s wharf, the (104) Eel Pond, an extension of Great Harbor to the currents are barely perceptible, and vessels at anchor lie northeastward, is a basin with depths of 10 to 20 feet. head to wind. In 2001, the narrow entrance to the pond had a reported (94) Drift ice is brought through from Buzzards Bay, but controlling depth of 6 feet. A highway bridge over the seldom interferes with navigation except in unusually entrance channel has a 31-foot bascule span with a severe winters, when it may close the entrance from clearance of 5 feet. (See 33 CFR117.1 through 117.59 the bay. Small craft may experience difficulty in severe and 117.598, chapter 2, for drawbridge regulations.) winters, but powered vessels usually proceed through the The piers of the Marine Biological Laboratory are along ice. The strong tidal currents usually keep Great Harbor the southwest side of the pond. A boatyard in Eel Pond open. has water, some marine supplies, limited berths with electricity, and can do engine repairs. The harbormaster (95) has an office in Falmouth. Pilotage: Woods Hole (105) Seasonal ferry service is available from Woods (96) Pilotage service is available for the harbor. (See Hole to Nantucket and Oak Bluffs, Martha’s Vineyard. Year-round ferry service is available to Vineyard Haven, Pilotage, Vineyard Sound, this chapter.) Martha’s Vineyard. (97) (106) Woods Hole Coast Guard Station is on the west side of Little Harbor about 450 yards northward of Routes Juniper Point. A Federal project provides for a depth of (98) The following directions are good for medium-draft 12 feet from Vineyard Sound through a turning basin off the Coast Guard wharf on the west shore. (See Notice vessels entering Woods Hole at slack water. Approaching to Mariners and latest editions of charts for controlling from the eastward, pass about 0.3 mile southward of depths.) The channel is marked by lighted buoys. The Nobska Point on a west-southwesterly course until in east side of the harbor is used as a mooring area for
212 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 5 local craft. Numerous rocks awash are in this part of the (118) QuicksHole,betweenPasqueIslandandNashawena harbor; extreme caution is advised. A 6 mph speed limit Island, is the only passage between Vineyard Sound and is enforced in the harbor by the Falmouth Harbormaster. Buzzards Bay eastward of Cuttyhunk available for vessels (107) Hadley Harbor, in the western portion of Woods of over 10-foot draft. The clearly defined entrance from Hole at the northwest end of Nonamesset Island, is Vineyard Sound, about 0.6 mile wide, is about 4 miles suitable only for small craft. It is reached by a narrow, southwestward of Tarpaulin Cove and about 5 miles north crooked channel. The deeper entrance, marked by buoys, of Gay Head. The passage is used considerably by tows, is between ledges on both sides. The inner harbor forms especially during westerly or southerly winds, to avoid a well-sheltered anchorage for small craft. the very heavy sea in the entrance to Vineyard Sound, and (108) Two wharves, with depths of about 9 feet at their also because a secure anchorage from these winds can be ends, are on the western side of Hadley Harbor. A private had, if necessary, on the north side of Nashawena Island. wharf, with a depth of about 7 feet at its end, is at the The passage is considered unsafe for a long tow at night, western end of Nonamesset Island. but otherwise it may be used by steamers either night or day. (109) (119) Vessels should follow a midchannel course through Charts 13233, 13230, 13229 the passage. The channel is nearly straight with a width of about 0.2 mile. General depths are 30 feet or more, (110) Naushon Island, the largest of the Elizabeth but there are several shoaler spots. Rocks covered 27 Islands, extends west-southwestward from Uncatena and to 37 feet are near the center of the channel. Because Nonamesset Islands. of the broken nature of the bottom, the passage is not recommended for a stranger drawing more than 21 feet. (111) Weepecket Islands, in Buzzards Bay off the Buoys mark the channel. northeastern part of Naushon Island, are bare and rocky. (120) The aids in Quicks Hole are colored and numbered (112) Weepecket Rock, on a rocky ledge about 0.7 mile for passage from Vineyard Sound to Buzzards Bay. northeastward of the northernmost of the Weepecket Islands, is covered 8 feet, and is marked by a lighted (121) The eastern side of Quicks Hole is foul, and no gong buoy. attempt should be made to pass eastward of the lighted buoy. Felix Ledge, 0.2 mile off the eastern shore of (113) Lackeys Bay, between Nonamesset Island and Jobs Nashawena Island, is covered 15 feet and marked by a Neck, the southeastern extremity of Naushon Island, is buoy. shoal with numerous bare rocks. (122) A sunken wreck, covered 30 feet, is on the west side (114) of the passage in about 41°26.6'N., 70°51.1'W. Note (123) Lone Rock, covered 8 feet and marked by a (115) In 1990, unexploded World War II ordnance was lighted buoy, is off the northern entrance, about 0.7 mile northward of North Point, the northeastern extremity of reported about 0.5 mile southeastward of Lackeys Bay Nashawena Island. Tide rips have been observed between in about 41°29'34.5\"N., 70°41'15.0\"W. North Point and Lone Rock during spring tides. (124) (116) Tarpaulin Cove, about 5 miles west-southwest of Currents Nobska Point, is a bight about 0.5 mile in diameter, in the (125) The tidal currents have considerable velocity in south shore of Naushon Island. The cove affords shelter from northerly and westerly winds, and is frequently used. Quicks Hole, about 2 to 2.5 knots, and a sailing vessel A light is on the southwest side of the cove. Anchorage should not attempt to pass through unless with a strong in depths of 14 to 18 feet, good holding ground, is in the favorable wind on a favorable current. Deep-draft vessels cove with the light bearing between 212° and 189°. Deep- should be careful not to be set off their courses. With a draft vessels should anchor farther out in depths of 36 feet strong westward current through Vineyard Sound, there or more. The eastern and northern shores should be given is a northward current through Quicks Hole; with a strong a berth of 200 yards. Rocks are near the western shore and eastward current in Vineyard Sound, the current sets should be given a berth of over 300 yards; buoys mark southward through Quicks Hole. Strong winds affect the the dangers. regularity of the currents. (See the Tidal Current Tables for predictions.) (117) Robinsons Hole is a narrow buoyed passage from Vineyard Sound to Buzzards Bay between the western end of Naushon Island and the eastern end of Pasque Island. It has numerous rocks and ledges, and strong tidal currents. (126) Penikese Island, grassy and hilly, is about 1.3 The buoys often tow under, and the passage should never miles northwestward of Knox Point, the northwestern be attempted by strangers; it is used occasionally by local extremity of Nashawena Island. Shoal water extends fishermen. It has been reported that currents sometimes from Penikese Island to Gull Island, a small islet 0.5 reach a velocity of 5 knots in the passage. The velocity mile southeastward. No attempt should be made to pass in the narrow part is about 3 knots. The flood sets between them. Rocky ledges extend southward and southeastward and the ebb northwestward into Buzzards westward from Gull Island; buoys are on the southern Bay. (See the Tidal Current Tables for predictions.)
U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 5 ¢ 213 edge of this area. The channels to Cuttyhunk Harbor from except for Middle Ledge, are buoyed. An unmarked Buzzards Bay are southward of the ledges. rocky shoal, covered 12 feet, is in the middle of the (127) Cuttyhunk Harbor is formed by the bight northwestern approach about 0.2 mile southeastward of between Nashawena Island and Cuttyhunk Island, the Middle Ledge. Numerous other rocks and ledges covered westernmost of the Elizabeth Islands. Northward of the 4 to 12 feet are between Cuttyhunk Island and the ledges harbor are Penikese and Gull Islands and several ledges, southwestward of Penikese and Gull Islands. The eastern which shelter the harbor from winds from that direction. point at the entrance and the eastern shore of the harbor The harbor is exposed to winds from the northeastward. should be given a berth of over 300 yards. Weather-bound coasting vessels and fishermen sometimes use the anchorage in the harbor. The harbor is the approach (137) to the village of Cuttyhunk and to Cuttyhunk Pond; the latter is entered through a dredged cut in the eastern end Routes of Cuttyhunk Island. Copicut Neck forms the northerly (138) In approaching Cuttyhunk Harbor from eastward in side of Cuttyhunk Pond. (128) Prominent from offshore is a 50-foot-high monument Buzzards Bay, take care to avoid Lone Rock, 0.7 mile on an island in Westend Pond on the western end of northward of the northeastern end of Nashawena Island. Cuttyhunk Island. Thence pass northwestward of Cuttyhunk East Entrance (129) Vessels bound for Cuttyhunk Harbor generally Lighted Bell Buoy CH (41°26.6'N., 70°53.4'W), and approach from Buzzards Bay. The principal dangers thence to anchorage according to draft in the harbor. are marked by buoys. Strangers should not enter except (139) In approaching from westward, from a position in the daytime with clear weather. If entering from the about midway between Ribbon Reef and the Cuttyhunk northwestward, a greater draft than 10 feet should not be Island monument (41°24.8'N., 70°56.8'W.), steer 051° taken in. The approach from northeastward is deeper. until abeam of Middle Ground Buoy MG, distance (130) Canapitsit Channel, between the east end of 600 yards. Pass midway between Middle Ground and Cuttyhunk Island and Nashawena Island, is used by Penikese Island, passing northward of Middle Ledge and small boats and is partially marked by buoys. In 2012, the 12-foot spot southeastward of it, and then swinging the channel had a controlling depth of 4 feet. The buoys southeasterly to the harbor anchorage, or southward to at this entrance are often dragged off station by strong the entrance to Cuttyhunk Pond. currents and heavy seas. The channel should never be used during a heavy ground swell. With southerly winds, (140) heavy seas will break across the entrance. Currents (131) (141) The current velocity in Canapitsit Channel is 2.6 Channels knots on the flood which sets south-southeastward, and (132) A Federal project provides a 10-foot channel from 1.7 knots on the ebb which sets northwestward. In the channel southward of Penikese Island, the flood sets Cuttyhunk Harbor into Cuttyhunk Pond to a turning eastward and the ebb westward at about 0.8 knot. (See basin at the western terminal in the pond and a 10-foot Tide Tables and Tidal Current Tables for predictions.) anchorage basin in the eastern part of the pond north of (142) Drift ice is carried into Cuttyhunk Harbor with the channel. (See Notice to Mariners and the latest edition northerly winds and closes the harbor during severe of the chart for controlling depths.) The jettied entrance winters. is marked by a light on the north jetty and by a buoy off the end of the submerged south jetty. A bell buoy marks (143) the entrance to the channel. Small-craft facilities (133) (144) There is a service wharf on the south side of the Anchorage channel at the entrance to the pond and a marina on the (134) Limited anchorage with reported poor holding south side of the basin at the head of the channel in the pond. A yacht club and a fishing club are on the island. ground may be found in depths of 10 to 24 feet in Gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, berths with electricity, Cuttyhunk Harbor. The shores on both sides of the harbor and some marine supplies are available. Limited lodging are foul, and the anchorage is in the middle. in cottages is available on the island. The harbormaster can be reached at 508–966–9295. There is daily launch (135) service with New Bedford in the summer and twice weekly in the winter; seaplane service is also available. Dangers (136) Shoals extend 0.6 mile northeastward of Cuttyhunk (145) Island. Whale Rock and Pease Ledge uncover at low Charts 13218, 13228, 13230, 13229 water. Middle Ground, covered 9 feet, is 0.5 mile north of Copicut Neck in the northwestern approach to the (146) Buzzards Bay is the approach to New Bedford, harbor. Middle Ledge, covered 15 feet, is about 0.4 mile many small towns and villages, and the entrance of east of Middle Ground. Edwards Rock, covered 7 feet, is Cape Cod Canal. The bay indents the south shore of 250 yards northeastward of Whale Rock. These dangers, Massachusetts, extending in a northeasterly direction from Rhode Island Sound. The bay is enclosed on the
214 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 5 south side, and separated from Vineyard Sound, by the a point in about 41°09'36\"N., 71°18'00\"W., a course of Elizabeth Islands. 038° follows the centerline of the traffic lane to its end, (147) The shores are irregular, rocky in character, and thence steer usual courses to destination. broken by many bays and rivers. Large boulders are (158) The outbound traffic lane is a 1-mile-wide lane common, in places extending a considerable distance with a length of about 14.8 miles. Entering the traffic lane from shore, thus making close approach to the shore at a point in about 41°22'25\"N., 71°08'06\"W., a course of dangerous. 218° follows the centerline of the traffic lane to a junction (148) The bottom in the main part of the bay and approach with the precautionary area. is very broken with boulder reefs in places. Vessels (159) The Traffic Separation Scheme is not buoyed. should proceed with caution when crossing shoal areas (160) Buzzards Bay has six entrances, but two of these in the tributaries of the bay where the depths are not more are so narrow and dangerous as to exclude their use than about 6 feet greater than the draft. Caution must also except by small craft with local knowledge. The four be exercised in the vicinity of the wrecks shown on the major entrances are the main channel, from westward, chart. Deep water prevails as far as Wings Neck, above passing north of Cuttyhunk Island; Cape Cod Canal which the bay is full of shoals. from northeastward; and Quicks Hole and Woods Hole (149) Cape Cod South Closure Area, a Marine Protected from the southward. The two hazardous entrances are Area (MPA), includes the inshore waters of Buzzards Canapitsit Channel, between Cuttyhunk and Nashawena Bay and offshore Federal waters of the south coast of Islands, and Robinsons Hole, between Pasque and Massachusetts. Naushon Islands. (150) Traffic Separation Scheme (Buzzards Bay) has (161) The western entrance has a clear width of 4.3 miles been established in the approach to Buzzards Bay through between Sow and Pigs Reef and Hen and Chickens. The Rhode Island Sound. (See charts 13218 and 12300.) bottom in this entrance is irregular and rocky, and there (151) TheSchemeiscomposedbasicallyofdirectedtraffic are spots with depths of 17 to 34 feet. Because these shoal lanes, each with one-way inbound and outbound traffic areas are surrounded by deeper water, vessels of 16-foot lanes separated by a defined traffic separation zone and draft or more must exercise extra caution when entering a precautionary area. The Scheme is recommended for the bay. In heavy southwest gales the sea breaks over use by vessels approaching or departing from Buzzards some of these spots. Bay, but is not necessarily intended for tugs, tows, or (162) The best guides for entering the bay from westward other small vessels which traditionally operate outside are Buzzards Bay Entrance Light and the lighted buoys in of the usual steamer lanes or close inshore. the entrance. Gay Head Light and Buzzards Bay Entrance (152) The Traffic Separation Scheme has been designed Light are the guides for vessels approaching from the to aid in the prevention of collisions at the approaches southward. to the major harbors, but is not intended in any way (163) Buzzards Bay Entrance Light (41°23'49\"N., to supersede or alter the applicable Navigation Rules. 71°02'05\"W.), 67 feet above the water, is shown from a Separation zones are intended to separate inbound tower on a red square superstructure on red piles about and outbound traffic lanes and be free of ship traffic, 4 miles 255° from the southwest corner of Cuttyhunk and should not be used except for crossing purposes. Island. The name BUZZARDS is painted in white on the Mariners should use extreme caution when crossing sides. A racon is at the light and a mariner activated sound traffic lanes and separation zones. (See 33 CFR 167.1 signal at the light is initiated by keying the microphone through 167.15 and 167.100 through 167.103, chapter five times on VHF-FM channel 83A. 2, for limits and regulations and Traffic Separation (164) Recommended Vessel Route (Buzzards Bay) has Schemes, chapter 1, for additional information.) been established in the approach to Buzzards Bay through (153) The precautionary area in the southwest part of Rhode Island Sound. Rhode Island Sound has a radius of 5.4 miles centered (165) TheU.S.CoastGuardCaptainofthePort,Providence, on 41°06'00\"N., 71°23'18\"W., excluding those areas of in cooperation with the Southeastern Massachusetts and the circle bounded by imaginary lines extended between Rhode Island Port Safety and Security Committees, the outer limits of the inbound and outbound traffic has established a Recommended Vessel Route for deep lanes. (Note that this precautionary area is common to draft vessels and tugs/barges transiting Rhode Island the Traffic Separation Schemes for the approaches to Sound, Narragansett Bay, and Buzzards Bay. Deep both Buzzards Bay and Narragansett Bay. The Traffic draft vessels and tugs/barges are requested to follow the Separation Scheme for the approach to Narragansett Bay designated routes. These routes were designed to provide is described in chapter 6.) safe, established routes for these vessels, to reduce the (154) The separation zone is a 1-mile-wide zone centered potential for conflict with recreational boaters, fishing in the following positions: gear, and other small craft, and to reduce the potential (155) (i) 41°10'12\"N., 71°19'06\"W., for grounding or collision. Vessels are responsible for (156) (ii) 41°21'48\"N., 71°07'06\"W. their own safety and are not required to remain inside (157) The inbound traffic lane is a 1-mile-wide lane with the route nor are fisherman required to keep fishing gear a length of about 14.8 miles. Entering the traffic lane at outside the route. Small vessels should exercise caution in
