United States Coast Pilot 2 Atlantic Coast - Cape Cod, MA to Sandy Hook, NJ 2003

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen Narragansett Bay I Chapter 6 I 245 Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:04 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen 246 I Chapter 7 I Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:07 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen Block Island Sound I Chapter 7 I 247 Block Island Sound (1) This chapter describes Block Island Sound, Fishers vessels. The shoreline is marked by many indentations Island Sound, Gardiners Bay, Little Peconic Bay, Great and shallow harbors. These waters are much used by Peconic Bay, and the ports and harbors in the area, the commercial fishing vessels and small pleasure craft be- more important of which are Point Judith Harbor, cause of the protection afforded and the many anchor- Great Salt Pond, Stonington, Mystic Harbor, and ages. Greenport. (8) Block Island North Reef is a sand shoal with depths of 14 feet or less extending 1 mile northward (2) The lines established for this part of the coast are from Sandy Point at the north end of Block Island. The described in 80.150 and 80.155, chapter 2. shoal should be avoided by all vessels; its depths change frequently, and its position is also subject to a slow (3) Block Island Sound is a deep navigable waterway change. It is practically steep-to on all sides, so that forming the eastern approach to Long Island Sound, soundings alone cannot be depended on to clear it. A Fishers Island Sound, and Gardiners Bay from the At- lighted bell buoy is 1.5 miles northward of the point. lantic Ocean. The sound is a link for waterborne com- (9) Southwest Ledge, 5.5 miles west-southwestward of merce between Cape Cod and Long Island Sound. It has Block Island Southeast Light, has a least known depth two entrances from the Atlantic; an eastern entrance of 21 feet and is marked on its southwest side by South- from Rhode Island Sound between Block Island and west Ledge Lighted Bell Buoy 2. Rocky patches with Point Judith, and a southern entrance between Block least depths of 27 and 29 feet extend 1.5 miles north- Island and Montauk Point. The sound is connected eastward from the ledge. The sea breaks on the shoaler with Long Island Sound by The Race and other pas- places on the ledge in heavy weather. sages to the southwestward, and with Fishers Island (10) Several other dangers that must be guarded Sound by several passages between rocky reefs from against are northward and westward of Southwest Watch Hill Point to East Point, Fishers Island. Ledge Lighted Bell Buoy 2. These dangers are: 33-foot sounding, marked by a lighted buoy, about 2.2 miles (4) The north shoreline of Block Island Sound and 280° from the lighted bell buoy; and two obstructions, Fishers Island Sound from Point Judith to New London cleared to a depth of 35 feet, about 0.75 mile north of is generally rocky and broken with short stretches of the lighted bell buoy. sandy beach. Many inlets and harbors, especially in the (11) The deepest passage in the southern entrance to vicinity of Fishers Island, afford harbors of refuge for Block Island Sound is just westward of Southwest vessels. Most of the rocks and shoals near the channels Ledge and has a width of over 2 miles; this is the best are marked with navigational aids. passage for deep-draft vessels. In heavy weather vessels desiring to enter the sound westward of Block Island (5) The southern part of Block Island Sound is should pass westward of Southwest Ledge Lighted Bell bounded by Block Island on the east, the eastern ex- Buoy 2, taking care to pass clear of the rocky ledge. tremity of Long Island, and Gardiners Island on the (12) Between the inner patch of rocks and the shoals, west. Plum Island and Fishers Island are at the western which extend 0.9 mile from Block Island, is a channel end of the sound. 1.3 miles wide, with a depth of about 34 feet. Vessels us- ing this channel should round the southwest end of (6) The deep water in the central part of Block Island Block Island at a distance of 1.5 miles. It is not advis- Sound will accommodate vessels of the greatest draft. able to use this passage during heavy weather. (13) The entrance between Point Judith and Block Is- (7) Westward of Gardiners Island, enclosed between land is used by vessels coming from the bays and the northeastern and eastern ends of Long Island, are sounds eastward to Long Island Sound. The route gen- Gardiners Bay, Shelter Island Sound, Little Peconic erally used is through The Race. Tows of light barges Bay, and Great Peconic Bay. This area is well protected and vessels of 14 feet or less draft sometimes go but generally shallow, and is not suited for deep-draft through Fishers Island Sound, especially during Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:07 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen 248 I Chapter 7 I Block Island Sound daylight with a smooth sea. This entrance is clear with (22) Land influences the weather only at the northern the exception of Block Island North Reef and the nu- edge of the Sound, with a northerly wind. Otherwise merous large boulders extending about 4 miles the waters are open, similar to the nearby ocean. Winds south-southeastward of Point Judith. The coast from from all other directions have ample time to increase in Point Judith nearly to Watch Hill should be given a strength and the Sound can be as turbulent as any wa- berth of over 1 mile, avoiding the broken ground with ter off the coast. Wind speeds can be double those found depths less than 30 feet. on the coast, especially in winter, when average speeds (14) (Full tidal information, including daily predictions of 16 to 17 knots are common. Gales occur up to 5 per- is given in the Tide Tables.) cent of the time in winter and are most likely from the (15) The effect of strong winds, in combination with the west and northwest. Seas built by winds from the regular tidal action, may at times cause the water to fall southeast through southwest are usually highest since