United States Coast Pilot 2 Atlantic Coast - Cape Cod, MA to Sandy Hook, NJ 2009

Eastern Long Island Sound ■ Chapter 8 ■ 293 to Block Island, Fishers Island, and to Orient Point, feet alongside. It is marked by an elevated water sphere Long Island. and several small tanks on the pier. (86) Fort Point, on the east side 8 miles above New Lon- (77) Thames River above New London has a dredged don, has a long fuel pier marked by privately main- channel to Norwich, the head of navigation. In July-Au- tained red lights, and on shore is a building with gust 2006, the controlling depth was 25 feet from the several stacks. Numerous piles are in the water south- bridges at New London to the north end of the turning ward of the pier. The fixed highway bridge crossing the basin opposite Smith Cove, thence 7.1 feet (14.9 feet at river about 0.2 miles south of Fort Point has a clear- midchannnel) to Stoddard Hill, thence 15 feet to the ance of 75 feet. turning basin at Norwich with 12 feet in the turning (87) The red brick buildings of the Norwich State Hos- basin except for shoaling to lesser depths near the up- pital are on a bluff just north of Fort Point and are a per limits of the basin. The channel is well marked by conspicuous landmark. navigational aids. (88) At Thamesville, on the west side of the river about 1 mile below Norwich, are two finger piers each with Caution breasting dolphins used to receive petroleum products (78) The dikes along the Thames River from Easter from barges. Depths of 20 to 25 feet are reported along- side the face of the piers. Point (41°28.2'N., 72°04.5'W.) to Norwich are sub- (89) Norwich, a city at the head of navigation on merged at half tide. Thames River at its junction with Shetucket River and Yantic River, is about 11 miles above New London. In Pilotage, Thames River 1981, waterborne commerce to Norwich consisted of pe- (79) For Pilotage for the river see Pilotage, New Lon- troleum products. Small boats generally anchor in Shetucket River just above the fixed bridges at Norwich, don-Groton (indexed as such) earlier this chapter. which have a minimum clearance of 11 feet. (80) The U.S. Coast Guard Academy is on the west side Charts 13211, 13212, 12372 of Thames River about 1 mile north of the center of New London. The administration building, with its (90) Bartlett Reef Light (41°16'28\"N., 72°08'14\"W.), 35 white tower and clock, and the lighted chapel spire are feet above the water and shown from a skeleton tower very prominent, but are not visible until almost abeam with a red and white diamond-shaped daymark, is of the academy. Depths alongside the 410-foot-long about 3.3 miles southwestward of New London Ledge academy pier were reported in 2005, to be 30 feet at the Light and marks the south end of Bartlett Reef. A fog face, 30 feet along the south side, and 30 to 34 feet on signal is at the light. The reef, about 1.3 miles long in a the north side. general north-south direction and about 0.3 mile wide, is covered 2 to 18 feet and has rocks awash near its (81) The U.S. Naval Submarine Base is on the east side northern end. The north end of the reef is marked by a of the Thames River about 2.5 miles above New Lon- buoy. A lighted bell buoy and an unlighted buoy are don. about 0.9 mile southward and about 0.3 mile eastward of the light, respectively. (82) A restricted area is off the U.S. Naval Submarine Base. (See 334.75, chapter 2, for limits and regula- (91) A general anchorage is about 0.8 mile northeast- tions.) ward of Bartlett Reef Light. (See 110.1 and 110.147 (a) (4), and (b), chapter 2, for limits and regulations.) (83) Just below Gales Ferry, on the east side about 4 miles above the bridges, are the crew training quarters (92) Twotree Island, small and bare, about 1.4 miles and boathouses of Harvard and Yale Universities. Oppo- northwestward of Bartlett Reef Light, is surrounded by site Gales Ferry is the town of Bartlett, site of a promi- shoals. A buoy marks rocks awash that extend off the nent power plant with two tall and conspicuous stacks. northern end of the island. A privately dredged channel with depths of about 19 feet leads to the dock and coal tipple. (93) Twotree Island Channel leads northward of Bart- lett Reef and Twotree Island. With an adverse current in (84) At Montville Station, just above Bartlett, is a dock the sound, this channel is used to some extent by light with a depth of 23 feet at the face. The northeast end of tows and sailboats with a leading wind in the daytime, the dock is in ruins. Overhead power cables with a as the tidal currents turn about 1 hour earlier along the clearance of 160 feet cross the river 0.5 mile above the north shore than in the middle of the sound. About 0.3 station near Kitemaug. mile southwestward of Seaside, the tidal currents have (85) Allyn Point, on the east side about 5 miles above New London, is the site of a large private pier for receiv- ing liquid chemicals, with a reported depth of about 30

294 ■ Chapter 8 ■ Coast Pilot 2 a velocity of 1.2 knots, and ebb 1.6 knots. Flood sets Charts 13211, 12372 westerly and the ebb easterly. The channel is buoyed, but strangers are advised to use it with caution and (96) White Rock is an islet on the east side of the en- should never attempt to beat through. trance to Niantic Bay 0.5 mile westward of Millstone (94) From Goshen Point (41°18.0'N., 72°06.8'W.) west- Point. Little Rock, two rocks partly bare at low water, is ward, there are scattered boulders which extend off- 150 yards east of White Rock. Rocks with a least depth shore as much as 0.2 mile in places. Jordan Cove, 1.5 of 8 feet extend 0.25 mile northwest from Millstone miles west of Goshen Point, is foul in its northerly half, Point. A rock, covered 11 feet, is about 300 yards and the southerly part is obstructed by Flat Rock, bare south-southeast of White Rock and is marked by a at low water and marked by a buoy, and High Rock, lighted bell buoy. which shows at high water and is marked by a buoy. (95) Millstone Point, on the east side at the entrance of (97) Niantic Bay, 4.5 miles westward of New London Niantic Bay, is occupied by the buildings of the Mill- Harbor, is a good anchorage sheltered from easterly, stone Nuclear Power Station. A 389-foot red and white northerly, and westerly winds. It is a harbor of refuge in stack at the station and a radio tower on the point are northerly gales and can be used by small vessels and the most conspicuous landmarks in the area. A cove tows. The general depth of the bay is about 19 feet; the with depths of 2 to 17 feet is on the west side of the water shoals gradually northward. The entrance is 1.5 point. A rock with 1 foot over it lies 60 feet off the miles wide, and the dangers are marked by buoys or mouth of the cove. The station maintains channel show above water. markers and a range for occasional barge traffic. A dredged area for the power station’s water intakes is 0.2 (98) Niantic and Crescent Beach are summer resorts mile northwest of the cove. with railroad communication at the north end and northwest side of the bay. (99) The Niantic Bay Yacht Club basin at Crescent Beach is protected on the south, east, and partially on the north side by a U-shaped breakwater; a private sea- sonal light is near the outer end of the breakwater.

Eastern Long Island Sound ■ Chapter 8 ■ 295 (100) A special anchorage is on the west side of Niantic Small-craft facilities Bay off Crescent Beach. (See 110.1 and 110.53, chap- (108) There are several small-craft facilities just above ter 2, for limits and regulations.) the entrance at Niantic and Waterford, on the west side (101) Niantic River empties into the northeast end of and east side of Niantic River, respectively, and in Niantic Bay and is entered through a dredged channel Smith Cove. (See the small-craft facilities tabulation that leads from the bay, thence through a narrow pas- on chart 12372 for services and supplies available.) sage at the entrance, and thence to a point about 300 yards northward of the entrance to Smith Cove. In (109) Harbormasters are at Niantic and Waterford. A 6 2004-February 2006, the controlling depths were 4.6 mph speed limit is enforced on the river. feet (7.9 feet at midchannel) to the highway bascule bridge about 0.4 mile above the channel entrance, (110) Black Point, on the west side at the entrance to thence 5.4 feet at midchannel to the head of the chan- Niantic Bay, is flat with bluffs at the water and is occu- nel. The channel is marked by daybeacons and seasonal pied by many summer cottages. Broken ground with a buoys. Two bridges cross the narrow passage at the en- least found depth of 20 feet extends 0.6 mile south of trance. The more southerly is the Amtrak bridge, with a the southwest side of the point. 45-foot bascule span and a clearance of 11 feet; the State Route 156 highway bridge, about 0.1 northward, (111) The bight between Black Point and Hatchet Point, has a bascule span with a clearance of 32 feet. (See about 2.3 miles to the westward, has many rocks show- 117.1 through 117.59 and 117.215, chapter 2, for ing above high water. Griswold Island, on the north- drawbridge regulations.) The bridgetender at each east side of the bight, is high and prominent. Rocks bridge monitors VHF-FM channel 13; call signs extend 0.35 mile southward and 0.2 mile southwest- KGA-511 and KXR-911, respectively. ward of the island. The southwest rocks are marked by a buoy. South Brother, in the center, and North Brother, (102) Strangers attempting to enter Niantic River are in the northwestern part of the bight, are prominent cautioned to pass through the bridges either at slack bare rocks. A rock, covered 6 feet, is 250 yards off the water or against the current. west side of Black Point. Blackboys, two rocks awash are 0.4 mile southward of Griswold Island. A rock, cov- (103) Above the head of the dredged channel, small craft ered 3 feet and marked by a buoy, is about 0.2 mile can navigate for about another 1.5 miles to Golden southward of Blackboys. Johns Rock, covered 5 feet, is Spur (East Lyme) with local knowledge. The river 0.3 mile off the northwest side of the bight, about 0.5 from westward of Sandy Point to the stone bulkhead at mile west-southwestward of South Brother. Golden Spur is deep and clear; vessels generally follow the west bank. Pine Grove, Sandy Point, and Saunders (112) Strangers entering the bight should proceed with Point are summer resorts on Niantic River. caution, as the bottom is broken; the best route is to pass southward and westward of the buoy southward of Tides and currents Blackboys, and pass on either side of South Brother. (104) The mean range of tide is about 2.7 feet in Niantic Seal Rock, 160 yards south of the end of Giants Neck, is marked by a buoy on the south side. Bay. (105) The tidal currents through the bridges set fair with Anchorage (113) A special anchorage is east of Giants Neck. (See the channel; the flood velocity is 1.6 knots and the ebb velocity, 0.8 knot. It has been reported that much 110.1 and 110.54, chapter 2, for limits and regula- greater velocities may be expected under storm and tions.) An unmarked rock is within the anchorage area, freshet conditions. (See Tidal Current Tables for pre- about 0.1 mile south of Giants Neck; depth over the dictions.) Current directions and velocities for the en- rock is not known. trance to the Niantic River for each hour of the tidal cycle are shown on the Tidal Current Charts, Block Is- (114) Hatchett Point has several large dwellings. A reef land Sound and Eastern Long Island Sound. extends about 0.2 mile off the southwest side of the point. (106) Ice generally closes the river to navigation for about 3 months during the winter. (115) Hatchett Reef, 0.6 to 1 mile south-southwestward of Hatchett Point, has a least depth of 5 feet and is (107) Smith Cove is on the west side of Niantic River marked by buoys. Close to the southeast side of the reef about 1.5 miles above the channel entrance. A channel, the depths are 30 to 48 feet. A bar with 10 to 16 feet over marked by private daybeacons, leads westward from the it extends westward from Hatchett Reef to Saybrook river channel into the cove. In February 1999, the Bar. channel had a reported depth of 5 feet.

296 ■ Chapter 8 ■ Coast Pilot 2 Charts 12375, 12377, 12378, 12372 feet extending nearly 2 miles off the mouth; it is marked off its southeastern end by a lighted bell buoy. (116) Connecticut River rises in the extreme northern (124) In March 1976, obstructions were reported in the part of New Hampshire, near the Canadian border, and channel at the railroad bascule bridge 3 miles above the flows southerly between the States of Vermont and New mouth of the Connecticut River; a least depth of 13 feet Hampshire and across Massachusetts and Connecticut is reported in the channel in area 40 to 50 feet from the to Long Island Sound. It is approximately 375 miles long east abutment of the bridge. Mariners requiring and is one of the largest and most important rivers in greater depths are advised to avoid this area of the New England. The head of commercial navigation is at channel during passages. Hartford, about 45 miles from the mouth. Waterborne commerce on the river is mostly in petroleum products Bridges and chemicals. (125) Several drawbridges and fixed bridges cross Con- (117) The river water is fresh at and above Deep River. necticut River between the entrance and Hartford. The Each year after the spring freshets, shoals with least distance above the mouth, type, and clearance of each depths of 10 feet are found in places on bars in the up- bridge follows: 3 miles, Amtrak railroad with bascule per river; dredging to remove such shoals is begun as span, 19 feet; 3.5 miles, Raymond E. Baldwin (IS 95) soon as the water subsides. Bridge, fixed highway, 81 feet; 14.6 miles, State Route 82 highway with swing span at East Haddam, 22 feet; (118) Between the entrance and Middletown the river 27.8 miles, ConRail railroad with swing span at banks are hard and in some places rocky, but between Middletown, 25 feet; 32.2 miles, Arrigoni Bridge (State Middletown and Hartford the river flows through allu- Route 66), fixed highway, 89 feet; 41.2 miles, Wm. H. vial bottom land, where freshets and ice jams may Putnam Bridge (State Route 3), fixed highway near cause shoaling. Wethersfield, 80 feet over main channel; 44 miles, Charter Oak Bridge (U.S. 5/State Route 15), a fixed Channels highway bridge at Hartford, 69 feet for a width of 215 (119) A Federal project for Connecticut River provides feet; 44.9 miles, Founders Bridge, fixed highway, 49 feet; 45.2 miles, Bulkeley Bridge (I-84), fixed highway, for a 15-foot jettied entrance channel and 15-foot 39 feet; and 46 miles, Conrail fixed railroad, 28 feet. dredged cuts across the bars to Hartford, 45 miles (See 117.1 through 117.59 and 117.205, chapter 2, above the entrance. (See Notice to Mariners and the lat- for drawbridge regulations.) The bridgetender of the est editions of the charts for controlling depths.) Amtrak bascule railroad bridge at mile 3 monitors (120) The channel above the jettied entrance channel VHF-FM channel 13; call sign KT-5414. Vessels re- usually follows the banks on the outside of the curves of questing the opening of this bridge are cautioned to the river, except through the dredged cuts across the confirm by radiotelephone that the bascule span is bars which are marked by navigational aids. safely raised and stabilized before making passage. The bridgetender of the highway swing bridge at East (121) Saybrook Breakwater Light (41°15'48\"N., Haddam at mile 14.6 monitors VHF-FM channel 13; 72°20'34\"W.), 58 feet above the water, is shown from a call sign KXR-913. white conical tower, 49 feet high, on a brown cylindri- (126) Overhead power cables across the Connecticut cal pier on the south end of the west jetty at the en- River have a least clearance of 100 feet, except for the trance to Connecticut River. A fog signal is at the light. one at Laurel, 24.2 miles above the mouth, which has a clearance of 65 feet. Anchorages (122) Secure anchorage can be had eastward or north- Tides (127) The time of tide becomes later and the range di- eastward of Lynde Point Light. Farther up anchorage can be selected in the wider parts of the channel. Spe- minishes in progressing up the river. High water and cial anchorages are at Old Saybrook, Essex, Chester, low water at Hartford occur about 4.5 and 6 hours later, Lord Island, Eddy Rock Shoal in the vicinity of Con- respectively, than at the entrance. The mean range of necticut River Light 45, and Mouse Island Bar vicinity. the tide is 3.5 feet at Saybrook jetty, 2.5 feet at Haddam, (See 110.1 and 110.55, chapter 2, for limits and regu- and 1.9 feet at Hartford. lations.) Currents Dangers (128) At the entrance the currents have considerable ve- (123) Saybrook Outer Bar, which obstructs the mouth of locity at times and always require careful attention, as the Connecticut River, is shifting, with depths of 4 to 12

Eastern Long Island Sound ■ Chapter 8 ■ 297 the tidal current of the sound often sets directly across known locally as “coastals” or “northeasters”. Sea- the direction of the current setting out or in between sonally, weather characteristics vary from the cold and jetties. This condition is reported to be especially dan- dry continental-polar air of winter to the warm, mari- gerous during the first 3 hours of ebb tide. (Consult the times air of summer, the one from Canada, the other Tidal Current Tables for times and velocities of cur- from the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, or Atlantic rents at a number of locations in Connecticut River. In Ocean. addition, see Tidal Current Charts and Tidal Current (134) Summer thunderstorms develop in the Berkshire Diagrams, Long Island Sound and Block Island Sound, Mountains to the west and northwest, and move over for current directions and velocities at various places in the Connecticut Valley and, when accompanied by the Connecticut River for each hour of the tidal cycle.) wind and hail, sometimes cause considerable damage (129) During the ebb, a strong current runs from the to crops. Thunderstorm days average 20 each year. Lyme Landing toward the center of the railroad bridge. June, July, and August are the most favored months. Towboats with vessels in tow should steer for the east During the winter, rain often falls through cold air pier of the draw and should not swing out for the draw trapped in the valley and creates extremely hazardous until almost in it, to avoid being set to the west side of ice conditions. On clear nights in the late summer or the channel. Because of river discharge, the ebb cur- early autumn, cool air drainage into the valley and the rent usually will be considerably stronger than the moisture from the Connecticut River produce steam flood. Ebb current velocities of 1 knot or more have and/or ground fog which becomes quite dense been observed under normal conditions on the bars in throughout the valley and temporarily hampers trans- Connecticut River between Higganum and Hartford; portation. An average 162 days each year report fog. the velocities of the flood currents are much less. (135) Fog is reported to develop locally in the vicinity of the nuclear power plant’s efflux at Haddam Neck and (130) Freshets occur principally in the spring, when the around Gildersleeve Island. snow is melting, although occasional floods have oc- (136) The average annual temperature for Hartford is curred in every month of the year except July and Sep- 50°F (10°C). The warmest month is July with an aver- tember. At Hartford the usual rise due to spring age temperature of 74°F (23.3°C) and the coolest is freshets is between 16 and 24 feet. The highest freshets January with an average temperature of 26°F (-3.3°C). are generally of short duration, but the period during The warmest temperature on record is 102°F (38.9°C) which the river at Hartford is at the level of 8 feet or recorded in July 1966 and the coolest temperature on more above mean low water averages nearly 2 months record is -26°F (-3.3°C) recorded in January 1961. Each of each year. Below Middletown the height of the crest month, except June, July, and August has recorded of a freshet decreases rapidly. At the mouth the varia- temperatures below freezing. Each month, June tion in water level is due to the tides. through September, has recorded temperatures in ex- cess of 100°F (37.8°C). An average of 18 days each year (131) Ice closes the river to navigation a part of every records temperatures in excess of 90°F (32.2°C) and an winter for wooden hull boats. The duration of closing is average of 134 days each year has a temperature of 32°F about 2 months. (0°C) or cooler. An average of eleven days each year has temperatures of 5°F (-15°C) or lower. Weather, Hartford and vicinity. (137) The average annual precipitation for Hartford is (132) Hartford is well inside the northern temperate cli- 44.20 inches (1123 mm). Precipitation is fairly uniform with the difference between the wettest and driest matic zone in a prevailing west to east movement of air month being less than one inch (25.4 mm). The wettest carrying the majority of weather systems into Connect- month is November, averaging 4.07 inches (104 mm) icut from the west. The average wintertime position of and the driest month is February averaging 3.13 inches the “Polar Front” boundary between cold dry polar air (80 mm). Average snowfall, on an annual basis, totals and warm moist tropical air is just south of New Eng- 44 inches (1118). February 1961 holds the record of the land, which helps to explain the extensive winter storm greatest snowfall in a 24-hour period with 14.3 inches activity and the day-to-day variability of local weather. (363 mm). In the summer, the “Polar Front” has an average posi- (138) The National Weather Service office is at Bradley tion along the New England-Canada border and Hart- International Airport, northwest of Hartford. (See page ford has a warm and pleasant climate. 430 for Hartford climatological table.) (133) The location of Hartford, relative to the continent and ocean, is also significant. Rapid weather changes result when storms move northward along the Mid-Atlantic Coast, frequently producing strong and persistent northeast winds associated with storms

298 ■ Chapter 8 ■ Coast Pilot 2 Routes Charts 12375, 12372 (139) To enter Connecticut River from eastward, pass (147) Old Saybrook is a village on the west side of Con- southward of Hatchett Reef and Saybrook Bar, until necticut River, about 1.4 miles northward of Saybrook Saybrook Breakwater Light bears 315°. Steer for Breakwater Light. There are several small-craft facili- Saybrook Breakwater Light on this course through the ties along the west side of the river from Saybrook buoyed opening between the south end of Saybrook Bar Point to Ferry Point, about 2 miles to the northward. and the east end of Long Sand Shoal to the entrance (See the small-craft facilities tabulation on chart 12372 channel between the jetties. for services and supplies available.) (140) To enter from westward, pass 1 mile southward of Falkner Island Light on course 076°. This will lead (148) A “Slow no-wake” speed limit is enforced at Old about 0.4 mile northward of the lighted bell buoy on Saybrook between the railroad bridge and Buoy 20, the western end of Long Sand Shoal and about 0.2 mile 0.25 mile above the Connecticut Turnpike Bridge. southward of the lighted bell buoy southward of Corn- field Point. Then steer about 067°, with Saybrook (149) North Cove, a dredged small-boat basin that affords Breakwater Light a little on the port bow to the en- excellent anchorage, is entered through a dredged trance channel between the jetties. channel that leads westward from the main channel (141) Boating regulations for waters within the State of about 0.4 mile northward of Saybrook Point. In Febru- Connecticut can be found at http://www.dep.state.ct.us ary-March 1999, the controlling depths were 2.2 feet (5 /rec/boating/guide.htm. feet at midchannel) in the entrance channel to the ba- sin, thence in September 2005, depths of 2 to 4 feet Pilotage, Connecticut River were in the basin. The entrance channel is marked by (142) Pilotage is compulsory in Long Island Sound for private buoys. foreign vessels and U.S. vessels under register. See Pi- (150) From Saybrook Point to Hartford local knowledge lotage, Long Island Sound (indexed as such), chapter 8. is required to carry the best water. Small craft should Pilotage for the Connecticut River is available from have no difficulty in following the channel. Connecticut River Pilots Association (CRPA), 104 Nehantic Trail, Old Saybrook, CT 06475, telephone (151) Lieutenant River, leading to Old Lyme, enters the (203) 388-4167. Pilot boat TRUDEE II is 36-foot, with east side of Connecticut River about 1.4 miles north- black hull, white superstructure, and with the word ward of Saybrook Point. Pipe stakes mark the south PILOT on the house, forward. The boat monitors chan- side of the channel across the bar at the entrance. A nels 16 and 13; works on 13. The CRPA pilot boards ves- midchannel depth of about 3 feet can be carried over sels abeam of the marina at the south end of Saybrook the bar to about 0.2 mile above the second bridge. A Point. railroad bridge with a 33-foot fixed span and a clear- (143) Pilot services are arranged in advance through ance of 11 feet crosses the river 0.4 mile above the en- ships’ agents or directly by shipping companies. A trance. An overhead power cable with a reported 24-hour advance notice is requested. clearance of about 10 feet is on the north side of the (144) Hartford is a customs port of entry. bridge. About 0.3 mile above that bridge is a highway bridge with a 24-foot fixed span and a clearance of 6 Wharves feet. A harbormaster is at Old Lyme. (145) The Connecticut River has more than 20 commer- (152) The passage to the east and north of Calves Island, cial piers and wharves, most of which handle petroleum about 1 mile above the railroad bridge crossing Con- products from barges or coastal tankers. Most of the fa- necticut River, is used extensively for mooring small cilities below Rocky Hill, about 34 miles above craft in the summer. This passage is subject to shoal- Saybrook Point, are marginal-type wharves, while ing, particularly on the north side of Calves Island; cau- those above Rocky Hill are finger-type piers with tion is advised. A small-craft facility is on the east side breasting dolphins. Depths of 11 to 15 feet are reported of the passage just above the entrance. Berths, electric- alongside these facilities. ity, water, ice, marine supplies, storage facilities, a 25-ton lift, and some repairs are available. In July 2002, Supplies and repairs depths of 18 feet were reported at the facility. (146) Gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, and marine sup- (153) Lord Cove has its entrance about 300 yards north- plies are available at the principal towns and landings ward of Calves Island. In July 1981, a depth of 3½ feet along the Connecticut River. Boatyards along the river was available through the unmarked entrance. The can make engine, hull, and electronic repairs. marshlands surrounding Lord Cove and the other coves between Essex and the river mouth at Saybrook are frequented by duck hunters in October and Novem- ber. Because of danger of gunfire, mariners are