U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 5 ¢ 215 and around the Recommended Vessel Routes and monitor Maximum velocities are about 0.5 knot. Minimum VHF channels 16 or 13 for information concerning deep velocities average about 0.2 knot. (See the Tide Tables draft vessels and tugs/barges transiting these routes. and Tidal Current Tables for predictions.) (166) (175) Anchorages Ice (167) New Bedford Inner Harbor affords anchorage (176) The head of Buzzards Bay and the harbors in that for vessels of 25-foot draft. Cuttyhunk Harbor affords vicinity are generally closed to navigation during the anchorage in depths of 10 to 24 feet; except for the small- winter. The approaches to the harbors on the eastern shore craft inner harbor, it is exposed to northerly winds. A are rendered dangerous by drift ice. In severe winters good anchorage sheltered from all southerly winds may the drift ice extends across the bay and joins the local be had off the north shore of Nashawena Island eastward formations on the western shore, forming an impassable of Penikese and Gull Islands in depths of 40 to 48 feet. barrier for short periods. Ice forms more rapidly in the bay This anchorage, frequently used by tows, is available with winds from north to west as the western shore forms for vessels of any draft; however, care must be taken to a shelter from such winds. When the field ice extends stay clear of the fishtrap area in the vicinity. Two general sufficiently out toward the channel as to be affected by the anchorages are off the western entrance to Cape Cod winds from north to west, the outer edges are broken up Canal. (See 33 CFR110.1 and 110.140(b)(1), (b)(2), and and carried off to the eastern or southern shore where they (d), chapter 2, for limits and regulations.) form drift ice. Under ordinary circumstances a northeast wind, if continued for 48 hours, will clear the bay of ice. (168) Southerly winds, especially southeastern, diminish the extent and weaken the strength of the pack. Some of the Dangers lighted buoys are removed from station or replaced by (169) Hen and Chickens, extending 1.4 miles southward unlighted buoys when endangered by ice. of Gooseberry Neck, is a reef consisting of many large boulders, most of them baring a foot or less. The reef is in two large groups; the southerly group is the larger. (177) The southern side of Buzzards Bay from Cuttyhunk Numerous covered rocks are well away from the visible to Woods Hole has been discussed previously in this part of the danger. A narrow ledge covered 5 to 14 feet chapter. extends about 0.4 mile northward from the visible part of Hen and Chickens. A buoy is north of the ledge. Old (178) Cock, a rock awash, and The Wildcat, covered 5 feet and unmarked, are in the southern shoal area. The south edge Charts 13230, 13229 of the shoal is marked by a buoy. Strangers are advised to stay outside the 5-fathom curve in this vicinity. (179) Quissett Harbor, 1.7 miles northeastward of the (170) Sow and Pigs Reef, much of which is dry or awash, western entrance to Woods Hole, is used by small pleasure extends about 1.5 miles west-southwestward from craft. The Knob, a small hillock on the north point of the Cuttyhunk Island. Its outer end is marked by a lighted entrance, and the homes on the eastern shore of the harbor bell buoy. An unmarked rock strewn shoal, covered 20 are prominent. A standpipe, 1.2 miles northeastward of feet, is 0.9 mile westward of Cuttyhunk Island. Numerous the entrance, is conspicuous. obstructions and rocks were reported to extend as much as 3 miles southward of Sow and Pigs Reef. (180) A seasonal lighted buoy marks the entrance, and (171) Ribbon Reef, a detached ledge covered 18 feet, buoys mark the entrance channel, thence private seasonal is about 1.5 miles northwestward of Cuttyhunk Island. aids mark the best water to the northeast end of the harbor. Coxens Ledge, covered 28 feet and marked by a lighted In 1981, a depth of about 8 feet was reported available in bell buoy, is 1.2 miles northward of Ribbon Reef. the channel. Mariners are advised to steer a midchannel (172) Mishaum Ledge, a group of several rocky spots with course through the entire entrance channel to avoid a least depth of 8 feet, extends about 1.7 miles southward numerous rocks on both sides of the channel. of Mishaum Point. It is marked by a lighted gong buoy off its southeast end. A lighted bell buoy marks a rocky (181) Anchorage can be found in the middle of the harbor shoal covered 22 feet about 1 mile north-northwestward in depths of 11 to 18 feet, sticky bottom. Local craft of the north end of Penikese Island. An unmarked rocky generally moor in the northeastern part of the harbor shoal covered 18 feet is 0.5 mile north of the island. off the boatyard at the town of Quissett. The boatyard has an L-shaped pier and a float which was reported to (173) have about 15 feet alongside. Water, ice, moorings, some marine supplies, storage facilities, and marine railways Currents up to 40 feet are available; hull and engine repairs can be (174) The tidal currents in the passages between Buzzards made. The harbormaster can be contacted through the boatyard. Bay and Vineyard Sound have considerable velocity and require special attention. At Buzzards Bay Lighted Gong (182) Hamlin Point, 2 miles north-northeastward of Buoy 3, the tidal current is rotary, turning clockwise. Quissett Harbor, is marked by a prominent hotel with Tide rips occur when a sea is running against the current. twin cupolas. A shoal, covered 10 feet near its outer end, extends about 1 mile westward of the point. Gifford
216 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 5 Ledge, covered 9 feet, is 1.4 miles north-northwestward to 12 feet, taking care to avoid the shoals on the north of Hamlin Point. Great Sippewisset Rock, awash and side of the harbor and the rock awash near the center in marked by a private seasonal daybeacon, is 0.4 mile 41°39'27\"N., 70°37'31\"W. Cataumet Rock, covered 6 offshore about 1.1 miles northward of Hamlin Point. A feet and marked by a buoy, is on the south side of the shoal area, foul with rocks awash and covered, extends entrance; Seal Rocks are on the north side and marked 0.3 mile offshore eastward of the daybeacon. by a seasonal lighted buoy. (183) West Falmouth Harbor, 5 miles northward of (189) Fiddlers Cove (41°38.9'N., 70°38.2'W.) is a small- Woods Hole, has depths of 1 to 6 feet and bares in places craft harbor on the south shore of Megansett Harbor, at low water. The entrance is protected by a breakwater about 0.5 mile east-southeastward of Cataumet Rock. A extending about 700 feet southward of Little Island, the channel, privately dredged to a reported depth of 7 feet, north point of the entrance, and by a short jetty on the leads southward to a marina and boatyard in a dredged northwest end of Chappaquoit Point. A tower and the basin on the east side of the cove. A seasonal lighted buoy summer homes on Chappaquoit Point are prominent. The marks the approach, and private buoys mark the channel. entrance is marked by a seasonal lighted bell buoy and Gasoline, diesel fuel, ice, a pump-out station and wet an unlighted buoy on the south side and by an unlighted and dry storage are available; lift capacity, 35 tons. Hull, buoy on the north side; these buoys mark reefs that extend engine and electronic repairs can be made. In April 2002, westward from both entrance points. Seasonal private the reported approach and alongside depth was 7 feet. buoys mark the channel in the harbor. (190) HalftideRock,awashatlowwater,isabout500yards (184) In 1981, it was reported that 4 feet could be taken southwestward of the end of the Megansett breakwater. through the narrow, privately marked channel in the Rands Harbor, about 0.3 mile east of Fiddlers Cove, is harbor to the anchorage basin off the town wharf at the a private boat basin with little or no water. village of West Falmouth on the east shore of the harbor. (191) Squeteague Harbor, northward of Megansett, Depths of 5 feet were reported alongside the wharf in is entered through a narrow channel from the head of 1981. The harbormaster has an office at the town wharf. Megansett Harbor. The privately marked channel had a A 6 mph speed limit is enforced in the harbor. reported depth of about 2 feet in 1981; however, depths of 5 to 7 feet are reported to be available in the channel (185) to the harbor; local knowledge is advised. The village of Cataumet is on the northerly shore of the harbor. Charts 13236, 13229 (192) Seal Rocks, about 0.3 mile southwestward of Scraggy Neck, on the north side of Megansett Harbor (186) Wild Harbor (41°38.3'N., 70°38.9'W.), 7 miles entrance, are partly bare at half tide and marked by a northward of Woods Hole, is a small cove on the south buoy about 300 yards southwest of their southern end. side of Nyes Neck affording anchorage in northerly or Part of an old concrete barge is aground on the rocks. easterly winds. A tower on Nyes Neck is prominent. The Southwest Ledge, extending about 0.7 mile westward of entrance is clear in midchannel, with depths of 13 to 20 Seal Rocks, consists of two patches of shoals covered by feet inside. A seasonal lighted buoy marks the entrance, 2 to 18 feet and marked by buoys on its northern, western, and buoys mark the shoals extending from the entrance and southern sides. A rock awash is in the northerly shoal. points. The shores are foul, and the easterly part of the (193) Pocasset Harbor and Red Brook Harbor share a harbor is shoal. The reported depth in the privately common entrance between Scraggy Neck and Wings dredged channel into Silver Beach Harbor to a small Neck. Bassetts Island separates Pocasset Harbor from basin is about 3 feet, but is subject to shoaling. A stone Red Brook Harbor. Broken ground with depths of 17 to jetty extends off the south side of the entrance to the basin. 19 feet in places extends across the entrance. Entering The basin is a special anchorage. (See 33 CFR 110.1and about 250 yards north of buoys marking the north side 110.40, chapter 2, for limits and regulations.) of Southwest Ledge, vessels of about 14-foot draft can anchor westward of Eustis Rock Buoy in depths of 20 (187) A town wharf and surfaced ramp are in the basin. In to 30 feet. This anchorage is exposed to westerly winds. 1981, depths of 4 feet to bare were reported alongside the Eustis Rock, about 0.2 mile north of Scraggy Neck, is wharf. Ice and provisions are available. covered 5 feet and marked by a buoy. The area eastward of Eustis Rock to Bassetts Island is shoal. (188) Megansett Harbor, the approach to the towns of (194) A narrow buoyed channel, with a reported depth North Falmouth, Megansett, and Cataumet, is entered of about 8 feet in 1981, leads north of Bassetts Island between Nyes Neck on the south and Scraggy Neck on to Pocasset Harbor. Barlows Landing, at the northeast the north. The natural channel is buoyed as far as the end of the harbor, has a depth of 1½ feet. A small-craft rock breakwater at Megansett. The breakwater is marked launching ramp is just south of the landing. at the end by a light. A yacht club and a town wharf are (195) Hospital Cove, about 0.2 mile southward of the just inside the breakwater. In 1981, depths of 4 to 5 feet southern end of Bassetts Island, is entered through a were reported alongside the wharf; water is available. The natural buoyed channel that leads southeastward from a harbor has extensive shoals and ledges, but by following point about 0.4 mile east-southeastward of Eustis Rock the buoyed channel a draft of about 8 feet can be carried to an anchorage in the outer harbor in depths of 10 to 22 feet. Inside the breakwater, anchorage is available in 6
U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 5 ¢ 217 to a small anchorage in the cove. A depth of about 6 feet by small boats. Mashnee Island, once an island, is now can be carried in the channel, and there are depths of 8 to connected with the mainland by a landfill causeway. A 14 feet in the anchorage. In 1981, a shoal at the south tip group of rocks awash, marked by a buoy, is 0.2 mile off of Bassetts Island was reported to be shifting westward the east shore of the harbor, and another rock, covered 4 in the vicinity of Buoy 3; caution is advised. A boulder feet, and marked by a buoy, is 0.1 mile north of Tobys reef extends northeastward from Scraggy Neck in the Island. approach to the cove. Several private piers with depths (202) The village of Monument Beach is on the east of 5 to 8 feet alongside are in the cove. shore. A marina is at the long town pier in the cove in (196) Red Brook Harbor, eastward of Bassetts Island, is the southeastern corner of the harbor. Berthage in 5 feet approached from the northward through the channel that is available at the pier. Gasoline, water, ice, electricity, a leads through Pocasset Harbor, and from the southward pump-out station, and a surfaced ramp are available. through the channel that leads through Hospital Cove. (203) Back River, a stream which is nearly bare except Hen Cove is immediately northward of Red Brook near its entrance, empties into the north side of Phinneys Harbor. The channels are buoyed. In 1981, reported Harbor. Small craft sometimes anchor in the entrance. A depths of 8 feet and 6 feet could be carried through railroad bridge and a highway bridge crossing the river the north and south channels, respectively. Because of about 0.2 mile above the mouth have fixed spans with a numerous submerged rocks in and near the edges of the minimum clearance of 4 feet. A boatyard is on the south channel, local knowledge is advised. bank between the bridges. In 1981, a depth of about 1½ (197) A marina and boatyard are on the east shore of feet was reported available in the river to the boatyard. A Red Brook Harbor. These facilities can provide: berths, forklift is used to haul out boats up to 26 feet at the yard, electricity, gasoline, diesel fuel, pump-out, water, ice, while boats up to 37 feet in length can be hauled out on marine supplies, boat storage and can make hull and a flatbed trailer at a paved ramp at Barlows Landing and engine repairs; electronic repairs can be made at the then brought to the yard for hull and engine repairs or dry marina. Marine lifts to 60 tons and a 50-to marine railway open or covered storage. A launching ramp and marine are also available. supplies are available at the yard. (198) Wings Neck, 9 miles northward of Woods Hole, (204) Gray Gables is on the north side of the head of the extends about 2 miles in a west-southwest direction Back River. into Buzzards Bay. The neck is a prominent peninsula, (205) Cape Cod Canal is a deep-draft sea-level waterway irregular, and hilly. The anchorage areas southwestward connecting Buzzards Bay and Cape Cod Bay. The of the neck are discussed with the Cape Cod Canal. A waterway is 15 miles long from Cleveland East Ledge yacht club and private piers are on the east shore of the Light to deep water in Cape Cod Bay. The canal shortens neck. Traffic signals for the Cape Cod Canal are displayed the distance between points north and south of Cape Cod from a tower on Wings Neck. (See 33 CFR207.20,chapter by 50 to 150 miles and provides an inside passage to 2, for details.) avoid Nantucket Shoals. The canal is maintained by the (199) Pocasset River, between the northeastern end of Federal Government as a free waterway. (See 33 CFR Wings Neck and Bennets Neck, is entered from the north 207.20, chapter 2, for the regulations governing the use, side of Wings Neck through a privately dredged channel administration, and navigation of the Cape Cod Canal.) that leads southward between two jetties to a highway (206) Traffic lights (red, green, and yellow) are located bridge about 0.4 mile above the entrance. In 2001, a at the easterly canal entrance at Sandwich; at the Canal reported depth of 6 feet could be carried to the bridge. The Electric Terminal basin on the south side of the canal at bridge has a fixed span with a clearance of 7 feet. Only Sandwich; and at the westerly entrance of Hog Island very small boats go above the bridge. A boatyard is on Channel at Wings Neck. These signals apply to all vessels the south side of the river at the bridge. Water, berths with over 65 feet in length that desire to transit the canal. (See electricity, storage facilities, a 35-foot marine railway, 33 CFR 207.20(h), chapter 2, for detailed information on and a 5-ton lift are available; hull and engine repairs can signals.) be made. A town wharf and floats are on the north side of the river at the bridge. (207) (200) Tobys Island, just northward of the entrance of Pocasset River and on the south side of Phinneys Harbor, Prominent features is connected to the mainland by a causeway. (208) Cleveland East Ledge Light (41°37'51\"N., (201) Phinneys Harbor, between Tobys Island on the east and Mashnee Island on the west, is approached 70°41'39\"W.), 74 feet above the water, is shown from a from Buzzards Bay through a buoyed channel that leads white cylindrical tower and dwelling on a red caisson on along the northerly side of Wings Neck to another buoyed the east side of the entrance channel approaching Cape channel into the harbor. A light is at the bend of the Cod Canal from Buzzards Bay. A racon and sound signal approach channel. Depths of about 10 feet can be carried are at the light station. The railroad bridge over the canal in the inner channel, and greater depths are available in at the village of Buzzards Bay, and the highway bridge the approach channel. The harbor is used as an anchorage at Bourne are also prominent. (209) Cape Cod Canal BreakwaterLight 6 (41°46'47\"N., 70°29'23\"W.), 43 feet above the water, is shown from a
218 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 5 (210) Cape Cod Canal (east entrance) N Image courtesy of Marblehead Power Squadron (2009) red cylindrical tower on the end of the north breakwater wharf about 1.2 miles west of Cape Cod Canal Breakwater at the east entrance to Cape Cod Canal from Cape Cod Light 6. Bay. A mariner radio actived sound signal is at the light, (214) The approach channels from both the west and the initiated by keying the microphone five times on VHF- east are marked with lighted ranges and other navigational FM channel 83A. The most prominent landmark when aids. The canal itself is lighted at night on both banks by approaching from Cape Cod Bay is the tall lighted stack mercury vapor lights, generally 500 feet apart. of the powerplant about 1.1 miles west-southwestward of Cape Cod Canal Breakwater Light 6. The high-level (215) highway bridge across the canal at Sagamore, 2.5 miles west of the breakwater light, is also prominent. The Anchorages breakwaters at the east entrance to the canal should not (216) General anchorages are on each side of Cleveland be confused with the smaller jetties at Sandwich Harbor, 1 mile to the southeastward, nor should the two white Ledge Channel between Cleveland East Ledge Light church spires back of Sandwich Harbor be mistaken for and Wings Neck. (See 33 CFR 110.1 and 110.140 (b) the range structure marking the entrance to the canal. and (d), chapter 2, for limits and regulations.) In 1971, a dangerous submerged rock was reported just inside the easterly edge of Anchorage D in about 41°40'05\"N., (212) 70°40'17\"W. In 1984, an obstruction was reported in Anchorage C in about 41°40'00\"N., 70°41'35\"W. Channels (217) Mooring basins, with tieup dolphins, are at both ends (213) A Federal project provides for a channel 32 feet deep of the canal. One is on the east side of Hog Island Channel abreast of Hog Island, where shoaling to bare in about through the Cape Cod Canal. (See Notice to Mariners 41°43'49\"N., 70°37'53\"W. was reported in 1979. The and latest editions of the chart for controlling depths.) other is just inside the eastern entrance to the canal. A Deep-draft vessels should obtain the latest information as small boat basin is on the south side of the channel just to available depths so as to pass through the canal during inside the eastern entrance to the canal; depths of 8 to 13 maximum stages of high water if the draft of the vessel feet were available in the basin in 1969. is near the controlling depth. In 1981, it was reported that the east entrance was being privately maintained to a depth of 40 feet to the New England Petroleum Company
U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 5 ¢ 219 (211) Cape Cod Canal (west entrance) N Image courtesy of Marblehead Power Squadron (2009) (219) (224) Currents North Atlantic Right Whales (220) Daily predictions for the tidal current in Cape Cod (225) Endangered North Atlantic right whales have been Canal at the railroad bridge are given in the Tidal Current reported within the Cape Cod Canal and in the vicinity of Tables. Under ordinary conditions, the tidal current has the Canal's east entrance. The Cape Cod Marine Traffic a velocity of 4.0 knots on the flood, which sets eastward, Controllers provide information regarding North Atlantic and 4.5 knots on the ebb, which sets westward. Large right whale sightings and locations. The Northeast differences in range and timing of the tide between Marine Pilots distribute educational material to mariners Buzzards Bay and Cape Cod Bay cause strong currents in an effort to reduce right whale ship strikes. When in the canal. Tides may lower the canal level 2 feet below right whales are present in Cape Cod Bay (peak season: mean low water or even more if attended by heavy December through May), vessels transiting Cape Cod offshore winds. Bay are urged to use Recommended Two-Way Whale (221) Due to the strong tidal currents in the canal, especially Avoidance Routes to reduce the likelihood of collisions during spring tides, low-powered vessels should await with right whales. (See North Atlantic Right Whales, slack water or favorable current. Navigators are warned indexed as such, in chapter 3 for more information to be on the alert for possible “bank suction” and “bank on right whales and recommended measures to avoid cushion,” the effects of which may cause a vessel to take collisions with whales.) a sudden and decided sheer. (226) All vessels 65 feet or greater in length overall (L.O.A.) and subject to the jurisdiction of the United States (222) are restricted to speeds of 10 knots or less in the Cape Cod Bay Seasonal Management Area between January 1 and Weather: Buzzards Bay and vicinity May 15. The area is defined as all waters of Cape Cod Bay (223) Fog is said to be less dense over Cape Cod Canal than with a northern boundary of 42°04'56.5\"N., 70°12'W., to 42°12'N., 70°12'W., thence due west back to shore. (See outside, but at times a water vapor rises from the canal to 50 CFR 224.105in chapter 2 for regulations, limitations, such an extent that traffic has to be suspended. The canal and exceptions.) proper never has been closed by ice, but occasionally (227) The waters of Cape Cod Bay lie within the Buzzards Bay and Cape Cod Bay become so congested WHALESNORTH Mandatory Ship Reporting Area. with ice that navigation through the canal is prevented.
220 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 5 (218) Structures across Cape Cod Canal Clear Width of Clear Height above Draw or Span Mean High Water Name•Description•Type Location Opening (feet) (feet) Information Railroad Bridge (vertical lift) 41°44'31\"N., 70°36'51\"W. 500 135 (up) Notes 1 and 2 7 (down) Maintained in the raised position Bourne/Route 25 Bridge (fixed) 41°44'51\"N., 70°35'22\"W. 500 135 Overhead power cable 41°46'04\"N., 70°33'58\"W. 160 Overhead power cable 41°46'08\"N., 70°33'54\"W. 165 Sagamore/Route 3 Bridge (fixed) 41°46'33\"N., 70°32'36\"W. 500 135 Note 1 – See 33 CFR 117.1 through 117.59 and 117.589, chapter 2, for drawbridge regulations. Note 2 – See 33 CFR 207.20, chapter 2, for navigation regulations. Each self-propelled ship of 300 gross tons or greater both have unpainted aluminum hulls and superstructures entering WHALESNORTH must participate in the with the word PILOT in red on both sides. All Northeast Mandatory Ship Reporting System (See 33 CFR 169, pilot boats monitor VHF-FM channels 16, 13 and 10, and chapter 2, for limits and regulations, and chapter 3 for work on 13 or 10. sample reports). Sovereign immune vessels are exempt (233) Pilots meet westbound vessels off the eastern from the requirement to report, but are encouraged to entrance to the Cape Cod Canal in Cape Cod Bay, ½ mile participate. east of Lighted Bell Buoy CC, in approximate position 41°48.6'N., 70°27.0'W. (228) (234) Pilots meet eastbound vessels at the Brenton Reef Pilots Station, about 1.5 miles eastward of Narragansett Pilotage, Cape Cod Canal and Buzzards Bay Bay Entrance Lighted Whistle Buoy NB within an area (229) At the canal, Canal Traffic Control “WUA21” or bounded by: (235) 41°23.6'N., 71°22.4'W., “Cape Cod Canal Control” monitors VHF-FM channels (236) 41°22.6'N., 71°22.0'W., 16, 13 and 14; usually works on 14. The Masters of all (237) 41°24.2'N., 71°20.0'W., vessels required by the Coast Guard to carry a pilot are (238) 41°22.6'N., 71°20.6'W. This pilot boarding area required to notify Canal Traffic Control prior to entering is southward of a line extending from Point Judith to the waterway with information as specified in 33 CFR Sakonnet Point. 207.20(k), Management of Vessels (see chapter 2). (239) Pilots also meet vessels in the vicinity of Point Judith (230) Pilotage is compulsory for Buzzards Bay for foreign Lighted Whistle Buoy 2, within a 1-mile radius circle vessels of 350 gross tons or more, U.S. vessels under centered in 41°17.2'N., 71°30.4'W. register of 350 gross tons or more and towing vessels in- (240) Eastbound vessels can also meet pilots in the pilot tow with single hull tank barges carrying 5,000 barrels boarding area located about 1 mile NW of Buzzards Bay or more of petroleum and hazardous cargoes. Federal Entrance Light in about 41°23'48\"N., 71°02'01\"W. and State pilots are available from Northeast Marine (241) Pilot services are generally arranged for in advance Pilots, Inc. and from Boston Coastwise Pilots. However, by ships’ agents or directly by shipping companies. all pilotage that is compulsory under M.G.L. C. 103 shall be dispatched through the pilot dispatch office (242) of Northeast Marine Pilots regardless of pilot group affiliation. Northeast Marine Pilots, Inc., Newport, RI Launch service 02840; nemarinepilots.com; telephone 401–847–9050 (243) Launch service is also available; arrange through (24 hours), 800–274–1216; FAX 401–841–9052; email: [email protected]. Boston Coastwise Pilots Boston Coastwise Pilots or Northeast Marine Pilots, Inc. is in Winthrop, MA 02152; telephone 617–510–0082, 508–801–4904; email: [email protected]. Twenty- (244) four hour advance notice and 3 hour updates are requested. (231) The Northeast Marine pilot boats which serve the Towage canal and Buzzards Bay are the NORTHEAST I and (245) Tugs to 2,200 hp are based at the village of Buzzards NORTHEAST V. The NORTHEAST I is a 37-foot boat with a black hull and white superstructure. The Bay; arrangements for their services are usually made NORTHEAST V is a 38-foot boat with a black hull and through ships’ agents. Tugs monitor VHF-FM channel gray superstructure. Both boats have the word PILOT on 13 when expecting a vessel, and use channel 18A as a both sides. working frequency. (232) The pilot boats NORTHEAST II and NORTH-EAST IV serve for boarding eastbound vessels. NORTHEAST (246) II is a 47-foot boat and NORTHEAST IV is a 52 foot boat; Coast Guard (247) Cape Cod Canal Coast Guard Station is on the east side of the entrance to the canal about 1 mile northeastward of Sandwich Harbor.
U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 5 ¢ 221 (248) clearance of 8 feet. In 1992, a rock was reported near the railroad bridge in 41°44'46\"N., 70°37'22\"W. A marina Wharves is on the east side of Cohasset Narrows just south of the (249) State Pier, site of the Massachusetts Maritime railroad bridge and can provide transient berths, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, marine supplies, pump-out and a Academy, on the north side of Cape Cod Canal, 0.6 mile launching ramp. Several small piers for shallow-draft below the railroad bridge at the village of Buzzards Bay, boats are in Buttermilk Bay. is 600 feet long with about 25 feet alongside the berthing (258) Onset Bay, between Sias Point on the north and face. In 1981, shoaling to 10 feet was reported in the basin Hog Neck on the south, is the approach to the village of off the berthing face in about 41°44'15\"N., 70°37'35\"W. Onset. A dredged marked channel leads westward from In 1981, the reported controlling depth on the channel Cape Cod Canal along the southerly side of the bay to a side of the pier was 25 feet. Permission to berth at the pier turning basin off the village. Two anchorage areas, one on must be obtained from the academy. Vessels should not each side of the channel, are at the head of the channel. attempt to go alongside or leave the pier except at periods (259) Wickets Island is a high and wooded islet in the of slack water. Passing vessels are requested to proceed middle of the bay. The buoys in the entrance channel are slowly to avoid damage to lines and other equipment at frequently towed under because of the strong currents. A the pier. rock, covered 9 feet, is near the channel entrance about 75 (250) The New England Petroleum Company mooring yards northeast of Hog Island Channel Light 21. In 1981, platform, on the south side of Cape Cod Canal, 1.2 two rocks, covered 4 to 5 feet, were reported on the north miles westward of Cape Cod Canal Breakwater Light edge of the channel between Buoys 2 and 4; caution is 6, provides berthing for tank vessels up to 750 feet long advised. with drafts of 40 feet. Vessels over 50,000 tons or 32-foot (260) A special anchorage is in the northern part of Onset draft moor at high water slack during daylight hours only. Bay. (See 33 CFR110.1and 110.45, chapter 2, for limits Vessels under 50,000 tons moor at high water slack, day and regulations.) Additional anchorages are available at or night. Petroleum products are pumped to storage tanks the head of the dredged channel. ashore. (261) A 5 mph speed limit is enforced above Wickets Island. (251) (262) The Onset town wharf, on the north side of the turning basin, has depths of about 14 feet at its face. Supplies The harbormaster has an office at the wharf. The (252) Gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, marine supplies, and harbormaster monitors VHF-FM channel 16 and uses channel 9 as a working frequency; call sign KYQ-833. a paved ramp are available at the boat basin just inside the Several small-craft facilities are on the north side of the Cape Cod Bay entrance to the canal. Temporary berthage bay along the southwesterly side of Long Neck. and anchorage are also available at the basin. (263) East River empties into Onset Bay southeast of Onset. A draft of 4 feet can be taken to Broad Cove above (253) the highway bridge which connects Onset and Long Neck. The bridge has a fixed span with a clearance of 11 Communications feet. (254) Information on operating conditions, widths, depths, (264) Stony Point Dike, a sandspit breakwater about 5 feet high, extends about 1.8 miles south-southwesterly or other data on the canal is available at all hours, day from Cedar Island Point to Abiels Ledge. The or night, by calling the canal office at Buzzards Bay at breakwater protects Hog Island Channel. Cleveland 508–759–4431. Ledge Channel Range Front Light is on the outer end (255) Vessels which are to transit the Cape Cod Canal will of the breakwater. Abiels Ledge, between the channel monitor channel 16 continuously to establish contact with and the south end of the dike, is covered 3 feet. Dry traffic controllers. The vessels will be asked to switch to Ledge, 1 mile northwestward of Abiels Ledge, bares at channel 12 or channel 14 as a working channel to pass half tide; it is marked by a buoy. Little Bird Island, 0.8 information between the traffic controllers and the vessel. mile northward, is surrounded by uneven bottom with However, channel 13 may be used only when the above depths of 2 to 19 feet between it and the northerly shore channels are not available. of Buzzards Bay. (256) The radiotelephone at the Cape Cod Canal Office, (265) Wareham River, which empties into the northern Buzzards Bay, MA, is in continuous operation. Call end of Buzzards Bay, is the approach to the town of letters are WUA-21, and the frequencies are channels Wareham on the west bank. Great Hill, wooded, 124 13, 16, 12, and 14. Vessels equipped for communication feet high, and about 1.5 miles southward of Long Beach with the Cape Cod Canal Office are requested to keep Point, is prominent when approaching the river. A brick their radiotelephone tuned to these frequencies. stack and a standpipe in Wareham are conspicuous. The buoyed channel to the town is crooked and twisting; (257) Buttermilk Bay, at the northeast end of Buzzards Bay, has depths of about 1 to 7 feet. A dredged marked channel and Cohasset Narrows connect the bay with Cape Cod Canal. A railroad bridge crossing Cohasset Narrows has a bascule span with a clearance of 6 feet; the bridge is kept in the closed position. A highway bridge, just above the railroad bridge, has a fixed span with a
222 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 5 (276) Sippican Harbor, Massachusetts N Image courtesy of Marblehead Power Squadron (2009) in 2009, the controlling depth was 3.7 feet from about information regarding channel depths before navigating Nobska Point to the upstream limit of the project. A the river. rock covered 6 feet is in the entrance about 350 yards (268) The depth at the Wareham town landing was reported south-southwest of Dry Ledge in about 41°41'59.9\"N., to be about 4½ feet in 1981. The Wareham Harbor Patrol 70°41'41.6\"W., and several rocks and shoal spots covered patrols the harbor during the summer boating season and 9 to 14 feet are within 0.75 mile west to southwest of the enforces a speed limit of 5 knots. A boatyard, on the ledge. A shoal makes off southeasterly from Cromeset western side of Wareham Neck about 0.3 mile below the Point, 0.6 mile southward of Long Beach Point. In 1981, bridges, has a marine railway that can handle craft up to it was reported that Long Beach Point covers at high 45 feet for hull and engine repairs or storage. Gasoline, water; caution is advised. The section near Quahaug diesel fuel, water, marine supplies, and a 25-ton mobile Bar, north of Long Beach Point, is subject to shoaling. hoist are available. In 1981, depths of about 6 feet were Depths shoal to 2 and 3 feet close to the buoyed channel. reported alongside the boatyard service float. Wareham Small craft sometimes anchor just north of Long Beach has bus service. Point. Highway and railroad bridges over the river above (269) Marks Cove, on the west side of the channel to the wharves have 31-foot fixed spans with a clearance Wareham River between Swifts Beach on the north and of 1 foot. Cromeset Neck on the south, has depths of 2 to 5 feet. (266) The velocity of the current at the entrance to The cove is used by small boats. In 1961, a 6-foot channel Wareham River is not great enough to materially interfere was dredged by the State through the cove from the 6-foot with a sailing vessel having a good breeze. During the contour to Cedar Island at the entrance to Cedar Island first half of the ebb the current below the wharves of the Creek. town sets across the flats westward of the channel, and (270) Weweantic River, entered southward of Cromeset during the whole of the ebb it sets across the flats eastward Neck, has a narrow and crooked channel partly obstructed of the channel below Long Beach Point. (See the Tidal by rocks. A reported depth of about 3 feet can be carried Current Tables for predictions.) The river ices over for past the rocks and as far as the highway bridge, with local short periods during most winters. knowledge. The channel is not marked. An overhead (267) Vessels approaching Wareham River from Buzzards power cable crossing the river about 1.4 miles above the Bay pass 0.8 mile east of Bird Island Light and steer mouth has a clearance of 51 feet. The highway bridge, 351°to the buoyed channel. Strangers should obtain local which is 1.7 miles above the mouth, has two fixed spans
U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 5 ¢ 223 with a clearance of 5 feet. The channel is through the (279) Blankinship Cove and Planting Island Cove, on the northeasterly 45-foot span. The river is navigable for 2 eastern side of Sippican Harbor, have a common entrance miles above the highway bridge by small craft drawing northward of Ram Island. They have general depths of 3 less than 2 feet. A small marina is just above the bridge. to 5 feet. Meadow Island separates the two coves. Gibbs Gasoline, water, ice, storage facilities, marine supplies, Rock, marked by a private seasonal daybeacon, is 50 and hull and engine repairs are available. A flatbed trailer yards off the north point of Ram Island. A rock awash is at the marina can haul out boats to 25 feet. charted 120 yards north of the daybeacon. (271) From Wareham River to New Bedford the shore is indented sharply by rocks and ledges extending offshore (280) Hammett Cove in the northeastern part of Sippican nearly 2 miles in places. Harbor is shallow and used only by small local craft. The (272) Wings Cove, between Great Hill Point southeast approach to the cove is marked by private seasonal buoys. of Great Hill and Piney Point on the eastern side of Charted obstructions are close westward of the buoys. Sippican Neck, has depths of 8 to 17 feet in its outer section. The cove affords protection from westerly winds; (281) Ice usually closes Sippican Harbor for about a month it is used only by small local craft. or more each winter. (273) Butler Point is at the southern tip of Sippican Neck. Shoal water extends about 0.4 mile southward from the (282) Aucoot Cove, about 0.8 mile southwestward of point to Bird Island, a round, low flat island marked by Sippican Harbor, has depths of 10 to 19 feet. A 4-foot a light. spot is near the center of the cove in about 41°40'23.2\"N., (274) Southward and westward of Bird Island are several 70°45'23\"W., and the head of the cove is foul. The buoyed dangers. Bird Island Reef, covered 15 to 18 harbor is protected from all winds except southeast. An feet, is about 0.4 mile east-southeastward. About 0.5 mile unmarked channel with depths of less than 1 foot leads southwestward is Centerboard Shoal, covered 12 feet. to a boatyard west of Haskell Island. Local knowledge The Bow Bells, isolated shoals covered 11 to 18 feet, are and a high tide are required to navigate to the boatyard, about 0.6 to 1 mile southwest of Centerboard Shoal. An which can haul out craft up to 40 feet in length. The yard unlighted gong buoy is about 1.15 miles southward of does general repairs and machine work. Gasoline, diesel Bird Island. fuel by truck, and marine supplies are available. The other (275) Sippican Harbor, scene of much pleasure-boat coves between Sippican and Mattapoisett Harbors are activity, makes into the north shore of Buzzards Bay foul and seldom entered. about 3 miles southward of Wareham River. The harbor is the approach to Marion, a small town on the western (283) shore. It is entered between Bird Island on the east and Converse Point on the west. Prominent features include Chart 13229 the lighthouse on Bird Island and the conspicuous house and flagpole on Converse Point. The standpipe on (284) Mattapoisett Harbor, about 3.5 miles southwest Sippican Neck can also be seen for a considerable of Sippican Harbor and 5 miles northeastward of distance. New Bedford Harbor, is the approach to the town of (277) The town dock at Marion, approached through a Mattapoisett. The harbor is used by numerous yachts channel marked by private seasonal buoys, has reported during the summer. Although exposed to southeasterly depths of 4 to 5 feet alongside. Two boatyards at Marion winds, the ledges at the entrance somewhat break the provide limited guest moorings, electricity, gasoline, sea from that direction. A light on Ned Point marks the diesel fuel, water, ice, pump-out, launch ramp, marine lifts approach. A standpipe is in the town. Vessels anchor to 50 tons, boat storage and hull, engine and electronic between Ned Point and the wharves in 13 to 17 feet. repairs can be made. The harbormaster, who controls all mooring and anchoring in the harbor, monitors VHF-FM (285) The entrance between Angelica Point and channel 68. Strawberry Point on the east and Mattapoisett Neck (278) Mendells Rock and Seal Rocks are shoal, rocky on the west is about 1.5 miles wide. A buoyed natural areas, northward of Converse Point extending up to 0.2 channel leads through the numerous rocks and ledges mile off the west shore of the harbor. Planting Island, in the entrance to the anchorage area off the town. The a peninsula extending about 0.6 mile northwesterly channel has a depth of about 14 feet but because of the from Sippican Neck, is on the eastern side of the harbor. broken bottom, vessels should proceed with caution over At Ram Island, off Marion, the passage between the areas where the charted depths are not more than 6 feet island and the western shore is less than 275 yards wide. greater than the draft. Strangers should not attempt to The currents in the narrow portion of the channel have enter at night. considerable velocity at times. Little Island lies on the western side of the channel about 0.2 mile northwestward (286) There are many shoals and rocks, most of them of Ram Island. The buoyed channel has a reported depth buoyed, off the points and in the entrance. Off the west of about 12 feet from the entrance to Marion. side of the entrance, Mattapoisett Ledge extends about a mile southeasterly from Mattapoisett Neck. Nye Ledge, covered 7 to 18 feet, about 0.4 mile southeastward of Mattapoisett Ledge, is marked by a seasonal lighted bell buoy. In or near the entrance channel are Gallatin Rock, covered 10 feet; Sunken Ledge, covered 3 feet; Snow Rock, covered 5 feet; and Barstow Rock, covered 8 feet.