Eastern Long Island Sound ■ Chapter 8 ■ 299 cautioned not to stray too close to the numerous duck supplies. A 35-ton travel lift is available for hull and en- blinds that exist in this area. gine repairs. (154) The dredged section of the main channel in Con- necticut River westward of Calves Island has numerous Charts 12377, 12378 obstructions and sunken rocks close to its edges; mari- ners are advised to exercise caution and to avoid the (161) Eustasia Island, 8.5 miles above Saybrook Point, edges of the channel. divides the Connecticut River into two channels. A (155) Haydens Point, about 4.6 miles above Saybrook light off the southeast end of the island marks the junc- Point, is marked by a light. Foul ground is between the tion of the two channels. The eastern channel crossing light and the shore. Potash Bar through a dredged cut is better marked and (156) Essex, a town on the west bank about 5 miles above easier to follow. The western channel leads to Pratt Saybrook Point, is the scene of considerable small-boat Creek, westward of the southerly end of Eustasia Is- activity. Depths alongside the town landing are about 6 land, and to the landing at Deep River and thence feet. Essex Cove is the area off the main river channel crosses Chester Creek Bar through a swash channel to skirting the waterfront at Essex. A dredged channel, Chester Creek. A sand shoal and a rocky reef, both bare marked by private buoys, leads from the main channel at low water, are north of Eustasia Island, between the through the cove, and thence rejoins the main channel main channel east of the island and Chester Creek. to the northward. In February-March 1999, a control- ling depth of 5.8 feet was available in the buoyed chan- (162) A rock, covered 3 feet, is on the south side of the en- nel. A 5 mph speed limit is enforced. A privately marked trance to Chester Creek in about 41°24'24.1\"N., small-boat channel leads westward from the dredged 72°25'46.6\"W. buoyed channel in Essex Cove to a yacht basin in Mid- dle Cove, northward of Thatchbed Island. In February Small-craft facilities 1999, the small-boat channel had a reported mid- (163) There are several small-craft facilities on Pratt channel controlling depth of 6½ feet. Creek and Chester Creek. Berths and moorings, elec- Small-craft facilities tricity, gasoline, diesel fuel, ice, marine supplies, a (157) Essex has excellent small-craft facilities. (See the pump-out, storage and a launching ramp are available in the area. Lifts to 55 tons are available for complete small-craft facilities tabulation on chart 12372 for ser- hull, engine, and electronic repairs. vices and supplies available.) Anchorages Anchorages (164) Special anchorages are off Chester Creek. (See (158) Special anchorages are at Essex. (See 110.1 and 110.1 and 110.55 (e–1) and (e–2), chapter 2, for lim- 110.55 (a), (a-1), (b), and (c), chapter 2, for limits its and regulations.) and regulations.) (165) The Chester-Hadlyme vehicular ferry crosses the river near Fort Hill, 2 miles above Eustasia Island. The (159) Hamburg Cove and Eightmile River, which emp- ferry operates from April through November. ties into the north end of the cove, indent the east side (166) Special anchorages are northeastward of Connect- of Connecticut River, 6 miles above Saybrook Point. A icut River Light 45 (41°26.2'N., 72°27.6'W.), about 12.8 dredged channel leads from Connecticut River to a miles above Saybrook Point. (See 110.1 and 110.55 turning basin at Hamburg, a village at the head of navi- (d) and (e), chapter 2, for limits and regulations.) gation. In June 2002, the controlling depth was 4.5 feet in the channel with 1.9 feet in the basin except for (167) On the east side of the river, the turret of the opera shoaling at the north end and along the east edge. house at East Haddam, 13.3 miles above Saybrook There are boulders in places outside the dredged chan- Point, is prominent. A marina is on the west side of the nel, and the entrance channel is outlined by grassy flats river just above the swing bridge between East Haddam on each side. Buoys mark the entrance, and private sea- and Tylerville. Limited guest berths, limited marine sonal buoys and daybeacons mark the remainder of the supplies, electricity, water, and ice are available. In channel to Hamburg. The center of the turning basin March 1990, a reported depth of 5 feet was available in has piles used for moorings. the marina basin. Small-craft facility (168) The shoal off the west side of the river, just north of (160) A small-craft facility, on the east side of the basin, East Haddam, is reported to be increasing. has sewage pump-out, water, ice, and some marine (169) Salmon Cove, on the east side of the river, 1 mile above East Haddam, is reported to be navigable only by

300 ■ Chapter 8 ■ Coast Pilot 2 small craft at high tide. The entrance to the cove is sub- Bodkin Rock, to avoid a submerged crib that extends ject to shoaling. Considerable grass in the channel and northward from the point. cove makes boat operation difficult. (170) Overhead power cables with a least clearance of 86 (181) Portland, 26.3 miles above Saybrook Point, has feet cross the cove about 1.2 miles above the mouth. several boatyards with marine railways; the largest rail- way can handle craft to 60 feet for engine and hull re- Small-craft facility pairs. Gasoline, water, berths with electricity, ice, (171) A small-craft facility is on the west side of the river storage facilities, marine supplies, a pump-out station, launching ramps, and lifts to 50 tons are available at about 1.1 miles above East Haddam. Berths, electricity, Portland. In March 1990, depths of 7 to 9 feet were re- water, ice, a 10-ton mobile hoist, and a launching ramp ported available. are available; hull and engine repairs can be made. In March 1990, a depth of 6 feet was reported at the facil- (182) Berthing and water are available at Harbor Park in ity. Middletown, across the river from Portland. Depths of 18 feet are reported to be available along the wharves. (172) Haddam Island divides the Connecticut River about 3.2 miles above East Haddam. The main river (183) Two small-craft facilities are on the east side of the channel leads eastward of the island through a dredged river at Gildersleeve, about 2.5 miles above Portland. cut known as Haddam Island Bar Channel. A pinnacle Gasoline, diesel fuel, berths with electricity, water, ice, rock, covered 13 feet, is in the approach to Haddam Is- storage facilities, marine supplies, a launching ramp, land Bar Channel in 41°29'31\"N., 72°30'49\"W. and 15- and 35-ton lifts are available, and hull and en- gine repairs can be made. (173) The passage westward of Haddam Island is closed by a bare sand shoal lying between the island’s south- (184) From Belamose, 6.5 miles above Portland, north- erly tip and the westerly shore of the river. ward to Hartford, the land is much lower, and the Con- necticut River narrows, its curves become more (174) The shoal off the east side of the river opposite pronounced, and both of its shores have numerous Higganum Creek, 5.5 miles above East Haddam, is ex- wood-stake-and-rock groins. tending westward. (185) A marina on the east side of the river opposite (175) A rock breakwater extends southward from the east Belamose has gasoline, berths, electricity, water, ice, side of the river, 1 mile above Higganum Creek. In marine supplies, and a 15-ton lift; engine and hull re- 1969, the shoal, about 200 yards southward of the pairs can be made. In July 1983, the privately marked breakwater, was found to be extending southward. channel into the marina basin had a reported control- ling depth of 7 feet. (176) A boatyard is on the north side of the river at Co- balt, about 3.5 miles above Higganum Creek. Storage (186) At Rocky Hill, 1 mile above Belamose, a seasonal facilities and a 15-ton hoist are available. In October vehicular ferry crosses the river to South Glastonbury. 1990, a reported depth of 7 feet could be carried to the A small-craft launching ramp is just above the ferry facility. landing. (177) After passing through the channel in Paper Rock (187) The cove at Crow Point, on the west side of the Shoal, 9.7 miles above East Haddam, favor the south river about 5.7 miles above Belamose, is used to obtain side of the river to about 300 yards southeastward of land fill. Dredging in the cove is uneven, but the bot- Bodkin Rock, then cross to the north side and pass it tom is soft ooze. In July 1981, it was reported that the close-to. entrance had shoaled to bare and could be used only by small outboards. (178) About 0.5 mile westward of Bodkin Rock, a dredged section of the channel leads along the southerly shore (188) A rock, covered 5 feet, is on the south side of the of Connecticut River and southward of Mouse Island dredged channel about 0.8 mile above Crow Point in Bar. about 41°42'43.0\"N., 72°37'46.5\"W.; and a shoal that bares is in 41°43'11\"N., 72°38'52\"W., on the west side of Anchorages Connecticut River, about 1.9 miles above Crow Point. (179) Special anchorages are along the north and east (189) Wethersfield Cove, on the west side of the river 14 sides of the river, between Bodkin Rock and Portland. miles above Portland, is entered through a narrow (See 110.1 and 110.55 (f) and (g), chapter 2, for limits dredged channel that leads to a dredged anchorage ba- and regulations.) sin about 0.3 mile above the entrance. In 1986, the con- trolling depth was 4.9 feet (5.1 feet at midchannel); Caution thence in 1983, 6 feet were available in the basin. The (180) Caution is recommended when rounding the point channel is marked by daybeacons. The Interstate 91 highway bridge over the entrance has a fixed span with on the south side of the river, about 1.5 miles above

Eastern Long Island Sound ■ Chapter 8 ■ 301 a clearance of 38 feet. The speed limit in the channel and 5 miles north-northwestward of Horton Point and cove is 5 knots. Ice, transient berthing, and some Light. It is marked by a lighted whistle buoy equipped supplies can be obtained at the yacht club on the south with a racon. side of the cove. A town marina is on the east side of the cove; a launching ramp is available at the facility. The Charts 12375, 12372 Wethersfield harbormaster can be contacted through the local police department or town hall. (197) Cornfield Point, 2 miles westward of Saybrook (190) The only remaining commercial docks at Hartford Breakwater Light, is marked by a large red-roofed stone are the bulk fuel handling facility of the Hartford Elec- building. Rocky shoals and foul ground extend about tric Light Company’s powerplant on the west side of the 0.5 mile southerly from this point and for about 1.9 river, about 0.2 mile below the Charter Oak Bridge, and miles westerly. Cornfield Point Shoal, a small rocky the Hartford Gas Company’s barge unloading facilities patch covered 3 feet, is about 0.4 mile south of the on the west side of the river, about 0.5 mile above the point. Westward of this shoal are Hen and Chickens, Charter Oak Bridge. A public facility with floating bare in spots at low water, and Crane Reef, an area of docks is on the west side of the river just below the broken ground with a least depth of 3 feet. These dan- Founders Bridge. A flood control dike is along the west gers are buoyed. About 0.5 mile westward of the point is side of the river from just north of the Charter Oak Halftide Rock, surrounded by foul ground and marked Bridge to the Bulkeley Bridge. by a private daybeacon. (191) Connecticut River above Hartford is practically un- improved, but is navigable about 30 miles to Holyoke Charts 12374, 12372 for boats not exceeding 3-foot draft, when the river is not low. The channel is constantly shifting. (198) Westbrook Harbor is the western part of the open bight between Cornfield Point and Menunketesuck Is- Chart 12354 land. It has many unmarked submerged rocks and is seldom used as an anchorage; the anchorage in Duck (192) Long Sand Shoal extends 6 miles westward from Island Roads is better. The bight is characterized by off the entrance of Connecticut River and has a greatest boulders. width of nearly 0.3 mile. The general depths on the shoal are 4 to 15 feet; bottom is hard and lumpy. Shoal- (199) Westbrook, a town on the north side of Westbrook ing is abrupt on both sides, but especially on the south Harbor, is marked on its east side by an elevated tank. A side, where the 5-fathom curve is only 100 yards from it harbormaster is at Westbrook and can be contacted in places. The shoal is marked at its eastern end by a through the town hall. buoy, and on the south side and west end by lighted sound buoys. (200) Menunketesuck Island is the outermost of several low narrow islands connected to the mainland at low (193) A fairway lighted whistle buoy is 4.5 miles south of water on the west side of Westbrook Harbor. It has Cornfield Point. boulders at the south end. A boulder reef extends nearly 0.5 mile south-southeastward from the point to the (194) At the western end of Long Sand Shoal and 1 mile 18-foot curve. Tide rips frequently occur on this reef. A southward is an area about 0.6 mile long with rocky private seasonal buoy is about 0.3 mile southeastward and broken bottom, and with a least found depth of 21 of Menunketesuck Island. feet. (201) Between Menunketesuck Island and Hammonasset (195) Sixmile Reef, about 3 miles southwestward of Point, about 4 miles westward, broken ground extends Long Sand Shoal, is an area of migrating sandwaves about 1.5 miles offshore. A boulder reef extends 0.5 about 2.5 miles long in a west-northwesterly direction mile southward from Duck Island to the 18-foot curve with depths of 22 to 32 feet. Shoaling is abrupt in and is marked by a buoy. A rock with 1 foot over it is on places. A lighted bell buoy is off the southerly edge of this reef about 300 yards south of Duck Island. Tide rips this reef. With extreme low tides, due to northerly and have been reported to extend from the vicinity of these westerly winds, this shoal may be dangerous to vessels rocks to the buoy. During strong flood currents and a with 15-foot draft. Tide rips occur on the reef whenever southwest wind, tide rips extend from the shoal water the direction of the tidal currents is opposed to that of southwest of Duck Island to the vicinity of Southwest the wind. This is especially true during spring tides and Reef over 1 mile southwestward. Caution is advised a southwest wind. when navigating small boats in this vicinity during these conditions. (196) A ridge with depths of 29 to 37 feet is near the mid- dle of Long Island Sound southward of Sixmile Reef

302 ■ Chapter 8 ■ Coast Pilot 2 (202) Duck Island Roads, between Menunketesuck Is- Small-craft facilities land and Kelsey Point, is a harbor of refuge protected (209) Several small-craft facilities are on the river. (See by breakwaters 1,100 feet northward and nearly 0.5 mile westward from Duck Island, with the added pro- the small-craft facilities tabulation on chart 12372 for tection of Kelsey Point Breakwater on Stone Island services and supplies available.) Reef. A prominent landmark on Duck Island is a stone chimney. Both breakwaters extending from Duck Is- (210) Menunketesuck River, sharing the same entrance land are marked by lights. channel as Patchogue River, is a shallow stream west- ward of Patchogue River. In July 1981, a depth of about (203) The dredged anchorage enclosed by the breakwa- 8 feet was reported to the first fixed highway bridge ters extending northward and westward from Duck Is- crossing the river above which depths of less than 1 land is subject to shoaling. General depths of 3 to 8 feet foot are reported. A shoal was reported extending south are in the protected area, and 4 to 16 feet in the western from shore at the junction of Patchogue and end. In addition to the area inside the breakwaters, a Menunketesuck Rivers; caution is advised. The junc- small area northward and northeastward of Duck Is- tion is marked by a private seasonal buoy. Small-craft land North Breakwater Light can be used as an anchor- facilities on the river can provide berths, electricity, age in southwesterly weather. gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, storage, marine sup- plies, a pump-out station, and engine, hull and elec- (204) The western entrance of Duck Island Roads is easy tronic repairs; a 12-ton mobile hoist and a 75-ton lift of access and should be used by vessels with greater are available. The privately maintained channel in the draft than 8 feet. river is reported to be marked by seasonal private aids; local knowledge is advised. Routes (205) Pass southward of Duck Island and keep the light (211) A 6 mph speed limit is enforced on both rivers. (212) Kelsey Point Breakwater extends on Stone Island on the end of Kelsey Point Breakwater bearing north- ward of 264° until Duck Island West Breakwater Light Reef over 0.6 mile south-southeastward from Stone Is- 2DI bears 010°, then steer northward. Approaching land and is marked by a light. The least depth on the from westward, the only dangers are the two 16-foot rocky broken ground southwestward of the light is 16 spots south-southwestward of Kelsey Point Breakwater feet. The outer spot is marked by a buoy. Stone Island, Light, the southerly of which is marked by a buoy. at the north end of the breakwater, is mostly covered at (206) The eastern entrance of Duck Island Roads is ob- high water. Some rocks bare at low water are between structed by a sand shoal with a least depth of 8 feet the island and the shore. Tide rips frequently occur in about 0.3 mile eastward of Duck Island, and by boulder the area southwestward from the end of the breakwater reefs which extend about 0.2 mile off the western side to the bell buoy. Depths of 18 feet or less near Kelsey of Menunketesuck Island. This entrance is easy of ac- Point Breakwater indicate areas of broken rocky bot- cess for vessels drawing up to 8 feet. tom which should be avoided in anchoring. The broken (207) Anchorage in 18 to 24 feet, bottom generally sticky, ground east of the breakwater includes depths of 12 can be had between the Duck Island West Breakwater feet close to it; the 18-foot patch 0.2 mile Light 2DI and the 17-foot rocky patches southeastward east-northeast of the end of the breakwater; East Ledge of Kelsey Point. This anchorage is exposed to winds with depths of 2 to 17 feet, which extends 0.4 mile southward of east and west. southward from Kelsey Point; and the broken ground with depths of 8 to 17 feet which extends over 0.4 mile (208) Patchogue River, used chiefly by fishing and recre- southeastward from Kelsey Point. ational craft, empties into Duck Island Roads just west (213) The bight at the entrance of Clinton Harbor and of Menunketesuck Island. A channel leads from deep westward of Kelsey Point Breakwater affords anchor- water in Duck Island Roads to the first fixed highway age, but is exposed to southeasterly and southwesterly bridge, about 0.6 mile above the mouth. The approach winds. channel is marked by buoys, and the river channel is (214) Clinton Harbor, the bight westward of Kelsey Point marked by private aids. A light is on the outer end of the Breakwater, is the entrance to Hammonasset River, a breakwater on the west side of the river mouth. In stream used chiefly by fishing and recreational craft. 2003, the controlling depths were 3.5 feet (6.8 feet at Wheeler Rock, with 1 foot over it, just outside the bar, midchannel) to the head of the project about 60 yards is marked by a lighted buoy. The channel is marked by below the first fixed highway bridge. The anchorage ba- buoys to Cedar Island and thence by seasonal private sin had depths of 5.7 feet. buoys to the anchorage basin at Clinton. Buoys are shifted often due to changing channel conditions. Lo- cal knowledge is advised. Depths of 5 to 8 feet were

Eastern Long Island Sound ■ Chapter 8 ■ 303 available in the anchorage basin on the northeast side about 1.5 miles west of Kimberly Reef to Falkner Is- of the channel east of the wharves at Clinton. From op- land. posite the basin to the upstream limit of the Federal (221) Vessels of 10-foot draft can anchor northward of project, the southwest and south side of the channel is Madison Reef, but should proceed with caution to avoid obstructed by a series of pilings. Boats may be moored the rocky patches at lesser depths. between the pilings, caution is advised. Above the (222) Tuxis Island, northward of Madison Reef and 0.2 dredged channel, the midchannel controlling depth is mile south of Middle Beach, is high and rocky. Between about 2 feet in the Hammonasset River to the overhead the island and the shore the water is shallow and the pipeline and bridge crossing about 2 miles above ground foul. Rocks awash are 200 to 600 yards eastward Clinton. Private daybeacons mark this section of the of the island, and an islet is 100 yards westward of the channel. island. A steel bulkhead in ruins, the top of which is (215) Several boatyards and marinas are in the harbor. awash at high water, extends from shore to Gull Rock, a (See the small-craft facilities tabulation on chart 12372 high bare ledge about 300 yards east-northeastward of for services and supplies available.) Mooring facilities Tuxis Island. are available by arrangement with the town dockmaster (223) Madison, a town on the railroad, has one landing who can be contacted through the town hall or police which bares alongside at low water and is in disrepair. A department. A 6 mph speed limit is enforced in the har- few small craft moor in the cove on its north side. bor. The town maintains a fireboat at Clinton Harbor. Rocks, bare at low water, are 100 yards eastward of the The vessel can be contacted through the Clinton Police landing. A beach club building, with a small stone land- Department or the Coast Guard. ing, is northward of Tuxis Island. A church with a (216) Northeastward of Cedar Island in Clinton Harbor prominent tower and gilded dome is 0.8 mile north- are two narrow crooked channels close together, with ward of Tuxis Island. depths of about 1 foot. The eastern one is usually marked by bush stakes; it leads to a marina and Charts 12373, 12372 boatyard just inside the mouth of Hammock River. The western channel, marked by a private range, leads to a (224) Guilford Harbor, a bight 5.5 miles westward of boatyard on Indian River. Hammonasset Point, is used only by small craft. East (217) Hammonasset Point, on the southwest side of River and Sluice Creek empty into Guilford Harbor Clinton Harbor, is a low marshy area with many from the northward. The approach to the harbor is ob- wooded knolls. The end of the point is a rocky knoll. structed by rocks and foul ground. The outermost dan- Hammonasset State Park is marked by a conspicuous gers are: Half Acre Rock, about 0.8 mile southeastward flagstaff and the buildings at the recreational center. In of the entrance channel, which shows at high water; the summer it is an active resort. Broken ground with scattered rocks, some bare at low water and others with rocky irregular bottom and least depths of 10 to 11 feet 7 to 16 feet over them, extending about a mile eastward extends 0.5 mile southward of Hammonasset Point. from Half Acre Rock; Outer White Top, about 0.6 mile (218) West Rock is the outermost of the bare rocks which southwestward of Half Acre Rock, and several rocks extend a short distance off the east end of Ham- northward of it bare at low water; and Indian Reef, ex- monasset Point. A reef, with two bare rocks and a groin tending about 1 mile southwestward of Outer White on its inner part, extends 0.3 mile southwestward from Top, the highest part of which is covered at high water. the point and is marked by a buoy, northeastward of Indian Reef is marked on its south and southwestern which tide rips frequently occur. When rounding the sides by buoys. Stakes and fish traps may exist north- point, vessels should not pass between the buoy and ward of Riding Rock, 0.6 mile northwestward of Half Hammonasset Point. Acre Rock. (219) Madison Reef, over 2 miles westward of Hammo- nasset Point, extends over a mile east and west. This (225) The approach channel to Guilford Harbor, marked reef consists of several rocky patches with depths of 4 to by buoys, leads along the southeasterly side of Indian 17 feet, with deeper water between them. Charles Reef, Reef, thence westward of Half Acre Rock to a dredged with a least depth of 7 feet, is about 0.5 mile southwest channel about 0.5 mile northwestward of Half Acre of Madison Reef and marked by a buoy. Rock. The dredged channel leads northward through (220) Kimberly Reef, about 1.9 miles southward of the harbor and eastward of Guilford Point to a junction Charles Reef, is an area of broken ground with a least with Sluice Creek and East River, about 0.6 mile above depth of 12 feet. Rocks with a least depth of 20 feet, the channel entrance. At the junction, the dredged marked by a lighted bell buoy, are about 0.2 mile south channel leads northwesterly into Sluice Creek for of the shoal. A bank with depths of 14 to 28 feet extends about 0.1 mile and northeasterly into East River for

304 ■ Chapter 8 ■ Coast Pilot 2 about 0.4 mile to an anchorage basin. Buoys and a pri- and Sachem Head. Chimney Corner Reef, about 0.3 vate range mark the dredged channel to the junction. mile south of Sachem Head and marked by a buoy, is a In August 2004, the controlling depths in the dredged rocky broken area on which the least depth is 9 feet. channel were 3.2 feet to the junction of East River and Westward of it are Goose Rocks Shoals, on which are Sluice Creek, thence 1.5 feet in Sluice Creek, thence 6 Goose Rocks, the northerly of which is bare and the feet in the left half of the channel and 2.2 feet in the southerly one covered at high water. The outer limit of right half, to the anchorage basin with 1 to 6 feet in the Goose Rocks Shoals is marked by a lighted bell buoy. To basin except for shoaling to bare toward the northeast ensure clearing the westerly end of Goose Rocks limit and in the south half of the entrance into the ba- Shoals, care must be taken not to round the buoy too sin. Deeper water is available with local knowledge. closely. (226) In 1988, a submerged obstruction was reported (233) Sachem Head Harbor, an anchorage for small craft about 0.3 mile southwest of Half Acre Rock in about on the southwest side of Sachem Head, is 0.3 mile long 41°15'06\"N., 72°39'36\"W. and 0.1 mile wide, and has depths of 3 to 8 feet at the (227) At high water and with local knowledge, small floats and in the moorings; it is sheltered except from boats can go above the anchorage basin in East River to westerly winds. The island forming the south point at the fixed railway bridge, about 1.3 miles above the ba- the entrance is connected with the shore by a bridge. A sin. The bridge has a clearance of 4 feet. An overhead yacht clubhouse is on the island. From the north point power cable with a clearance of 45 feet is about 0.3 of the island a breakwater extends 100 yards in a north- miles below the bridge. A town marina, just above the westerly direction; a rock awash, marked by a private entrance to Sluice Creek, has berths with electricity, seasonal light, is off the end of the breakwater. A rock water, ice and a launching ramp. In 1993, depths of 1½ covered at half tide is 50 yards off the southeast side of to 6 feet were reported alongside the marina. the harbor, about 350 yards eastward of the end of the (228) A 5 mph speed limit is enforced in the harbor. breakwater. (229) West River empties into the western side of (234) The approach to Sachem Head Harbor for small Guilford Harbor 0.2 mile westward of Guilford Point. A craft from eastward is along the south side of the rocks railroad bridge about 0.7 mile above the mouth has a making off from the south side of Sachem Head. Ap- clearance of 6 feet. Guilford is the town above the rail- proaching eastward of Goose Rocks, give the rocks a road bridge. In September 1988-July 1989, a depth of berth of over 300 yards. The approach from westward is 4½ feet was reported in West River entrance channel; clear between Goose Rocks and Leetes Rocks. the channel is marked by buoys and a 321° lighted (235) Uncas Point, the western extremity of Sachem range. Head, is marked by a rocky islet on its west side and a (230) There are two boatyards with several marinas and privately maintained seasonal light. Just northward of marine railways on West River. The largest marine rail- the islet a stone jetty with a bulkhead on its north side way can handle craft up to 40 feet; berths with electric- extends about 100 yards in a northwesterly direction ity, water, ice, gasoline, diesel fuel, limited supplies, a from the shore. Vessels can anchor in the angle near 12-ton mobile crane, a 25-ton lift, and complete engine the shore where the depth is about 4½ feet. and hull repairs are available. (236) Joshua Cove, northwestward of Sachem Head, is (231) Falkner Island and Goose Islands, with Stony Is- little used, but affords good anchorage in its entrance land to the southward, are about 3 miles south of for small vessels in northerly or easterly winds in 6 to Guilford Harbor. Each is surrounded by reefs and rocks 10 feet, soft bottom. The approach from southwestward that bare at low water. A depth of about 16 feet can be is clear between Goose Rocks and Leetes Rocks. carried between Goose Islands and Falkner Island by (237) Leetes Rocks, midway between Sachem Head and staying in the middle of the passage and avoiding the the north end of The Thimbles, are two rocks bare at 8-foot and 11-foot spots, about 0.35 mile 244° and 0.4 low water, with an area of broken ground around them. mile 300° from the light on Falkner Island, respectively, A 9-foot spot is about 200 yards southward of the south- and the shoals and reefs extending from the islands. erly rock, and a 3-foot spot is 0.3 mile northeast of the Falkner Island Light (41°12'43\"N., 72°39'13\"W.), 94 feet southerly rock. above the water, is shown from a 46-foot white octago- (238) Leetes Island Quarry is a prominent feature on the nal tower near the center of Falkner Island. A lighted south side of Hoadley Point; on the north side of the gong buoy marks the shoal off the northern end of cove eastward of the point are the ruins of an old dock. Falkner Island, and a lighted bell buoy is off the south- (239) The Thimbles, about 1.6 miles west of Sachem ern end of Stony Island. Head, comprise many islands, islets, and rocks that (232) From Indian Reef westward are rocky shoals and is- bare. All of the area, extending over 2 miles from lets extending from 0.2 to 0.7 mile off Vineyard Point Hoadley Point southwestward to East Reef, is foul with