224 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 5 Near the town wharf, a rock, covered 3 feet, is marked (294) Bare rocks and shoaling extend about 1 mile by a buoy. southerly of West Island, and from there to the New (287) A special anchorage is in Mattapoisett Harbor. (See Bedford Harbor entrance are numerous isolated rocks and 33 CFR110.1 and 110.45a, chapter 2, for limits and ledges, the most dangerous of which are buoyed. Mosher regulations.) Ledge, about 1.1 miles south of Wilbur Point, has a least (288) The stone wharf at the town has a reported depth depth of 6 feet. Strangers should stay south of the buoys of 6 feet alongside. Diesel fuel, gasoline, oil, water, ice, marking these dangers. marine supplies, and a surfaced ramp are available. A boatyard in town can handle craft to 60 feet long and 7 feet in draft at the town ramp. A 5 mph speed limit is enforced in the mooring areas. (295) New Bedford Harbor, a tidal estuary at the mouth (289) Aboatyard in the harbor, just northwest of Ned Point, of Acushnet River on the northwestern side of Buzzards has limited guest berths but can provide gasoline, diesel Bay, is the approach to the city of New Bedford and the fuel, electricity, water, ice, pump-out, a 35-ton marine lift, town of Fairhaven. The harbor is about 166 miles from boat storage, and hull, engine and electronic repairs. In The Battery at New York via Long Island Sound, and 2012, a reported depth of 15 feet could be carried to the 83 miles from Boston via Cape Cod Canal. The harbor boatyard with 5 feet alongside. includes all the tidewater lying northerly of a line from (290) Ram Island, about 1.5 miles southwestward of Clarks Point at the southern extremity of New Bedford Mattapoisett Harbor, is a low, grassy island connected to to Wilbur Point at the southern end of Fairhaven and Mattapoisett Neck by a narrow shoal. Rocks and shoal extends to the head of navigation on Acushnet River at water surround the island. Acushnet. The outer harbor consists of the area south (291) Cormorant Rock, 0.9 mile southeastward of Ram of the hurricane barrier at Palmer Island, and the inner Island, bares at half tide and is marked by a daybeacon. harbor consists of the area north of the barrier to a short Ledges with very little water over them surround the distance above the New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge. daybeacon at a distance of 150 yards. A rock, covered 12 feet, is about 0.2 mile northeastward of the daybeacon; (296) New Bedford is a manufacturing city on the west depths of 18 to 21 feet extend 0.2 mile southward. The side of the Acushnet River. Fairhaven is on the east channel between the rock and Ram Island has depths of side of the river. Principal shipping includes receipt of about 15 feet. general cargo and frozen fish; exports are general cargo. (292) Nasketucket Bay is entered between Cormorant Commercial fishing craft operate from the ports. The Rock on the east and West Island on the west. Northward deepest draft entering is about 30 feet at high water. and westward of West Island the bay is greatly obstructed by rocks and small islands. Because of these obstructions, (297) The approach from Buzzards Bay and the entrance only small craft proceed through the bay to Little Bay, at to New Bedford Harbor are much obstructed by ledges the head, or up Nasketucket River. The edges of Little and shoals, between which are several channels leading Bay are foul, but excellent anchorage in all but strong to the dredged entrance. The bottom is very broken, southerly winds is available in the center of the bay in 3 characterized by large boulders; vessels should proceed to 6 feet, sticky mud. The entrance is made treacherous with caution when crossing areas off the general track by obstructions and wind and should not be attempted when the charted depths are not more than 6 to 8 feet without local knowledge. greater than the draft. (293) Numerous rocks, including Whale Rock, are on the east side of West Island at the entrance. A causeway (298) connects the western side of West Island with Long Island. A fixed span in the causeway has a clearance Prominent features of 5 feet. The depth at the bridge is 6 feet. On the east (299) From the main channel numerous landmarks can side of Long Island just north of the bridge is a marina with reported approach and alongside depths of 4 feet in be seen on the westerly side. Dumpling Rocks Light 7 2011. Berths, moorings, electricity, gasoline, diesel fuel, off Round Hill Point, about 3 miles west of the channel, water, ice, marine supplies, sewage pumpout, a surfaced is conspicuous. Clarks Point, on the west side of the launching ramp, a 40-ton marine lift, boat storage, and channel, is marked by a granite fort. About 0.7 mile hull, engine, and electronic repairs are available. The northeast of the point is an abandoned lighthouse. approach from southward to the west side of West Although there are no landmarks on Sconticut Neck, Fort Island runs among many sunken rocks and shoals, and Phoenix is a promontory fairly conspicuous just east is very dangerous. The causeway between Long Island of the channel, almost opposite Palmer Island. Several and Sconticut Neck, the neck of land forming the east church spires are prominent in Fairhaven. A tall radio side of New Bedford Harbor, completely blocks passage tower is on Popes Island in the inner harbor. A private between the two. light is on the northeast point of Palmer Island, about 0.2 mile inside the hurricane barrier. The lights marking the eastern and western sides of the hurricane barrier are also prominent. (300) COLREGS Demarcation Lines (301) The lines established for Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound are described in 33 CFR 80.145, chapter 2.
U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 5 ¢ 225 (320) Structures across Acushnet River Clear Width of Clear Height above Draw or Span Mean High Water Name•Description•Type Location Opening (feet) (feet) Information US 6/New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge 41°38'17\"N., 70°55'14\"W. 95 6 New Bedford to Fish Island (fixed span) 41°38'20\"N., 70°55'04\"W. 6 Notes 1 and 2 Fish Island to Popes Island (swing span) 94 (east draw) 41°38'30\"N., 70°54'36\"W. 95 (west draw) Call sign WHH-238 Popes Island to Fairhaven (fixed span) 6 95 8 Interstate 195 Bridge (fixed) 41°39'17\"N., 70°55'00\"W. 62 8 Coggeshall Street Bridge (fixed) 41°39'22\"N., 70°55'03\"W. 62 Note 1 – See 33 CFR 117.1 through 117.59 and 117.585, chapter 2, for drawbridge regulations. Note 2 – Bridgetender monitors VHF-FM channel 16 and works on channel 13. (302) Bedford Harbor west of the main channel. However, they are not as well marked as the main channel; unmarked Channels shoals with depths of 9 to 18 feet are near the course lines. (303) AFederal project provides for a 30-foot deep channel (309) From a position about 0.3 mile south of Buzzards Bay Lighted Gong Buoy 5 (chart 13230), a course can be from Buzzards Bay to the turning basin just above the set to pass about 500 yards east of Dumpling Rocks Light New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge. (See Notice to Mariners 7 to about 500 yards northwest of Southwest Approach and latest edition of charts for controlling depths.) The Buoy 12, thence on a 006°course to join the main channel 350-foot-wide channel is constricted to 150 feet by a near Butler Flats. hurricane barrier across the inner harbor, protecting New (310) An alternate approach can be made from a position Bedford Harbor, extending from the western shore over about 0.3 mile southeastward of Buzzards Bay Lighted Palmer Island to Fort Phoenix on the east. The 150-foot Buoy 7 (chart 13230) on a course of 004°to join the main gated opening will be kept in the open position during channel near Butler Flats. fair weather, but is closed during periods of high winds (311) Strangers should not attempt to enter New Bedford or high tides, or when a hurricane is expected. Lights Harbor except in clear weather when the aids are visible. marking the eastern and western sides of the opening are Vessels should proceed with caution where the charted shown from the top of each of the two gate operations depths are less than 6 to 8 feet greater than the draft, houses, 48 feet above the water. A sound signal is sounded because of the broken character of the bottom. from the west barrier light. (312) Anchorages (304) Hurricane barrier traffic lights are displayed on the (313) Before proceeding into New Bedford Harbor, vessels north side of the smaller, northerly house on the west side of the entrance and adjacent to the old fort at Clarks occasionally anchor in depths of 20 to 30 feet about 0.7 Point. Green lights are displayed when the gate is open. mile south of Clarks Point. Two general anchorages are Red lights are displayed from 20 minutes before the start in the outer harbor. (See 33 CFR110.1 and 110.140 (a) of closing the gate through reopening. In addition to and (d), chapter 2, for limits and regulations.) In the inner the traffic lights, three flashing white strobe lights are harbor vessels may anchor in the two dredged anchorage shown; two from atop the west barrier operating house, areas on either side of the channel in depths of 25 to 30 one facing toward the harbor and one facing toward the feet. bay, and a third light facing toward the bay adjacent to the old fort at Clarks Point. These synchronized lights (314) flash every 20 seconds, but flash every 2 seconds from 20 minutes before the start of closing the gate through Dangers reopening. (315) The entrance to New Bedford Harbor is full of rocks (305) The controlling depth above the turning basin to the and ledges, some covered 3 feet or less. Obstructions near Coggeshall Street Bridge is about 15 feet. Above that the entrance passages are marked with buoys. The chart point in Acushnet River there is little traffic except by is the best guide. launches and small craft. (316) Dumpling Rocks, bare and covered, extend 0.4 mile southeastward from Round Hill Point. A light is on the (306) easterly rock and a gong buoy marks the southeastern portion of the shoal area around the rocks. Routes (317) Wilkes Ledge, 1.8 miles southeastward of Round (307) The main channel to New Bedford Harbor is from Hill Point, is the southernmost danger at the entrance to the harbor. It is covered 9 feet with a wreck near the Buzzards Bay Midchannel Lighted Bell Buoy BB easterly part; a lighted buoy is close south-southwestward (41°30'33\"N., 70°49'54\"W.) through the buoyed channel of the wreck. eastward of Negro Ledge. (308) There are several other passages with least depths of about 21 feet that lead from Buzzards Bay to New
226 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 5 (318) (332) 41°22.6'N., 71°22.0'W., (333) 41°24.2'N., 71°20.0'W., Regulated Navigation Area (334) 41°22.6'N., 71°20.6'W. This pilot boarding area (319) A regulated navigation area has been established is southward of a line extending from Point Judith to south of the western hurricane barrier. (See 33 CFR 165.1 Sakonnet Point. Should weather or other conditions through 165.13 and 165.125, chapter 2, for limits and prevent pilot boarding in the above location, other regulations.) arrangements may be made with the pilot office. (335) The pilot boats NORTHEAST I and NORTHEAST (321) III serve the canal and are owned and operated by Northeast Marine Pilots, Inc. NORTHEAST I is a 38- Currents foot boat with black hull and white superstructure and the (322) Tidal currents are weak. From a series of current word PILOT on the sides; NORTHEAST III is a 33-foot boat with black hull and white superstructure. observations, conducted by the Corps of Engineers over (336) The pilot boats NORTHEAST II, NORTHEAST a 2-day period in 1965 at the center of the navigation III and NORTHEAST IV serve for boarding eastbound opening of the New Bedford Hurricane Barrier, it was vessels. NORTHEAST II is a 47-foot boat and revealed that the maximum flooding and ebbing velocities NORTHEAST IV is a 52 foot boat; both have unpainted were about 2.4 knots; average flood setting 344° and the aluminum hulls and superstructures with the word PILOT ebb 144°. During flooding or ebbing a slight set towards in red on both sides. All Northeast pilot boats monitor the east barrier abutment may be experienced. During VHF-FM channels 16, 13 and 10, and work on 13 or 10. this same period it was further revealed that the time of (337) Pilot services are generally arranged for in advance slack water occurred about 30 minutes before the time by ships’ agents. of low or high water; that the maximum ebbing velocity occurred about 2 hours after the time of high tide; that the (338) maximum flooding velocity occurred about 4 hours after the time of low tide; and that, generally, the maximum Towage current occurred at about the same time as the most rapid (339) Oceangoing vessels usually require tug assistance change in the vertical height of the tide was taking place. when docking and undocking. Tugs up to 2,200 hp (323) are based at New Bedford, and arrangements for their services are usually made through ships’ agents. Tugs Weather, New Bedford Harbor and vicinity monitor VHF-FM channel 13 when expecting a vessel (324) The prevailing winds during the winter are from and use channel 18A as a working frequency. (340) New Bedford is a customs port of entry. north to west, and during the summer from south to southwest. Thick fog is reported to close in quickly with (341) little warning in New Bedford Harbor. Quarantine, customs, immigration, and agricultural (325) quarantine (342) (See chapter 3, Vessel Arrival Inspections, and Ice Appendix A for addresses.) (326) The channels and anchorage area usually are (343) Quarantine is enforced in accordance with regulations of the U.S. Public Health Service. (See Public navigable throughout the year, although in prolonged Health Service, chapter 1.) periods of extreme cold weather the harbor as well as all (344) New Bedford has several hospitals. of Buzzards Bay may be closed to navigation because of (345) Coast Guard vessels moor at the State Pier. ice. Such conditions are infrequent and of short duration. Steamers generally can make their way through the ice in (346) the harbor. Harbor regulations (327) (347) The New Bedford Harbor Development Pilotage, New Bedford Commission, through the harbormaster, enforces the (328) Pilotage is compulsory for foreign vessels of 350 harbor regulations. The State Pier Traffic Manager is the State authority who directs anchoring, berthing, gross tons or more and U.S. vessels under register of 350 and movement of vessels, and discharging operations at gross tons or more. Pilotage for New Bedford is available the State Pier. Vessels are expected to proceed slowly from Northeast Marine Pilots, Inc., Newport, RI 02840; in the vicinity of the piers. State laws forbid pollution telephone 401–847–9050 (24 hours), 800–274–1216; and dumping of refuse and rocks inside the harbor. The FAX 401–847–9052; email: dispatch@nemarinepilots. harbormaster has an office just north of the State Pier. com. (329) Pilots meet westbound vessels off the eastern (348) entrance to the Cape Cod Canal in Cape Cod Bay, ½ mile east of Lighted Bell Buoy CC, in approximate position Wharves 41°48.6'N., 70°27.0'W. (349) The New Bedford waterfront has many piers (330) Pilots meet eastbound vessels at the Brenton Reef Pilot Station, about 1.5 miles eastward of Narragansett and wharves. The fishing industry uses most of these Bay Entrance Lighted Whistle Buoy NB within an area facilities. Only the deep-draft facilities are described, bounded by (331) 41°23.6'N., 71°22.4'W.,
U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 5 ¢ 227 and the alongside depths for these facilities are reported; in the area can handle vessels up to 210 feet. Lifts to 99 for information on the latest depths contact the operator. tons are available. Several repair firms in New Bedford All of the facilities described have highway connections, are available for above-the-waterline repairs and engine and most have rail connections. Water is available at most repairs. Derrick lighters, some with air compressors and piers and wharves. Cargo in the port is usually handled diving equipment, are also available. by ship’s tackle. A 250-ton floating “A” frame derrick is available for heavy lifts by prior arrangement. (361) (350) New Bedford South Terminal Wharf: 500 yards westward of Palmer Island; 1,600 feet long; 30 feet Communications alongside; 250,000 cubic feet of refrigerated storage; (362) There is only rail freight service to Boston and receipt of seafood products; owned by several seafood companies. frequent bus service to Providence, Boston, and New (351) Commonwealth Edison Co. Pier: 300 yards York. A mail and passenger boat makes trips to Cuttyhunk northward of South Terminal Wharf; north side 740 twice weekly in the winter and daily in the summer. feet long, with dolphins; 30 feet alongside; receipt of Seasonal passenger ferry service is also available to petroleum products; vessels usually berth with bow Martha’s Vineyard. Air service is available to Boston, inshore; owned by Commonwealth Electric and operated New York, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, and Cape Cod. by New England Petroleum Corp. (352) State Pier: 500 yards northward of New Bedford Gas and Edison Light Co. Pier; face 450 feet long, north side 600 feet long, south side 775 feet long; 30 feet (363) The coast between New Bedford Harbor and the alongside; 125,000 square feet covered storage; receipt entrance of Sakonnet River is fringed with extensive and shipment of general cargo; owned and operated shoals, many of them rocky and a considerable number by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Division of of them well offshore. The entrances to several inlets Waterways. are shoal and are used only by local fishing and pleasure (353) Maritime Terminal Wharf: westward of Fish Island; boats. 600 feet long; 31 feet alongside; 3 million cubic feet of refrigerated storage; receipt of frozen food, fish, and (364) Clarks Cove, between New Bedford Harbor and chilled foodstuffs; shipment of general cargo; owned and Apponagansett Bay, affords anchorage in depths of 12 to operated by Maritime Terminal, Inc. 22 feet. It is exposed to southerly weather and is seldom (354) Bridge Terminal Wharf: northeast side of Fish used. Several small piers can accommodate small craft. Island; 450 feet long; 28 feet alongside; 500,000 cubic Several rocks are off Moshers Point on the west side of feet of refrigerated space; receipt of frozen and chilled the cove. foodstuffs; owned and operated by Bridge Terminal, Inc. (355) Frionor Processing and Distribution Center Wharf: (365) Apponagansett Bay, about 2 miles southwestward 200 yards northwest of Fish Island; 580 feet long; 25 to 28 of Clarks Point, shelters numerous pleasure craft and a feet alongside; 63,400 square feet of refrigerated space, few fishermen in the summer, but the bay is insecure in 57,500 square feet of freezer space, 34,700 square feet of southeasterly gales. Nonquitt and Bayview are villages covered storage space; receipt of frozen fish; owned and on the south side of the entrance and South Dartmouth operated by Frionor Norwegian Frozen Fish Ltd. is on the northerly shore. Padanaram Breakwater is (356) New Bedford North Terminal Wharf: 400 yards marked on the southern end by a light. The approach northwest of Fish Island; 1,000 feet long; 30 feet to the bay is obstructed by numerous ledges and rocks, alongside; 14 acres of open storage; owned by New and strangers should enter only in the daytime with clear Bedford Harbor Development Commission and operated weather. Inside the breakwater, the channel is marked by various tenants. by buoys. Dartmouth Rock, covered 4 feet, is on the northeast side of the channel. Private seasonal anchorage (357) buoys mark the area off South Dartmouth, which is usually very crowded in the summer. A highway bridge Supplies at the village has a swing span with a channel width of (358) Gasoline, diesel fuel, water, provisions, marine 31 feet and a clearance of 8 feet. (See 33 CFR117.1 through 117.59 and 117.587, chapter 2, for drawbridge supplies of all kinds, and sewage pumpout are available. regulations.) Above the bridge, small craft anchor in a Diesel oil and marine bunker fuels are available by truck. narrow channel near the eastern shore. The water is excellent for drinking and boiler use; a water boat services craft at anchor. (366) The harbormaster controls anchoring and berthing in the harbor and can be contacted through the police (359) department or VHF-FM channel 16. The speed limit in the harbor is 5 mph. Repairs (360) There are several boatyards at Fairhaven that (367) Southward of the bridge is a landing at a yacht club with reported depth of 10 feet alongside. Diesel can make hull, engine, and electronic repairs; storage fuel, gasoline, water, ice, and some marine supplies facilities are also available. The largest marine railway are available. Two nearby boatyards and a marina can provide limited guest berths, storage, complete marine supplies, and hull, engine, electronic, rigging, and sail repairs. The largest marine railway can handle craft to 55
228 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 5 feet; mobile hoists to 35 tons are also available. In 1981, 1 mile above the entrance the river divides into two depths of 3 to 11 feet were reported at the slips. branches. The west branch is shallow, with a narrow (368) Round Hill Point, about 3.5 miles southwestward channel marked by private seasonal buoys, and is used by of Clarks Point, is marked by a prominent round hill. local craft to opposite Toms Point, about 1.6 miles above (369) Between Round Hill Point and Salters Point, 1.1 the entrance. Above the Westport Point bridge, the east miles southwestward, Hunts Rock Breakwater extends branch is marked by private seasonal buoys as far as the 270 yards in a northeast-southwest direction. Hix Bridge, 4.7 miles above Westport Point. A reported (370) Mishaum Point, 1.9 miles southwestward of Round depth of about 4 feet can be carried to this bridge with Hill Point, is the southern point of Smith Neck. Shoal local knowledge. water extends about 0.2 mile off the point. (379) A highway bridge with a 49-foot bascule span and a clearance of 21 feet at the center crosses the river at (371) Westport Point, about 2 miles above the mouth. (See 33 CFR 117.1 through 117.59 and 117.620, chapter 2, for Chart 13228 drawbridge regulations.) Hix highway bridge, about 6 miles above the mouth, has a fixed span with a clearance (372) Slocums River, westward of Mishaum Point, has a of 7 feet. An overhead power cable on the north side of bar at the entrance nearly bare at low water. The channel Hix bridge has a clearance of 37 feet. inside is narrow, unmarked, and little used. Slocums (380) Approaching Westport River, boats must take care to Ledge, extending 0.6 mile westward of Mishaum Point, pass westward of the dangers off Gooseberry Neck and covered 2 to 7 feet, is marked by a buoy. Pawn Rock eastward of the dangers off the river entrance. Numerous uncovers 3 feet and is 0.2 mile easterly of Barneys Joy rocks and ledges are southward of the entrance to the Point, the point on the west side of the river entrance. river. Twomile Rock, 1 mile southeastward of Westport Harbor Entrance Light 7 on The Knubble, is marked (373) Gooseberry Neck, about 4 miles southwestward of by a daybeacon. Shoals with depths of 5 to 18 feet are Mishaum Point, is marked by several prominent towers. southeasterly of the rock. A buoy is 0.35 mile south- The neck, irregular and elongated, extends about 1 mile southeast of the rock. Halfmile Rock, 3 feet high, is 325 southward from Horseneck Beach to which it is joined yards southeast of the light on The Knubble. The shoal by a narrow roadway over rock fill. The water surrounding water surrounding the rock is marked by a buoy. The the neck is very foul. area south of The Knubble is very foul. Other unmarked dangers include Twomile Ledge, extending 1 mile south (374) Hen and Chickens and the dangers southward of of The Knubble, and covered 2 to 12 feet; Joe Burris it have been previously discussed under the entrance to Ledge covered 14 feet, midway between Halfmile Rock Buzzards Bay. and Twomile Rock, and Pinetree Ground, about 1 mile south of Twomile Rock, covered 25 to 30 feet. (375) In addition to Hen and Chickens, numerous rocks (381) The shore in this vicinity should be given a berth and reefs surround Gooseberry Neck. Shoal water of about 1.3 miles to avoid numerous rocks and ledges extends 0.6 mile southwestward of the neck to Lumber extending about 1 mile offshore for 2.5 miles westward Rock, covered 4 feet and marked by a buoy, and over of Westport Harbor. 0.5 mile westward to Browing Ledge, covered 6 feet. Little Southwest Rock is about 0.3 mile northeastward (382) of Lumber Rock. Currents (376) Westport River empties into the large bight between (383) The tidal current in the entrance has a velocity of 2.5 Gooseberry Neck and Sakonnet Point (chart 13221). The mouth of the river is between Horseneck Point, 2.7 miles knots, and caution is recommended when navigating the northwest of Gooseberry Neck, and The Knubble, a river. (See the Tidal Current tables for predictions.) protruding mound of granite marked by a light about 0.2 mile south of Horseneck Point. The river is the approach to Westport Harbor, the area just inside the entrance; the village of Westport Point, on the north shore of the east (384) Two piers, used by fishing and pleasure boats, are branch of the river; and the village of Acoaxet, westward at Westport Point. These piers have reported depths of of The Knubble. Fishing and pleasure boats use the river about 10 feet at their faces. Berthing at the piers is under as far as Westport Point. the control of the harbormaster, who can be contacted through the town hall or police department. (377) A dredged entrance channel leads northwest and around Horseneck Point into Westport Harbor. The (385) A 5 mph speed limit is enforced in the harbor. channel is narrow, crooked and marked by buoys. (See (386) A boatyard and a marina are in the harbor. The Notice to Mariners and the latest edition of the chart for controlling depths.) Depths near the entrance are boatyard is on Horseneck Point about 0.5 mile west of the continually changing; mariners are advised to seek local highway bridge. The marina is on Westport Point about knowledge. Numerous rocks are in the channel below the 0.1 mile west of the highway bridge. Berths, moorings, bridge at Westport; caution is advised. gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, launching ramps, and marine supplies are available. The largest marine railway (378) Boats should not try to enter during strong southerly winds as heavy seas break over the entrance bar. About
U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 5 ¢ 229 is at the boatyard and can handle craft up to 60 feet for Rhode Island is near the point. Cutty Wow Rock, awash hull and engine repairs and dry open or covered storage. at low water, is 1 mile southwestward of the point. (388) Briggs Point, 2 miles southwestward of Quicksand Point, is surrounded by shoals and rocks. Halfway Rock, 2 feet high, is 0.4 mile southeastward of the point. (387) Quicksand Point is about 1.5 miles west of The Knubble. The boundary line between Massachusetts and
230 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 6 71°20' 71°10' 41° Index of Chart Coverage in Chapter 6 45' 13224 MASSACHUSETTS 13221 Providence 13225 PROVIDENCE TAUNTON RIVER 41° 13227 45' RIV ER Fall River GREENWICH BAY MOUNT HOPE BAY Bristol Hope Island Prudence Island 13226 Quonset Point 13221 SAKONNET RMHASOSDAECISHLUASENTDTS Wickford PASSAGE EAST PASSAGE RHODE ISLAND 41° Newport RIVER WEST Conanicut Island 30' 41° 30' Sakonnet Point Beavertail Point 13223 RHODE ISLAND SOUND 71°20' 71°10'
U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 6 ¢ 231 Narragansett Bay (1) This chapter describes the Sakonnet River, Sakonnet River is good for a depth of 18 feet from the Narragansett Bay, Mount Hope Bay, and Taunton and Providence Rivers. Also discussed are the ports of mouth to Mount Hope Bay. Newport, Fall River, and Providence, as well as the numerous other yachting and fishing centers in this area. (2) (10) Traffic Separation Scheme Narragansett Bay has been established in the approach to Narragansett Bay COLREGS Demarcation Lines (3) The lines established for this part of the coast are through Rhode Island Sound. (See charts 13223, 13221, described in 33 CFR80.145, chapter 2. 13218, 12300.) (11) TheSchemeiscomposedbasicallyofdirectedtraffic (4) lanes each with one-way inbound and outbound traffic No-Discharge Zone lanes separated by a defined traffic separation zone, and (5) The State of Rhode Island, with the approval of two precautionary areas, one at the southern end and the other at the northern end of the directed traffic lanes and the Environmental Protection Agency, has established a separation zones. The Scheme is recommended for use by No-Discharge Zone (NDZ) covering all coastal waters of Rhode Island, extending 3 miles offshore (see chart vessels approaching or departing from Narragansett Bay, 13221). (6) Within the NDZ, the discharge of sewage, whether but is not necessarily intended for tugs, tows, or other treated or untreated, from all vessels is prohibited. Outside the NDZs, discharge of the sewage is regulated small vessels which traditionally operate outside of the by 40 CFR 140 (see chapter 2). usual steamer lanes or close inshore. (7) (12) The Traffic Separation Scheme has been designed Charts 13221, 13218 to aid in the prevention of collisions at the approaches (8) Narragansett Bay, opening into the north side of to major harbors, but is not intended in any way to Rhode Island Sound 17 miles westward of Buzzards Bay entrance, is the approach to the cities of Newport, supersede or alter the applicable Navigation Rules. Providence, Fall River, and Taunton, as well as numerous towns and villages. Rhode Island (Aquidneck Island), Separation zones are intended to separate inbound the largest island in the bay, forms the eastern shore of and outbound traffic lanes and be free of ship traffic, the bay proper. The entrance is between Brenton Point, and should not be used except for crossing purposes. the southwestern part of Rhode Island, on the east, and Point Judith Neck on the west. The bay is about 18 Mariners should use extreme caution when crossing miles long from the entrance to the mouth of Providence traffic lanes and separation zones. (See 33 CFR 167.1 River. Navigation of the bay is easy during day or night through 167.15 and 167.100 through 167.103, chapter in clear weather as it is marked by navigational aids. 2, for limits and regulations and Traffic Separation The large Conanicut Island and Prudence Island, and Schemes, chapter 1, for additional information.) several smaller islands, divide the bay into two passages. Sakonnet River, although not a part of Narragansett Bay, (13) The southern precautionary area in the southwest is included with it in the following discussion. part of Rhode Island Sound has a radius of 5.4 miles (9) East Passage is good for a least depth of about 60 feet centered on 41°06'00\"N., 71°23'18\"W., excluding those for about 11 miles up the marked channel to the entrance areas of the circle bounded by imaginary lines extending of the dredged channel to Providence. West Passage is the approach to Dutch Island Harbor, Wickford, Greenwich between the outer limits of the inbound and outbound Bay, and Providence River. Vessels of over 16-foot draft traffic lanes. (Note that the southern precautionary rarely go above Dutch Island Harbor without a pilot, but area is common to the Traffic Separation Schemes for vessels of 16-foot draft or less should have no difficulty the approaches to both Narragansett Bay and Buzzards in going to the head of the bay and Providence River. Bay. The Traffic Separation Scheme for the approach to Buzzards Bay is described in chapter 5.) (14) The separation zone is a 2-mile-wide zone centered upon the following positions: (15) (i) 41°22'42\"N., 71°23'18\"W., (16) (ii) 41°11'06\"N., 71°23'18\"W. (17) The inbound traffic lane is a 1-mile-wide lane with a length of about 11.5 miles. Entering the traffic lane at a point in about 41°11'06\"N., 71°21'24\"W., a course of 000°follows the centerline of the traffic lane to a junction with the northern precautionary area.
232 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 6 (18) The outbound traffic lane is a 1-mile-wide lane (26) with a length of about 11.5 miles. Entering the traffic lane at a point in about 41°22'39\"N., 71°25'24\"W., a course of Security Broadcast System, Narragansett Bay 180°follows the centerline of the traffic lane to a junction (27) In conjunction with various maritime interests, the with the southern precautionary area. Coast Guard has developed a system of recommended (19) The northern precautionary area has a 3.55- radiotelephone procedures for Narragansett and Mount mile radius centered on a point in about 41°25'36\"N., Hope Bays that is designed to supplement the Vessel 71°23'18\"W., excluding those areas of the circle bounded Bridge-to-Bridge Radiotelephone Regulations (see 33 by imaginary lines extending between the outer limits of CFR 26, chapter 2). These voluntary procedures consist the inbound and outbound traffic lanes. of Security calls to be made by vessel masters, pilots, or operators on VHF-FM channel 13 (156.65 MHz) (20) A 2-mile-wide restricted area extends from the at designated points. The procedures are designed to northern limits of the Narragansett Bay Approach traffic give notice of unseen vessels, give notice of intended separation zone to 41°24.7'N. This restricted area within movement, clear channel 13 of traffic unrelated to the precautionary area will only be closed to vessel navigation, give each vessel information on all others traffic by the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, in the immediate vicinity, and to do so at little cost and Newport, during periods of daylight and optimum with as little radiotelephone traffic as possible. These weather conditions for torpedo range use. The closing of recommendations do not relieve a master, pilot, or the restricted area will be indicated by the activation of operator of any requirements of law or regulation. There red flashing lights on naval vessels supporting the torpedo is no guarantee that every vessel will follow them. range activities. There would be no vessel restrictions (28) Inbound vessels should make Security calls when expected during inclement weather or when the torpedo abeam of Narragansett Bay Entrance Lighted Whistle range is not in use. Buoy NB, when off Castle Hill Light, and when at the south end of Prudence Island (state whether bound for (21) The Traffic Separation Scheme is not buoyed. Providence or Fall River). The call at Castle Hill Light A group of buoys within the separation zone and the alerts outbound vessels so that they can pass East Passage precautionary area mark the torpedo range; these buoys Lighted Bell Buoy 11 close aboard, as during ebb current are not related to the Scheme. they tend to be set toward the center of the channel. Vessels bound for Providence should make additional (22) Narragansett Bay Entrance Lighted Whistle Security calls when off Popasquash Neck and when Buoy NB (41°23'00\"N., 71°23'21\"W.) is at the north end approaching Bullock Point Light BP. Vessels bound for of the separation zone and is equipped with a racon. Fall River should call Brightman Street Bridge when they enter Mount Hope Bay to allow sufficient time for (23) A safety zone has been established about 2 miles opening of the bridge. northward of Buoy NB for Liquefied Petroleum Gas (29) Vessels outbound from Providence should make (LPG) vessels. (See 33 CFR165.20, 165.23, and 165.121, Security calls when leaving their dock and when off chapter 2, for limits and regulations.) Popasquash Neck. Vessels outbound from Fall River should make calls when leaving their dock, when approaching Mount Hope Bridge, and when off Gould Island. (24) Recommended Vessel Route (Narragansett Bay) has been established in the approach to Narragansett Bay (30) through Rhode Island Sound. Anchorages (25) TheU.S.CoastGuardCaptainofthePort,Providence, (31) The principal anchorages for vessels seeking shelter in cooperation with the Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island Port Safety and Security Committees, are Newport Harbor in the East Passage and Dutch has established a Recommended Vessel Route for deep Island Harbor in the West Passage. These harbors afford draft vessels and tugs/barges transiting Rhode Island anchorage with good holding ground for deep-draft Sound, Narragansett Bay, and Buzzards Bay. Deep vessels, and are sometimes used by coasting vessels on draft vessels and tugs/barges are requested to follow the the passage between Vineyard Sound and Long Island designated routes. These routes were designed to provide Sound. Good anchorage will be found almost anywhere safe, established routes for these vessels, to reduce the in the bay under the lee of islands or the shore, where potential for conflict with recreational boaters, fishing vessels becalmed or at night frequently anchor. Point gear, and other small craft, and to reduce the potential Judith Harbor of Refuge is just west of Point Judith. for grounding or collision. Vessels are responsible for General and explosives anchorages are in Narragansett their own safety and are not required to remain inside Bay. (See 33 CFR 110.1 and 110.145, chapter 2, for the route nor are fisherman required to keep fishing gear limits and regulations.) outside the route. Small vessels should exercise caution in and around the Recommended Vessel Routes and monitor VHF channels 16 or 13 for information concerning deep draft vessels and tugs/barges transiting these routes.
U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 6 ¢ 233 (32) (40) Navigation of the bay and its tributaries is sometimes impeded by floating ice and in severe winters by packs Routes of field ice. The ice which breaks up in Providence River (33) Vessels approaching from eastward should shape and Mount Hope Bay is set by north and northeast winds down the bay through East Passage. If there is much ice, their approach to pass well south of Seal Ledge and a gorge is sometimes formed at Fort Adams, but it is of Brenton Reef. Brenton Reef and other dangers on the short duration. The passages are rarely closed for any easterly side of the entrance will be avoided by keeping length of time below Gould Island in the East Passage Castle Hill Light bearing eastward of 003° and passing and Dutch Island in the West Passage. During January westward of the lighted whistle buoy and the gong buoy and February, Mount Hope Bay, Bristol Harbor, Warren, off Brenton Reef and the bell buoy off Butter Ball Rock. Providence River, Greenwich Bay, and Wickford are Approaching from westward, from a position with Point usually closed to sailing vessels unaided by power. The Judith Light bearing 344° distant 2 miles, vessels may inner harbor of Newport is also sometimes closed during steer 028° for about 9 miles to a position 0.5 mile west these months with the exception of a channel kept open by of Castle Hill Light, thence follow the navigational lights vessels. It can get nasty at the mouth of Narragansett Bay in the bay. The recommended route, however, for deep- when strong winds oppose the currents. Rounding Point draft vessels is via the Narragansett Bay Approach Traffic Judith can be rough or interminable, due to the confluence Separation Scheme, which is described earlier in this of tidal currents. Also local wind conditions can cause the chapter. tide to turn earlier or later than predicted in the tables. (34) (41) Tides North Atlantic Right Whales (35) The tidal movement in Narragansett Bay with its (42) Endangered North Atlantic right whales may occur vertical and horizontal constituents–tide and current, in the Narragansett/Buzzards Bay Traffic Separation respectively–is a continuation of the tide wave of the Scheme (peak season: November though April). The Atlantic Ocean. This wave sweeps into the three entrances Northeast Marine Pilots distribute educational material between Sakonnet Point and Point Judith and continues to mariners in an effort to reduce right whale ship strikes. up the bay and into each of its tributaries until stopped (See North Atlantic Right Whales, indexed as such, in by rapids or other obstructions. As is usual when oceanic chapter 3 for more information on right whales and tidal movements enter inland waterways, the nature of recommended measures to avoid collisions.) the movement is modified by the hydrographic features (43) All vessels 65 feet or greater in length overall encountered. In this area the local features are such that the (L.O.A.) and subject to the jurisdiction of the United current movement in particular is subject to considerable States are restricted to speeds of 10 knots or less in the distortion. (See the Tide Tables for predictions.) Block Island Sound Seasonal Management Area between November 1 and April 30. The area is defined as the (36) waters bounded by: (44) 40°51'53.7\"N., 70°36'44.9\"W.; Currents (45) 41°20'14.1\"N., 70°49'44.1\"W.; (37) The flood current in Narragansett Bay frequently (46) 41°04'16.7\"N., 71°51'21.0\"W.; (47) 40°35'56.5\"N., 71°38'25.1\"W.; thence back to has two maximums of velocity separated by a minimum starting point. (See 50 CFR 224.105, chapter 2 for velocity which at times becomes an ebb flow. Over regulations, limitations and exceptions.) the greater part of the bay, the usual maximum flood or ebb velocity is from 0.2 knot in the broad portions of the waterways to 1.5 knots in the more constricted sections. Velocities of about 1.4 knots occur at the bridges (48) The Narragansett Bay National Estuarine in Seekonk River, a velocity of about 1.7 knots in the Research Reserve, a Marine Protected Area (MPA), narrows at the mouth of Kickamuit River, and a velocity includes the waters around Prudence, Patience, Dyer, of 2.3 to 2.7 knots at the bridges in Sakonnet River. In and Hope Islands in Narragansett Bay. Cape Cod South Sakonnet River, from the highway bridge to its mouth, Closure Area includes inshore waters of Narragansett current velocities are small, being generally less than 0.5 Bay and offshore Federal waters of the south coasts of knot. (See the Tidal Current Tables for predictions.) Massachusetts and Rhode Island. (38) (49) Weather, Narragansett Bay and vicinity Pilotage, Narragansett Bay and Other Rhode Island (39) In the entrance to the bay and its approaches, fogs Waters (50) Pilotage is compulsory for foreign vessels and are more prevalent from April to October. The fogs are U.S. vessels under register when entering and departing brought in by winds from east through south to southwest Narragansett Bay and all ports of the waters of the State and are cleared off by northerly and westerly winds. The of Rhode Island. usual duration of the fog is 4 to 12 hours, but periods of 4 to 6 days have been known with only short clear intervals. The head of the bay will sometimes be free from fog while the entrance is completely shut in.