Eastern Long Island Sound ■ Chapter 8 ■ 305 rocky bottom and many shoals. To lesser extent, the side of High Island, just above its south end. Vessels area from East Reef for 2 miles westward and sometimes anchor near midchannel, between this rock northwestward to Branford Harbor entrance is dotted and the north end of Pot Island in depths of 13 to 18 with islets and rocks. The whole area is suitable only for feet, soft bottom, but care should be taken to avoid the small pleasure craft, which are very active here in sum- cables in the area. The harbor is easy of access between mer. Many oyster stakes are encountered; these do not Outer Island and Inner Reef. mark channels and caution should be used to avoid (245) Pine Orchard, about 3 miles westward of Sachem fouling them. Caution also is advised to avoid fouling Head, is a summer resort extending northward and the pipelines and cables in the area. westward of Brown Point. A breakwater extending (240) The outermost of The Thimbles proper is Outer Is- about 300 yards southeastward from Brown Point pro- land, marked by a house chimney. A boat landing pro- tects a yacht basin entered through a privately dredged tected by a stone jetty is on the northeast side of this channel that leads from southward of St. Helena Island island, and an unmarked rock, bare at lowest tides, is north-northwestward to the basin. In July 1994, the en- 200 yards eastward. The reefs southwestward of Outer trance channel and basin had reported depths of 5 feet. Island, to and including East Reef and Browns Reef, The basin approach northward of St. Helena Island has are buoyed. depths of 3 to 5 feet. Gasoline, diesel fuel, ice, and water (241) From eastward a buoyed channel leads through may be obtained at the yacht club landing. The Thimbles. The channel passes between Wayland (246) From Brown Point to Branford Harbor, 2.5 miles Island and a buoy marking the foul area southward of westward, bare rocks and shoals extend up to about 2 Cat Island. The channel extends between Davis Island miles offshore. A seawall extends westward from Brown and Dogfish Island, thence north of East Crib and Point, and the shore is thickly settled. A rock bare at West Crib into the more open water westward of The half tide is 600 yards westward of Brown Point and 300 Thimbles; it is good for about 13 feet. yards from shore. (242) Stony Creek, a village on the railroad, extends (247) Rocks bare at low water are eastward of Haycock southward to Flying Point (41°15.5'N., 72°45.1'W.). A Point, and rocks that bare at half tide are off the south- dredged channel west of Flying Point leads north to a east side and southwest end of Green Island. The foul turning basin at Stony Creek. The channel is marked by ground extends about 0.6 mile south-southwestward private buoys. In March 2001, the controlling depth from Haycock Point, including Foot Rocks which are was 4.3 feet in the entrance channel to Buoy 5, thence partly above water. 3.0 feet to the head of the project with 2.7 to 4.5 feet in (248) Branford Reef, about 1.8 miles southward of In- the basin. Rocks were reported in the northwest corner dian Neck and 5 miles eastward of New Haven entrance, of the basin. Gasoline, marine supplies, inside storage, is marked by a light. This reef is surrounded by shoal and a small-craft launching ramp are available at mari- water for a distance of 150 to 450 yards from the light. nas eastward of the turning basin; small craft can be (249) Deep water is between Branford Reef and Negro hauled out on a flatbed trailer for hull and engine re- Heads, a reef bare in one place at low water about 0.9 pairs. The village dock is on the southeast side of the mile northward. Shoreward of Negro Heads are Specta- turning basin. cle Island, Sumac Island, and Clam Island, together (243) Between the rocks westward of Rogers Island and with numerous rocks bare and covered. Blackstone Rocks, a privately dredged channel, about (250) A private boat landing is on the northwest side of 0.9 mile westward of Flying Point, leads northeastward Clam Island. Small craft can enter Maltby Cove be- to a quarry wharf on the west side of a dredged basin. In tween the bare rocks off the southwest end of Clam Is- 1995, the reported controlling depths were 14 feet from land and Jeffrey Rock, favoring the northwest side of the channel entrance to the basin, thence a depth of 14 Clam Island. Private markers are sometimes at the en- feet was available in the basin except for lesser depths trance. The northwest side of the cove is foul, the prin- along the north and west edges. The entrance channel cipal danger being a rock bare at low water near the is marked by a private 028° range consisting of a front middle, northwestward of Clam Island; the rock is and middle light and a rear daybeacon. sometimes marked by a seasonal private spindle. (244) Thimble Island Harbor, in the western part of The (251) Jeffrey Point, the eastern point at the entrance of Thimbles, affords good shelter for small craft between Branford Harbor, has a bare rock close to its western Pot Island and Money Island on the east and High Is- end. land and West Crib on the west. Although open south- (252) Branford Harbor is a shallow cove between Jeffrey westward, the sea from that direction loses much of its Point and Johnson Point. Vessels up to 10-foot draft can force before reaching the inner harbor. A rock with 3 select anchorage in the harbor southward of the Mer- feet over it and marked by a buoy is 80 yards off the east maids in 10 to 14 feet, protected against all but

306 ■ Chapter 8 ■ Coast Pilot 2 southerly and southwesterly winds. Boats up to 5-foot (259) The principal waterborne commerce at Branford is draft can select a well-sheltered anchorage in the upper in petroleum products. There are several marinas and part of the harbor above the Mermaids. The harbor is boatyards on the river. (See the small-craft facilities used chiefly for recreational boating and by the small tabulation on chart 12372 for services and supplies local lobster fishing fleet. available.) (253) The dangers in the approach and entrance to Branford Harbor either show above water or are (260) A 5 mph speed limit is enforced on the river. marked by buoys. Cow and Calf, 1.3 miles southwest- (261) The harbormaster at Branford controls all moor- ward of Jeffrey Point, are two boulders close together bare at low water. Boulders, reported covered 10 feet, ings and anchoring; he can be contacted through the are about 0.2 mile northward of Cow and Calf. Five small-craft facilities. Foot Rock, 0.5 mile northeastward of Cow and Calf, has (262) Johnson Point is the western entrance point to 5 feet over it. Taunton Rock, 0.9 mile northeastward of Branford Harbor; a rock covered 2 feet is about 100 Cow and Calf near the middle of the entrance to yards off its south side. A small privately dredged basin Branford Harbor, is large but low and bare. Blyn Rock, on the southwest side of the point is well protected in midway between Johnson Point and Taunton Rock, is all but southerly winds. In 1971, it was reported that 4 covered at extreme high tide. Bird Rock, 0.2 mile feet could be carried to and in the basin. northward of Blyn Rock, has 5 feet over it. (263) Gull Rocks, about 0.3 mile westward of Johnson (254) Little Mermaid, showing a little above high water, Point, consist of small islets and submerged rocks that and Big Mermaid, a high rock marked by a light, are extend about 0.5 mile southwestward from shore on near the middle of Branford Harbor. Two bare rocks are the easterly side of the entrance to a large cove. A rock, near the head of the harbor. A rock, bare at low water bare at half tide, is in the northwestern part of the cove and usually marked by stakes, is about 100 feet about 350 yards southward of Short Beach. The north- north-northeastward of the north end of Lovers Island. west end of the cove has a yacht club landing with a re- ported depth of 2 feet alongside. Routes (264) Farm River Gut, a small bight on the west side of (255) To enter Branford Harbor from eastward, pass the cove, is a good anchorage for small craft. Depths range from 4 to 5 feet in the eastern part of the gut with southward of the lighted buoy marking Negro Heads, shoaling to bare in the northern and western parts. Two steer about 306° heading for Taunton Rock, and enter rocks awash are on the north side of the gut about 125 between Taunton and Jeffrey Rocks; or a 333° course yards inside the entrance. The gut offers good protec- with Branford Reef Light astern will lead into the har- tion from all but easterly winds, mud bottom. A marine bor between Jeffrey and Taunton Rocks. From west- railway at a boatyard on the north side of the gut can ward, pass southward and over 100 yards eastward of handle boats to 36 feet for hull repairs; storage facilities the lighted bell buoy marking Cow and Calf, thence are available. The yard can be reached only at high tide. westward of the buoys marking Blyn Rock and Bird Old Clump is a bare rock about 400 yards south of the Rock to the buoyed channel in the harbor. bight. (256) Local craft pass northwestward of Cow and Calf (265) Farm River, locally known as East Haven River, Shoal and midway between Johnson Point and Blyn about 1.5 miles westward of Branford Harbor, is used by Rock. local craft. In July 1981, it was reported that depths of 3 feet could be carried in the river to the fixed bridge with (257) Branford River, narrow and crooked, extends a clearance of 4 feet about 1 mile above the mouth. Sev- northeasterly from Branford Harbor. In January-Feb- eral boatyards on the river provide gasoline, berths, ruary 2001, the controlling depth in the dredged chan- electricity, water, storage, and limited marine supplies; nel was 6.5 feet from Branford Harbor to the upstream diesel fuel can be delivered by truck. A 10-ton mobile limit of the dredged channel, except for depths between hoist and a 12-ton crane can handle vessels for com- 5.0 and 6.4 feet in the left half of the channel about plete engine and hull repairs. 1,200 feet below the project head. (266) East Indies Rocks, about 0.4 mile south of the en- trance to Farm River, cover at half tide and are marked (258) At low water the channel above Branford Point is by a buoy to the eastward; a rocky shoal with a least defined by bare shoals on each side. During the sum- depth of 5 feet is 0.2 mile to the eastward. A small ledge, mer numerous stakes used as moorings mark both bare at low water, is midway between East Indies Rocks sides of the channel. A privately dredged channel and and the south side of Mansfield Point, the western en- basin at a marina 0.5 mile east of Branford Point had re- trance point to Farm River. Darrow Rocks, a group of ported depths of 9 feet in March 1999. bare rocks, are on the east side of the entrance to the river. The westernmost rocky knoll is marked by a

Eastern Long Island Sound ■ Chapter 8 ■ 307 flagstaff. A ledge, bare at low water, with a buoy off its (273) West River, on the west side of the main channel southern end, is 200 yards south of the flagstaff. about 3 miles above Southwest Ledge Light, has a (267) Mansfield Point and the shore westward of the en- dredged channel marked by buoys to just below the trance to Farm River are thickly settled. Bus communi- first highway bridge (Kimberly Avenue Bridge), about cation is available to New Haven. 1.2 miles above the channel entrance. In 2005, the midchannel controlling depth was 7.3 feet to just below Charts 12371, 12372 the Kimberly Avenue highway bridge, thence 4.9 feet to just above the bridge, the head of navigation. An an- (268) New Haven Harbor, an important harbor of refuge, chorage area is on the south side of the channel about is about 68 miles from New York, 179 miles from 0.9 mile above the entrance; in 2005, the controlling Boston via Cape Cod Canal, and 171 miles from depth was 4.2 feet. Principal waterfront facilities are at Nantucket Shoals Lighted Whistle Buoy N (LNB). It City Point. comprises all the tidewater northward of the breakwa- ters constructed across the mouth of the bay, including (274) Mill River, on the west side of Fair Haven about 4 the navigable portions of the West, Mill, and miles above Southwest Ledge Light, is entered from Quinnipiac Rivers. It is about 2 miles wide. The inner the main channel through a dredged entrance channel harbor, northward of Sandy Point and Fort Hale, is that branches into an east and west fork to the Grand shallow for the most part, except where the depths have Avenue Bridge, 0.6 mile above the mouth. In 2000, the been increased by dredging. The main entrance chan- controlling depths were 6.2 feet (8.2 feet at mid- nel, between Middle Breakwater and the East Breakwa- channel) to the Chapel Street Bridge about 0.25 mile ter, leads northward to Tomlinson Bridge at New above the entrance, thence 9 feet through the east Haven. Anchorage basins for medium draft vessels are bridge opening and 6.3 feet through the west bridge on the west side of the channel north of Sandy Point. opening, thence 6.5 feet to the junction with the east Waterborne commerce in the harbor consists of petro- and west forks, thence 1.4 feet at midchannel in the leum products, scrap metal, lumber, automobiles, gyp- east fork for about 320 yards and 4.9 feet at midchannel sum, paper and pulp products, steel products, in the west fork for about 480 yards, thence in 1980, 1 chemicals, rock salt, and general cargo. foot at midchannel in the east fork and 1.5 feet at midchannel in the west fork to the head of the channel. (269) New Haven, at the head of the harbor, is an impor- tant manufacturing city. (275) Quinnipiac River, on the east side of Fair Haven about 4 miles above Southwest Ledge Light, has a Prominent features dredged channel to Grand Avenue Bridge, about 1 mile (270) On the approach from well offshore in clear above the mouth. In November-December 1993, the controlling depth was 15 feet at midchannel to the weather, the prominent landmarks are: on East Rock Ferry Street Bridge about 0.5 mile above the mouth, (41°19.7'N., 72°54.4'W.), the Soldiers and Sailors Mon- thence 12 feet at midchannel to the Grand Avenue ument; in New Haven, the Knights of Columbus Build- Bridge except for shoaling along the edges. ing, a tall rectangular structure with circular pillars at its corners; the lighted stack of the powerplant on the Anchorages east side of the harbor opposite City Point. The lights (276) Inside West Breakwater and the southwest part of on the ends of the breakwaters, the aerolight at Tweed-New Haven Airport, and the abandoned tower Middle Breakwater, anchorage is available for vessels on Lighthouse Point are also prominent. up to a 19-foot draft. Caution should be exercised to (271) Southwest Ledge Light (41°14'04\"N., 72°54'44\"W.), avoid the fish stakes in this area. Vessels anchoring in 57 feet above the water, is shown from a white octagonal the area should also be aware that water levels may house on a brown cylindrical pier at the westerly end of drop significantly following a long continuous north- East Breakwater. A fog signal is sounded at the light. westerly wind. (277) Vessels may anchor northward of Southwest Ledge Channels Light in depths of 18 to 20 feet, soft bottom in places. (272) A Federal project for New Haven Harbor provides Care should be taken to avoid the ledges northward of the East Breakwater. Deep-draft vessels awaiting berth- for an entrance channel 35 feet deep to a point just be- ing assignments can anchor about 1 mile southward of low the junction of Mill River and Quinnipiac River. the sea buoy; holding ground is excellent. The channel is well marked. (See Notice to Mariners (278) Morris Cove, on the east side of the main channel and latest editions of the charts for controlling depths.) just above Lighthouse Point, affords good anchorage and is used by yachts, but is rough in westerly and southerly winds. In July 1981, isolated, uncharted

308 ■ Chapter 8 ■ Coast Pilot 2 40-foot spots were reported in the cove. Caution is ad- Bridges vised when anchoring. New Haven Coast Guard Sta- (287) Tomlinson Bridge, at the head of the main harbor tion is on the north side of the jutting point, about 1.5 miles northward of Lighthouse Point. at the confluence of Mill and Quinnipiac Rivers, has a (279) An anchorage basin on the west side of the main vertical lift span with a clearance of 13 feet down and 61 channel southward of New Haven Long Wharf is some- feet up. Just above this bridge is a fixed highway bridge times used, but considerable shoaling is gradually ex- with a clearance of 60 feet. The bridgetender of the tending into the anchorage from westward. A sunken Tomlinson Bridge monitors VHF-FM channel 13; call barge with 5 feet over it is in this anchorage about 550 sign KXJ-688. An overhead power cable with a clear- yards southward of New Haven Long Wharf. In Febru- ance of 91 feet crosses the channel just above the fixed ary-March 1985, depths of 10 to 5 feet were available in highway bridge. the anchorage basin with lesser depths along the edges. (288) A regulated navigation area is at Tomlinson Bridge. (280) Small craft and scows may anchor northward of the (See 165.1 through 165.13, and 165.150, chapter 2, New Haven Long Wharf (Naval Reserve Pier), northwest for limits and regulations.) of the main channel where depths range from about 5 (289) Over Mill River, about 0.3 mile above the entrance, to 6 feet. is the Chapel Street Bridge with a swing span having a (281) No special regulations prescribe the limits within clearance of 7½ feet. The fixed highway bridge at Grand which vessels must anchor, except that the dredged Avenue has a clearance of 6 feet over the east fork and a channels must be kept clear. clearance of 2 feet over the west fork. Bridges above this point have minimum clearance of 2 feet. Small Dangers unmasted boats go as far as the bridge at State Street, (282) Townshend Ledge, 2.7 miles southeastward of 0.5 mile above Grand Avenue. Overhead power cables crossing the west fork have a minimum clearance of 80 Southwest Ledge Light, has a least depth of 18 feet and feet. is marked by a lighted bell buoy. (290) The Ferry Street Bridge over Quinnipiac River, 0.6 (283) Stony Islet, 2.2 miles eastward of Southwest Ledge mile above the Tomlinson Bridge, has a bascule span Light, is low, bare, and surrounded by ledges bare at with a clearance of 25 feet. The Grand Avenue Bridge, low water to a distance of about 100 yards. A partly bare 0.5 mile farther upstream, has a center-pier swing span ledge is about 0.2 mile north-northwestward of Stony with a clearance of 9 feet. Above this are several fixed Islet. From this ledge and Stony Islet westward to the bridges and trestles. entrance of New Haven Harbor, an area of foul ground (291) Kimberly Avenue Bridge over West River has a fixed with many rocks bare at low water extends about 0.5 span with a clearance of 23 feet. mile offshore. This area should be avoided. (292) (See 117.1 through 117.59 and 117.213, chapter (284) Shoals with 16 to 18 feet over them extend over 0.5 2, for drawbridge regulations.) mile southeastward from the breakwaters on both sides of the dredged entrance channel. A spoil area with re- Tides ported depths of 15 feet is on the eastern side of the en- (293) The mean range of tide is 6.2 feet. Extreme tides trance channel. An 18-foot spot is on the east side of the main channel, at the first turn westward of Southwest have been recorded as reaching more than 2.5 feet be- Ledge Light. low the plane of mean low water and more than 8 feet (285) The bights on the west shore of New Haven Harbor above the same datum. from Pond Point northward are shoal with bare rocks and foul ground in most of them. The shore is rocky at Currents Woodmont, about 2 miles northeastward of Pond (294) In the entrance between the breakwaters, the tidal Point. (286) Black Rock, bare at low water and marked by a sea- current has a velocity on flood of 1.4 knots, and ebb 0.9 sonal buoy, is 0.2 mile off the north end of Morris Cove. knot. The flood sets 319° and the ebb 152°. In the draw Opposite, on the west side, is a breakwater, partly cov- of Tomlinson Bridge, the velocity is 0.4 knot. The flood ered, extending from Sandy Point and marked by a sets 015° and the ebb 215°. Ebb velocities are increased light. Shag Bank, a flat extending about 0.5 mile north- by freshets. (Consult the Tidal Current Tables for pre- ward from Sandy Point, has a sand tip about 0.1 mile dicted times and velocities of currents.) long. Ice (295) Ice generally obstructs navigation to some extent for low-powered vessels from December to March and sometimes extends to the mouth of the harbor. During severe winters the accumulation of ice is local. Except

Eastern Long Island Sound ■ Chapter 8 ■ 309 in severe weather, powered vessels can always enter and During the winter, the prevailing winds are northerly. leave the harbor without much difficulty. In New Ha- Strong southeast winds cause unusually high tides and ven Harbor northerly winds tend to clear the harbor of some local flooding in low-lying coastal areas two or ice if the formation is light; southerly winds are apt to three times a year. force in drift ice from the sound. (299) Since 1871, 17 tropical systems have passed within 50 miles of New Haven, Connecticut. The most infa- Weather, New Haven and vicinity mous perhaps, was the hurricane of 1938. This storm (296) New Haven’s climate is typical of coastal areas of passed with 15 miles west of the city on September 21 raking the city with 85-knot winds while moving at a southern New England. It is vigorous without being forward speed in excess of 40 knots. Most recently, hur- overly severe. New Haven is located at the widest part of ricane Gloria passed within 20 miles to the west on Long Island Sound, and the tempering effect of the wa- September 27, 1985. Highest winds at time of landfall ter is most pronounced in this vicinity. During the were barely hurricane strength but two days prior, Glo- summer season, the sea breeze holds temperatures 5 to ria had been supporting winds in excess of 125 knots. 15°F (3 to 8°C) lower in the afternoon; during the win- Due to geographical orientation, all tropical systems ter season, minimum temperatures in the southern approach the coastline from the south or southwest. section of the city are usually 5 to 10°F (3 to 6°C) (300) The National Weather Service maintains an office higher than those reported from northern sections. at the Tweed-New Haven Airport, about 3 miles south- The highest summertime temperatures occur with a east of the city. (See page 429 for New Haven climato- moderate northerly wind. The lowest winter readings logical table.) also occur with a northerly wind. The average tempera- ture for New Haven is 51.7°F (10.9°C). July is the Routes warmest month with average extremes of 81°F (301) To enter New Haven Harbor from eastward, it is (27.2°C) and 64°F (17.8°C). January is the coldest month with average extremes of 37°F (2.8°C) and 22°F safer for large vessels to pass southward of Branford (-5.6°C). The warmest temperature on record is 100°F Reef and Townshend Ledge to the entrance channel. To (37.8°C) recorded in August 1948 and again in July enter from westward, pass northward of Stratford 1957. The coldest temperature on record is -7°F Shoal Light at a distance of 1.8 miles and head for the (-21.7°C) recorded in January 1961. entrance channel. (297) Precipitation is quite evenly distributed through- (302) The passage eastward of East Breakwater has boul- out the year with only a 1.25 inch (32 mm) spread be- der patches and is very broken, but can be used by small tween the wettest and driest months. The annual craft drawing less than 6 feet, taking care to avoid the average precipitation is 42 inches (1067 mm). The wet- foul ground along the northeast side of the passage. test month, December, averages 4.24 inches (108 mm) This passage is buoyed, and local vessels of 10- to and the driest month, June, averages 2.93 inches (74 12-foot draft use it at high water. Avoid Quixes Ledge, mm). The elevation of the land increases northward which extends about 200 yards southeastward from the from the station and results in somewhat higher eastern end of the breakwater, and pass about 100 yards amounts of precipitation in the northern suburbs as eastward of the breakwater. The principal danger inside well as a few more thunderstorms each year. During the breakwater is the reef, marked by a buoy, that ex- the winter, a variety of precipitation is found in most tends 300 yards southwestward from Lighthouse storms. It is common to have rain along the shore, Point. Adams Fall, a rock with 5 feet over it and marked freezing rain and sleet a short distance inland, and by a buoy, is 0.4 mile southwestward of Lighthouse snow in the northern parts of the city. Heavy snow is Point. rather uncommon in the immediate coastal area and usually melts in a few days. Farther inland, the snow Pilotage, New Haven becomes progressively heavier and a layer of snow cov- (303) Pilotage is compulsory in Long Island Sound for ers the ground most of the winter. Annual average snowfall totals 34 inches (864 mm). February is the foreign vessels and U.S. vessels under register. See Pi- snowiest month averaging over nine inches (229 mm). lotage, Long Island Sound (indexed as such), chapter 8. Snow has fallen in each month, October through May. (304) Pilotage for New Haven is also available from Con- The 24-hour record snowfall is 17.1 inches (434 mm) stitution State Pilots Association (CSPA), 500 Water- recorded in April 1957. front Street, New Haven, CT 06512, telephone (298) Prevailing wind direction varies with the seasons. 203-627-5058. Pilots of CSPA board vessels from a From late spring until fall, winds are predominantly launch or the tug, at New Haven Harbor Lighted Whis- south to southwest due to the effect of the sea breeze. tle Buoy NH.

310 ■ Chapter 8 ■ Coast Pilot 2 (305) Pilotage for New Haven is also available from Long (310) Launch service to ships at anchor is available. Island Sound State Pilots Association, Inc. (LISSPA), Launches monitor VHF-FM channel 16 (156.80 MHz) 1440 Whalley Avenue, Suite 123, New Haven, CT and use channel 19A (156.95 MHz) as a working fre- 06515, telephone 203-772-0101, FAX 302-629-9392, quency. Cable LISPILOT, New Haven. The pilot boat OLYMPIC has a white hull, red superstructure, and displays the (311) New Haven is a customs port of entry. word PILOT in black letters. The boat monitors chan- nel 16 and works on channel 11. Vessels should contact Quarantine, customs, immigration, and agricultural the LISSPA prior to arrival for the location of the pilot quarantine boarding area. (312) (See chapter 3, Vessel Arrival Inspections, and Ap- pendix A for addresses.) (306) Pilotage for New Haven is also available from (313) Quarantine is enforced in accordance with regula- Sound Pilots, Inc. (SPI) (a division of Northeast Marine tions of the U.S. Public Health Service. (See Public Pilots, Inc.), 243 Spring Street, Newport, RI 02840, Health Service, chapter 1.) telephone 401-847-9050 (24 hours), 800-274-1216, FAX (314) New Haven has many public and private hospitals. 401-847-9052, Cable RISPILOT, Newport, RI 02840. The pilot boats are NORTHEAST II, 49-foot, with grey hull Coast Guard and superstructure and the word PILOT on the side; or (315) The Captain of the Port maintains an office in New RHODE ISLAND PILOT, 35-foot, with black hull and white superstructure and the word PILOT on the side; Haven. The nearest vessel documentation office is in or NORTHEAST I, 49-foot, similarly marked as the Bridgeport, Conn. (See Appendix A for addresses.) RHODE ISLAND PILOT. The SPI pilots meet a ship (316) The harbormaster at New Haven has charge of the bound for a Long Island Sound port, off Point Judith, anchoring of vessels; he can be contacted through the but will also meet a ship off Montauk Point, by prear- local police department. rangement. See Pilotage, Narragansett Bay and Other (317) The city police maintain a harbor patrol during the Rhode Island Waters (indexed as such), chapter 6, and summer. Pilotage Pickup Locations Off Montauk Point (indexed as such), chapter 7. Wharves (318) The deep-draft facilities at the Port of New Haven (307) Interport Pilots Agency, Inc., http://www.interport- pilots.com, 906 Port Monmouth Road, Port Monmouth, are along the north and east sides of the inner portion NJ 07758, telephone 732-787-5554 (24 hours), email of New Haven Harbor. Facilities for smaller vessels and [email protected]. Pilot boat is CONNECTICUT barges are along the sides of the harbor and in Mill, PILOT, 65-foot, blue hull with white superstructure, Quinnipiac, and West Rivers. Depths alongside the fa- and the word PILOT on both sides. The boat monitors cilities in Quinnipiac River range from about 5 to 15 VHF-FM channels 16 and 13 two hours prior to the ves- feet; Mill River, 12 to 13 feet; and West River about 12 to sel's scheduled ETA, works on channel 11, and is 18 feet. Only the deep-draft facilities are described. For equipped with AIS. Interport Pilots meet ships bound a complete description of the port facilities refer to Port for New Haven at the Montauk Point Pilot Station or Series No. 4, published and sold by the U.S. Army Corps the Point Judith Pilot Station. Interport Pilots will also of Engineers. (See Appendix A for address.) The along- board vessels at New Haven Harbor Lighted Whistle side depths for the facilities described are reported; for Buoy NH or at the New Haven lightering anchorage information on the latest depths contact the private op- from a commercial launch or tug. erator. All the facilities have direct highway connec- tions, and most have railroad connections. Water and (308) Pilot services are arranged in advance through electrical shore power connections are available at ships’ agents or directly by shipping companies. most piers and wharves. (319) General cargo at the port is usually handled by Towage ship’s tackle; special handling equipment, if available, (309) Tugs up to 1,800 hp are available at New Haven, and is mentioned in the description of the particular facil- ity. Cranes up to 250 tons and warehouses and cold tugs to 4,000 hp can be obtained by prior arrangement. storage facilities adjacent to the waterfront are avail- Vessels usually proceed to the harbor without assis- able. tance. Large vessels normally require tugs for docking (320) Wyatt Light Oil Pier: north end of harbor 0.35 mile and undocking. Arrangements for tug service should northeastward of New Haven Long Wharf; 150-foot be made 24 hours in advance, usually through ships’ face, 715 feet of berthing space with dolphins, 38 feet agents or directly by shipping companies. The tugs alongside; deck height, 11 feet; receipt and shipment of monitor VHF-FM channels 13 and 16 and use channel petroleum products; owned and operated by Wyatt, Inc. 19A as a working frequency; call sign KEE-234.

Eastern Long Island Sound ■ Chapter 8 ■ 311 (321) Wyatt Heavy Oil Wharf: 50 yards east of Wyatt Light Barges are available for bunkering in the anchorages Oil Pier; west side 210 feet, 480 feet of berthing space outside the breakwaters or at the piers; 24-hour ad- with dolphins; 30 feet alongside; deck height, 11 feet; vance notice is required, and arrangements should be receipt and shipment of petroleum products, receipt of made through ships’ agents. Water, provisions, and ma- asphalt; owned and operated by Wyatt, Inc. rine supplies can be procured. (322) Gulf Refining and Marketing Co. Wharf: on each Repairs side of harbor, 200 yards south of Tomlinson Bridge; (329) New Haven has no facilities for making major re- 60-foot face, 735 feet of berthing space with dolphins; 35 feet alongside; deck height, 13 feet; vessels normally pairs or for drydocking deep-draft vessels; the nearest moor starboardside-to; receipt and shipment of petro- such facilities are at Boston, Mass., and New York. Ma- leum products; owned and operated by Gulf Oil Re- chine shops in the area can make limited repairs to ma- fining and Marketing Co. chinery and boilers, and fabricate shafts and other pieces of equipment. (323) Gulf Refining and Marketing Co. Pier: 100 yards southward of Gulf Refining and Marketing Co. Wharf; Small-craft facilities north side 400 feet, 25 feet alongside; south side 380 (330) There are excellent facilities on the east and west feet, 25 feet alongside; deck height, 10 feet; receipt and shipment of petroleum products; owned and operated sides of the harbor and on West and Quinnipiac Rivers. by Gulf Refining and Marketing Co. (See the small-craft facilities tabulation on chart 12372 for services and supplies available.) (324) ARCO Petroleum Products Co. Wharf: 300 yards southwestward of Gulf Refining and Marketing Co. Charts 12370, 12364 Pier; 110-foot face, 760 feet with dolphins; 35 feet alongside; deck height, 15 feet; vessels normally moor (331) Pond Point, about 5 miles southwestward of the starboardside-to; receipt and shipment of petroleum New Haven Harbor entrance, has a rocky shoal with lit- products; owned and operated by ARCO Petroleum tle depth over the greater part of it that extends about Products Co. 0.3 mile southward. It is marked by a buoy. A promi- nent white mast is on the point. (325) New Haven Terminal, Scrap Metal Dock: 275 yards southward of ARCO Petroleum Products Co. Wharf; (332) Welches Point, 0.8 mile westward of Pond Point, 640-foot face; 35 feet alongside; deck height, 14 feet; forms the east side of the entrance of the Gulf. A reef ex- two 30-ton traveling gantry cranes, crawler cranes to tends 0.2 mile southward from the point and is marked 250 tons; receipt and shipment of general and by a buoy. Several scattered rocks extend a southeast- containerized cargo and steel products, shipment of erly direction for about 0.5 mile from the buoy. scrap metal, receipt of copper, zinc, and lumber; owned and operated by New Haven Terminal, Inc. (333) The Gulf, a bight between Welches Point and Charles Island, about 6.5 miles westward of New Haven (326) New Haven Terminal Pier: 50 yards southward of Harbor entrance, affords anchorage in 6 to 15 feet and Scrap Metal Dock; north and south sides, 650 feet us- is sheltered in all but southerly and southeasterly able, can accommodate tankers up to 700 feet; 35 and winds. The entrance is clear. The shoaling is gradual, 39 feet alongside, north and south sides, respectively; and soundings are the best guide on the northwest side deck height, 13 feet; cranes up to 50 tons; 36,000 of the bight; the western side of Welches Point and the square feet covered storage; receipt and shipment of reefs around Charles Island extending to the mainland general cargo, receipt of petroleum products, petro- should be approached with caution, as the shoaling is chemicals, chemicals, copper, zinc, lumber, and steel abrupt. The mean range of tide is about 6.6 feet. products; owned and operated by New Haven Terminal, Inc. (334) Milford Harbor, comprising the lower portion of the Wepawaug River, is entered at the mouth of the (327) Exxon Co. Terminal Wharf: 175 yards southward of river between two jetties at the head of The Gulf. The New Haven Terminal Pier; 80-foot face, 700 feet with westerly jetty extends southward from Burns Point, dolphins; 35 feet alongside; deck height, 13 feet; vessels and the easterly jetty is marked by Milford Harbor normally moor starboardside-to; receipt and shipment Light 10. The harbor is used chiefly for recreational of petroleum products; owned and operated by Exxon boating, and occasionally for the receipt of shellfish Co., U.S.A. and fish. The National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Department of Commerce, maintains a laboratory and Supplies research vessel base on the west side of the harbor, (328) Oil bunkering terminals at New Haven are main- about 0.2 mile northward of Burns Point. tained by the major oil companies. Fuel oil and diesel oil in the usual commercial grades are obtainable.

312 ■ Chapter 8 ■ Coast Pilot 2 (335) A dredged channel leads from The Gulf through the available width of about 500 feet. The waterborne com- jettied entrance to a point about 400 feet above the merce on the river is principally in barge shipments of town wharf, 0.6 mile above Burns Point. In Octo- aggregate, fuel oil to the power plant at Devon, and sea- ber-November 2005, the controlling depths were 4.5 sonal commercial shellfishing. Navigation above feet (6.5 feet at midchannel) to the Town Dock, thence Devon is limited to recreational boating. 7.1 feet in the anchorage basin along the west side of (342) On the east side of the entrance to Housatonic the channel. The channel is marked by a light and River, a breakwater extends out from Milford Point lighted and unlighted buoys. across the bar and is marked at its south end by Housatonic River Breakwater Light 2A. The inner sec- Small-craft facilities tion of the breakwater is awash at high water. (336) Milford Harbor has several small-craft facilities. Channels (See the small-craft facilities tabulation on chart 12364 (343) A Federal project provides for an 18-foot dredged for services and supplies available.) channel from Long Island Sound between the breakwater (337) A 5 mph speed limit is enforced in the harbor. on the east and Stratford Point on the west upriver for (338) Charles Island, on the southwest side at the en- about 4.3 miles to the lower end of Culver Bar. (See No- tice to Mariners and the latest editions of the charts for trance to The Gulf, is low and partly covered with trees. controlling depths.) Above the lower end of Culver Bar, The island is connected to the mainland by The Bar, a the river channel extends through several dredged sec- narrow neck about 0.5 mile long and surrounded by tions across river bars to the towns of Derby and rocks awash and shoals. A buoy marks the end of a shoal Shelton about 11.5 miles above the river entrance. In that extends 250 yards east-northeastward from the is- February-September 2005, the controlling depths were land, and a lighted bell buoy marks the end of a rocky 2.2 feet in the buoyed channel from the lower end of area that extends 0.4 mile southward from the island. Culver Bar and across Mill Bar to the naturally deep Northward of Charles Island is a good anchorage in 10 river channel, thence 5.7 feet in the dredged channels to 16 feet, sheltered from southerly to southwesterly across lower Oronoque Bar and 3.0 feet across upper winds. Oronoque Bar, thence 5.5 feet across Camp Meeting (339) Between Charles Island and Stratford Point, about Bar, thence 6.2 feet across Drews Bar except for shoal- 3 miles southwestward, several summer resorts are ing to 3.9 feet in the lower part of the dredged channel along the shore and the Housatonic River empties into along the left edge, thence 7 feet across Mouthrops Bar Long Island Sound just above the point. The shoals and Hidelom Rock Bar, thence 7 feet in the left outside which extend southward from Stratford Point toward quarter of the dredged channel across Twomile Island Stratford Shoal Light (see chart 12354) consist of nar- Bar with shoaling to bare in the remainder of the chan- row ridges of hard sand with deeper water between, and nel, thence 7 feet in the dredged channel near Sow and have oyster beds marked with stakes. Depths of 12 feet Pigs Jetty. The channel is marked to a point about 2.5 or less extend 1 mile offshore. miles below Derby and Shelton. (340) Stratford Point Light (41°09'07\"N., 73°06'12\"W.), 52 feet above the water, is shown from a white conical (344) Stratford is a town on the west side of the river 2.3 tower, with brown band midway of its height, from the miles above the entrance. The principal wharf has a southerly part of the point. depth of about 9 feet at its end. The harbormaster at Stratford controls anchorages and moorings, and has Chart 12370 jurisdiction from the entrance of the river to the Shelton town line. Harbor regulations may be obtained (341) Housatonic River rises in the Berkshire Hills of from the harbormaster who may be contacted through western Massachusetts and Connecticut, and empties the Stratford police or at the Town Hall. into Long Island Sound about 10 miles southwestward of the New Haven Harbor entrance. The river is joined (345) Stratford has several small-craft facilities. (See the by the nonnavigable Naugatuck River in the vicinity of small-craft facilities tabulation on chart 12364 for ser- Derby, Conn. Housatonic River is navigable to a point vices and supplies available.) about 1 mile above Shelton, Conn., where it is closed by a power dam. The head of navigation for all practical (346) Devon is on the east side about 1 mile above purposes is at the towns of Derby and Shelton, 11.5 Stratford. Local small craft anchor near the east bank miles above the entrance. Small vessels can anchor in of the river, just north of the highway bridge, in depths the river abreast of Stratford, where the channel has an up to 10 feet. A 40-foot marine railway at a small–craft facility at Devon can haul out craft for engine and hull repairs; gasoline, water, ice, marine supplies, and

Eastern Long Island Sound ■ Chapter 8 ■ 313 storage are available. In July 1981, depths of 4 feet were drainage flow of the river, the ebb is usually greater and reported alongside the facility. the flood less than 1 knot. (Consult the Tidal Current (347) Shelton, a town on the west side of the river about Tables for current predictions and further details.) 11.5 miles above the entrance is connected to Derby by two bridges; the town has several important factories. (353) Spring freshets at Shelton rise 10 feet or more In 1971, the wharves at Derby and Shelton were in ru- above mean high tide. ins and unsuitable for craft of any size. (354) Ice closes the river above Stratford during the Bridges winter and sometimes extends to the entrance. (348) About 1 mile above Stratford is U.S. Route 1 high- Routes way bridge with a bascule span having a clearance of 32 (355) The channel in Housatonic River is narrow and feet. Two bridges cross the river about 0.3 mile farther up: the first, Interstate Route 95 fixed highway bridge, crooked, with little depth on either side, and across the has a clearance of 65 feet, and the second, a railroad bars in the channel are dredged cuts 100 feet wide. The bridge with a bascule span, has a clearance of 19 feet. tidal currents are strong, especially in the lower part of The bridgetenders of the U.S. Route 1 bridge and the the river, and strangers are advised to take a pilot. railroad bridge monitor VHF-FM channel 13; call signs Small craft, without a pilot, should proceed with cau- KXJ-695 and KU-6035, respectively. An overhead power tion and preferably on a rising tide. cable with a clearance of 135 feet crosses at the railroad (356) When entering the river during a flood current, bridge. Other cables, near Pecks Mill, 1.5 miles above, care must be taken to avoid being set on the shoals on have minimum clearance of 79 feet. the west side by strong westerly currents. In the vicin- (349) The fixed highway bridge about 3.7 miles above ity of Milford Point care should be exercised to avoid a Stratford has a clearance of 85 feet. In 2005, a fixed re- shoal that reportedly extends from Milford Point to the placement bridge with a design clearance of 79 feet was eastern edge of the channel. Care should also be exer- under construction at the site of the existing bridge. At cised off the extreme northern end of Nells Island as a Shelton, two fixed highway bridges and a fixed railroad shoal is reported to have encroached into the channel. bridge have a least clearance of 17 feet. In April 1983, By steering a midchannel course no difficulty should the railroad bridge suffered severe structural damage. be encountered. The area should be avoided, but if transit is necessary, extreme caution should be exercised. (357) Pilots and tugs can be obtained at New Haven. (350) (See 117.1 through 117.59 and 117.207, chapter (358) A 5 mph speed limit is enforced on the river near 2, for drawbridge regulations.) anchorage and mooring areas and near boat slips. Tides Chart 12354 (351) The mean range of tide is 5.5 feet at Stratford and 5 (359) Stratford Shoal Middle Ground, 5.4 miles south of feet at Shelton. The time of the tide becomes later and Stratford Point and covered 9 to 18 feet, is marked by the range diminishes in progressing up the river. At Stratford Shoal (Middle Ground) Light (41°03'35\"N., Stratford the tide is about 0.8 hour later than at the en- 73°06'05\"W.), 60 feet above the water and shown from a trance whereas at Shelton high water is about 1.8 gray granite octagonal tower projecting from a house hours later and low water about 2.8 hours later than at on a pier, and by buoys that mark the outer ends of the entrance. The river water is fresh about 6 miles shoal areas extending 1 mile north, 0.9 mile northeast, above the entrance. and 0.5 mile south of the light. A fog signal is at the light. Currents (352) At the entrance near the end of the breakwater the North Shore of Long Island (360) From Orient Point (41°09.6'N., 72°14.0'W.), for flood has a strong westerly set. Between Milford Point and Crimbo Point, flood and ebb have a velocity of about 11 miles to Horton Point, the south shore of about 1.2 knots. The flood sets about 330° and the ebb Long Island Sound is generally bluff and rocky. The 135°. Just north of the draw of the railroad bridge above 10-fathom curve is from 0.3 to 0.8 mile from shore, and Stratford, the velocity of flood is 1.1 knots and of ebb, the shoaling is generally abrupt. The outlying dangers 1.3 knots. In the openings of the bridge the flood cur- are Orient Shoal and the rocky patch northward of rent has some easterly set, but the ebb sets fair with the Horton Point. openings. Between that bridge and Shelton the tidal current has a velocity of about 1 knot. Because of the

314 ■ Chapter 8 ■ Coast Pilot 2 (361) The prominent features are Browns Hills, a tower Tides and currents at Rocky Point, a tank and television tower at (368) The tidal currents have an estimated velocity of Greenport, and Horton Point Light. about 3 knots in the narrow parts of the entrance of (362) Several rocky shoals, including Orient Shoal with Mattituck Inlet. Slack waters occur possibly 1 hour af- a least depth of 7 feet, are offshore in the vicinity of ter the time of high and low water. With northerly and Rocky Point, about 5 miles westward of Orient Point. westerly winds, the sea is rough in the entrance. The The north end of Orient Shoal is marked by a buoy. mean range of tide is 5.2 feet at the entrance. The inlet is sometimes closed by ice during portions of cold win- (363) Horton Point Light (41°05'06\"N., 72°26'44\"W.), ters. 103 feet above the water, is shown from a white square tower attached to a dwelling on the northwest part of (369) Several marinas and a boatyard are inside the inlet. the point. The former lighthouse tower is close by, A 70-ton mobile hoist at the boatyard can haul out craft southwestward of the present light. for engine, hull, and radio repairs. Marine supplies, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, and covered and wet storage (364) A rocky shoal with a least found depth of 26 feet is can be obtained. A transient dock, operated by the 1.6 miles northward of Horton Point. The shoal is a Mattituck Park Commission, is at the head of the inlet; ridge having a northeast-southwest direction, with depths of about 6 feet are at the dock. A dockmaster is abrupt shoaling on its northwest and southeast sides. at the dock; water is available. (365) From Horton Point for about 32 miles to Old Field (370) Mattituck is a village on the railroad at the head of Point, the shore is fringed with shoals that extend off a the inlet. Provisions can be obtained. greatest distance of 1.5 miles and rise abruptly from the deep water of Long Island Sound. Boulders are found (371) Jacobs Point is about 11 miles southwestward of near the shore on the shoals which extend off 0.5 mile Horton Point Light. in places. A sand shoal, about 0.5 mile in extent with a least depth of 22 feet, is about 1.1 miles northwestward Offshore Terminal, Riverhead of Duck Pond Point. (372) An offshore platform for the delivery and receipt of (366) The bluffs begin about 1 mile westward of Gold- petroleum products is in open roadstead, off Northville, smith Inlet and reach their greatest elevation just east- NY (and Riverhead, NY), about 1.2 miles northward of ward of Duck Pond Point. A valley, formed by a break in Jacobs Point. It is owned and operated by TOSCO Cor- the bluffs, is just westward of the point; a bathing pavil- poration, Riverhead, NY. ion is on the beach. Boulders that bare at low water are (373) A safety zone surrounds the offshore facility. (See on the shoals that fringe the shore between Duck Pond 165.155, chapter 2, for limits and regulations.) Point and Mattituck Inlet. (374) The facility consists of a 45- by 100-foot steel plat- form structure with breasting dolphins and mooring Chart 12358 dolphins providing two berths; one on the northeast side and one on the southwest side. The deck height is (367) Mattituck Inlet, 6.7 miles southwestward of Hor- 24.5 feet. The northeast berth has depths alongside of ton Point Light, is entered between two short jetties. 64 feet, and can accommodate tankers up to 225,000 The inlet is marked by a long break in the bluffs. The DWT and up to 1,150-foot length, of 62-foot maximum outer end of the west jetty is marked by a light. A gong draft. buoy about 1 mile north of the jetty light marks the en- (375) The southwest berth has depths alongside of 50 trance of the inlet. The sides of the channel are sandy, feet, and can accommodate tankers of up to 42,000 and, although shoaling is liable to occur at the en- DWT and up to 600-foot length, of 42-foot maximum trance, strangers can enter the inlet without great dan- draft. Barges mooring in this berth must be at least 220 ger. In June 2006, the controlling depth was 6.3 feet feet long. from the entrance to about 0.3 mile above the mouth of (376) A private fog signal is on the platform. Private Mattituck Creek, with shoaling to 1.4 feet along the lights are on the northeast and northwest corners, and right edge of the channel, thence 4.9 feet at mid- two lights mark the center of the platform. Lights are channel for about 1.8 miles to the turning basin at also on each of the dolphins. Mattituck with 5.5 to 7 feet available in the basin. The channel is marked by buoys and private markers. The Wharf overhead power cable about 1 mile above the entrance (377) An 800-foot barge pier is just east of Jacobs Point has a clearance of 78 feet. and southward of the platform. The pier is used for re- ceipt and shipment of petroleum products and has tank storage for 5¼ million barrels. Depth alongside is 13

Eastern Long Island Sound ■ Chapter 8 ■ 315 feet. Lesser depths surround the area and a shoal with (394) Sound Pilots, Inc. (a division of Northeast Marine depths of 10 feet is in the recommended southwest ap- Pilots, Inc.). proach to the west pier berth. Vessels with draft greater than 12 feet should exercise caution when approaching (395) See Pilotage, Long Island Sound (indexed as such), the pier and should endeavor to arrive or depart at high early this chapter, and Pilotage, New York Harbor and water. Approaches, (indexed as such), chapter 11. Prominent feature (396) The pilot serves as docking master and remains on (378) The numerous light green oil storage tanks on board on standby while the vessel is moored at the plat- form. Pilot services are arranged in advance through Jacobs Point are prominent. ships’ agents or directly by shipping companies. Communications Tugs (379) Vessels transiting Long Island Sound or approach- (397) Tug service is available from New Haven, Provi- ing the facility may do so through a VHF-FM marine dence, Brooklyn, or Staten Island on advance notice. operator. Available marine operator stations’ name and Normally two or three tugs are used for docking and channel are: one or two tugs for undocking. (380) Riverhead 28 (381) New Bedford 26 Launch service (382) New London 26 (398) J & H Launch Service, Port Jefferson (516-331-5336), (383) Bridgeport 24. (384) Upon the approach of an incoming vessel, the provides transfer service for vessels at anchor or along- platform, voice call “TOSCO Corporation Offshore Plat- side the platform. form”, or “Riverhead Platform”, or “TOSCO’s Riverhead Terminal”, monitors VHF-FM channels 16, 13 and 19A; Supplies works channel 19A. (399) Fueling of a ship alongside the platform is not per- (385) Vessels calling at the platform are moored at any mitted. A ship may fuel while at anchor from a barge. time, weather conditions permitting. The tidal current Water is not available from this facility. Stores may be periods are substantially the same as at The Race. brought on board via launch while alongside or at an- Strong winds from the north and northwest are experi- chor. enced during the winter and spring. Tidal currents dur- ing maximum ebb and flood may reach 3 knots. The (400) New York City is the quarantine, customs, immi- mean range of tide is 5.4 feet. gration, and agricultural quarantine port of entry for Northville. Officials are stationed in New York City. (386) Vessels awaiting berth at the platform will nor- (See Appendix A for addresses.) Arrangements for such mally anchor north of the platform. A vessel drawing inspections must be made by ships’ agents in advance, more than 50 feet of water may wish to anchor in usually not less than 24 hours Monday through Friday deeper water northwest of the platform. Pilots are fa- and 48 hours on Saturday and Sunday. Officials will miliar with the best anchorages. Holding ground is board vessels in the anchorage prior to arrival within good and a scope of 8 shots (120 feet) is considered ade- the vicinity of the offshore mooring facility. quate. Chart 12354 Pilotage, Offshore Terminal, Northville-Riverhead (401) Between Mattituck Inlet and Port Jefferson the (387) Pilotage is compulsory in Long Island Sound for shore is fringed with rock shoals extending in places 1.5 miles offshore. The outer ends of the shoals are foreign vessels and U.S. vessels under register. For marked by buoys. these vessels, pilotage to this terminal is available from: (402) Horse in Bank, 7.3 miles westward of Mattituck In- (388) Sound Pilots, Inc. (a division of Northeast Marine let, is an area of white patches in the brush-covered Pilots, Inc.). bluff at Friars Head. The feature is at the western end of (389) Interport Pilots Agency, Inc. Roanoke Point Shoal and 14 miles westward of Horton (390) For U.S. enrolled vessels in the coastwise trade, pi- Point Light. lotage to this terminal is available from: (391) Interport Pilots Agency, Inc. (403) The valley of Wading River, about 20 miles west- (392) Constitution State Pilots Association, ward of Horton Point Light, forms a broad break in the (393) Long Island Sound State Pilots Association, Inc., and high bluffs. The entrance to Wading River is protected by a short jetty on the west side. In July 1981, a

316 ■ Chapter 8 ■ Coast Pilot 2 reported depth of about 3 feet could be carried in the Beach. The front markers are orange posts about 8 feet river to a town launching ramp 0.1 mile above the en- high; the rear markers are rectangles mounted on legs trance. A small canal, about 350 yards westward of the about 12 feet high, painted red with a 6-inch black ver- entrance to Wading River, leads southward to the site of tical stripe in the middle. a nuclear power station. The canal, closed to general (411) The approach to Port Jefferson Harbor is clear, tak- navigation, had a reported depth of about 12 feet in ing care to avoid Mount Misery Shoal with depths of 7 June 1989. to 12 feet, about 0.8 mile north-northeast of the east (404) Tuttles White Bank is a high white bluff 0.6 mile jetty light. westward of Wading River. (412) In December 2007, the controlling depth was 23.5 feet (26 feet at midchannel) in the dredged channel Charts 12362, 12364 through Port Jefferson Harbor to the docking area off an oil wharf at the southern end. Shoaling to 10 feet is (405) Mount Sinai Harbor, 22.5 miles westward of near the southwest corner of the southern limit of the Mattituck Inlet, is marked by a low break in the beach project. The channel is marked by lighted and nearly 1 mile long. The approach to the harbor is unlighted buoys and a 146° lighted range. In Septem- marked by a buoy. The entrance is protected by two jet- ber 1982, it was reported that due to the closeness of ties, the outer parts of which are awash at high water. the range lights it may be difficult to determine when Caution should be exercised when rounding them. The they are in line. It was further reported that the range jetties are each marked on the outer end by a private may be obscured by vessels tied up at the oil wharf on light. In June 1981, a depth of about 8 feet was reported the west side of the harbor. available through the entrance. The northern part of (413) Shoals with little depth are on both sides of the the harbor has general depths of 10 to 20 feet. A chan- channel from the entrance to Port Jefferson to Lighted nel marked by private buoys leads eastward from the Bell Buoy 5 inside the entrance. The ground from the entrance to small-craft facilities on the north shore of east jetty to the lighted bell buoy is broken, with shoals the harbor. The southern part of the harbor is shoal; covered 4 to 11 feet. The lighted bell buoy cannot be the chart is the guide. seen over the breakwater at low tide by small vessels ap- proaching the harbor. (406) Several small-craft facilities are in the harbor. (See (414) The mean range of tide is 6.6 feet. the small-craft facilities tabulation on chart 12364 for services and supplies available.) Currents (415) In the channel between the jetties the velocity of (407) A speed limit of 6 mph is enforced in the harbor by the Suffolk County Police. the tidal currents is 2.6 knots on flood and 1.9 on ebb; flood sets 151° and the ebb 323°. It is reported that on (408) Mount Misery, 180 feet high, between Mount Sinai the ebb there is a current with a velocity of 1 to 2 knots Harbor and Port Jefferson, slopes off gradually toward across the entrance to the harbor. the sound where the bluffs are about 60 feet high and very prominent. Sand banks dug out by sand and gravel (416) Ice forms over the entire harbor and interrupts companies are very conspicuous. navigation in very cold weather, but does not endanger shipping in the harbor. (409) Port Jefferson Harbor, on the south shore of Long Island Sound eastward of Old Field Point, is entered Pilotage, Port Jefferson through a dredged channel that leads between two jet- (417) Pilotage is compulsory in Long Island Sound for ties to a docking area near the southwestern end of the harbor; the jetties are each marked by a light. The ap- foreign vessels and U.S. vessels under register. For proach is marked by a lighted whistle buoy, about 1.1 these vessels, pilotage is available from: miles northwest of the entrance. Two stacks on the (418) Sound Pilots, Inc. (a division of Northeast Marine west side near the head of the harbor are conspicuous Pilots, Inc.). landmarks. A 12 mph speed limit is enforced in the (419) For U.S. enrolled vessels in the coastwise trade, pi- main entrance channel, and a 5 mph speed limit is en- lotage is available from: forced at the head of the harbor in the vicinity of the (420) Interport Pilots Agency, Inc. mooring areas and wharves. (421) Constitution State Pilots Association, (422) Long Island Sound State Pilots Association, Inc., (410) A 121°-301° measured nautical mile is westward and of the entrance to Port Jefferson Harbor on Old Field (423) Sound Pilots, Inc. (a division of Northeast Marine Pilots, Inc.).