234 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 6 (51) Federal and State pilots for Narragansett Bay are (63) available from Northeast Marine Pilots, Inc., Newport, RI 02840;nemarinepilots.com; telephone 401–847–9050 Chart 13221 (24 hours), 800–274–1216; FAX 401–847–9052; email: [email protected]. (64) Sakonnet River, on the easterly side of Narragansett Bay, is between the mainland and the eastern shore of (52) Pilots board vessels about 1.5 miles eastward of Rhode Island. The width of the river varies from 0.7 to Narragansett Bay Entrance Lighted Whistle Buoy NB 2 miles except at its northern end where a least width of within an area bounded by 0.3 mile is found. The river is little used except by fishing vessels and small craft. Sakonnet Light (41°27'11\"N., (53) 41°23.6'N., 71°22.4'W., 71°12'09\"W.) is on the eastern side of the southern (54) 41°22.6'N., 71°22.0'W., entrance and marks the western end of the foul ground (55) 41°24.2'N., 71°20.0'W., west-southwest of Sakonnet Point. (56) 41°22.6'N., 71°20.6'W. This pilot boarding area (65) The channel of Sakonnet River is good for a depth is southward of a line extending from Point Judith of 16 feet from the mouth to Mount Hope Bay. There are to Sakonnet Point. Vessels arriving from sea should numerous shoals and outlying rocks, but the dangers are approach this boarding station via the Narragansett Bay well marked by buoys. Except for the breakwater light Traffic Separation Scheme inbound traffic lane. off Sakonnet Harbor, no lighted aids are in the river, and (57) Vessels bound for Long Island Sound ports may strangers should not attempt to navigate it at night. board pilots at any point south or east of the Point Judith Pilot Station, centered on 41°17.0'N., 071°30.5'W., and (66) Good anchorage for vessels drawing up to 17 feet outside the waters of the State of Rhode Island. can be had in midriver just below High Hill Point in (58) Pilots board from the Northeast Marine Pilots, depths of 21 to 26 feet. Although open to the southward, Inc. pilot boats NORTHEAST II, NORTHEAST III a heavy sea seldom reaches as far as this anchorage. In and NORTHEAST IV. NORTHEAST II is a 47-foot southeasterly gales the water is comparatively smooth boat and NORTHEAST IV is a 52-foot boat; both have inside the mouth of the river. Fishermen seeking shelter unpainted aluminum hulls and superstructures with the frequently anchor on the flats in the bight northward of word PILOT in red on both sides. NORTHEAST III is a Fogland Point in depths of 10 to 14 feet. 33-foot boat with black hull and white superstructure. A vessel should confirm her ETA by VHF-FM radio at least (67) Sakonnet Point, at the eastern entrance to Sakonnet 2 hours before arrival. All Northeast pilot boats monitor River, is surrounded by bare and submerged rocks. Several VHF-FM channels 16, 13 and 10, and work on 10. islets and islands are south of the point. Schuyler Ledge, (59) Pilots for Narragansett Bay serving U.S. enrolled with a least depth of 8 feet, is about 0.8 mile southward vessels in coastwise trade are available from the Northeast of the point, and is marked by a bell buoy. A seasonal Marine Pilots (see above for contact information) and the fishtrap area marked by private buoys is about 0.7 mile Connecticut State Pilots (a division of Interport Pilots southwest of the point. Agency, Inc.), address: State Pier, New London, CT, telephone 800–346–4877 or 908–787–5554 (24 hours), (68) Cormorant Rock, a bare dark rock off the western cable PORTPILOTS Port Monmouth, NJ. side of the entrance to the river, is about 0.8 mile south (60) Connecticut State Pilots board vessels from the of Sachuest Point, the southeastern extremity of Rhode pilot boat CONNECTICUT PILOT, 65 feet long with Island. Vessels should not pass between Cormorant Rock blue hull and white superstructure, and from pilot boat and Cormorant Reef, 0.3 mile southward of the rock. CONNECTICUT PILOT II, 47 feet long with blue hull The least depth on the reef is 4 feet; it is marked by a bell and white superstructure. The boats monitor VHF-FM buoy. channels 16 and 13, 2 hours prior to the vessel’s scheduled ETA, and work on channel 10. The pilots meet ships (69) The two bridges and the remains of the abandoned bound for Narragansett Bay at any point south or east highway bridge at the north end of Sakonnet River act as of the Point Judith Pilot Station, centered on 41°17.0'N., dams to maintain the water at different levels on either 071°30.5'W., and outside the waters of the State of Rhode side of them, causing dangerous currents through the Island. openings. The currents change with great rapidity both in (61) Vessels to be boarded should provide a ladder 3 feet velocity and in direction, and are characterized by a double above the water on the lee side. flood. (See the Tidal Current Tables for predictions.) (62) Pilot services are generally arranged at least 24 hours Vessels usually pass through the draws near the times of in advance through ships’ agents or directly by shipping slack water. companies. (70) The river north of Fogland Point is usually closed by ice for short periods each winter. Ice packs occur at the railroad bridge. (71) Vessels proceeding up Sakonnet River should follow a midriver course to the constricted part of the river, thence follow the channel marked by buoys into Mount Hope Bay.
U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 6 ¢ 235 (72) Sakonnet Harbor, a small-boat harbor on the (78) Tiverton is a town on the eastern bank of Sakonnet northerly side of Sakonnet Point, is protected by an 800- River north and south of the bridges. Oil tankers call at foot breakwater extending in a northerly and easterly Tiverton. The oil piers northward of the bridges have direction from Breakwater Point. A light marks the reported depths of about 32 to 35 feet alongside. outer end. The holding ground in the harbor is reported to be poor. A marina on the southwest side of the harbor (79) There are small-craft facilities at Tiverton, across provides berths, gasoline, diesel fuel, electricity and a the Sakonnet River at Almy Point, and at Cedar Island launching ramp. A surfaced launching ramp is also on Pond approximately 1.1 miles north of Almy Point. the south side of the harbor. The facilities provide berths and mooring, electricity, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, pump-out facilities, a (73) The western shore of Sakonnet River from the launching ramp, a lift to 60 tons, storage, and full repairs. entrance to Sandy Point should be given a berth of 0.4 The facility at Tiverton has an approach depth of 35 feet mile to avoid shoals with depths of 7 to 17 feet. Rocks with 12 feet alongside, at Almy Point has an approach extend up to 500 yards offshore between Sachuest Point depth of 25 feet with 11 feet alongside, and at Cedar and Flint Point, about 1 mile northward. Flint Point Island Pond has an approach depth of 12 feet with 8 feet Ledge, about 0.5 mile north-northeast of Flint Point, alongside. has a least depth of 7 feet. Black Point is a rocky bluff on the western side of the river, 2.6 miles northward of (80) The channel at the north end of Sakonnet River, 0.6 Flint Point. Sandy Point and McCorrie Point, low and mile above Gould Island, is restricted to a width of 100 backed by high land, are 3.9 and 5.4 miles, respectively, feet between the abutments of a former highway bridge northward of Flint Point. just south of the entrance to The Cove. A fixed highway bridge, 0.8 mile north, has a clearance of 65 feet; the (74) The channel passes eastward of Gould Island, bridge is under construction (2009). An overhead power, a high wooded island, 2.5 miles north-northeastward just north of the bridge, has a clearance of 81 feet. of McCorrie Point. This Gould Island should not be confused with one of the same name in East Passage. A (81) rock with a depth of 1 foot is northwestward of the island and is marked by a buoy. Chart 13223 (75) The eastern side of Sakonnet River is bolder than (82) The southern shore of Rhode Island is rocky the western side. The east shore should be given a berth with numerous offlying rocks and ledges. Numerous of 0.7 mile from Sakonnet Point to Church Point, a flat prominent residences are on the eastern side of Newport point with bluffs at the water, about 2.8 miles northward Neck, the southwestern part of Rhode Island. A large of Sakonnet Point. Old Bull, with a depth of 1 foot, is brick residence with several towers is on the southeastern about 0.5 mile southward of Church Point and marked point of Newport Neck. Easton Point is about 1.3 miles by a buoy. A church spire at Little Compton, about eastward of Newport Neck. A stone tower with a short 1.7 miles east of Church Point, is prominent. High Hill spire at each corner can be seen from offshore, about 0.7 Point, about 3 miles north of Church Point, is a prominent mile northward of Easton Point. Westward of Easton Point small hill with bluffs at the water. Fogland Point, about is a bathing beach with a prominent pavilion. Several 0.9 mile northward of High Hill Point, is a projecting private landings are northward of Gooseberry Island, a prominent point; the westerly and northerly sides should small islet south of Newport Neck. Local knowledge is be given a berth of over 200 yards. Almy Rock, bare at required to proceed to the landings. low water, is 0.3 mile southwest of Fogland Point. The broad bights between Fogland Point and the bridge are (83) East Passage, the principal passage in Narragansett shoal. Bay, extends between Rhode Island on the east and Conanicut and Prudence Islands on the west. It is the most direct route to Newport, Bristol, Providence, Mount Hope Bay, and Taunton River. (76) Nannaquaket Pond, on the east side of Sakonnet River eastward of Gould Island, has a narrow entrance (84) The Pell Bridge Newport, a fixed highway 8 feet deep crossed by a fixed bridge with a clearance suspension bridge locally known as the Newport Bridge, of 12 feet. The deeper water in the entrance is along the crosses East Passage about 3.6 miles above the entrance, northern shore; several rocks are off the southern shore. between Jamestown and Newport. Clearances through The currents have considerable velocity. The northern the 1,500-foot center span are 213 feet at the center, 205 part of the pond has depths up to 26 feet; the remainder for the mid 1,000 feet, and 194 feet for the remainder has depths of about 3 feet. of the center span. A racon and a sound signal are at the bridge. (77) The Cove, on the western side of the river south of the bridges, has a depth of about 9 feet in the entrance; the (85) Brenton Point is the southwestern extremity of 31-foot-wide fixed highway bridge across the entrance Rhode Island and the eastern entrance point of East has a clearance of 25 feet. Depths are generally 3 to 4 Passage. feet in the cove. (86) Brenton Reef, bare in places, extends 0.5 mile south-southwestward of the point and is marked by a gong buoy. Another reef extends 0.5 mile offshore just
236 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 6 eastward of the point; Seal Rock is at the southeastern eastern side of Goat Island and extends along the western end of the reef. front of Newport. (87) Seal Ledge, about 0.5 mile south of Seal Rock, has (94) A marina, hotel, recreational and service facilities, depths of 15 to 30 feet and is marked by a bell buoy. and marine supplies are available on Goat Island. Haycock Ledge, 0.4 mile eastward of Seal Rock, has a (95) Newport, a city on the inner harbor, is one of the least depth of 12 feet. principal summer resorts on the Atlantic Coast. Some (88) Beavertail Point is the southern extremity of coastwise traffic uses the port, but few foreign vessels Conanicut Island, on the western side of the entrance enter it. A Naval Education and Training Center is here, to East Passage. Beavertail Light (41°26'58\"N., from which several Navy ships operate. 71°23'58\"W.), 64 feet above the water, is shown from a square granite tower attached to a white dwelling at (96) Beavertail Point. A sound signal is at the light and a radar tower is north of the light. Newton Rock, a covered rock, Prominent features is about 0.1 mile southward of the point; a bell buoy is (97) The following objects are prominent when about 0.2 mile southwestward of the rock. (89) Hull Cove, about 1 mile northeastward of Beavertail approaching Newport Harbor either from the southward Light, is rocky and exposed to southerly winds. Castle or northward: a hotel on Goat Island; a white building of Hill, the westernmost point of Rhode Island, is marked the yacht club near Ida Lewis Rock in the southerly part of by Castle Hill Light; a mariner radio activated sound the harbor; church spires in the town; and the buildings of signal is at the light, initiated by keying the microphone the Naval Education and Training Center and Naval War five times on VHF-FM channel 83A. Castle Hill Coast College on Coasters Harbor Island in the north part of the Guard Station is close east of the light. Butter Ball harbor. To the westward on Conanicut Island are several Rock, about 0.2 mile south of the light and marked by a large hotels and a standpipe. Numerous navigational aids bell buoy, uncovers 1 foot. mark the passages through the harbor. (90) Mackerel Cove indents the southern shore of Conanicut Island about 1.6 miles northeastward of Beavertail Light. A house with a cupola is prominent on Southwest Point, the eastern entrance point of the (98) The entrance to the outer harbor from the southward cove. The cove is exposed to southerly weather and is unobstructed; the entrance from northward, passing is seldom used. The Jamestown-Verrazzano Bridge either side of Gould Island, is clear, but the passage shows prominently over the bar at the head of the cove eastward of Rose Island is partly obstructed by the rocks on entering East Passage. Kettle Bottom Rock, about and ledges between Rose and Coasters Harbor Islands. 0.2 mile southeastward of Southwest Point, is bare and marked by a gong buoy. (99) The inner harbor has two entrances north and south (91) Bull Point, the southeastern point of Conanicut of Goat Island. A fixed highway bridge with a 40-foot Island, is rugged and rocky, and fringed by shoals which span and a clearance of 14 feet connects the Newport are marked by buoys. Fort Wetherill is on the point. The mainland to the northern part of Goat Island. This bridge Dumplings, northeast of Bull Point, are numerous bare limits the size of vessels that can enter the inner harbor and covered rocks and islets. The most southerly islet has from the northern approach. a tall house on it, covering almost the entire islet. (92) Fort Adams is on a peninsula off the north side of (100) General anchorages are in the outer and inner Newport Neck. The buildings and masonry of the fort are harbor and, except in emergencies, vessels must anchor prominent on the western slope of the peninsula. A dock in these areas. (See 33 CFR 110.1 and 110.145, chapter 2, extending northward from the fort is marked by a light for limits and regulations.) Vessels of more than 18-foot and sound signal. draft anchor in the outer harbor in depths of 36 to 100 feet (93) Newport Harbor, on the western shore of Rhode with good holding ground. Island and the eastern side of East Passage, 3.5 miles above Beavertail Light, is an important harbor of refuge (101) Special anchorages are in Brenton Cove and in for coasters, tows, and yachts. Its approach is well marked the inner harbor east and northeast of Goat Island. (See by navigational aids, and the harbor is of easy access 33 CFR 110.1 and 110.46, chapter 2, for limits and day and night. A State regulatory buoy in the entrance regulations.) The anchorage is good in Brenton Cove to the inner harbor marks a 5 mph no wake zone. Goat and is used frequently by yachts. When entering the cove, Island, 0.6 mile long in a north-south direction, is a major the western shore should be given a berth of 200 yards. pleasure boating center and divides Newport Harbor into an outer and inner harbor. The outer harbor, on the western (102) In 1981, the harbormaster requested that transient side of Goat Island, is northward of The Dumplings and craft anchor only in the northern part of the Brenton Cove southward of Gould Island. The inner harbor is on the anchorage and in the anchorage northeast of Goat Island. (103) Shoals with little water over them make out nearly 300 yards from the southern shore of the inner harbor to Ida Lewis Rock and Little Ida Lewis Rock; the latter is marked by a daybeacon. (104) Goat Island is marked by a light at its northern end and a lighted bell buoy at its southern end. Buoys mark the shoals along the southeasterly and southwesterly sides of the island.
U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 6 ¢ 237 (105) Rose Island, privately owned, is surrounded by a coldest month, having normal mean temperatures near shoal with little water over it. The shoal extends about 0.4 freezing, that is, average maximum of 38 °F and average mile northeastward of the island where it rises abruptly minimum of 23 °F. The extreme maximum temperature from deep water. A rocky area extends southward from for Newport is 98 °F recorded in August 1975 while the Rose Island and is marked by a buoy. A private light extreme minimum is -9 °F recorded in January 1982. marks the southwest point of the island. Mitchell Rock, (116) Precipitation is fairly evenly distributed throughout with a depth of 16 feet and marked by a gong buoy, is the year averaging about 45 inches (1143 mm) in any given about 0.1 mile southeast of the dock on the southeast side year. The wettest month is November averaging 4.57 of the island. Citing Rock, 2 feet high, is 350 yards east inches (116 mm) and the driest month is July averaging of the north end of the island and on the edge of the shoal only 2.94 inches (75 mm). Total snowfall for the winter surrounding Rose Island. Tracey Ledge, covered 11 feet, season averages about 20 inches (508 mm); however, is about 0.3 mile eastward of Rose Island and marked by melting is usually rapid and snow cover rarely lasts more a buoy. than a few days. The greatest snowfall in a 24-hour period was 20.0 inches (508 mm) in February 1978. January is (106) Gull Rocks are about midway between Rose Island the snowiest month averaging over seven inches (178 and Coasters Harbor Island. Buoys mark the ends of the mm). Snow is absent from May through September. An shoals and rocks that extend northward and southward average of only five days each year has snowfall amounts of the rocks. There is deep water between Gull Rocks, greater than 1.5 inches (38 mm). Rose Island, and Coasters Harbor Island. A rock, covered (117) See Appendix B for the Newport climatological 19 feet and marked by a buoy, is about 0.3 mile north- table. northwestward of Gull Rocks. (118) (107) Off the northern and southern sides of Coasters Harbor Island are numerous rocks and ledges. A Pilotage, Newport private light marks an obstruction in the channel south (119) See Pilotage, Narragansett Bay and Other Rhode of the island. St. Patrick Rock, covered 5 feet, is about 0.3 mile southeastward of the island. The island has Island Waters (indexed as such), early this chapter. numerous buildings. Three fixed bridges connect the island to Newport. The southern highway bridge and the (120) pedestrian bridge 0.3 mile above it have 31-foot spans with clearances of 3 feet. The northern highway bridge Quarantine, customs, immigration, and agricultural has a span of 85 feet with a clearance of 7 feet. Overhead quarantine power cables of unknown clearance cross the harbor (121) (See chapter 3, Vessel Arrival Inspections, and below the northern bridge. Appendix A for addresses.) (122) Quarantine is enforced in accordance with (108) The western portion of the outer harbor is generally regulations of the U.S. Public Health Service. (See Public free of dangers northward of The Dumplings. Health Service, chapter 1.) (123) Newport is a customs port of entry. (109) (124) The Coast Guard vessel documentation office at Providence serves Newport. (See Appendix A for Currents address.) (110) In the entrance off Bull Point the flood current is (125) often irregular. There may be a long period of slack water preceding the flood, or there may be a double flood. The Harbor regulations flood reaches a strength of about 1.2 knots; the ebb is (126) The harbormaster, under the supervision of the regular and averages 1.5 knots at strength. (111) Northward of Bull Point, tidal current velocities Recreation Department, is charged with the enforcement seldom exceed 1 knot. In the inner harbor they are of harbor regulations, the movement of vessels, and usually less than 0.5 knot. (See the Tidal Current Tables assignment of moorings and anchoring. The harbormaster for predictions.) may be contacted through the Police Department. The speed limit inside the harbor is 5 mph. (112) (127) Weather, Newport and vicinity (113) The prevailing winds are southwesterly in the Wharves (128) Facilities include a city wharf and numerous private summer and northwesterly in the winter. The heaviest gales are usually from the northwest and northeast. piers. The depths alongside the principal piers range from (114) The harbor and its approaches are navigable about 7 to 18 feet. throughout the year, although in severe winters ice may interfere with navigation in the inner harbor for short (129) periods. Vessels and tugs keep ice well broken up in the main channel through the inner harbor. Supplies (115) July is the warmest month with an average maximum (130) Gasoline, diesel oil, diesel fuel, water, provisions, of 79 °F and average minimum of 63 °F. January is the and marine supplies may be obtained at Newport. (131) Launch services are available in the harbor.