Eastern Long Island Sound ■ Chapter 8 ■ 317 (424) See Pilotage, Long Island Sound (indexed as such), Communications early this chapter, and Pilotage, New York Harbor and (430) Port Jefferson is served by railroad and bus. A ferry Approaches, (indexed as such), chapter 11. operates to Bridgeport, Conn. (425) Pilot services are arranged in advance through ships’ agents or directly by shipping companies. (431) Conscience Bay is entered through a long, narrow channel at the northwest end of Port Jefferson Harbor. Tugs The bay and entrance have depths of 1 to 2 feet. (426) Tug service is available from New Haven, Provi- Strangers should not attempt to enter as there are many rocks at the entrance. dence, Brooklyn, or Staten Island on advance notice. Normally, two tugs are used for docking and one for (432) Setauket Harbor, on the western side of Port Jeffer- undocking. son Harbor, has a narrow crooked channel. In June 1981, a reported depth of about 2½ feet was available in (427) Port Jefferson is a town at the southern end of the the channel to the boatyard at Setauket. The entrance harbor. The principal industries of the port are the from Port Jefferson is marked by private seasonal shipping of sand and gravel and the distribution of pe- buoys. Gasoline, moorings, and limited marine sup- troleum products. plies are available at the boatyard; a flatbed trailer can haul out craft to 32 feet long. Small-craft facilities (428) There are small-craft facilities at the head of the (433) Setauket is a village on the south shore of Setauket Harbor about 1 mile above the entrance. harbor. (See the small-craft facilities tabulation on chart 12364 for services and supplies available.) A No-Discharge Zone launching ramp is at the head of the harbor. (434) The State of New York, with the approval of the En- Wharves vironmental Protection Agency, has established a (429) Depths ranging from 2 to 29 feet are reported No-Discharge Zone (NDZ) in the Port Jefferson Harbor Complex. The NDZ includes Port Jefferson Harbor, alongside the commercial wharves and piers at the Setauket Harbor, Little Bay, the Narrows and Con- head of the harbor. The oil wharf on the west side of the science Bay. The boundary line extends from the east- harbor, about 400 yards from the head, has depths of 29 ernmost point at Old Field Beach northerly to the feet alongside the face and 20 feet along the north side. westernmost point at White Beach (see chart 12362 for The power plant wharf, about 150 yards northwest- limits). ward, has depths of 29 feet alongside. (435) Within the NDZ, discharge of sewage, whether treated or untreated, from all vessels is prohibited. Outside the NDZ, discharge of sewage is regulated by 40 CFR 140 (see chapter 2).

74° 73°30’ 12369 318 ■ Chapter 9 ■ Coast Pilot 2 12363 CNOENWNYEOCRTKICUT 12368 Bridgeport Hudson River NENWEWJEYROSERYK Greenwich Stamford Norwalk LONG ISLAND SOUND Norwalk Harbor Old Field Point 12367 41° Captain Harbor Huntington Bay Mamaroneck Harbor New Rochelle Hempstead Harbor Oyster Bay Smithtown Bay 12342 Harlem River Port Washington 12364 Throgs Neck 12366 12365 LONG ISLAND 12335 East River Manhattan 12339 12338 New York City Brooklyn SMALL-CRAFT CHARTS AND MARINE FACILITIES CHARTS These specially designed charts are published with small craft information NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN and are labeled in green CONVENTIONAL CHARTS HARBOR CHARTS (outlined in red) - scales 1:50,000 and larger. COAST CHARTS (outlined in purple) - scales from 1:50,001 to 1:150,000. GENERAL CHARTS (outlined in purple) - scales from 1:150,001 to 1:600,000. Note: not all charts are shown

Western Long Island Sound ■ Chapter 9 ■ 319 Western Long Island Sound (1) This chapter describes the western part of Long Is- Harbor is preferred and is sometimes used by tows. land Sound along the north shore from Bridgeport to Westward of Norwalk Islands, seagoing vessels can an- Throgs Neck, the south shore from Old Field Point to chor toward the north shore and, with good ground Willets Point, and the East and Harlem Rivers. Also de- tackle, hold on in northerly winds. Captain Harbor af- scribed are the many bays and their tributaries that fords good shelter, but is rarely used except by local ves- make into this part of the sound including Bridgeport sels. On the south shore, Huntington Bay and Harbor, Stamford Harbor, Captain Harbor, Mamaro- Hempstead Harbor are available for large vessels; Oys- neck Harbor, Norwalk Harbor, Eastchester Bay, Hun- ter Bay is also used, and Manhasset Bay is available for tington Bay, Oyster Bay, Hempstead Harbor, Manhasset light-draft vessels. City Island Harbor is a fine resort for Bay, Flushing Bay, and New Rochelle Harbor, and the coasters. commercial and small-craft facilities found in these waters. No-Discharge Zone (6) The State of Connecticut, with the approval of the COLREGS Demarcation Lines (2) The lines established for Long Island Sound are de- Environmental Protection Agency, has established a No-Discharge Zone (NDZ) in Western Long Island scribed in 80.155, chapter 2. Sound. The area covered extends from the western bor- der of Greenwich at Byram Point, southeastward fol- Chart 12363 lowing the boundary between Connecticut and New York to a point in Long Island Sound, thence easterly (3) Western Long Island Sound is that portion of the following the boundary between Connecticut and New deep navigable waterway between the shores of Con- York to a point south of Hoadley Point at the eastern necticut and New York and the northern coast of Long border of Branford, thence due north to Hoadley Point Island westward of the line between Bridgeport and Old at the eastern border of Branford. This portion of Long Field Point. Island Sound includes: Greenwich Harbor, Captain Harbor, Stamford Harbor, Norwalk Harbor, Bridgeport (4) This region has boulders and broken ground, with Harbor, Black Rock Harbor, Housatonic River, New Ha- little or no natural change in the shoals. The waters are ven Harbor and Branford Harbor. (See charts 12363 well marked by navigational aids so that strangers and 12354 for limits). should experience no difficulty in navigating them. As (7) Within the NDZ, discharge of sewage, whether all broken ground is liable to be strewn with boulders, treated or untreated, from all vessels is prohibited. vessels should proceed with caution when in the vicin- Outside the NDZ, discharge of sewage is regulated by ity of broken areas where the charted depths are less 40 CFR 140 (see chapter 2). than 6 to 8 feet greater than the draft. All of the more important places are entered through dredged chan- Tides nels. During fog, vessels are advised to anchor until the (8) The time of tide is nearly simultaneous throughout weather clears before attempting to enter. The numer- ous oyster grounds in this region are usually marked by Long Island Sound, but the range of tide increases from stakes and flags. These stakes may become broken off about 2.5 feet at the east end to about 7.3 feet at the and form obstructions dangerous to small craft which, west end. Daily predictions of the times and heights of especially at night, should proceed with caution when high and low waters for New London, Bridgeport, and crossing oyster areas. Willets Point are given in the Tide Tables. (9) The effect of strong winds, in combination with the Anchorages regular tidal action, may at times cause the water to fall (5) There is anchorage for large vessels in the bight several feet below the plane of reference of the charts. outside Bridgeport Harbor Light. Cockenoe Harbor is sometimes used by small vessels, but Sheffield Island

320 ■ Chapter 9 ■ Coast Pilot 2 Currents Effects of winds on ice (10) About 1.3 miles northward of Eatons Neck Light (18) In Long Island Sound northerly winds drive the ice the ebb runs about 5 hours longer than the flood. The to the southern shore of the sound and southerly winds current has a velocity of 1.4 knots; the flood sets 283° carry it back to the northern shore. Northeasterly and the ebb sets 075°. winds force the ice westward and cause formations (11) The direction and velocity of the currents are af- heavy enough to prevent the passage of vessels of every fected by strong winds which may increase or diminish description until the ice is removed by westerly winds. the periods of flood or ebb. Directions and velocities These winds carry the ice eastward and, if of long from Point Judith to Throgs Neck for each hour of the enough duration, drive it through The Race into Block tidal cycle will be found in Tidal Current Charts, Long Island Sound, from where it goes to sea and disappears. Island Sound and Block Island Sound. Currents in East (19) In Bridgeport Harbor winds from north to north- River are described in the latter part of this chapter. west clear the harbor of drift ice, and those from south- east through south to southwest force the ice into the Weather, Western Long Island Sound and vicinity harbor from the sound. The outer buoys may be carried (12) These waters are more protected than the eastern out of position by heavy ice during severe winters. (20) Additional information concerning ice conditions Sound resulting in fewer gales. However, winters are in the waters adjoining Long Island Sound is given un- colder and summers warmer due to this sheltering ef- der the local descriptions. fect. Fog is not so frequent either and tends to burn off quicker than farther east. Winter winds of 16 knots or (21) Vessel Traffic Service, New York, operated by the more are likely about 12 to 15 percent of the time and U.S. Coast Guard, serves New York Harbor (see are predominantly from the west through northwest. 161.501 through 161.580, chapter 2, for regulations). Harbors such as Cold Spring, Oyster Bay, Hempstead and Manhasset offer additional shelter. In summer Pilotage, Western Long Island Sound thunderstorms may develop on 4 to 5 days per month. (22) Pilotage is compulsory in Long Island Sound for These are most likely during the afternoon or evening. (13) In Long Island Sound the north and south shores foreign vessels and U.S. vessels under register. For ves- are equally subject to fog, except that on spring and sels entering Long Island Sound from the east (from summer mornings, when there is little or no wind, fog sea via Block Island Sound) see Pilotage, Long Island will often hang along the Connecticut shore while it is Sound (indexed as such), chapter 8. For vessels enter- clear offshore and southward. ing Long Island Sound from the west (East River) see (14) In the western end of Long Island Sound, although Pilotage, New York and Approaches to New York (in- fogs are liable to occur at any time, they are not en- dexed as such), chapter 11. countered so often nor do they generally last so long as farther eastward. Charts 12369, 12364 Ice (23) Bridgeport Harbor, on the north side of Long Is- (15) In ordinary winters the floating and pack ice in land Sound north-northwestward of Stratford Shoal (Middle Ground) Light and about 52 miles from New Long Island Sound, while impeding navigation, does York, consists of two widely separated units. The main not render it absolutely unsafe, but in exceptionally se- harbor and its branches serve the east and central por- vere winters the reverse is true; then only the powerful tions of the city of Bridgeport, and Black Rock Harbor steamers can make their way. and its tributaries serve the western part. Black Rock (16) Drift ice, which is formed principally along the Harbor and Cedar Creek are described under separate northern shore of the sound under the influence of the headings. Waterborne commerce at Bridgeport con- prevailing northerly winds, drifts across to the south- sists mostly of petroleum products, lumber, sand and ern side and accumulates there, massing into large gravel, building materials, and scrap iron. fields, and remains until removed by southerly winds which drive it back to the northerly shore. Prominent features (17) In ordinary winters ice generally forms in the west- (24) The large red and white horizontally banded stack ern end of the sound as far as Eatons Neck; in excep- tionally severe winters ice may extend to Falkner Island of a powerplant on Tongue Point is the most prominent and farther eastward. landmark in this area. Other prominent landmarks in- clude a group of stacks on Steel Point; the towers of a high-voltage line; several church spires; a gas tank with

Western Long Island Sound ■ Chapter 9 ■ 321 a red and white checkered band at the top, on the west bridge is a fixed turnpike bridge with a clearance of 39 side of Pequonnock River; the radio towers at Pleasure feet. Depths at the wharves are 8 to 15 feet. Beach; and Bridgeport Harbor Light 13A. The rays of an (31) Pequonnock River, the most westerly of the tribu- aerolight about 1.3 miles northwestward of Stratford taries, is easily followed by small craft, but larger ves- Point can be seen from offshore. sels may need the assistance of a tug to get around the sharp bends. The river is entered through a dredged (25) Bridgeport Harbor Channel Approach Lighted channel that leads northward from the main channel Whistle Buoy BH (41°06'14\"N., 73°11'44\"W.), is 3.3 miles just below Connecticut Turnpike bridge to the head of south-southwest of Bridgeport Harbor Light 13A and navigation just below the Berkshire Avenue Dam, marks the entrance to the channel. about 1.1 miles above the entrance. Depths at some of the wharves are 10 to 15 feet. (26) Bridgeport Harbor Light 13A (41°09'24\"N., 73°10'48\"W.), 50 feet above the water, is shown from a Bridges black skeleton tower with small white house, on a black (32) Type, distance above Steel Point, and clearance of base, on the west side of the entrance channel near the end of the west breakwater. the bridges over Pequonnock River follow: Connecticut Turnpike, fixed, 300 yards, 65 feet; Stratford Avenue, Channels vertical-lift, 500 yards, 8 feet down and 68 feet up, Peck (27) From deep water in Long Island Sound the dredged Railroad bridge, bascule, 0.5 mile, 26 feet; Congress Street bridge, bascule, 0.6 mile, 8 feet; highway bridge, channel extends north-northeastward between two bascule, 0.7 mile, 4 feet; (See 117.1 through 117.59 converging breakwaters into the main harbor, and and 117.219, chapter 2, for drawbridge regulations.) thence into the three tributaries, Johnsons Creek, Yel- The bridgetender at the railroad bridge monitors low Mill Channel, and Pequonnock River. Federal pro- VHF-FM channel 13; call sign KU–6033. ject depth is 35 feet in the main channel to just below the Connecticut Turnpike bridge. (See Notice to Mari- Anchorages ners and latest edition of the chart for controlling (33) Bridgeport Harbor has two anchorage areas inside depths.) (28) A powerplant is at Tongue Point. A privately the breakwaters. One with depths of 23 to 40 feet is on dredged channel leads from the main channel to the the east side of the main channel northwestward of powerplant’s offshore oil wharf on the south side of the Pleasure Beach, and the other with depths of 15 to 25 point. In 1980, the channel, except for a 17-foot depth feet is on the west side of the main channel just north- on the southwesterly side of the widener, had a re- eastward of Tongue Point. A rock covered 10 feet is in ported controlling depth of about 26 feet; depths of 29 the west anchorage in about 41°10'17\"N., 73°10'56\"W. to 35 feet were reported alongside the wharf. Another The rest of the harbor area consists of broad and shal- privately dredged channel, used by barges, leads from low sand flats. Vessels seeking shelter from strong the main channel to the powerplant’s facilities on the northerly winds sometimes anchor off the entrance; east side of the point. In July 1978, the controlling the holding ground is good. depth in the channel was 10 feet. (34) A general anchorage is in Johnsons Creek. (See (29) Johnsons Creek, northward of Pleasure Beach, is 110.1 and 110.148, chapter 2, for limits and regula- entered eastward of Tongue Point through a marked tions.) dredged channel leading to anchorage basins; two on the west side, and one at the head of the creek. The Dangers highway bridge 0.2 mile above the entrance has a swing (35) The entrance is clear, and the only dangers are the span with a clearance of 7 feet. (See 117.1 through 117.49, chapter 2, for drawbridge regulations.) Private previously discussed shoals on the east, south of yacht clubs and two oil-receiving piers are on the creek. Stratford Point, and on the west, the Penfield Reef (30) Yellow Mill Channel is entered through a dredged shoals. channel that leads for about 0.8 mile north-northeast- ward from just above the first bend in the main channel Tides to the head of the creek. Flats, largely bare at low water, (36) The mean range of tide is 6.8 feet. (See the Tide Ta- are on both sides of the channel. The Stratford Avenue highway bridge about 0.3 mile above the entrance has a bles for daily predictions of the times and heights of bascule span with a clearance of 11 feet. (See 117.1 high and low waters.) through 117.59 and 117.225, chapter 2, for draw- bridge regulations.) About 0.1 mile above the bascule Currents (37) The velocity of flood or ebb is about 0.7 knot in the entrance between the breakwaters. (See the Tidal

322 ■ Chapter 9 ■ Coast Pilot 2 Current Tables for predictions.) Inside the harbor the mm) per year and has fallen from October through currents are generally weak. May. The greatest 24-hour snowfall on record was 16 inches (406 mm) recorded in February 1969. (38) Ice does not interfere seriously with navigation in (42) Bridgeport has been directly affected by 18 tropical Bridgeport Harbor, although its tributaries are closed storms since 1871. In recent years, tropical storm Belle at times. The winds from the north and northwest clear passed over the site in August 1976. Highest winds the harbor of drift ice, and those from the southeast were only 60 knots. One day earlier, Belle was packing through the southwest force the ice into the harbor winds of 105 knots. In September 1985, Hurricane Glo- from the sound. The outer buoys may be carried out of ria passed about five miles west of the Bridgeport position by heavy ice during severe winters. weather station placing the site in the roughest sector of the storm. Highest gusts approached 75 knots and Weather, Bridgeport and vicinity highest sustained winds were 64 knots. Two days ear- (39) The terrain of the mainland is of glacial origin and lier, Gloria had supported winds of 125 knots. (43) The National Weather Service maintains an office rises in a rolling, mostly wooded, manner to the foot- at the Bridgeport Municipal Airport; barometers may hills of the Berkshires, 30 miles to the north, and the be compared here. (See Appendix A for address.) (See Catskills, about 60 to 70 miles to the northwest. There page 431 for the Bridgeport climatological table.) is some foehn effect (chinook) with north and north- west winds, and the upslope effect with the approach of Pilotage, Bridgeport a coastal low is quite pronounced. The most pro- (44) Pilotage is compulsory in Long Island Sound for nounced topographical effect, however, is that of the land-sea breeze which is most pronounced in the foreign vessels and U.S. vessels under register. See Pi- spring, summer, and early autumn. The land-sea lotage, Long Island Sound (indexed as such), chapter 8. breeze effect during this period will inevitably cause a (45) Pilotage for Bridgeport is also available from Con- shift in the wind direction, even with a moderately stitution State Pilots Association (CSPA), 500 Water- strong isobaric flow. front Street, New Haven, CT 06512, telephone (40) As a result of the sea breeze, mean monthly tem- 203-627-5058. Pilots of CSPA board vessels from a peratures during the summer average 3 to 5 degrees (2 launch or the tug, at Bridgeport Harbor Channel Ap- to 3°C) lower than nearby inland stations. Likewise, proach Lighted Whistle Buoy BH. temperatures during the fall and winter are moderated (46) Pilotage for Bridgeport is also available from Long several degrees owing to the proximity of Long Island Island Sound State Pilots Association, Inc. (LISSPA), Sound. The average annual temperature at Bridgeport 1440 Whalley Avenue, Suite 123, New Haven, CT is 52°F (11.1°C). The average high is 60°F (15.6°C) and 06515, telephone 203-772-0101, FAX 302-629-9392, the average low is 44°F (6.7°C). July is the warmest Cable LISPILOT, New Haven. The pilot boat OLYMPIC month with average extremes of 82°F (27.8°C) and has a white hull, red superstructure, and displays the 66°F (18.9°C). January is the coolest with average ex- word PILOT in black letters. The boat monitors chan- tremes of 37°F (2.8°C) and 23°F (-5°C). The record nel 16 and works on channel 11. Among other loca- high temperature is 103°F (39.4°C) set in July 1957 tions, the LISSPA pilot will meet a ship 3 miles south of while the all-time low temperature is -7°F (-21.7°C) re- Watch Hill, RI, in about 41°15'00\"N., 71°51'30\"W. corded in January 1984. (47) Pilotage for Bridgeport is also available from (41) Precipitation is slightly heavier than at nearby in- Sound Pilots, Inc. (SPI) (a division of Northeast Marine land stations the year around since coastal low-pres- Pilots, Inc.), 243 Spring Street, Newport, RI 02840, sure systems move quite consistently on a track to the telephone 401-847-9050 (24 hours), 800-274-1216. south of Bridgeport. One of the greater hazards along FAX 401-847-9052, Cable RISPILOT, Newport, RI the coastal areas in the vicinity of Bridgeport is the ac- 02840. The pilot boats are NORTHEAST II, 49-foot, cumulation of water (especially during periods of high with grey hull and superstructure and the word PILOT tide) with the approach of a slowly moving, deepening, on the side; or RHODE ISLAND PILOT, 35-foot, with low-pressure system from the south. Severe storms oc- black hull and white superstructure and the word casionally cause inundation of 4 to 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 m). PILOT on the side; or NORTHEAST I, 49-foot, similarly The average annual precipitation is 41 inches (1041 marked as the RHODE ISLAND PILOT. The SPI pilots mm). Precipitation is evenly distributed throughout meet a ship bound for a Long Island Sound port off the year with the difference between the wettest Point Judith, but will also meet a ship off Montauk (March) and driest month (February) averaging only Point by prearrangement. See Pilotage, Narragansett 0.89 inches (23 mm). Snowfall averages 26 inches (660 Bay and Other Rhode Island Waters (indexed as such),

Western Long Island Sound ■ Chapter 9 ■ 323 chapter 6, and Pilotage Pickup Locations Off Montauk described. For a complete description of the port facili- Point (indexed as such), chapter 7. ties refer to Port Series No. 4, published and sold by the (48) Interport Pilots Agency, Inc., http://www.inter- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. (See Appendix A for ad- portpilots.com, 906 Port Monmouth Road, Port dress.) The alongside depths for the facilities described Monmouth, NJ 07758, telephone 732-787-5554 (24 are reported; for information on the latest depths con- hours), email [email protected]. Pilot boat is tact the private operators. All of these facilities have CONNECTICUT PILOT, 65-foot, blue hull with white highway connections, and most have water connec- superstructure, and the word PILOT on both sides. The tions. boat monitors VHF-FM channels 16 and 13 two hours (58) Cargo in the port is usually handled by ship’s prior to the vessel's scheduled ETA, works on channel tackle; special handling equipment, if available, is men- 11, and is equipped with AIS. Interport Pilots meet tioned in the description of the particular facility. ships bound for Bridgeport at the Montauk Point Pilot (59) United Illuminating Co. Fuel Oil Dock: on the Station or the Point Judith Pilot Station. Interport Pi- south side of Tongue Point; an offshore wharf with lots will also board vessels at Bridgeport Harbor Chan- 345-foot breasting face, 900 feet with dolphins; 31 to 37 nel Approach Lighted Whistle Buoy BH or at the feet alongside; deck height, 20 feet; receipt of fuel oil; Bridgeport Anchorage from a commercial launch or owned and operated by United Illuminating Co. tug. (60) Shell Oil Co. Dock: on the east side of the harbor (49) Pilot services are generally arranged in advance opposite Tongue Point; 190-foot face, 700 feet with through ships’ agents or directly by shipping compa- shore moorings; 35 feet alongside; deck height, 13 feet; nies. vessels usually moor portside-to; receipt and shipment of petroleum products; owned by Shell Oil Co. and op- Towage erated by Shell Oil Co. and International Petroleum (50) Tug service is available from New Haven, Provi- Terminals Co. (61) Cilco Terminal Co. Wharf: 0.3 mile northwestward dence, Brooklyn, or Staten Island on advance notice. of Shell Oil Co. Dock; 930-foot face; 33 feet alongside; Deep-draft vessels usually require tugs for mooring in deck height, 13 feet; 90,000 square feet covered stor- Bridgeport Harbor. age, 16 acres of open storage; receipt and shipment of (51) Launch service is available to vessels at anchor. general cargo; receipt of lumber, steel products, and (52) Bridgeport is a customs port of entry. pumice, and shipment of scrap metal; owned and oper- ated by Cilco Terminal Co., Inc. Quarantine, customs, immigration, and agricultural (62) The city-owned recreational pier, seldom used for quarantine mooring vessels, is on the northwest end of Pleasure (53) (See chapter 3, Vessel Arrival Inspections, and Beach; the end of the pier has depths of about 20 feet. Appendix A for addresses.) (63) The municipal dock, a marginal-type wharf, is on (54) Quarantine is enforced in accordance with the reg- the west side of Pequonnock River, just below the Con- ulations of the U.S. Public Health Service. (See Public necticut Turnpike Bridge. A ferry to Port Jefferson ties Health Service, chapter 1.) up at the dock. (55) Bridgeport has several hospitals. Harbormaster Supplies (56) The control of the port is vested in the harbor- (64) Diesel oil, diesel fuel, gasoline, bunker fuel No. 6, master, who maintains an office at the Bridgeport City lubricants, water, provisions, and marine supplies can Hall and can also be contacted through the Bridgeport be obtained at Bridgeport. Police Department. Repairs Wharves (65) Bridgeport has no facilities for making major re- (57) Bridgeport has three principal privately owned and pairs or for drydocking deep-draft vessels; the nearest operated deep-draft facilities; one is on the south side of facilities are at the ports of Boston, Mass., and New Tongue Point and the other two are on the east side of York, N.Y. Bridgeport, however, does have facilities for the harbor opposite Tongue Point. Facilities for smaller making above- and below-the-waterline repairs to fish- vessels and barges are along the sides of the harbor, and ing boats, tugs, and recreational craft, and excellent on Johnsons Creek, Yellow Mill Channel, and Pequon- hull and engine repair facilities for small craft. The nock River. Most of the facilities at Bridgeport are of the largest marine railway in the area can handle vessels to marginal-type wharf, particularly those in the con- 120 feet and 400 tons. A 10-ton crane is available. Oil stricted tributaries. Only the deep-draft facilities are pollution control equipment is also available.

324 ■ Chapter 9 ■ Coast Pilot 2 Communications seasonal 314° lighted range. The channel leads (66) Bridgeport is served by air, rail, and bus. Ferry ser- northwestward to the Fairfield Municipal Marina. Gas- oline, water, and ice are available. In April 1986, depths vice to Port Jefferson is available year round. of 10 feet were reported in the entrance channel, with 4 feet reported alongside the boat slips. A 5 mph speed (67) Black Rock Harbor, part of Bridgeport Harbor, al- limit is enforced in the creek. though not connected with it other than by Long Island (75) Penfield Reef, on which there are rocks bare at low Sound, is entered through a dredged channel about 2 water, is about 1.4 miles south of Black Rock Harbor miles westward of the main harbor entrance to Bridge- and 1.3 miles eastward of Shoal Point, to which it is port. The channel leads northward through Black Rock joined by a bar that bares at low water. Black Rock, Harbor, and thence to the head of Cedar Creek where it marked by a daybeacon, is the outermost danger of this divides into East Branch and West Branch. Black Rock reef. A dangerous submerged rock, reported covered 1 Harbor and Cedar Creek are the approach by water to foot, is about 40 yards southward of the daybeacon. The the large factories of the western part of the city of Little Cows, about 0.2 mile northward of Black Rock, Bridgeport. The Federal project depth in the dredged consist of rocks awash, and is marked by a buoy. channel is 18 feet from the entrance to the head of the (76) Penfield Reef Light (41°07'00\"N., 73°13'18\"W.), 51 project. (See Notice to Mariners and latest edition of feet above the water, is shown from a white tower on a the chart for controlling depths.) The channel is granite dwelling on a pier, on the south side of the reef, marked by buoys and lights for about 1.7 miles above south of the entrance to Black Rock Harbor. A fog sig- the entrance. nal is sounded at the light. (77) A reef, partly bare at low water and with little depth (68) Anchorage in depths of 18 to 22 feet and exposed to over any part of it, extends over 0.5 mile southward southeasterly and northeasterly winds can be found off from Pine Creek Point, 1.1 miles southwest of Shoal the entrance, northeast of the bar that makes out from Point. A lighted bell buoy is off the south end of the Shoal Point to Black Rock. Small craft drawing less shoal. than 6 feet can select anchorage on either side of the (78) Southport Harbor, about 1 mile westward of Pine dredged channel as far as the yacht club on the east side Creek Point, comprises the lower portion of Mill River of Grover Hill. and is used primarily for recreational boating. A break- water, marked at its end by a light, is off the east side of (69) Depths of 8 to 18 feet are reported alongside some the entrance to the harbor. The harbor is entered of the wharves in Black Rock Harbor. through a dredged channel that leads from Long Island Sound to a harbor basin and anchorage, about 1.1 miles (70) To avoid a shoal off the point separating East above the channel entrance. In December 2004-March Branch and West Branch at the head of Cedar Creek, 2005, the controlling depth in the entrance channel enter East Branch, pass about 100 feet off the wharf on was 7.5 feet (8.9 feet at midchannel) to the anchorage the southeast side below the entrance, and head up the basin, thence 8.8 feet in the anchorage basin except for middle. To enter the West Branch, pass 100 feet off the shoaling to 5 feet near the southwestern edge. The wharves on the southeast side of the branch. channel is marked on its west side by a light, and by buoys up to the breakwater. Caution is advised to avoid (71) Fayerweather Island, on the eastern side of the en- oyster stakes in the area southeastward of the harbor trance of Black Rock Harbor, is marked at its south end entrance. The mean range of tide is about 7 feet. A 5 by the white tower of an abandoned lighthouse. A mph speed limit is enforced in the harbor. breakwater and a seawall connect its northern part (79) Southport is a village on the west side of the har- with the shore eastward. bor. A yacht club landing and the town dock are on the west side of the harbor; depths of about 6 feet are along- (72) Burr Creek, northward of the town of Black Rock, side the town dock, and about 6 to 8 feet alongside the on the west side of the channel, is the site of a large ma- yacht club landing. Gasoline, diesel fuel, ice, water, and rina. Berths, gasoline, diesel fuel, electricity, water, ice, some marine supplies can be obtained. Minor engine a lift, and repair facilities are available. In April 1986, repairs can be made. The harbormaster can be con- depths of about 4 to 5 feet were reported at the face of tacted through the Fairfield Police Department. the gasoline dock and alongside the boat slips. Burr (80) Frost Point, 1 mile westward of Southport en- Creek has many shoals; mariners are advised to seek lo- trance, is marked by many residences and several pri- cal knowledge before entering. vate piers in disrepair on its southeast side. A reef partly (73) Several small-craft facilities are in Black Rock Harbor. (See the small-craft facilities tabulation on chart 12364 for services and supplies available.) (74) Ash Creek, about 0.7 mile westward of Fayerweather Island, is entered through a privately dredged channel protected on its southwest side by a jetty. The entrance channel is marked by private buoys and a private

Western Long Island Sound ■ Chapter 9 ■ 325 bare at low water extends about 0.4 mile southward (89) Saugatuck, a village in the town of Westport, is 2.5 from the point. miles above the entrance. Commercial traffic consists (81) Sherwood Point, a mile westward of Frost Point, is mostly of barges that call at a sand and gravel company marked by a bare boulder on the reef which extends at Saugatuck; depths at the wharf are about 5 feet. about 250 yards off the point. A rocky patch, on which the least depth found is 11 feet, is about 0.8 mile south- (90) At Saugatuck the river is crossed by railroad bridge ward of the point. having a bascule span with a clearance of 13 feet. Over- head power cables at the bridge have a clearance of 192 Charts 12368, 12364 feet. The Connecticut Turnpike Bridge, 0.1 mile above, has a fixed span with a clearance of 59 feet. About 0.1 (82) Saugatuck River, 6 miles westward of Penfield Reef mile farther up is a highway swing bridge with a clear- Light and northward of Cockenoe Island, has its en- ance of 7 feet. (See 117.1 through 117.59 and trance between Cedar Point on the east and Bluff Point 117.221, chapter 2, for drawbridge regulations.) on the west. The river is shallow, full of ledges and boul- ders, and is used chiefly for receipt of petroleum prod- (91) Westport is a town at the head of navigation on the ucts, sand and gravel, and for recreational boating. The Saugatuck River, about 1.4 miles above Saugatuck. mean range of tide is 7 feet. Freshets do not appreciably affect the height of the water in the navigable part of (92) There are several small-craft facilities on the river the river. During the winter, ice usually covers the en- in the vicinity of the bridges. Gasoline, water, marine tire river to its mouth. supplies, and a 3-ton lift are available; hull and engine repairs can be made. Depths of 6 feet are reported (83) Anchorage exposed to southeasterly winds can be alongside the facilities. had in the entrance to Saugatuck River in 12 to 22 feet, about 0.4 mile southward of Cedar Point. (93) Norwalk Islands, privately owned with the excep- tion of Shea and Grassy Islands, which are owned by the (84) The channel in Saugatuck River is narrow and city of Norwalk, and Cockenoe Island, which is owned crooked; vessels should proceed with caution, prefera- by the town of Westport, are 1 to nearly 2 miles off the bly on a rising tide. In August-September 2001, a re- north shore of Long Island Sound and extend from ported depth of about 4 feet could be carried in the river Georges Rock to Greens Ledge Light, a distance of 6 from the entrance to about 0.7 mile above the Connect- miles. Cockenoe Harbor and Sheffield Island Harbor, icut Turnpike Bridge at Saugatuck. The 4-foot channel the two approaches to Norwalk River, are good anchor- to Westport had a controlling depth of 1 foot, with ages for drafts of 9 to 12 feet and are easily made. The shoaling to bare in the east branch. The channel is bottom is very irregular around the islands and rocks buoyed to Stony Point, about 1.9 miles above the en- in the group; vessels should proceed with caution when trance. A 5 mph speed limit is enforced on the river. crossing shoal areas and avoid all broken ground. In the vicinity are some oyster stakes and spars, which oc- (85) Compo Yacht Basin is in the bight about 0.3 mile casionally are towed under or broken off; caution is rec- northwestward of Cedar Point. In April 1995, the pri- ommended, especially at night, for small craft. vately dredged channel that leads to the basin had a re- ported depth of 8 feet with 7 feet reported in the basin. (94) Cockenoe Island, at the eastern end of Norwalk Is- The channel is marked by private buoys and a private lands, is marked on its south side by two knolls; the re- lighted entrance range. A yacht club with landing and mainder of the island is low and level. A bar, dry in mooring facilities is in the basin. Gasoline, berths, places at low water but with general depths of 1 to 2 electricity, and water are available at the landing. feet, connects the island with the mainland at Seymour Point. (86) A yacht club in a privately dredged basin on the west side of Bluff Point has berths with electricity, gas- (95) Cockenoe Shoal is an extensive and dangerous area oline, and ice. In 1982, depths of 7 feet were reported in which extends 1.3 miles eastward and east-southeast- the approach with 10 feet alongside the berths. ward from Cockenoe Island. The entire area is exceed- ingly broken and should be avoided by strangers, even (87) Duck Creek, on the west side of the river about 0.6 in small craft. Cockenoe Reef extends about 0.5 mile mile above Bluff Point, is the site of a private yacht eastward from the northern end of Cockenoe Island; club. The reported controlling depth in the creek was rocks that uncover about 3 feet are near the outer end about 7 feet in July 1981. The entrance and basin are of the reef. Georges Rock, awash at lowest tides, is at privately marked. the eastern end of the shoal; a lighted buoy is off the northeast side of the rock. A lighted bell buoy marks (88) Bermuda Lagoon, southward of Duck Creek, is a the southeast end of the shoal. large privately owned and maintained basin for the use of the residents in the immediate area. (96) Channel Rock, covered 1½ feet, is about 0.2 mile southwestward of Cockenoe Island and is marked by a buoy to the southward. Peck Ledge, on the western side

326 ■ Chapter 9 ■ Coast Pilot 2 of Cockenoe Harbor entrance, is marked by Peck Ledge (106) Sheffield Island Harbor, entered between Greens Light and Norwalk East Approach Gong Buoy 5. Ledge and the mainland, is the main approach to (97) Cockenoe Harbor, westward of Cockenoe Island, is Norwalk Harbor and Norwalk River. Anchorage in marked by Peck Ledge Light. The best anchorage is in depths of 12 to 20 feet can be found northwestward of depths of 12 to 25 feet, northward and northwestward Sheffield Island. The shoal flats on the north side of the of the light. harbor have rocks and boulders in places. Routes (107) Norwalk River empties through Norwalk Harbor (98) To enter Cockenoe Harbor from the eastward, pass into the north side of Long Island Sound, northward of the Norwalk Islands and about 40 miles east of New southward of Cockenoe Island Shoal Lighted Bell Buoy York. 24, steer 254° until Peck Ledge Light bears northward of 285°, then steer for the light until up with Norwalk Channels East Approach Buoy 4 that marks Channel Rock, and (108) Norwalk Harbor and River are entered through a then pass eastward and northward of the light at a dis- tance of 200 to 300 yards. dredged channel that extends 3 miles northeasterly (99) To enter Cockenoe Harbor from the westward, give from Sheffield Island Harbor between Manresa Island the edge of the shoals southward of the Norwalk Islands on the west and White Rock and numerous islets and a good berth until Peck Ledge Light bears westward of foul ground on the east, to the first highway bridge at 348°, and then steer north and pass 400 yards eastward South Norwalk, and thence northerly for another 1.3 of the light and midway between Norwalk East Ap- miles to the basin at the head of navigation at Norwalk. proach Buoy 4 that marks Channel Rock and Norwalk The tall stack on Manresa Island, marked on top by red East Approach Gong Buoy 5. lights, is very prominent and can be seen for many miles from sea. (100) The islands and rocks on the west side of Cockenoe (109) A Federal project provides for a depth of 12 feet Harbor include Calf Pasture Island, with several from Sheffield Island Harbor to the State Route 136 houses and a few trees; Sheep Rocks, which uncover 2 bridge, thence 10 feet to a 10-foot basin at the head of feet; East White Rock, high and white; and Grassy navigation at Norwalk; an anchorage basin opposite Hammock Rocks, which uncover and are marked by a Fitch Point has a project depth of 10 feet. (See Notice to light. Mariners and latest editions of charts for controlling depths.) The channel is marked by buoys and lights to (101) The larger islands southwestward are in general the South Anchorage Basin. hilly and partly settled. Chimon Island is marked by several houses; Copps Island by large boulders that ex- Caution tend east from it; and Sheffield Island, the western- (110) Chemically contaminated material has been buried most of the group, by an abandoned lighthouse tower. in the navigation channel off Oyster Shell Point about (102) Rocks that uncover extend nearly 0.3 mile south- 140 yards below Interstate Route 95 bridge. The mate- westward of Sheffield Island. rial is covered with a layer of noncontaminated dredged material not less than 3 feet thick. (103) Greens Ledge is a rock and sand ridge that extends 1.1 miles southwestward from Sheffield Island. Depths Bridges of 10 to 15 feet extend about 400 yards westward and (111) Three bridges cross Norwalk River between South southwestward from Green Ledge Light. A rocky ledge, on which the least found depth is 21 feet, extends 0.8 Norwalk and Norwalk. The first, State Route 136 high- mile west-southwestward from the light. Another way bascule bridge at South Norwalk, has a clearance of rocky ledge, with a least depth of 20 feet, is about 0.4 8 feet. The second, the Metro-North railroad swing mile south-southeastward from the light. bridge just above the highway bridge, has a clearance of 16 feet; an overhead power cable with a clearance of 203 (104) Greens Ledge Light (41°02'30\"N., 73°26'38\"W.), 62 feet crosses the river near the railroad bridge. The feet above the water, is shown from a conical tower, the third, a turnpike highway fixed bridge, about 0.6 mile upper half white and lower half brown, on a black cylin- above the railroad bridge, has a clearance of 60 feet. drical pier on the north side of the west end of the (See 117.1 through 117.59 and 117.217, chapter 2, ledge. A fog signal is sounded at the light. for drawbridge regulations.) The bridgetenders at the State Route 136 bridge and the railroad bridge monitor (105) Cable and Anchor Reef covers an area about 0.4 VHF-FM channel 13; call signs KXJ-707 and KU–6035, mile in diameter about 2 miles southeastward of respectively. Greens Ledge Light. The least found depth is 22 feet. A lighted bell buoy marks the southern side.

Western Long Island Sound ■ Chapter 9 ■ 327 (112) Tavern Island, with several houses and foul ground stronger than the flood. (See the Tidal Current Tables on all sides, is just northwestward of the dredged chan- for predictions.) nel entrance to Norwalk Harbor. (121) The channel up to South Norwalk is navigable (113) Gregory Point, marked by a clubhouse and wharf, throughout the year. The harbor and river above South is on the east side of Norwalk Harbor 1.9 miles above Norwalk are covered with ice during a part of the win- the channel entrance. The boat basin immediately east- ter. A channel is ordinarily kept open to the highway ward of Gregory Point, locally known as Norwalk Cove, bridge, but the East Norwalk Channel and the channel is entered through a privately maintained channel. In in the river are usually closed for about 6 weeks each March 1987, the controlling depth was 8 feet in the winter. channel, thence in July 1981, 6 feet in the eastern part of the basin. A 220-yard-long detached timber breakwa- Pilotage, Norwalk ter is on the north side of channel entrance. (122) Pilots which service New London-Groton and/or (114) East Norwalk Harbor, at the town of East Norwalk, New Haven service Norwalk. See Pilotage, New Lon- is on the east side of the river about 2 miles above the don-Groton (indexed as such), chapter 8; and/or Pilot- main channel entrance. The harbor is entered through age, New Haven (indexed as such), chapter 8. a dredged channel that leads westward of Fitch Point to the head and to North Anchorage Basin on the westerly Small-craft facilities side of the harbor. A Federal project provides for a (123) There are excellent small-craft facilities at South depth of 6 feet from Fitch Point Light 1 to and in an an- chorage basin at East Norwalk. (See Notice to Mariners Norwalk, East Norwalk, and in Norwalk Cove. (See the and latest editions of charts for controlling depths.) small-craft facilities tabulation on chart 12364 for ser- The channel is marked to near the southern end of the vices and supplies available.) basin. Communications (115) South Norwalk is an important commercial and (124) Rail and bus lines serve the city and area. manufacturing city on the west side of Norwalk River, about 3 miles above the channel entrance. The depths (125) Wilson Cove, on the north side of Sheffield Island at the wharves below the bridges range from 5 to 10 Harbor, is entered about 0.6 mile northwestward of the feet. Commercial traffic is mainly in building materi- dredged channel entrance to Norwalk Harbor between als, petroleum products, and shell fishing. Wilson Point on the north and Bell Island on the southwest. The ruins of a former oil-receiving pier are (116) Norwalk, 1.3 miles above South Norwalk, is a city on the southwestern extremity of Wilson Point. A yacht on both sides of the river at the head of navigation. The club is on the east side of the cove, about 150 yards wharves have depths of about 7 feet alongside. The northward of the wharf ruins, and a marina is at the channel from South Norwalk to Norwalk is winding, head of the cove. Gasoline, limited marine supplies, ice, with extensive flats on both sides, and requires local an 18-ton crane, a 20-ton mobile hoist, and engine and knowledge to follow it even at high water. hull repair facilities are available at the marina. In 1989, the privately dredged channel leading to the ma- (117) Local regulations provide penalties for exceeding rina had a reported controlling depth of 2½ feet (5 feet the posted 5 mph speed limit or for dumping refuse in at midchannel). the harbor. These regulations are enforced by the Ma- rine Division of the Norwalk Police Department. Police (126) Noroton Point, at the southern end of Bell Island, patrol boats operate the year round and are equipped to is marked by a flagpole and a prominent house with a handle radio traffic on VHF-FM channel 16 (156.80 cupola. Rocks, bare at low water, are about 300 yards MHz). northward of the point. Pine Point, just westward of Noroton Point, has a wharf in ruins at its southern end. (118) The harbormaster at Norwalk can be reached A shoal with depths of 8 to 12 feet extends about 0.3 through the police department. mile from the shore westward of Noroton Point. The bottom is broken with boulders in places, and small Tides vessels crossing the shoal should proceed with caution. (119) The mean range of tide is about 7 feet. Ballast Reef, about 0.2 mile westward of Pine Point and off the southeast side of the entrance to Fivemile River, Currents is almost bare at low water and extends 300 yards off (120) The tidal currents in Long Island Sound off Roton Point; a buoy marks the outer end of the reef. Norwalk have a velocity of about 1 knot. In Norwalk River, off Gregory Point, the velocity of current is about 0.6 knot. The currents in the harbor follow the direc- tion of the channel, the ebb current being somewhat

328 ■ Chapter 9 ■ Coast Pilot 2 (127) Fivemile River, a narrow inlet about 0.6 mile west- feet through The Gut to the boat club landing just ward of Noroton Point and about 0.9 mile northward of above Peartree Point. Above the boat club landing, the Greens Ledge Light, is entered through a dredged river is practically dry at low water. Goodwives River channel that leads northward into the river for about and its entrance is a special anchorage. (See 110.1 and 0.7 mile. The river is shallow except in the dredged 110.56, chapter 2, for limits and regulations.) A 5 mph channel and rocks exposed 2 feet at low water have speed limit is enforced on the river. been reported on the east side of the channel near the (135) Smith Reef, about 0.9 mile southwestward of Long channel edge in about 41°03'37\"N., 73°26'47\"W. In Neck Point, consists of two rocks that uncover 2 feet. February-March 2006, the controlling depth was 2.9 The south end of the reef is marked by a lighted buoy. feet (4.2 feet at midchannel) to the head of the dredged Bold Rock, which uncovers 4 feet, is on the east edge of channel. The channel is marked by buoys at the en- the rocky ridge extending northward from the reef. trance and by a buoy on the east side about 0.3 mile Many oyster stakes are on the ridge. above the entrance. (136) Cove Harbor, northward of Smith Reef and about 1 mile westward of Long Neck Point, has depths of about (128) In July 1981, depths of 2 to 5 feet were reported 5 to 10 feet. Local knowledge is necessary to avoid sev- alongside the small-craft facility wharves on the east eral rocky areas in the approach to the harbor and to side of the river. The river is used chiefly by pleasure the basin at the northwestern end of the harbor at Cove craft. The mean range of tide is about 7 feet. Mills. A depth of about 1 foot can be carried across the bar at the entrance to the basin; private buoys, one of (129) A special anchorage is in Fivemile River. (See which is a seasonal speed limit buoy, mark the ap- 110.1 and 110.55a, chapter 2, for limits and regula- proach. A municipal marina is in the basin. tions.) (137) Westcott Cove, just westward of Cove Harbor, has a dredged channel marked by buoys that leads along its (130) Rowayton is a village at the head of Fivemile River. westerly side to a basin 0.5 mile above the channel en- Several small-craft facilities are on the east side of the trance, thence for 0.2 mile through the south arm of river. (See the small-craft facilities tabulation on chart the basin. The east side of the entrance to the basin is 12364 for services and supplies available.) protected by a jetty marked on the outer end by a pri- vate light. In June 1985, the channel had a midchannel (131) Scott Cove, about 0.8 mile westward of Fivemile controlling depth of 4 feet. A yacht club is in the north- River and about a mile northwest of Greens Ledge westerly arm of the basin, and a municipal marina is in Light, is a rocky shelter with a channel good for about 6 the southeasterly arm. Gasoline diesel fuel, and water feet to the shallow area northward. There are rocks and are available at a marina on the west side of the south broken ground in the entrance. The channel into arm of the basin. Zieglers Cove, just west of Scott Cove and south of (138) Stamford Harbor, on the north side of Long Island Great Island, is good for about 9 feet. A rock, covered 5 Sound about 33 miles east of New York, comprises the feet, is reported to lie almost in mid-entrance to this bay north of a line from Shippan Point on the east cove. Local knowledge is required to navigate both through Stamford Harbor Ledge Obstruction Light to coves. the west shore north of Greenwich Point. The harbor is shoal, and the approach is obstructed to a large extent (132) Long Neck Point, about 2 miles southwestward of by ledges and rocks. Shippan Point, the eastern point Fivemile River, has many summer residences and boat at the entrance, is surrounded by rocks which show at landings on both of its sides. Shoals extend about 0.3 low water. Barges and small coastal tankers constitute mile off the point. An unmarked sunken wreck is about the main waterborne traffic in the harbor. Petroleum 0.5 mile southeastward of Long Neck Point; depth over products, scrap metal, sand and gravel, and crushed the wreck is unknown. rock are the principal products handled in the harbor. (139) Stamford is a manufacturing city on the peninsula (133) From Long Neck Point to Shippan Point, about 2.6 at the head of the harbor. miles to the southwestward, there are many reefs and boulders, and the bottom is very broken, necessitating Prominent features caution. This area is the approach to several shallow (140) Stamford Harbor Ledge Obstruction Light coves, none of which is commercially important. (41°00.8'N., 73°32.6'W.), 80 feet above the water, (134) Goodwives (Darien) River is a small and shallow shown from a white conical tower on a red cylindrical stream on the west side of Long Neck Point. Foul pier, is a private light visible from a considerable dis- ground with rocks bare at low water extends nearly 200 tance offshore. Also prominent are a microwave tower yards off the west side of Long Neck Point, about 0.3 mile above the south end of the point. A private sea- sonal, 342° lighted range and buoys mark the best wa- ter to a yacht club and basin on the southeast side of Noroton Neck. In April 2002, a depth of 4.5 feet could be carried to the yacht club landing thence in 1981, 3

Western Long Island Sound ■ Chapter 9 ■ 329 westward of the city and the large brown office build- southward of Shippan Point. A lighted bell buoy is ings locally known as Harbor Plaza on Ware Island. about 0.2 mile south of The Cows. Harbor Ledge, about Stamford Harbor West Breakwater Light 3 200 yards south of the west breakwater, consists of (41°00'54\"N., 73°32'18'W.), 47 feet above the water, is rocks and a ledge marked by a private light. shown from a tower with a square green daymark at the east end of the west breakwater. Stamford Harbor East Tides Breakwater Light 4 (41°00.9'N., 73°32.1\"W.), 28 feet (144) The range of tide is 7.2 feet. above the water, is shown from a skeleton tower with a triangular red daymark at the west end of the east Currents breakwater. (145) The flood current at the entrance to the harbor has a Channels velocity of 0.4 knot and sets 329°; the ebb has a velocity (141) Stamford Harbor is entered through a dredged en- of 0.8 knot and sets 134°. Inside the harbor the cur- rents have little velocity and usually set fair with the trance channel that leads northward from Long Island channel. Sound between two detached breakwaters to a point about 1 mile above the entrance to a junction with the Ice dredged channels leading into East Branch and West (146) The channel in West Branch is usually navigable Branch. A Federal project provides for depths of 18 feet to a point about 0.5 mile below the junction of the throughout the year, but in East Branch it is closed by branches, thence 15 feet to the junction, thence in the ice for several weeks during severe winters. Ice forms West Branch 15 feet to and in the turning basin; thence in the harbor during most winters and usually extends in the East Branch, 15 feet to Light 1, thence 12 feet to to a point just northward of the breakwaters. The chan- the head of the project about 0.6 mile above the hurri- nels are kept open as far as practicable by passing traf- cane barrier. (See Notice to Mariners and latest edition fic. of charts for controlling depths.) The 100-foot-wide channel in East Branch is constricted to 90 feet by a (147) Prevailing winds are from the south and southwest hurricane barrier that crosses the channel about 300 in the summer and from northeast during the winter yards northward of Ware Island. The 90-foot gated season. opening in the barrier will be kept in the open position during fair weather, but will be closed on the approach (148) No particular directions are required. The range fa- of a storm or unusually high tides. A red light marks vors the west side of the channel and does not show the channel end of each breakwater. A lighted sign on plainly until eastward of Stamford Harbor West Break- either side of the barrier is used to indicate whether the water Light. In East Branch, caution is advised when barrier is in the open or closed position. A flashing red making the turn abreast Ware Island to avoid a rock light is shown from the control tower when the gate is nearly awash at high water, eastward of the channel about to be closed. The channels are well marked by line. navigational aids, and, in addition, the entrance chan- nel is marked by a 358° lighted range. (149) The harbormaster at Stamford can be contacted through the Stamford Police Department. A police boat makes routine patrols of the harbor during the boating season. A 6 mph speed limit is enforced in the harbor. Anchorages Wharves (142) A dredged anchorage area with depths of 12 to 18 (150) The commercial wharves along East Branch and feet is north of the breakwaters and just westward of West Branch are of the bulkhead and apron type, all are the line of the range lights, about 0.1 mile eastward of privately owned, and some are open to the public. Spur Highwater Rock. Small craft can anchor off the yacht tracks from the railroad serve the facilities in East club and southward or southeastward of Rhode Island Branch. Rocks in depths of 5 to 7 feet. All anchorages in the outer harbor are exposed to southerly and southwest- Small-craft facilities erly winds. (151) There are excellent facilities for small craft in both Dangers East and West Branches. (See the small-craft facilities (143) The Cows comprise a cluster of rocks, almost bare tabulation on chart 12364 for services and supplies available.) at low water, about 0.8 mile south-southeast of Shippan Point. Between them and the point is an area of foul ground and rocks bare and awash that extends 0.4 mile