238 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 6 (132) Conanicut Island and Prudence Island. The regulation states in part that no person or vessel shall at any time, Repairs under any circumstances, anchor or fish or tow a drag of (133) Newport has a commercial shipyard specializing any kind in the area because of the extensive cable system located therein. (See 33 CFR 334.80, chapter 2, for limits in repair, construction, and conversion of steel and and regulations.) aluminum vessels. The marine railway is at the shipyard in the inner harbor and can handle vessels to 330 feet long, 63 feet wide, and 21.6 feet in draft. Cranes to 60 tons are available. (145) Gould Island, a military reservation, is about 2 miles north of Rose Island and 0.8 mile east of Conanicut (134) Island. A light is on the south end of the island. The island is sparsely wooded. Small-craft facilities (135) There are numerous facilities in Newport harbor. (146) Halfway Rock and Fiske Rock are about 1.8 miles northeastward of Gould Island, on a small ledge bare at Mobile hoists up to 60 tons are available. Complete its southern end. Halfway Rock is marked by a daybeacon small-craft hull and engine repairs can be made. and Fiske Rock by a buoy. Strangers should not pass between these aids. (136) (147) A mussel farming area is about 1.3 miles northeast of Communications the breakwater at Coddington Cove in the vicinity of the (137) Newport has bus and rail transportation. In the pier at Lawtons. Submerged equipment and numerous buoys extend several hundred yards offshore and for summer the ferry between Block Island and Providence about 0.5 mile north of the pier. Caution is advised in the calls at Newport. area. (148) Dyer Island, about 0.8 mile eastward of the southern portion of Prudence Island, is low and brush covered. (138) Jamestown is a town on the east side of Conanicut A reef, partly bare, extends 0.4 miles southward and Island in a bight on the west side of East Passage. A southwestward of the island, and is marked by a buoy. standpipe in the southern part of the town and a hotel Between the shoal area south of Dyer Island and Rhode near the waterfront are prominent. The bight is a popular Island is a bar with depths of 9 to 18 feet over it. North summer anchorage for local craft. A marina basin of Dyer Island is a reef with depths of 6 to 18 feet. protected by a detached breakwater is in the center of the bight. Jamestown has two boatyards. The largest marine (149) Melville, a military fueling facility, is on the west railway can handle craft to 80 feet, and the largest lift is shore of Rhode Island, east of Dyer Island. Depths 50 tons. Berths, electricity, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, alongside the fuel piers range from 30 to 35 feet. ice, some marine supplies, and complete hull, engine, and electronic repairs are available. (150) A small-craft facility is in a basin at Coggeshall Point, just north of Melville. Berths, gasoline, diesel fuel, (139) Potter Cove is about 1 mile above the marina basin electricity, water, ice, complete marine supplies, and a 50- just north of Taylor Point. This cove should not be ton mobile hoist are available; engine, hull, and electronic confused with the Potter Cove off Prudence Island. About repairs can be made. In 1981, depths of 9 to 15 feet were 1 mile north of Taylor Point are the ruins of a pontoon reported in the basin. pier. (151) A lighted wind turbine is about 0.9 mile northeast of (140) Coddington Point is about 0.5 mile northward of Coggeshall Point. A boat ramp is about 1.6 miles north- Coasters Harbor Island on the east shore of East Passage. northeast of Coggeshall Point, south of Arnold Point. Bishop Rock Shoal, 0.6 mile southwestward of the point, is covered 9 feet and marked by a lighted bell buoy. The (152) Sisters, rocks awash westward of the point, are marked by a buoy. Chart 13224 (141) Coddington Cove, eastward of Coddington Point, (153) Hog Island, about 1 mile north of Arnold Point, lies is protected on its north side by a curving breakwater in the entrance to Bristol Harbor, dividing the waters into 0.7 mile long, marked at its end by a light and sound two channels. The island has a rolling wooded terrain signal. Two long finger piers are inside the cove; the north on which are a few houses and cottages. Shoal water side of the northerly pier is used by the Navy, and the surrounds the island extending as much as 0.4 mile southerly pier is used by a shipyard. Depths of 30 feet are southward and 0.8 mile northward. The shoal area is reported alongside both piers. Navy buildings on shore marked by lights and buoys. and buildings at the shipyard are conspicuous. (154) About 0.6 mile east-northeastward of Hog Island (142) Shoal Light is Musselbed Shoals, marked on the outer end by a light. From the light structure a directional light Restricted Areas is shown to mark the channel to Mount Hope Bay. (143) Coddington Cove is within a naval restricted area. (See 33 CFR 334.81, chapter 2, for limits and regulations). (144) Anaval restricted area covering a large area surrounds Gould Island and extends north to include waters between
U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 6 ¢ 239 (170) Structures across Taunton River Clear Width of Clear Height above Draw or Span Mean High Water Name•Description•Type Location Opening (feet) (feet) Information Charles M. Braga Jr. Bridge (fixed) 41°42'23\"N., 71°09'57\"W. 400 135 A private sound signal is at the bridge Overhead power cables 41°43'13\"N., 71°09'35\"W. 98 145 Brightman Street Bridge (bascule) 41°43'26\"N., 71°09'22\"W. 27 Notes 1 and 2 Veterans Memorial Bridge (bascule) 41°43'35\"N., 71°09'07\"W. 200 Call sign WQA-833 60 Note 2 Overhead power cable 41°44'12\"N., 71°08'28\"W. 150 7 Bridge is under construction Berkley Bridge (swing) 41°50'06\"N., 71°06'30\"W. 52 75 65 Overhead power cable 41°50'51\"N., 71°06'48\"W. 65 10 Overhead power cable 41°51'45\"N., 71°06'18\"W. 9 Overhead power cable 41°52'29\"N., 71°05'41\"W. Weir Bridge (fixed) 41°53'08\"N., 71°05'20\"W. 35 Railroad Bridge (fixed) 41°53'12\"N., 71°05'06\"W. 26 Note 1 – Bridgetender monitors VHF-FM channel 16 and works on channel 13. Note 2 – See 33 CFR 117.1 through 117.59 and 117.619, chapter 2, for drawbridge regulations. (155) have considerable velocity. The buoyed channel has a depth of about 6 feet. A ramp is on the western side of Charts 13221, 13227 the bay, approximately 0.7 mile south of the entrance to Kickamuit River. Cole River, the middle of the three, is (156) Mount Hope Bay, in the northeastern part of buoyed on the east side of the entrance. A highway bridge, Narragansett Bay, is the approach to the city of Fall River about 1.5 miles above the entrance, has a 41-foot fixed and Taunton River. There are two approaches to the span with a clearance of 7 feet. bay. The approach from the Sakonnet River, previously (163) South Swansea, on the west shore of Gardners discussed, is little used. The approach from East Passage Neck, has a boatyard with a 25-ton mobile hoist and a is well marked, and with care 34 feet can be carried in marine railway that can handle craft up to 50 feet for the channel into the bay. hull, engine, and electronic repairs or storage. Berths, electricity, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, and marine (157) Fall River, on the eastern shore of the mouth of supplies are available. In 1981, a reported depth of 6 feet Taunton River and head of Mount Hope Bay, is an could be carried to the boatyard. Lee River, the easterly important manufacturing center as well as distribution stream, is navigable to a fixed bridge about 1.2 miles point of petroleum products. Principal products handled above the entrance. A shoal in midchannel just north through the port are petroleum products, latex, shellac, of the narrow opening through the fill, 0.8 mile above cotton, and some lumber. Brayton Point, has a depth of 1 foot. (158) Somerset, about 5.3 miles, and Dighton, about 7.5 (164) miles above the Fall River, are towns on the west side of Taunton River. Taunton, a manufacturing city, is at the Channels head of navigation about 12.5 miles above Fall River. (165) A Federal project provides for a channel 35 feet deep (159) Mount Hope Bridge crosses the entrance to Mount through Mount Hope Bay to about 0.9 mile above the Hope Bay between Bristol Point and Rhode Island. The Brightman Street Bridge across Taunton River at Fall bridge has two lighted towers which are visible for many River and a side channel 35 feet deep, about 0.2 mile miles in clear weather, a sound signal, and a racon. It is north of Common Fence Point (41°39.3'N., 71°13.3'W.) a high-level suspension highway bridge with a clearance at the north end of Rhode Island which leads eastward of 135 feet. from the main channel into North and South Branch channels. (See Notice to Mariners and latest editions of (160) Mount Hope is a prominent hill on the western side the charts for controlling depths.) of the bay 2 miles northeastward of the suspension bridge. (166) A privately dredged side channel, about 3.3 miles The eastern and western slopes are wooded. Spar Island northeastward of Common Fence Point and marked is a small, low island near the center of Mount Hope Bay. by buoys and a 325.3° private lighted range, leads northwestward from the main channel to a powerplant (161) Borden Flats, the shoal area northward of the wharf on the east side of Brayton Point. (See Notice channel in Fall River Harbor, is marked by a light to Mariners and the latest editions of the charts for equipped with a sound signal. controlling depths.) (162) Three shallow streams that empty into the northern part of Mount Hope Bay are entered only by local small craft. Kickamuit River, the westerly one, has a narrow buoyed entrance through which the currents
240 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 6 (167) A dredged channel in Taunton River leads from (182) Quarantine is enforced in accordance with Somerset to Peters Point, 6.7 miles above the Brightman regulations of the U.S. Public Health Service. (See Street Bridge, thence to Taunton, 12.5 miles above Fall Public Health Service, chapter 1.) Fall River has several River. In 2001, the channel had a controlling depth of hospitals. 6.4 feet to Peters Point, thence 4 feet was reported to be available to Taunton. Local knowledge is required from (183) The Coast Guard vessel documentation office at Dighton to Taunton. Buoys mark the channel to about a New Bedford, MA, serves Fall River. (See Appendix A mile beyond the Berkley Bridge, about 3.5 miles below for address.) Taunton. (184) The harbormaster can be contacted through Fall River City Hall. (168) (185) Anchorages Wharves (169) Fall River Harbor has no designated anchorages. (186) The piers and wharves at Fall River are along the Vessels may anchor on either side of the dredged approach Taunton and Sakonnet Rivers and in Mount Hope Bay. channel in the outer harbor or at any locality in Mount Only the deep-draft facilities are described. For a complete Hope Bay where depth and bottom are suitable; the chart description of the port facilities refer to Port Series No. 4, is the best guide. published and sold by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. (See Appendix A for address.) The alongside depths are (171) reported; for information on the latest depths contact the operator. All the facilities described have highway Currents connections. Fresh water is available at most of the piers (172) In Taunton River the currents generally follow the and wharves. Cargo in the port is usually handled by ship’s tackle. direction of the channel and, except at bridges, do not (187) The speed limit is 5 knots in the channel off the piers hinder navigation. The ebb is usually stronger than the and wharves. flood. (See the Tidal Current Tables for predictions.) (188) Facilities at Tiverton, RI (chart 13221): (189) Texaco Inc. Tiverton Terminal: (41°38'50\"N., (173) 71°12'40\"W.); 50-foot face, 721 feet with dolphins; 35 feet alongside; deck height, 11 feet; receipt of petroleum Weather, Narragansett Bay and vicinity products; owned by Texaco, Inc.; not being operated in (174) The prevailing winds are northeasterly for all but 1983. (190) Northeast Petroleum Corp., Pier 1: about 250 yards the summer months, when the direction is southwesterly. north of Texaco Inc. Terminal; 120-foot face, 700 feet The heaviest gales are usually from the northwest. The with dolphins; 32 feet alongside; deck height, 9 feet; approach channel and harbor are generally free from ice receipt of petroleum products; owned and operated by and are navigable throughout the year. Taunton River Northeast Petroleum Corp. is commonly closed from December to March. During (191) Northeast Petroleum Corp., Pier 2: about 250 yards severe winters the harbor and Mount Hope Bay are north of Northeast Petroleum Corp., Pier 1; 40-foot face, occasionally frozen over, but the channels to the principal 700 feet with dolphins; 34 feet alongside; deck height, 9 wharves are kept open by vessels and tugs operating in feet; receipt of petroleum products; owned and operated the harbor. by Northeast Petroleum Corp. (192) Fuel Storage Co., Tiverton Terminal Pier: east side (175) of Mount Hope Bay, 1.5 miles northward of Northeast Petroleum Corp., Pier 2; 50-foot face, 795 feet with Pilotage, Fall River dolphins; 35 feet alongside; deck height, 9 feet; receipt of (176) See Pilotage, Narragansett Bay and Other Rhode petroleum products; owned and operated by Fuel Storage Co. Island Waters (indexed as such), early this chapter. (193) Facilities at Fall River, east side of Taunton River (chart 13227): Borden and Remington Corp. (177) Wharf: (41°42'10\"N., 71°10'09\"W.); 380-foot face, 28 feet alongside; deck height, 10 feet; receipt of latex and Towage caustic soda; owned by Tillotson Co. and operated by (178) Tugs to 2,200 hp are available at Fall River and tugs Borden and Remington Corp. (194) State Pier: 0.2 mile northeast of Borden and to 3,300 hp are available from Providence for use at Fall Remington Corp. Wharf; 398-foot face, 18 to 35 feet River. Vessels are usually met 2 miles below their berth. alongside; lower side 620 feet long, 35 feet alongside; Large vessels normally require tugs for docking and deck heights, 17 feet; 85,000 square feet covered storage, undocking. Arrangements for tug service should be made about 7 acres of open storage; receipt and shipment at least 6 hours in advance, usually through ships’ agents or directly by shipping companies. Tugs are dispatched 24 hours a day. The tugs monitor VHF-FM channels 10, 13, 16, and 18A, and use channel 7A as a working frequency. (179) Quarantine, customs, immigration, and agricultural quarantine (180) (See chapter 3, Vessel Arrival Inspections, and Appendix A for addresses.) (181) Fall River is a customs port of entry.
U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 6 ¢ 241 of general and roll-on/roll-off cargo; owned by the (207) A launching ramp is on the west side of Taunton Commonwealth of Massachusetts, operated by Fall River River, about 1.6 miles above Somerset. Line Pier, Inc. (195) The battleship USS MASSACHUSETTS, World (208) War II memorial, and three other U.S. Navy vessels are berthed just northward of the State Pier. Chart 13224 (196) Shell Oil Co. Wharf: about 2 miles above State Pier; 570-foot face, 700 feet with dolphins; 30 feet alongside; (209) Bristol Harbor, between Bristol Neck on the east deck height, 13 feet; receipt and shipment of petroleum end and Popasquash Neck on the west, is in a cove products, receipt of naphtha; owned and operated by about 2 miles long and 1.3 miles wide at its southern Shell Oil Co. end, narrowing to 0.4 mile wide at its northern end. The (197) Facilities on west side of Taunton River (chart harbor proper, the northern part of the cove, has depths 13227): of 15 to 17 feet. (198) Brayton Point Station Dock: (41°42'33\"N., 71°11'21\"W.); 1,017 feet long; 34 feet alongside; deck (210) Bristol is a town on the eastern side of the harbor. height, 15 feet; coal unloading tower serves conveyor In approaching the harbor the most prominent mark is belt system, unloading rate 1,000 tons per hour; receipt Mount Hope Bridge. Also prominent are the navigation of fuel oil and coal; owned and operated by New England lights, a stone tower, a stack, and an elevated tank on Power Co. high ground back of the town. The town has bus service. (199) Montaup Electric Co. Wharf: about 2.5 miles above A ferry operates daily from Bristol to Prudence Island, Brayton Station Dock; 645 feet long, 34 feet alongside; and summer ferry service is available to Hog Island. deck height, 10 feet; two coal unloading towers serve conveyor belts, combined unloading rate 1,200 tons per (211) Hog Island is in the middle of the entrance to Bristol hour; receipt of coal and fuel oil; owned and operated by Harbor. A natural channel with depths of 19 to 28 feet Montaup Electric Co. extends on each side of the island. Excellent anchorage may be found in the harbor abreast the town in depths (200) of 15 to 17 feet, soft bottom. A general anchorage is in Bristol Harbor. (See 33 CFR110.1 and 110.145 (c) and Supplies (d), chapter 2, for limits and regulations.) (201) Provisions, marine supplies, gasoline, and water can (212) Usher Rocks, about 0.7 mile northeastward of be obtained in Fall River. Water is available at most of the Popasquash Point, are bare at low water. A buoy is berths. eastward of the rocks and a lighted bell buoy is on the western side of the western passage to the harbor. (202) (213) Depths alongside the piers and wharves range from Repairs 9 to 13 feet. (203) Fall River has no drydocking or major repair (214) A Coast Guard vessel is moored at Bristol. The Coast facilities for deep-draft vessels; the nearest such facilities Guard pier is marked by a light. are at Boston, MA. (204) Fall River has two small shipyards, on the west side (215) A marina and yacht club are on the west side of the of the harbor about 0.6 mile above the fixed bridge and harbor. Guest moorings, electricity, water, ice, marine on the east side of the harbor about 0.9 mile below the supplies, and hull and engine repairs are available. A fixed bridge. The northerly shipyard has a marine railway mobile hoist at the marina can handle craft to 42 feet that can handle vessels to 100 feet long with drafts of 7 long. Launching ramps are available on the east side of feet forward and 13 feet aft. The yard can make repairs the harbor. In 1993, a reported depth of about 8 feet could to wooden, steel, and aluminum vessels at their berths. be carried to the marina. The southerly yard specializes in the construction and conversion of steel vessels. Cranes to 250 tons are (216) Potter Cove, on the northeast side of Prudence available for hauling out vessels. In 1981, depths of 22 Island, is a small nearly landlocked harbor. Buoys mark to 23 feet were reported alongside. the entrance channel off Gull Point. The north and south ends of Prudence Island are a State park. Ohio Ledge, (205) about 2.5 miles northward of Potter Cove, has a least depth of 9 feet and is marked on its east side by a bell Small-craft facilities buoy. (206) Small-craft facilities are at Fall River, Somerset (217) Warren River, emptying into the head of opposite Fall River, Taunton, and at Dighton. Berths, Narragansett Bay westward of Bristol Neck, is the moorings, electricity, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, approach to the towns of Warren and Barrington, and pump-out facilities, launching ramps, marine supplies, Barrington River, which joins Warren River at Warren. storage, hull, engine and electronic repairs are available. A church spire in Warren is prominent. The largest marine railways, at Dighton, can handle craft to 55 feet. The largest marine lift is at Somerset with a (218) From the bay, the channel to Warren passes between capacity of 80 tons. numerous shoals and rocks and is crooked and winding, but well marked. (219) In 2002, a sunken wreck in about 41°43.65'N., 71°17.25'W. is on the west side of Warren River.
242 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 6 (220) A State regulatory buoy, about 0.9 mile above the (231) Occupessatuxet Cove, on the west side of the river mouth of Warren River, marks a “Slow no wake” zone. north of Conimicut Point, is a shallow bight south of Gaspee Point. The cove is frequented only by small craft (221) An excellent anchorage may be found at the mouth with local knowledge. of the Warren River about 0.2 mile from the eastern shore in depths of 14 to 15 feet, soft bottom. There is not room (232) Pawtuxet Cove, used by pleasure and fishing craft, for anchorage in the river for any but small craft. Abreast on the west side of Providence River, is entered about the lower end of Warren the channel is about 0.1 mile 1 mile northward of Gaspee Point through a dredged wide, with depths of 13 to 17 feet in midchannel, and channel. The entrance channel leads westward to the small vessels can anchor temporarily at this point. cove, thence the channel turns northward and leads to a turning basin at the head of the cove. An anchorage (222) Vessels approaching the river must take care to avoid basin extends southward from the entrance channel. Rumstick Shoal, which extends nearly 0.6 mile south of The entrance channel is marked by buoys. In 2011, the Rumstick Point, the southernmost point of Rumstick controlling depth was 6 feet in the entrance channel Neck and the western entrance point of the river. The and the turning basin; 5 to 6 feet was available in the shoal has depths of 2 to 12 feet and is marked by buoys. anchorage basin. A 12-foot-high protective dike along the Rumstick Rock, 6 feet high, and Rumstick Ledge, with east side of the anchorage basin extends southward from rocks that uncover 1 to 5 feet, are on the westerly side of Marsh Island, on the south side of the entrance channel, the shoal. to Rock Island. Pawtuxet is a village on the west side of the cove. (223) The Route 114 Bridge crosses the Barrington River about 0.5 mile above the mouth; it has a fixed span with (233) The harbormaster in the cove controls anchoring a clearance of 10 feet. A fixed bridge just north of the and berthing; he can be contacted through the Warwick highway bridge has a 30-foot east span with a clearance City Hall. Berths, electricity, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, of 5 feet. Rocks were reported under the bridge in 1978. ice, marine supplies, and a 15-ton mobile hoist are available. A flatbed trailer can haul out craft to 50 feet (224) The tidal current off the town of Warren has long for complete hull and engine repairs. a velocity of about 1 knot. Strong currents may be encountered in Barrington River. (234) A yacht club is on the west side of Providence River about 1 mile northward of the entrance to Pawtuxet Cove. (225) The harbormaster controls docking, mooring, and Gasoline and guest berths are available. anchoring, and can be contacted through the Warren Police Department. (235) A privately dredged channel leads from the main channel in Providence River, eastward of Pawtuxet, to (226) A shipyard on the east side of the Warren River at a small-craft facility about 0.45 mile southwestward of Warren has a hydraulic lift that can handle vessels to 300 Fields Point (41°47.2'N., 71°22.9'W.). The channel is tons or 130 feet long. In 1981, a reported depth of 7 feet marked by buoys and, in 1998, had a reported controlling could be carried to the shipyard. depth of 8 feet. The ruins of the piers of a former Naval Reserve facility are on the south side of Fields Point (227) Berths, electricity, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, immediately eastward of the yacht club; this area should and marine supplies are available in Warren. Depths be avoided. reported alongside the major wharves range from 7 to 20 feet. Small craft facilities are also available on the point (236) Bullock Cove is on the east side of Providence River, near the confluence of the two rivers. Several boatyards 2 miles north of Conimicut Point. A dredged channel are in the vicinity; mobile hoists to 25 tons are available. leads from the Providence River to a mooring basin on Covered storage and complete engine, electronic, and the east side of Bullock Point, thence northward 0.5 mile hull repairs are available. Mariners are cautioned of to a mooring and turning basin. The entrance channel a reported rock, covered 2 feet, just off the gas dock is marked by buoys and daybeacons. In 1982, a sunken of the Barrington Yacht Club in about 44°44’00”N., wreck was reported on the west side of the channel at 71°17’37”W. Bullock Point. There are numerous small-craft facilities in Bullock Cove. The largest marine railway, on Bullock (228) Neck about 300 yards northward of Bullock Point, can handle craft up to 60 feet; berths, electricity, gasoline, Charts 13224, 13225 diesel fuel, water, ice, storage, launching ramps, marine supplies, a pump-out facility, a 45-ton mobile crane, a (229) Providence River, which empties into the head of 99-ton mobile hoist, hull, engine and electronic repairs Narragansett Bay between Nayatt Point and Conimicut are available. Sail repairs can be arranged nearby. Point, is the approach to the city of Providence, numerous towns and villages, and to Seekonk River. (237) Seekonk River, which branches off northeasterly from Providence River at Providence, is the approach to (230) Providence is at the head of navigation on the Phillipsdale and Pawtucket. The head of navigation is Providence River, about 7 miles above the entrance, at the at Pawtucket, 5 miles above the mouth. Commerce on junction of the Providence and Seekonk Rivers. The port the river is chiefly in petroleum products. A marina at area includes both sides of the upper navigable channel Pawtucket can provide berths, electricity, water, gasoline, of the river. The port’s chief waterborne commerce is in petroleum products, cement, lumber, steel scrap metal, general cargo, and automobiles.
U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 6 ¢ 243 (249) Structures across Providence and Seekonk Rivers Clear Width of Clear Height above Draw or Span Mean High Water Name•Description•Type Location Opening (feet) (feet) Information Providence River Providence River/I-195 Bridge (fixed) 41°48'55\"N., 71°24'06\"W. 357 35 145 Overhead power cable 41°48'56\"N., 71°24'09\"W. 60 Overhead power cable 41°49'00\"N., 71°24'12\"W. 7 Point Street Bridge (fixed) 41°49'05\"N., 71°24'14\"W. 99 130 Note 1 40 Note 2 Seekonk River 17 42 Overhead power cable 41°48'58\"N., 71°23'22\"W. 125 42 Washington/I-195/US 6 Bridges (fixed) 41°49'08\"N., 71°23'16\"W. 100 30 152 Tunnel Railroad Bridge (bascule) 41°49'25\"N., 71°23'05\"W. 92 New Red Bridge (fixed) 41°49'45\"N., 71°22'41\"W. 100 Overhead power cables 41°51'56\"N., 71°22'48\"W. Overhead power cables 41°52'21\"N., 71°26'05\"W. Division Street Bridge (fixed) 41°52'21\"N., 71°23'03\"W. 50 Pawtucket/I-95 Bridge (fixed) 41°52'24\"N., 71°23'04\"W. 54 Note 1 – Piers of a former fixed bridge cross the river channel about 300 yards north of Point Street Bridge. Note 2 – The Tunnel Bridge has been abandoned and the span is locked in the open position. storage facilities, marine supplies, and hull and engine by buoys, leads from Cold Spring Point, about 1.3 miles repairs. A flatbed trailer at the marina can haul out craft above Fox Point, to a point about 150 yards southward to 40 feet long. of Division Street Bridge at Pawtucket, about 2.9 miles above Cold Spring Point. (See Notice to Mariners and (238) the latest edition of charts for controlling depths.) The lower section of the river, from Fox Point to Cold Spring Prominent features Point, is crooked, winding and marked by buoys. Local (239) Conimicut Light (41°43'01\"N., 71°20'42\"W.), knowledge and use of the chart are required to carry the best water. 58 feet above the water, is shown from a white conical (244) Three areas of submerged boulders with angle iron tower on a brown cylindrical pier on the west side of protrusions, the remains of the approaches and pivot pier the entrance to Providence River. A mariner radio of a former swing bridge, are in the river channel at Cold activated sound signal at the light, is initiated by keying Spring Point in about 41°49'36\"N., 71°22'48\"W. A 5 mph the microphone five times on VHF-FM channel 83A. An no-wake-zone, marked by State regulatory buoys, is in abandoned lighthouse on Nayatt Point is also prominent the entrance channel and above Cold Spring Point. in the approach to the river. A white masonry conical tower, approximately 20 feet high, is west of the channel, (245) 0.7 mile above Sabin Point. Three wind turbines are prominent on the west side of the river, about 0.6 mile Anchorages above Fields Point. (246) Vessels anchor as directed by the harbormaster on (240) the edge of the channel between Fields Point and Fox Point. Eastward of Fox Point, a few vessels may anchor Channels in the area where a portion of Green Jacket Shoal was (241) The Federal project for Providence River provides removed. Preferred small-craft anchorages are in Bullock Cove and Pawtuxet Cove. for a channel 40 feet deep from just below Prudence Island Light to Fox Point near the junction of Providence (247) and Seekonk Rivers. (See Notice to Mariners and latest editions of the charts for controlling depths.) The channel Dangers is well marked with navigational aids. (248) Numerous rocks and ledges border Providence (242) A hurricane barrier crosses the Providence River about 200 yards above Fox Point. The barrier includes River Channel on either side. Navigational aids mark the three gates which normally will be kept in the opened shoal areas off Bullock Point, about 1.5 miles above the position until the approach of hurricane weather. The mouth; off Sabin Point, about 3 miles above the Mouth; clearances at each of the three river gates are: horizontal, off Pomham Rocks, about 3.5 miles above the mouth; off 20 feet; vertical (gate fully opened), 21 feet at mean high Fuller Rock, about 5 miles above the mouth and Green water; and depth over the gate sill, 12.9 feet at mean low Jacket Shoal, east of Fox Point about 7.4 miles above water. Red lights mark the channel ends of each gate. the mouth. (243) Seekonk River empties into the easterly side of Providence River at Fox Point.Adredged channel, marked
244 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 2, Chapter 6 (250) produce the most severe weather. Between 1871 and 1996, twelve tropical storms have come within 25 miles Currents of Providence. In August 1991, Hurricane Bob passed (251) Tidal currents are weak in the approach channel and within 20 miles east of the city with 85-knot winds. Only twelve hours earlier, Bob was packing winds in excess of the harbor, except in the constricted parts of Seekonk 100 knots. In September 1960, Hurricane Donna passed River. In Seekonk River the double flood is very about 20 miles west of the city. At the time, Donna had pronounced. The velocity near the middle of the flood maximum winds of 90 knots. Coastal areas of Rhode period is generally less than 0.5 knot and is sometimes Island, Connecticut, and Long Island were raked with in an ebb direction. (See the Tidal Current Tables for winds in excess of 100 knots compliments of Hurricane predictions.) Donna. (252) (259) Weather, Providence and vicinity Ice (253) The proximity of Narragansett Bay and the Atlantic (260) The approach channel and the harbor are generally Ocean plays an important part in determining the climate free of ice and navigable throughout the year. During for Providence and vicinity. In winter, the temperatures severe winters, the harbor and several miles of Providence are modified considerably, and a good many of the major River and Upper Narragansett Bay are occasionally storms drop their precipitation in the form of rain, rather broken over, but the ice is usually broken up in the than snow. In summer, many days that would otherwise channels to the principal wharves by the traffic in the be uncomfortably warm are cooled by refreshing harbor. seabreezes. At other times of the year, sea fog may be (261) The National Weather Service maintains an office advected over land by onshore winds. In fact, most cases at the T.F. Green State Airport; barometers may be of dense fog are produced in this way; but the number of compared here. (See Appendix A for address.) such days is few, averaging 2 or 3 days per month. (262) (See Appendix B for the Providence climatological (254) The temperature for the entire year averages around table.) 51°F (10.6°C). January is the coldest month averaging 29°F (-1.7°C), and July the hottest month averaging 73°F (263) (22.8°C). Freezing temperatures occur on the average about 117 days per year and the days with minimums Pilotage, Providence below 5°F (-15°C) average six each year. An average (264) See Pilotage, Narragansett Bay and Other Rhode nine days each year record maximums in excess of 90°F (32.2°C). The all-time maximum for Providence is Island Waters (indexed as such), early this chapter. 104°F (40°C) recorded in August 1975 and the all-time minimum is -13°F (-25°C) recorded in January 1976. (265) (255) Measurable precipitation occurs on about 178 days each year. November is the wettest month averaging Towage 4.48 inches (114 mm) and June the driest averaging 2.89 (266) Tugs up to 3,300 hp are available at Providence. inches (74 mm). Average annual precipitation is 45.12 inches (1144 mm). Large vessels normally require tugs for docking and (256) Thunderstorms are responsible for much of the undocking. Arrangements for tug service should be made rainfall from May through August. They usually 4 hours in advance, and usually through ships’ agents or produce heavy, and sometimes even excessive, amounts directly by shipping companies. Tugs are dispatched 24 of rainfall but since the duration is relatively short, hours a day. Tugs monitor VHF-FM channels 10, 13, 16, damage is ordinarily light. The summer thunderstorms and 18, and use channel 7A as a working frequency. are frequently accompanied by extremely gusty winds, (267) Providence is a customs port of entry. which may cause some damage to property, especially small pleasure and fishing craft. (268) (257) The first measurable snowfall of winter usually comes in October. The month of greatest snowfall is Quarantine, customs, immigration, and agricultural usually February which averages about ten inches (254 quarantine mm). It is unusual for the ground to remain well covered (269) (See chapter 3, Vessel Arrival Inspections, and with snow for any long period of time. The average Appendix A for addresses.) annual snowfall total is 45 inches (1143 mm). Snow has (270) Quarantine is enforced in accordance with fallen in every month, October through May. About seven regulations of the U.S. Public Health Service. (See Public days each year have snowfall greater than 1.5 inches (38 Health Service, chapter 1.) mm). (271) Providence has several hospitals. (258) In early fall, severe coastal storms of tropical origin sometimes bring destructive winds to this area. Even at (272) other times of the year, it is usually coastal storms that Coast Guard (273) A marine safety office is in Providence. (See Appendix A for address.) (274) Harbor regulations are enforced by the harbormaster/port director, whose headquarters are at the municipal wharf. The harbormaster regulates the
Search
Read the Text Version
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 32
- 33
- 34
- 35
- 36
- 37
- 38
- 39
- 40
- 41
- 42
- 43
- 44
- 45
- 46
- 47
- 48
- 49
- 50
- 51
- 52
- 53
- 54
- 55
- 56
- 57
- 58
- 59
- 60
- 61
- 62
- 63
- 64
- 65
- 66
- 67
- 68
- 69
- 70
- 71
- 72
- 73
- 74
- 75
- 76
- 77
- 78
- 79
- 80
- 81
- 82
- 83
- 84
- 85
- 86
- 87
- 88
- 89
- 90
- 91
- 92
- 93
- 94
- 95
- 96
- 97
- 98
- 99
- 100
- 101
- 102
- 103
- 104
- 105
- 106
- 107
- 108
- 109
- 110
- 111
- 112
- 113
- 114
- 115
- 116
- 117
- 118
- 119
- 120
- 121
- 122
- 123
- 124
- 125
- 126
- 127
- 128
- 129
- 130
- 131
- 132
- 133
- 134
- 135
- 136
- 137
- 138
- 139
- 140
- 141
- 142
- 143
- 144
- 145
- 146
- 147
- 148
- 149
- 150
- 151
- 152
- 153
- 154
- 155
- 156
- 157
- 158
- 159
- 160
- 161
- 162
- 163
- 164
- 165
- 166
- 167
- 168
- 169
- 170
- 171
- 172
- 173
- 174
- 175
- 176
- 177
- 178
- 179
- 180
- 181
- 182
- 183
- 184
- 185
- 186
- 187
- 188
- 189
- 190
- 191
- 192
- 193
- 194
- 195
- 196
- 197
- 198
- 199
- 200
- 201
- 202
- 203
- 204
- 205
- 206
- 207
- 208
- 209
- 210
- 211
- 212
- 213
- 214
- 215
- 216
- 217
- 218
- 219
- 220
- 221
- 222
- 223
- 224
- 225
- 226
- 227
- 228
- 229
- 230
- 231
- 232
- 233
- 234
- 235
- 236
- 237
- 238
- 239
- 240
- 241
- 242
- 243
- 244
- 245
- 246
- 247
- 248
- 249
- 250
- 251
- 252
- 253
- 254
- 255
- 256
- 257
- 258
- 259
- 260
- 261
- 262
- 263
- 264
- 265
- 266
- 267
- 268
- 269
- 270
- 271
- 272
- 273
- 274
- 275
- 276
- 277
- 278
- 279
- 280
- 281
- 282
- 283
- 284
- 285
- 286
- 287
- 288
- 289
- 290
- 291
- 292
- 293
- 294
- 295
- 296
- 297
- 298
- 299
- 300
- 301
- 302
- 303
- 304
- 305
- 306
- 307
- 308
- 309
- 310
- 311
- 312
- 313
- 314
- 315
- 316
- 317
- 318
- 319
- 320
- 321
- 322
- 323
- 324
- 325
- 326
- 327
- 328
- 329
- 330
- 331
- 332
- 333
- 334
- 335
- 336
- 337
- 338
- 339
- 340
- 341
- 342
- 343
- 344
- 345
- 346
- 347
- 348
- 349
- 350
- 351
- 352
- 353
- 354
- 355
- 356
- 357
- 358
- 359
- 360
- 361
- 362
- 363
- 364
- 365
- 366
- 367
- 368
- 369
- 370
- 371
- 372
- 373
- 374
- 375
- 376
- 377
- 378
- 379
- 380
- 381
- 382
- 383
- 384
- 385
- 386
- 387
- 388
- 389
- 390
- 391
- 392
- 393
- 394
- 395
- 396
- 397
- 398
- 399
- 400
- 401
- 402
- 403
- 404
- 405
- 406
- 407
- 408
- 409
- 410
- 411
- 412
- 413
- 414
- 415
- 416
- 417
- 418
- 419
- 420
- 421
- 422
- 423
- 424
- 425
- 426
- 427
- 428
- 429
- 430
- 431
- 432
- 433
- 434
- 435
- 436
- 437
- 438
- 439
- 440
- 441
- 442
- 443
- 444
- 445
- 446
- 447
- 448
- 449