330 ■ Chapter 9 ■ Coast Pilot 2 (152) Dolphin Cove, 0.6 mile west of the entrance chan- Anchorages nel to Stamford Harbor, is a privately owned Lagoon (158) Special anchorages are in Cos Cob Harbor. (See and marine facility. No anchoring is allowed. 110.1 and 110.58, chapter 2, for limits and regula- tions.) Charts 12367, 12364 (159) There are several dangers off the entrance of Cos Cob Harbor that must be avoided; most are buoyed. (153) Captain Harbor, on the north shore of Long Island These include Newfoundland Reef, covered 4 feet, a Sound westward of Greenwich Point and northward of mile northeastward of Little Captain Island; Red Rock, Great and Little Captain Islands, affords shelter from which uncovers 7 feet, 0.5 mile west of Newfoundland all winds for vessels drawing 12 feet or less. The depths Reef; Hitchcock Rock, awash at low water, 0.3 mile at the anchorage in the deeper part of the harbor, about northwestward of Newfoundland Reef; and Pecks Rock, 0.5 mile northward of Great and Little Captain Islands, bare at low water, 0.2 mile north of Hitchcock Rock. are 15 to 30 feet. Vessels of less than 7-foot draft anchor on the flats. The bottom is soft, but the entire harbor (160) The Riverside Yacht Club, on the east side of Cos and entrances are characterized by boulders. Strangers Cob Harbor and about 0.5 mile below the first bridge, is should proceed with caution, especially on the flats and prominent. other shoal areas. The eastern entrance to Captain Har- bor, between Flat Neck Point and Little Captain Island, (161) Mianus River is crossed by the Metro-North rail- is the clearer and better one for strangers. The western road bascule bridge with a clearance of 20 feet, and by a entrance, northwestward of Great Captain Island, is highway fixed bridge with a clearance of 45 feet, about easy of access, but the broken ground there requires 0.4 mile to the northward. (See 117.1 through 117.59 caution. and 117.209, chapter 2, for drawbridge regulations.) (154) Greenwich Point, 1.7 miles southwestward of (162) Several marinas and boatyards are along the west Stamford Harbor West Breakwater Light, is character- side of the river from above the railroad bridge to the ized by a low grassy hill. Reefs extend 0.3 mile south- head of navigation. (See the small-craft facilities tabu- eastward from Greenwich Point. Woolsey Rock near lation on chart 12364 for services and supplies avail- the easterly end of the reefs is bare at low water. A buoy able.) marks these dangers. (163) Mianus, at the head of navigation on the river, is (155) Flat Neck Point, the western end of Greenwich the site of an abandoned sand and gravel wharf. Point, is wooded. A reef with bare and submerged rocks extends nearly 0.3 mile southwestward and westward (164) Indian Harbor is a narrow inlet on the north side of from Flat Neck Point. About 0.2 mile northwestward of Captain Harbor, about 1 mile west of Cos Cob Harbor. A the point, the boiler of a wreck, marked by a private sea- channel with a depth of about 7 feet passes about 200 sonal buoy, shows above high water. feet westward of Tweed Island and follows the west bank to the bulkhead on the west side of the cove 300 yards (156) Greenwich Cove opens into Captain Harbor from above the entrance. Small craft can anchor in the chan- eastward, north of Flat Neck Point. The cove is used for nel just above this point, favoring the bulkhead. A large mooring local craft. Depths decrease from 8 feet in the prominent white residence with red roof and adjacent outer cove to less than 3 feet in the eastern part of the white clock tower is on the point separating Smith cove. Old Greenwich is on Greenwich Cove. Cove and Indian Harbor. A 5 mph speed limit is en- forced in the harbor. (157) Cos Cob Harbor, on the northeast side of Captain Harbor, has a dredged channel through it which ex- (165) Depths of 6 feet or less extend 250 yards southward tends 1.3 miles northward through the Mianus River to from the point separating Smith Cove and Greenwich the head of navigation at Mianus. In August 2003, the Harbor. Bare ledges extend 200 feet southward of the controlling depth was 6 feet at midchannel to the bas- point. The yacht club on the point usually maintains cule railroad bridge, thence 2.8 feet (4.8 feet at lights on a flagstaff during the summer. The depth is midchannel) to the fixed highway bridge, thence 4.8 about 7 feet at the landing of the Indian Harbor Yacht feet at midchannel (except for shoaling to 1.1 feet in the Club. lat 300 feet of the dredged channel) to the head of navi- gation at Mianus. Shoaling is reported to be abrupt (166) Greenwich Harbor, on the north side of Captain along both edges of the channel. The channel is buoyed Harbor and northeastward of Field Point, is entered to the first bridge; above this point the channel may be through a dredged channel that leads northward 1.2 followed by steering a midchannel course between the miles to the head. The channel is buoyed for about 0.8 marsh banks. mile. In August 2007, the controlling depth in the channel was 7.2 feet, with shoaling to 5.7 feet at the head of the channel. Depths of 1.1 to 5.7 feet were avail- able in the northerly basin, except for shoaling to bare

Western Long Island Sound ■ Chapter 9 ■ 331 in the northwest corner, and depths of 3.1 to 7.0 feet northward of the buoy. Bowers Island, just eastward of were available in the southerly basin, except for shoal- Calf Islands, is marked by a clump of trees and sur- ing to bare along the west edge. rounded by a drying reef; a buoy marks the north end of (167) A 5 mph speed limit is enforced in the harbor. the reef. A rocky ledge makes out from the point 300 (168) Greenwich is a city on the railroad at the head of yards northwestward of Otter Rocks, and is marked by a the harbor. The wharves are along the point on the east buoy. Private small-craft facilities are on the west side side of Greenwich Harbor. The harbormaster at Green- of the harbor. wich can be contacted through the Greenwich Police (171) The southeastward approach to Byram Harbor is Department. A police boat patrols the harbor during buoyed. A narrow channel also leads to the harbor from the summer season. southwestward, passing southward of Huckleberry Is- (169) Several private yacht and boat clubs are in Green- lands and between the northwest one of the Calf Islands wich Harbor. Gasoline and diesel fuel are available at a and the two nearest rocks, which are sometimes small-craft facility on the west side of the harbor at marked by a private daybeacon. The rocks 90 yards off Grass Island. During the summer, a ferry operates from the southwest end of Huckleberry Islands are bare at the town landing at the head of the harbor to Little low water. Captain Island, Great Captain Island, and Calf Islands. (172) Grassy Rocks, 0.3 mile westward of the southerly (170) Byram Harbor, a bight used by small craft, is at the tip of Calf Islands, uncover 7 feet. The four large ledges northwest end of Captain Harbor, just northward of northwestward and westward of Grassy Rocks generally Calf Islands. Wilson Head, 2 feet high, on a reef that show at low water. uncovers, is in the middle of the entrance of the bight (173) Jones Rocks, partly bare at high water, are at the and is marked by a buoy off the eastern end. The en- southeast end of the foul ground that extends over 0.2 trance to Byram Harbor from eastward lies between Ot- mile southeastward from the south end of Calf Islands. ter Rocks and Bowers Island. Otter Rocks, which The rocks are marked by a light. uncover 3 feet, are marked by a lighted buoy about 150 (174) Cormorant Reef, northward of Great Captain Is- yards to the southward; a submerged rock is close land, partly bare at high water, has a rock 4 feet high on

332 ■ Chapter 9 ■ Coast Pilot 2 the eastern end. A buoy is off the southern end of the southeastward of Jones Rocks Light, and over 100 yards reef. northward of the buoy northwestward of Cormorant (175) Great Captain Island, 2.6 miles southwestward of Reef, and steer 070° in the harbor. Greenwich Point, is 0.4 mile long, fringed with reefs, and marked near its southeast end by a light. A munici- (183) Port Chester Harbor, about 1.2 miles westward of pal bathing beach and ferry landing are on the island. Great Captain Island, is the entrance to Byram River The landing has reported depths of about 3 feet. A buoy which leads to the city of Port Chester and the town of marks the reef making off 0.3 mile from the southwest- Byram (East Port Chester). The harbor entrance is be- ern end. The passage between Great and Little Captain tween the breakwater that extends southward from Islands is foul and not recommended. Byram Point on the north and North Manursing Is- (176) Great Captain Island Light (40°58'57\"N., land on the south; a light is on the outer end of the 73°37'23\"W.), 62 feet above the water, is shown from a breakwater. The lower section of the river forms the skeleton tower with a red and white diamond-shaped boundary between New York and Connecticut. daymark on the southeast part of the island. A fog sig- nal is sounded at the light. (184) The harbor is entered from Long Island Sound (177) Little Captain Island, a summer resort about 0.6 through a dredged channel that leads northward for 1.2 mile northeast of Great Captain Island, has a municipal miles to a turning basin in Byram River, and thence for bathing beach and ferry landing. The landing has re- another 0.15 mile to just below the Mill Street fixed ported depths of about 8 feet. A reef extends about 250 bridge, the head of practical navigation on the river. In yards northeasterly to Wee Captain Island. An area of August-September 2005, the controlling depths were boulders and broken ground extends 0.4 mile eastward 8.8 feet at midchannel to the first fixed bridge about 0.8 and northeastward from the island and is marked by a mile above the entrance, thence 6.1 feet at midchannel lighted gong buoy. Hen and Chickens, a group of rocks to the basin, thence 8.2 feet in the basin, thence in and boulders about 0.4 mile northeastward of Little 1993, 3 feet at midchannel to just below the head of Captain Island, is marked by a buoy on the north side. navigation about 30 yards below the second fixed bridge (Mill Street fixed bridge). The channel is marked Tides to a point about 0.3 mile above the entrance. (178) The mean range of tide is 7.3 feet. (185) The New England Thruway fixed bridge, with a Currents clearance of 60 feet, crosses the river about 0.8 mile (179) The tidal current in the entrance between Little above the channel entrance. Captain Island and Flat Neck Point has a velocity of (186) The approach to Port Chester is obstructed by about 0.7 knot. Between Jones Rocks and Cormorant rocks, but is not difficult with the aid of the chart. From Reef the estimated velocity is 1 knot. southward it is safer to pass eastward of Bluefish Shoal. Fourfoot Rocks may be passed on either side, Ice remembering that the buoy is at the south end of the (180) Ice forms in the winter in all the coves and over the rocks. Entering the harbor, pass westward of Great Captain Rocks, eastward of Manursing Island Reef, and greater part of Captain Harbor. It sometimes extends 150 feet southward of Port Chester Light 4 on the end out of the line of Little and Great Captain Islands. of the breakwater. The channel in Byram River is fairly well defined at low water, but requires local knowledge (181) From eastward, a course of about 298° midway be- for the best water; strangers should take it on a rising tween the buoys marking the shoals off Flat Neck Point tide and proceed with caution. on the east and Wee Captain Island on the west will bring a vessel to a point 0.2 mile north of Hen and Tides Chickens Buoy 1A. From here a heading of 250°, with (187) The mean range of tide is 7.2 feet. the southerly tip of Calf Islands ahead, will lead to an- chorage off the entrance of Greenwich Harbor. (188) Principal commerce is in building materials, fuel oil, and petroleum products, carried in vessels drawing (182) From westward, a course of 014° for Jones Rocks 5 to 14 feet. Barges discharge oil cargoes at a terminal Light 3 will lead into the Captain Harbor anchorage. with reported depths of 12 feet alongside. Proceed with caution when crossing the broken rocky area on which the least found depth is 12 feet, extend- ing 0.4 mile westward from the western end of Great Captain Island. Vessels should pass 100 yards

Western Long Island Sound ■ Chapter 9 ■ 333 Small-craft facilities (197) Foul ground is on the northwest side near Hen Is- (189) There are several small-craft facilities in Port Ches- land; otherwise the principal danger in the harbor is a rock bare at low water and marked by a buoy a little ter Harbor, and on the Byram River at Port Chester and northward of midway between Milton Point and the Byram. (See the small-craft facilities tabulation on northeast end of Hen Island. The best entrance is be- chart 12364 for services and supplies available.) tween the buoys 0.4 mile southwestward of Scotch Caps. (190) The area from Great Captain Island southwestward is fringed with rocks, bare and submerged, and foul (198) A yacht club and landing are near the southwest ground. Great Captain Rocks, part of a reef 0.3 mile end of Milton Point. Near the clubhouse is a prominent southeastward of Port Chester Light, uncover 5 to 6 white flagstaff from which lights are exhibited from feet; a buoy marks the southern end of the reef. Trans- sunset to sunrise during the summer. port Rock, about 0.3 mile south-southwestward of Manursing Island, is part of several ledges generally (199) A dredged channel, marked by buoys, leads bare at high water which extend some 0.3 mile off- through the harbor from about 400 yards northward of shore. An opening suitable for small craft leads to Rye Milton Point to the city boat basin and marina below Beach; it is buoyed. Mill Pond. In October 2006, the midchannel control- ling depth was 1.9 feet to the boat basin, thence 1.2 feet (191) Playland, a recreational center at Rye Beach, about at midchannel in the basin's north channel and 4.5 feet 2.4 miles southwest of Great Captain Island, has promi- at midchannel in the basin’s south channel; in nent twin towers at the entrance which are conspicu- 1980-1981, depths of 2 to 6 feet were available in the ous from a southeasterly direction. Westward and close center of the basin. Two boatyards are in the harbor. to the north breakwater is a former ferry landing in dis- The largest marine railway can handle craft up to 40 repair. A breakwater extends eastward from the south feet in length; gasoline, water, ice, marine supplies, and end of Rye Beach. The area between the former ferry complete engine and hull repairs are available. The city landing and the south breakwater is reserved for swim- harbormaster is at the boat basin. ming. (200) Mamaroneck Harbor, an open bight between Hen (192) Forbes Rocks, about 0.4 mile south of the Rye Island and Delancey Point, is exposed to southerly Beach breakwater, are partly bare at low water, on a reef winds, but affords shelter against northerly weather. with depths of 4 to 11 feet that extends 250 yards to the Depths in the outer harbor range from 7 to 12 feet. Im- southward and eastward. A buoy marks the east end of portant dangers are buoyed; these include Outer the reef. A channel good for a depth of 9 feet leads Steamboat Rock, near the dredged channel entrance, southward of buoyed Forlies Rocks to the ruins of a and Ship Rock, about 0.5 mile southeastward of Outer wharf at Oakland Beach. Another channel with a least Steamboat Rock. depth of 8 feet leads southward from Oakland Beach to the sound. (201) About 1 mile northwest of Outer Steamboat Rock is the incinerator tower, a red brick building with a large (193) Porgy Shoal, about 0.8 mile south of the Rye Beach glass tower, which is a prominent landmark. breakwater, has a least found depth of 5 feet; it is marked by a lighted buoy. (202) The harbor is entered through a dredged channel that leads about 0.5 mile west-northwestward to the in- (194) Scotch Caps are three rocky islets 1.4 miles south- tersection with two dredged branch channels leading westward from Porgy Shoal and on the northwest side to basins northward and westward of the junction. The of the extensive reefs which make out 0.9 mile south- entrance channel and the branch channel to the north- westward of Milton Point. The southerly end of the ern basin are marked by lighted and unlighted buoys. reefs is marked by a lighted bell buoy about 0.6 mile southward of Scotch Caps. The entire area of the reef (203) In May 2007, the controlling depths in the dredged northward and northeastward of the lighted bell buoy channels were 9.7 feet in the entrance channel to the is very broken and should be avoided even by small junction with the branch channels, thence 8.4 feet in craft in the absence of local knowledge. the channel leading northward to the east basin, thence 9 feet in the smaller anchorage at the southwest (195) West Rock, just south of the south end of Scotch side of the basin with 6 feet in the larger basin north- Caps, is marked by a buoy. eastward (except for shoaling to 0.5 foot in the far northeast corner), thence 6 feet from the junction to (196) Milton Harbor, between Peningo Neck and Hen Is- the western basin with 6 feet in the basin. The basins land, is used as a summer anchorage by small pleasure are usually filled with moorings of local craft. craft. It is protected from all but southwesterly winds. The harbor depths decrease from 8 feet between Scotch Caps and the southwest end of Hen Island to 6 feet abreast Milton Point.

334 ■ Chapter 9 ■ Coast Pilot 2 Caution at Orienta Point to a point on the mainland immedi- (204) A pipeline covered about 6 feet crosses the western ately north of Spike Island (see chart 12364 for limits). (209) Within the NDZ, discharge of sewage, whether branch channel about 50 yards above the junction. treated or untreated, from all vessels is prohibited. Mariners are advised to exercise caution and reduce Outside the NDZ, discharge of sewage is regulated by speed while transiting this area. 40 CFR 140 (see chapter 2). Tides Supplies and repairs (205) The mean range of tide is 7.3 feet. (210) There are numerous boatyards and marinas in (206) The harbormaster has an office on the south side of Mamaroneck Harbor. (See the small-craft facilities tab- Harbor Island. The harbormaster controls all moorings ulation on chart 12364 for services and supplies avail- and can be contacted on VHF-FM channel 16; call sign able.) WZX-8038. A speed limit of 5 mph is enforced in the harbor. A village police boat patrols the harbor during (211) Foul ground extends southwesterly from eastward the summer season. of Delancey Point to the Larchmont Harbor breakwater off Edgewater Point, on the east side of the harbor en- (207) The town of Mamaroneck extends from both sides trance; a light is on the end of the breakwater. Hen and of the harbor. Petroleum products, carried by barges, Chickens, a reef bare at low water in places, lies off the are the main commerce in the harbor. harbor entrance; surrounding depths are 8 to 17 feet on the outer parts of the reef. About 0.3 mile westward of No-Discharge Zone the breakwater light is Dauntless Rock, covered 8 feet, (208) The State of New York, with the approval of the En- and surrounded by depths of 14 to 16 feet. These dan- gers are buoyed. vironmental Protection Agency, has established a No-Discharge Zone (NDZ) in Mamaroneck Harbor. The (212) Larchmont Harbor is between Edgewater Point NDZ includes waters north of a line drawn in a north- and Umbrella Point and about 2.5 miles northward of easterly direction from the southern tip of the sea wall

Western Long Island Sound ■ Chapter 9 ■ 335 Execution Rocks Light. The harbor is the headquarters (221) A dredged channel, on the northwest side of Echo of the Larchmont Yacht Club. Anchorage depths range Bay, leads to a municipal wharf and turning basin at from about 12 feet in the entrance to 5 feet near Great Beaufort Point. The channel is marked by buoys to the Knob, an islet in the north central part of the harbor. In turning basin. In October 1985, the controlling depth summer the harbor is full of mooring buoys for small was 8½ feet at midchannel to the basin, with 6½ to 7 yachts. The rocks on the west side are marked, whereas feet in the basin. unmarked shoals extend 200 yards from the eastern shore. The anchorage for larger vessels is westward of (222) The area northward of the turning basin, locally the breakwater. known as Ferris Creek, is shoal with extensive mud (213) Umbrella Rock, marked by a buoy, is 250 yards flats that bare at low water. Southwesterly of the turn- eastward of Umbrella Point. A few rocks of a breakwa- ing basin, the depth varies from 9 feet to bare at the ter, which was started on Umbrella Rock, are awash at head of the harbor. high water. North Ledge, bare at half tide, is near the western shore southeastward of the yacht club; it is (223) New Rochelle is a city on the western shore of Echo marked by a private daybeacon. The principal landing, Bay. with a reported depth of about 6 feet alongside, is on the southeast side of the yacht club and is lighted from (224) The municipal wharf is on the northeast side of sunset to sunrise. Beaufort Point. The city police patrol boats usually (214) Larchmont Harbor may be entered on either side of moor alongside the wharf. A small-craft facility and a Hen and Chickens. The easterly entrance, about 100 municipal marina are in the northern part of Echo Bay. yards southwestward of the end of the breakwater, is Berths, electricity, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, and about 300 yards wide and has a depth of about 15 feet. lifts to 25 tons are available; hull and engine repairs can (215) Horseshoe Harbor is a small cove just westward of be made. The municipal marina monitors VHF-FM Larchmont Harbor. A prominent gray building is at the channel 16. head. The cove is used as a small-boat anchorage. (216) Echo Bay, about 1 mile southwestward of Umbrella (225) Pine Island, between Davenport Neck and Middle Point and 2 miles northwestward of Execution Rocks Ground, is rocky, covered with brush, and occupied by Light, is the principal approach to New Rochelle. The several cottages. A small private landing is on the west bay is entered between Premium Point on the north- side of the island. Two bare rocks and a long bare ledge east and Davenport Neck on the southwest. Hicks are southwestward of the island. Ledge, about 0.5 mile off the entrance, is covered 6 feet and marked on the south side by a buoy. Charts 12366, 12364 (217) Middle Ground, an extensive shoal with a reef that uncovers 6 feet, lies about 0.5 mile south-southwest- (226) Davids Island, southward of Davenport Neck, is the ward of Hicks Ledge. Emerald Rock, covered 9 feet, is site of ruins of Fort Slocum, an inactive U.S. Govern- off the west side of the shoal and marked by a buoy. A ment reservation now owned by the city of New Ro- buoy marks the north end of the shoal. chelle. The island is marked by a tank on its north end (218) Bailey Rock, which uncovers 4 feet, is near the end and a square chimney on its southeast end. A ferry land- of a reef that extends about 200 yards off the point of ing on the west side of the island was in disrepair in Davenport Neck. The rock is marked by a lighted buoy. 1987. Reefs partly bare at low water, marked by a lighted (219) The bay is an anchorage for small craft and gener- buoy, extend about 0.2 mile northward of Davids Island. ally is fully occupied during the summer. Depths range from 4 to 15 feet. Small craft can anchor in the shallow (227) Davids Island is surrounded on its east and south cove on the northeast side of the harbor, entering be- sides by a foul area of islands and rocks, the passages tween Harrison Island and the rocky, grassy islet off between which should not be used by strangers, even in the northwest side of Echo Island. Vessels can anchor small craft. Huckleberry Island, at the eastern end of in the general anchorages on either side of the en- the group, is wooded. Pea Island, about 0.3 mile south- trance, in depths of 20 to 24 feet. (See 110.1 and eastward of Davids Island, is grass covered, and rocks 110.155 (a) (2), (a) (3), and (1), chapter 2, for limits bare at low water are southeastward of it. Columbia Is- and regulations.) Vessels should not anchor near the land has been improved by a seawall, making it about sewer outlet in the middle of the bay. A special anchor- 150 feet square, with a pier 150 feet long on the west age is in Echo Bay. (See 110.1 and 110.60 (b-1), chap- side. ter 2, for limits and regulations.) (220) A 4 mph speed limit is enforced in Echo Bay. (228) An obstruction, covered 17 feet, has been reported in about 40°52.4'N., 073°45.4'W. about 0.3 mile south-southeastward of Pea Island. Mariners are ad- vised to exercise caution while navigating in this area. (229) Execution Rocks, about 1.4 miles eastward of Davids Island, consist of many boulders and shoals of

336 ■ Chapter 9 ■ Coast Pilot 2 considerable extent, marked by a light and buoys. Bro- opposite the buoy marking Corning Rock. Another ap- ken bottom, covered 5 to 19 feet, extends about 0.7 mile proach channel, through deeper water, leads from the northward from the light. northeast between Davids Island and Davenport Neck (230) Execution Rocks Light (40°52'41\"N., 73°44'16\"W.), to the entrance. Both channels are well marked. In 62 feet above the water, is shown from a white stone 1990, the narrow dredged channel in the harbor had a tower with a brown band midway of its height, attached controlling depth of 5½ feet (6½ feet at midchannel) to to a granite dwelling. within 100 yards of the dam at the head. (231) Middle Reef, 0.5 mile southward of Davids Island, has some boulders which show at high water. East Anchorage Nonations and South Nonations are rocks that un- (237) Anchorage is not recommended in the harbor be- cover 4 feet between Middle Reef and Hart Island. South Nonations is marked on its south side by a cause of its congestion. General and special anchorages lighted bell buoy. are in adjacent waters southerly, extending as far as (232) Aunt Phebe Rock, 300 yards west of Davids Island, City Island and Locust Point. (See 110.1, 110.60 (b), is bare at half tide and marked by a light. In May 1976, (c), (c-1), and (d) through (f), and 110.155 (a) (1), an obstruction covered 4 feet was reported about 400 (a) (4), and (1), chapter 2, for limits and regulations.) yards northwestward of the light. Mariners are advised to exercise caution while navigating in this area. (238) Several yacht clubs, marinas, and boatyards are in (233) Goose Island, between Davids Island and Glen Is- New Rochelle Harbor. (See the small-craft facilities land, is almost completely surrounded by a rock break- tabulation on chart 12364 for services and supplies water, and has several bare rocks to the westward and available.) southward. A house on pilings is prominent on the is- land. (239) A bascule bridge connecting Glen Island with Nep- (234) Glen Island, 0.4 mile west of Davids Island, is a tune Island has a clearance of 13 feet. (See 117.1 through public park used as a pleasure resort. Special permits 117.49, chapter 2, for drawbridge regulations.) Just are required prior to using the launching ramp on the south of the bridge is a yacht club on the east side of island. A light is on the north end of the island. A beach Neptune Island. protected by two jetties is on the southeast end of the island. The channel on the northwest side of Glen Is- (240) Orchard Beach, about 1 mile southwestward of land is much used as an anchorage by small craft, par- Davids Island, is a park developed by the State of New ticularly those bound to the club on Travers Island to York on the filled-in area between Hunter Island, to the the westward. The channel has a depth of about 7 feet. A north, and Rodman Neck, to the south. The inshore wa- no wake speed limit is enforced. Glen Island Channel, ter areas off the crescent beach are a swimming area marked by buoys, is on the south-southwest side of the and are closed to general navigation. The swimming island. The channel entrance is between Hog Island area is marked by private buoys. A bathing pavilion and and Glen Island and runs along the southwest edge of a flagstaff are prominent. Chimney Sweeps, two promi- Glen Island to the channel between Travers Islands and nent bare rocks, are about 0.4 mile east of the beach. Glen Island. In 1990, the controlling depth in the chan- nel was 6½ feet except for a 2½ foot shoal spot in the (241) Hart Island, about 1.8 miles southwest of Execu- west side of the channel about 100 yards northwest of tion Rocks Light, is the site of a New York Department Glen Island Channel Buoy 6. of Correction facility. A stack on the southern part of (235) New Rochelle Harbor lies between the mainland, the island and the buildings on the island are promi- and westward of Davenport Neck, and Glen Island; it is nent. A reef extends about 200 yards southeastward off the southerly part of the city of New Rochelle. How- from the south end of the island and is marked by a ever, the main access of New Rochelle is through Echo light. Caution is advised to avoid the 9-foot obstruction Bay, previously discussed. and the wreck with 13 feet over it which are 0.3 mile (236) New Rochelle Harbor is entered between Glen Is- west of the light. land and Davenport Neck. An approach channel, with a depth of about 13 feet, leads from south-southwest of (242) Rat Island is a high bare rock about 0.4 mile west of Davids Island northward to a point abreast the former Hart Island. The Blauzes, 13 feet high, are a part of the ferry wharf on the island, thence through deeper natu- reef which extends 0.3 mile northwestward from the ral water between Aunt Phebe Rock and Corning Rock north end of Hart Island. northward to the entrance to the harbor. A reef, bare at low water, makes off the west side of Davids Island (243) The channel between City Island and Rodman Neck is used extensively as an anchorage by small pleasure craft during the summer. A no wake speed limit is en- forced. Boat clubs and railways for small craft are on the northwest side of City Island. The shores are gener- ally fringed with boulders and should be approached with caution. The north shores of High Island and City

Western Long Island Sound ■ Chapter 9 ■ 337 Island northeastward of the bridge are very foul, and Tides boats should avoid the shoals with depths less than 12 (252) The mean range of tide is 7.2 feet. feet on that side. (244) City Island is connected with Rodman Neck by a Currents highway swing bridge, kept in the closed position, with (253) The tidal current has a velocity of about 0.3 knot. a clearance of 12 feet. (See 117.779, chapter 2, for drawbridge regulations.) Currents at the bridge are (254) Ice seldom interferes with navigation of powered variable and at times exceed 1.5 knots. (See the Tidal vessels. Current Tables.) (245) City Island Harbor, also called Hart Island Roads, Supplies is between Hart Island and City Island. It is well shel- (255) Gasoline, lubricants, and marine supplies of all tered from easterly and westerly winds and is an impor- tant anchorage for coasting vessels in the western end kinds are available at City Island. Water is piped to of Long Island Sound. Besides serving as a harbor of some of the wharves; ice, electrical connections, guest refuge, it is often used by vessels desiring pilots or moorings, and dry and wet storage are readily available. towboats, or awaiting orders. A spire in the center of City Island and a steeple in the northerly part of the is- Small-craft facilities land are conspicuous objects. (256) Many boatyards are on the east and northwest sides (246) In September 1993, a submerged wreck was re- ported in about 40°50'36\"N., 73°46'30\"W. of City Island. (See the small-craft facilities tabulation (247) City Island, on the northeast side of Eastchester on chart 12364 for services and supplies available.) Bay, is narrow and over 1 mile in length. It is thickly settled and has a commercialized appearance. The west Communications side is residential, and the east side is industrialized (257) Buses serve the subway system of New York City. with several shipyards and other marine-related facili- ties. (258) Eastchester Bay, between City Island and Throgs Neck, has general depths of 7 to 10 feet in the lower part Pilotage, City Island and 3 to 5 feet in the upper part. The shores of the bay (248) A pilot boat of United New York New Jersey Sandy are fringed with boulders, and there are many shoals and several wrecks. Caution is essential, especially Hook Pilot Association moors at City Island. See Pilot- where the depths are not more than 3 feet greater than age, New York Harbor from Long Island Sound (in- the drafts. Hutchinson River empties into the north dexed as such), chapter 11. end of the bay. (249) High Island is 200 yards northeastward of the (259) A channel marked by buoys leads through north end of City Island to which it is connected by a Eastchester Bay from 1.1 miles west of Belden Point to fixed footbridge with a clearance of 11 feet. The ground the mouth of Hutchinson River. A dredged channel under the bridge is reported to bare about 1 foot at low marked by buoys leads from the mouth for about 2.8 water. A 528-foot-high radio tower, marked on top by miles to the head of navigation at the city of Pelham. red lights, is prominent on High Island. (260) In July 2007, the midchannel controlling depths Anchorages were 4.8 feet from Eastchester Bay Channel Lighted (250) The usual anchorage for deep-draft vessels is Buoy 2 to the Hutchinson River Parkway Bridge, thence 2.5 feet at midchannel to the junction of the southeastward of City Island, southward of a line join- East Y and West Y at Pelham, thence 2.8 feet in the en- ing the south ends of Hart and City Islands. When an- trance to East Y with shoaling to bare at the northern choring, avoid Deep Reef, a small rocky patch covered end and shoaling to bare in West Y; mariners are cau- 25 feet. Other general and special anchorages are in tioned that depths along the sides of the channel are the vicinity. (See 110.1, 110.60, and 110.155, chap- considerably less than midchannel. ter 2, for limits and regulations.) Anchorages (251) A long pier in ruins and a wide stone pier, the top of (261) Special anchorages are in Eastchester Bay. (See which is used as a parking area, are at the south end of City Island at Belden Point. The western shore of Hart 110.1 and 110.60 (d), (e), and (f), chapter 2, for lim- Island and the wharves on City Island should be given a its and regulations.) berth of about 150 yards. (262) The dangers in Eastchester Bay are few: Big Tom, on the east side near the entrance, is bare at low water, and other rocks around it show at extreme low tides;

338 ■ Chapter 9 ■ Coast Pilot 2 these are buoyed. Cuban Ledge, covered at half tide, is Charts 12363, 12364 marked by a daybeacon and Cuban Ledge Lighted Buoy 2 close southwestward. Numerous rocks and shoals are (271) Old Field Point, about 5 miles southward of on both sides of the channel near the entrance to Stratford Shoal (Middle Ground) Light, is a low bluff Hutchinson River. with a light and an abandoned tower on its summit. (263) Bridges and overhead cables crossing Hutchinson Boulders extend a short distance off the point, and the River are listed by type, distance above the dredged light should be given a berth of about 0.3 mile, even by channel entrance, and clearance as follows: bascule, small craft. A gong buoy is 0.6 mile northward of the 0.35 mile, 13 feet; rolling lift, 0.5 mile, 8 feet; overhead point. Depths of 14 to 18 feet are found about 0.4 mile power cable at bridge, 130 feet; bascule, 0.9 mile, 30 northward of the light. feet; fixed, 1.9 miles, 50 feet; fixed, 2.1 miles, 50 feet; overhead pipeline, 2.5 miles, 130 feet; bascule, 2.6 (272) Crane Neck Point, 2 miles westward of Old Field miles, 6 feet. (See 117.1 through 117.59 and Point, is a bare conspicuous bluff about 90 feet high 117.793, chapter 2, for drawbridge regulations.) and covered on top with brush. (264) The Pelham Parkway bascule bridge, 0.35 mile above the entrance and the Amtrak lift bridge, 0.5 mile (273) Smithtown Bay, a broad open bight on the south above the entrance, are equipped with radiotelephones. side of the sound, extends 7 miles westward from Crane The bridgetenders monitor VHF-FM channel 13; call Neck Point. Rocky shoals extend 1 mile in places from signs KU–9758, KU–6095, and KXS–298, respectively. the shore, the water shoaling abruptly from 51 feet in (265) Eastchester is a village on the west side of the places. A good summer anchorage in 30 to 50 feet shel- Hutchinson River about 1.5 miles above Pelham High- tered from easterly winds is found about 1 mile south- way Bridge. Commerce on the river to Eastchester is in ward of Crane Neck Point. building materials, fuel oil, and petroleum products. Pelham is on the east side of the river above (274) Stony Brook Harbor is a narrow shallow bay in the Eastchester. southeastern part of Smithtown Bay. The approach to (266) Weir Creek is a bight on the west side of the bay the harbor from the bay is over a bar which extends 0.8 near the entrance. mile off the entrance; the outer end of the bar is marked by a seasonal lighted buoy and the approach to the har- (267) There are numerous small-craft facilities in bor is marked by private lighted buoys. In June 1981, Eastchester Bay. (See the small-craft facilities tabula- 3½ feet was reported over the bar. A private seasonal tion on chart 12364 for services and supplies available.) daybeacon is on the east side of the entrance to the har- bor. Two branch channels lead from the entrance into (268) Locust Point is about 0.8 mile southeastward of the harbor; one leads southwestward to a steel Weir Creek. A cove just southwestward of the point pro- bulkheaded yacht club wharf and pavilion at the village vides small-boat shelter. Rocks, bare at low water, are of Stony Brook, 0.5 mile inside the entrance, and the on the north side of the approach. The entrance has a other, Porpoise Channel, leads westward to a yacht depth of about 5 feet. Inside the cove, depths range club at the northwestern end of the harbor; gasoline is from 20 feet at the south end to about 4 feet at the available at both clubs. In 1994, a depth of 6 feet was re- north end. A yacht club and marina are in the cove. A ported in both the southwesterly channel and Porpoise marina at the head of the cove has a mobile hoist that Channel. The channels are marked by private seasonal can handle craft to 30 tons for engine and hull repairs. lighted and unlighted buoys and a private seasonal Gasoline, water, ice, and marine supplies are available daybeacon. The buoys are periodically moved to mark at the marina; depths of about 7 to 10 feet are reported the best water. at the wharf. (275) A speed limit of 5 mph is enforced in Stony Brook (269) The northern approach viaduct of the Throgs Neck Harbor and Porpoise Channel. Bridge crosses the cove from Locust Point to Throgs Neck. The fixed spans of the viaduct have a minimum (276) Small-craft facilities are in the harbor. (See the clearance of 123 feet. small-craft facilities tabulation on chart 12364 for ser- vices and supplies available.) Tides and currents (270) The mean range of tide is about 7 feet. Tidal cur- (277) The railroad station is about 1 mile from the wharf at Stony Brook. rents have a velocity of 0.4 knot in the vicinity of Big Tom, and 0.8 knot at Pelham Bridge. (278) A high bluff is between Stony Brook Harbor and Nissequogue River, another between Nissequogue River and Sunken Meadow Creek, and bluffs in places between Sunken Meadow Creek and Northport Bay.

Western Long Island Sound ■ Chapter 9 ■ 339 (279) Nissequogue River, a shallow crooked stream Station” or “LILCO Dock at Northport”, monitors about 4 miles westward of the entrance to Stony Brook VHF-FM channel 19. Harbor, is entered through a privately dredged channel that leads southward from Smithtown Bay for about Pilotage, Offshore Terminal, Northport 1.4 miles into the river. In 1995, the channel had a re- (284) Pilotage is compulsory in Long Island Sound for ported controlling depth of 8 feet. Rocks and shoals, bare at low water, are on the bar outside the entrance. foreign vessels and U.S. vessels under register. For Private seasonal lighted buoys mark the channel. these vessels, pilotage to this terminal is available Strong tidal currents are reported in the channel. A from: speed limit of 5 mph is enforced on the river. Guest (285) Sound Pilots, Inc. (a division of Northeast Marine moorings, gasoline, water, and limited supplies are Pilots, Inc.). available at a marina on the west side of the river, about (286) Connecticut State Pilots (a division of Interport Pi- 0.9 mile above the channel entrance. In 1995, a depth lots Agency, Inc.). of 3 feet was reported alongside the marina. A State (287) For U.S. enrolled vessels in the coastwise trade, pi- hospital, a group of buildings with green roofs, and two lotage to this terminal is available from large red brick chimneys are prominent about 0.5 mile (288) Connecticut State Pilots (a division of Interport Pi- southwestward of the river entrance. Farther west- lots Agency, Inc.), ward, a brick building and a stack are also prominent. (289) Constitution State Pilots Association, The railroad station is at Kings Park. (290) Long Island Sound State Pilots Association, Inc., and Charts 12365, 12364 (291) Sound Pilots, Inc. (a division of Northeast Marine Pilots, Inc.). (280) Northport Basin, about 10.5 miles westward of Old (292) See Pilotage, Long Island Sound (indexed as such), Field Point Light and 2.7 miles southeastward of Ea- chapter 8, and Pilotage, New York Harbor and Ap- tons Neck Point, is a small privately maintained basin proaches (indexed as such), chapter 11. with general depths of 7 to 20 feet, and formed by gravel (293) The pilot serves as docking master and remains on dredges working into the high bank; greater depths are board on standby while the vessel is moored at the plat- available. In 1977, the privately dredged entrance chan- form. Pilot services are arranged in advance through nel had a controlling depth of 12 feet. The channel is ships’ agents or directly by shipping companies. marked by a private lighted buoy and unlighted buoys; submerged jetties extend northward from the east and Tugs west sides of the entrance. A dangerous rock is close (294) Tug service is available from New Haven, Provi- northward of the seaward end of the west jetty. The four stacks of a power and light company on the east side of dence, Brooklyn, or Staten Island on advance notice. the basin are prominent. A town launching ramp is in the basin. (295) Eatons Neck is a prominent wooded headland with elevations of 100 feet or more, and marked at its north (281) An aquaculture site, marked by a private buoy, is end by a light and tower of Eatons Neck Coast Guard about 1.2 miles northwestward of the entrance to Station. Northport Basin. (296) Eatons Neck Light (40°57'14\"N., 73°23'43\"W.), 144 Offshore Terminal, Northport feet above the water, is shown from a 73-foot white (282) An offshore platform for the receipt of oil, is off stone tower; a fog signal is at the light. Northport. The terminal is owned and operated by (297) The northwest end of the neck is a spit in the form Long Island Lighting Company (LILCO), Northport, of a hook which encloses Eatons Neck Basin. Eatons NY. The platform, with off-lying mooring buoys, is Neck Coast Guard Station is at the head of the basin. about 1.6 miles northward of the entrance to Northport The basin is entered through a privately dredged cut Basin and about 2.4 miles eastward of Eatons Neck between two small riprap jetties about 0.5 mile south- Light. Submerged pipelines extend from the shore to westward of the light; the jetties are covered at half the platform. The platform is marked at its eastern end tide. The channel between the jetties is buoyed, and by a private light, and at the western end by a private there are buoys farther inside the basin. The basin is light and fog signal. subject to frequent changes and the buoys in the basin (283) Upon the scheduled approach of an incoming ves- are not charted because they are frequently shifted in sel, the platform, voice call “LILCO Northport Power position. In March-April 1994, depths of 10 feet could be carried through the entrance. In July 1987, shoaling to an unknown depth was reported in the entrance channel.

340 ■ Chapter 9 ■ Coast Pilot 2 Caution feet in its western part, and in 8 to 11 feet in the eastern (298) Eatons Neck Basin Channel is maintained ex- half. The entrance to the bay is marked by a lighted buoy, and the entrance channel, privately dredged to pressly to enhance the Eatons Neck Coast Guard Sta- about 12 feet, is buoyed. tion’s rescue response. Further, Eatons Neck Basin has (309) An amber light, maintained at the public landing become one of the most congested small-boat anchor- by the town of Northport, is a conspicuous mark at ages in the area in the summer. Mariners are cautioned night for vessels making the wharves at Northport. that heavy wakes from rescue craft departing the sta- (310) A privately dredged channel at the eastern end of tion may be experienced by small craft anchoring in Northport Bay leads to a dredge basin formerly used by this area. a sand and gravel company on the north side of Bluff (299) Shoals with depths of 4 to 18 feet extend about 0.9 Point. Several private landings and moorings are in the mile northward of Eatons Neck, and broken ridges ex- basin. In 1994, the channel had a reported controlling tend northward for another 1.8 miles. The northern depth of 8 feet. end of each area is marked by a buoy. (311) Northport Harbor is at the southeastern end of Northport Bay and is entered by a dredged channel that (300) Huntington Bay, just westward of Eatons Neck, is leads along the waterfront of Northport and an anchor- the approach to Northport Bay and Harbor, Centerport age basin west of the village. The channel is marked by Harbor, Huntington Harbor, and Lloyd Harbor. The private seasonal buoys. In 1994, the controlling depth bay, protected against all but northerly winds, is an ex- was 5 feet in the channel with 5 to 6 feet available in the cellent anchorage for large vessels. Depths range from anchorage basin. A channel leads from the town land- 36 to 25 feet, fairly close to its southern end, and an- ing to a boatyard and marina at the southeast end of the chorage can be selected according to draft and wind di- harbor and is marked by private seasonal buoys. In rection. 1995, reported depths of 5 feet were available in the channel. The boatyard channel is marked by buoys and (301) An obstruction covered by 23 feet is about 0.8 mile by a lighted buoy at the entrance; these aids are sea- southwestward of Eatons Neck Light. sonal and privately maintained. An alternate channel, marked by private buoys, with a reported controlling (302) A 017°56'–197°56' measured half nautical mile is depth of 2 feet in September 1990, leads from opposite on the west side of Eatons Neck. Triangular orange the public landing along the west side of the harbor to shore ranges mark the ends of the course. the head. A 5 mph speed limit marker is in the entrance to the harbor. (303) Anchorage with shelter from northwesterly winds (312) Bird Island, a bird sanctuary in the southern part can be had for small vessels at the southwesterly end of of the harbor, is a low, grass-covered, man-made island. Huntington Bay, 0.4 mile northeastward of Hunting- ton Harbor Light, in 18 to 36 feet. The arms of the bay provide secure harbors; Northport Bay is used gener- ally by the larger vessels. Tides Ice (304) The mean range of tide is 7.4 feet. (313) During severe winters, ice may close the harbor for Currents about 2 months. (305) In Huntington Bay the velocity of the tidal current Anchorage is 0.5 knot off East Fort Point and 0.4 knot in the en- (314) Vessels select anchorage according to draft in the trance to Northport Bay. (See the Tidal Current Tables for predictions.) harbor; bottom is soft. (315) A special anchorage is in Northport Harbor. (See (306) Duck Island Harbor is a shallow cove on the north side of Northport Bay westward of Duck Island Bluff. 110.1 and 110.60 (a-2), chapter 2, for limits and regu- Depths range from 6 to 9 feet in the entrance. The lations.) south side of Duck Island Bluff and the southeast side of Winkle Point should be given berths of 300 and 400 (316) Northport is a village with bus communications on yards, respectively, to avoid shoal water and inshore the eastern shore of Northport Harbor. Depths at the rocks. principal wharves are about 6 to 8 feet. The greatest depth that can be taken to Northport is about 14 feet at (307) A 5 mph speed limit is enforced in Duck Island Har- high water. bor. Small-craft facilities (308) Northport Bay, which opens off the southeast end (317) Several small-craft facilities are on the east side of Huntington Bay, provides good anchorage in 20 to 50 and the head of the harbor, and a yacht club is on the

Western Long Island Sound ■ Chapter 9 ■ 341 west side. (See the small-craft facilities tabulation on Anchorage chart 12364 for services and supplies available.) (326) A special anchorage is in Huntington Harbor. (See (318) Centerport Harbor is a shoal bight on the south 110.1 and 110.60 (a), chapter 2, for limits and regula- shore of Northport Bay just eastward of the entrance. tions.) The harbor serves the small-boat interests of the village of Centerport. In June 1981, a reported depth of about 7 No-Discharge Zone feet could be taken through the privately dredged chan- (327) The State of New York, with the approval of the En- nel to the spit extending southwesterly from Little Neck, thence about 3 feet to a boatyard on the west side vironmental Protection Agency, has established a of the harbor just below the bridge. The channel is No-Discharge Zone (NDZ) in the Greater Hunting- marked by private seasonal buoys. Berths, moorings, ton-Northport Bay Complex. The water bodies included electricity, water, storage, marine supplies, and a are Lower Huntington Bay, Northport Bay, Centerport launching ramp are available. A flatbed trailer can haul Harbor, Northport Harbor, Duck Island Harbor and out craft to 32 feet; hull and engine repairs can be Price Bend. The northern boundary line extends from made. the southernmost point at East Beach (Lloyd Harbor) easterly to the southernmost point at West Beach Anchorage (Sand City Beach) (see chart 12365). (319) A special anchorage is in Centerport Harbor. (See (328) Within the NDZ, discharge of sewage, whether treated or untreated, from all vessels is prohibited. 110.1 and 110.60 (a-1), chapter 2, for limits and regu- Outside the NDZ, discharge of sewage is regulated by lations.) 40 CFR 140 (see chapter 2). (320) Huntington Harbor, at the southwest end of Hun- (329) A 5-mph speed limit is enforced in the harbor. tington Bay, is entered through a marked channel that (330) Huntington and Halesite are villages at the head of leads to an anchorage off Huntington Town Dock, about 2 miles above the channel entrance. A depth of the harbor. The yacht club landing on the east side of about 8 feet can be carried in the channel. Huntington the harbor has a depth of about 10 feet alongside. Gaso- Harbor Light (40°54'39\"N., 73°25'52\"W.), 42 feet above line, diesel fuel, berths, electricity, water, and ice can be the water and shown from a square concrete tower at- obtained here. Yachts may anchor off the landing, but tached to a dwelling on a rectangular pier, is on the must keep clear of the channel. west side of the entrance to Huntington Harbor and on (331) Coindre Hall, a large brick building with a red roof the south side of the entrance to Lloyd Harbor. A fog and numerous chimneys at the entrance to the harbor, signal is at the light. and Huntington Hospital, well lighted at night, at the head of the harbor are prominent. (321) The channel is marked by a light and by lighted, unlighted, and private unlighted buoys. Some of the Small-craft facilities private buoys are seasonal. (332) There are several marinas, boatyards, and private (322) The wharf just southward of Huntington Town boat clubs in Huntington Harbor. (See the small-craft Dock South is used by sand and gravel barges. The bay facilities tabulation on chart 12364 for services and constable has an office at the head of the harbor imme- supplies available.) diately southward of Huntington Town Dock North. (333) Lloyd Harbor extends westward from Huntington (323) A boulder reef, on the west side of the entrance, ex- Bay nearly to Oyster Bay, from which it is separated by a tends out to Huntington Harbor Light. An obstruction, narrow strip of land. Vessels can anchor just inside the reported covered 4½ feet, is 0.35 mile eastward of the entrance, in depths of 7 to 11 feet. The entrance to the light. harbor is marked by buoys. A speed limit of 5 mph is enforced in the harbor. (324) In March 1991, a dangerous wreck was reported be- tween Buoys 9 and 11 in about 40°53'54.9\"N., (334) Oyster Bay, on the south side of Long Island Sound 73°25'46.1\"W. about 5 miles westward of Eatons Neck Light, lies be- tween Lloyd Neck and Rocky Point and is the approach Currents to Cold Spring Harbor and Oyster Bay Harbor. The har- (325) The tidal currents in the entrance channel have an bor is marked by Cold Spring Harbor Light (40°54'48\"N., 73°29'36\"W.), 37 feet above the water, estimated velocity of 2 knots. and shown from a skeleton tower on a caisson with a red triangular daymark. The entrance and harbor are characterized by extensive shoals, boulder reefs, and

342 ■ Chapter 9 ■ Coast Pilot 2 broken ground making off from the shores. Vessels Ice should proceed with caution if obliged to approach or (344) During severe winters ice has been known to ex- cross shoal areas. The bay south of Cold Spring Harbor Light is a secure harbor, available for vessels of less tend the full length of the bay during part of January than 18-foot draft. and February. (335) Lloyd Neck, between Huntington and Oyster Bays, is high and wooded, and has a high, yellow bluff on its (345) Plum Point, the easternmost point of Centre Is- north side 0.8 miles eastward of Lloyd Point. Many land, is marked at its south end by a small stone tower; patches of boulders having least depths of 2 to 8 feet ex- boat landings are on the southwest side of the point. A tend 0.2 to 0.5 mile offshore from East Fort Point to yacht club with a prominent flagstaff is about 0.3 mile Lloyd Point. Small craft skirting this shore should keep west of Plum Point. The yacht club landing has re- well outside the line of buoys. ported depths of about 9½ feet. (336) Lloyd Point, the north end of Lloyd Neck, is a low spit. A rocky shoal extends 0.5 mile north-northeast- (346) Cooper Bluff, at the northeast end of Cove Neck is ward from Lloyd Point. A seasonal lighted gong buoy prominent. A boulder reef extends nearly 0.3 mile about 1 mile northward of Lloyd Point marks the northward from Cove Point at the northwest end of northern limit of the 30-foot curve in this vicinity. Cove Neck, and is marked by a seasonal lighted buoy. (337) Morris Rock, about 0.5 mile eastward of Lloyd Point, is covered by a least depth of 2 feet. The rock is (347) Cold Spring Harbor, the southeasterly end of Oys- marked by a buoy. ter Bay, extends about 2.3 miles southward of Cooper (338) The long jetty, about 0.6 mile southwestward of Bluff. The tower on top of a dome of a seminary on the Lloyd Point, forms the southern entrance point to The hill of West Neck, on the east side of the harbor, is Sand Hole, a pond that has been dredged into the spit prominent. A depth of about 14 feet can be carried to by a sand and gravel company. The pond is State con- near the head of the harbor by giving the shores a berth trolled and may be entered by steering a midchannel of about 0.3 mile. course through the entrance. It is used considerably by local boats as an anchorage and harbor of refuge. The (348) The village of Cold Spring Harbor is on the eastern holding ground is good. shore near the head of the harbor. An oil company pier (339) In June 1981, reported depths of about 12 feet were at the village has a depth of about 13 feet alongside. A in the entrance channel and about 4 to 22 feet in the ba- small-craft facility is on the east side of the cove at the sin. head of Cold Spring Harbor. Gasoline, diesel fuel, wa- (340) Rocky Point, the northern promontory of Centre ter, ice, marine supplies, berthings, and dry storage are Island, is a small bluff on whose summit is a large available. A reported depth of about 3 feet is available prominent house. An extensive foul area with depths of alongside the facility. A town launching ramp is avail- 2 to 17 feet extends about 1 mile northward of Rocky able in the harbor. Point. A bell buoy marks the northern end of this foul area. This area is dangerous and should be avoided. (349) A speed limit of 5 mph is enforced in the harbor. (341) A shoal area with depths of 4 to 11 feet extends east- ward from Rocky Point nearly across Oyster Bay and is Anchorages marked near its eastern end by Cold Spring Harbor (350) Special anchorages are in Cold Spring Harbor and Light. Small craft with local knowledge cross the shoal at a distance of about 0.4 mile westward of the light, but Oyster Bay Harbor. (See 110.1 and 110.60 (t), (u), strangers should not attempt it. (u-2) and (u-3), chapter 2, for limits and regulations.) Tides (351) Oyster Bay Harbor, a long, crooked arm in the (342) The mean range of tide is 7.4 feet. western side of Oyster Bay, has a channel with a depth over 30 feet leading into the area westward of Moses Currents Point. Good anchorage is available southward of Moses (343) About 0.4 mile northwest of Cold Spring Harbor Point. West of this point, the channel is narrow and suitable only for vessels drawing less than 10 feet. Ves- Light the velocity is about 0.5 knot; about 0.2 mile sels of less than 7-foot draft can anchor in the bight be- north of Cove Point, 1.2 miles southwestward, it is tween Cove Neck and the wharf at Oyster Bay, and also about 0.8 knot. For predictions, the Tidal Current Ta- in West Harbor, the large bight on the northwest side of bles should be consulted. Centre Island. (352) A speed limit of 5 m.p.h. is enforced in the harbor. (353) The village of Oyster Bay, on the shore south of Oyster Bay Harbor, has rail communication. A channel, marked by private seasonal buoys, leads southwestward from deep water in Oyster Bay Harbor to an oyster wharf in about 40°52'37\"N., 73°31'32\"W., thence west