several feet below or rise the same amount above the there is no land to interfere with the fetch. Seas of 10 plane of reference of the chart. The mean range of tide feet (3 m) or more are likely 5 to 7 percent of the time in throughout Block Island Sound varies from about 3 winter. feet at Point Judith to 2 feet at Montauk Point. (16) Tidal current data for a number of locations in (23) Because of relatively cold water, summer fog oc- Block Island Sound are given in the Tidal Current Ta- curs two to three times more often in these waters than bles. Current directions and velocities throughout the in either Narragansett or Buzzard Bays. For example, sound for each hour of the tidal cycle are shown on in June visibilities drop below ½ mile nearly 9 percent Tidal Current Charts, Block Island Sound and Eastern of the time. Long Island Sound. (17) The tidal currents throughout Block Island Sound (24) Pilotage is compulsary for foreign vessels under have considerable velocity; the greatest velocities oc- register in Block Island Sound and Long Island Sound. cur in the vicinity of The Race and in the entrances be- A vessel traversing Block Island is enroute to or from tween Montauk Point, Block Island, and Point Judith. Long Island Sound. See Pilotage, Long Island Sound Soundings alone cannot be depended upon to locate (indexed as such), chapter 8. Vessels bound for Long Is- the position; the shoaling is generally abrupt in ap- land Sound ports may board pilots in the vicinity of proaching the shores or dangers. Point Judith Lighted Whistle Buoy 2, within a 1-mile (18) In the middle of the passage between Point Judith radius circle centered in 41°17.2'N., 71°30.4'W., and at and Block Island, the velocity is 0.7 knot. The flood sets the Montauk Pilot Station, at 41°02'N., 71°42'W., about westward, and the ebb eastward. 3 miles east of the Montauk Point Lighted Whistle (19) In the passage between Block Island and Montauk Buoy MP. Point, the flood sets generally northwestward and the ebb southeastward. In the middle of the passage the ve- (25) Block Island, 5 miles long, is hilly with elevations locity is 1.5 knots on the flood and 1.9 knots on the ebb. up to about 200 feet. The shore of the island is fringed About 1.2 miles eastward of Montauk Point, the flood in most places by boulders and should be given a berth sets 346°, ebb 162°, with a velocity of 2.8 knots. of over 0.5 mile even by small craft; the shoaling is gen- (20) In Block Island Sound and in the eastern part of erally abrupt in approaching the island. Long Island Sound, fogs are generally heaviest with southeast winds. In these waters the usual duration of a (26) Block Island, formed by glaciers, consists of nearly fog is from 4 to 12 hours, but periods of from 4 to 6 days 7,000 acres (2,830 hectares and lies in the Atlantic have been known with very short clear intervals. In the Ocean about 12 miles east-northeast of Long Island autumn, land fogs, as they are termed locally, some- and about the same distance south of Charlestown, RI. times occur with northerly breezes, but are generally Hence, the climate is typically maritime, but under burned off before midday. conditions of extreme cold or heat the effect is felt on (21) The Race may be said to be the only locality where the island as well as on the mainland. Temperatures of tidal currents have any decided influence on the move- -10°F (-23.3°C, February 1992) and 95°F (35°C, August ments of the ice. Large quantities of floe ice usually 1948) have been recorded. pass through The Race during the ebb, especially if the wind is westerly, and in severe winters this ice causes some obstruction in Block Island Sound and around Montauk Point. These obstructions are the most exten- sive around the middle of February. Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:07 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen Block Island Sound I Chapter 7 I 249 (27) Summers are usually dry. Recorded rainfall for any of Block Island, is a lone white house on top of the bluff. one month ranges from a trace to 11.51 inches (292 Two nearby silos are conspicuous. mm). November is the wettest month averaging 4.08 (35) Block Island North Light (41°13'39\"N., inches (104 mm) and June is the driest averaging 2.46 71°34'33\"W.), 58 feet above the water, is shown from a inches (64 mm). brown tower on a gray granite dwelling on Sandy Point at the north end of the island. (28) The warmest month is July with an average high of (36) Old Harbor, frequently used as a harbor of refuge, 76.5°F (24.7°C) and an average low of 63.7°F (17.6°C). is an artificial harbor formed by two breakwaters on the The coolest months are January and February. Each av- east side of Block Island, 1.4 miles northward of Block erage 32°F (0°C). The island is too small to build up cu- Island Southeast Light. In June 2000, the controlling mulonimbus clouds, and local thunderstorms do not depths were 13 feet in the entrance channel; thence 12 occur. Fog occurs on one out of four days in the early to 15 feet in the inner harbor anchorage with lesser summer, when the ocean is relatively cold and foggy depths along the edges, thence 13 to 15 feet were avail- days average about 22 each year. able in the basin in the southeast corner of the inner harbor. The harbor is occupied by pleasure craft during (29) Winters are distinguished for their comparative the summer. The eastern part of the inner harbor is left mildness, maximums average 36°F to 42°F (2.2°C to clear for the passage of the ferry to the wharf. The basin 5.6°C) and minimums average 26°F (-3.3°C) in January in the southeast corner of the inner harbor is usually and February. Since the surface winds are usually east- occupied by fishing boats and local craft which tie up erly when snow begins it soon changes to rain or melts along the sides. Gasoline, diesel fuel, and berths are rapidly after it piles up. The ocean temperatures are of available. The harbormaster has an office at the Old course always somewhat above freezing and not far off Harbor town dock. shore are relatively high. (37) The east breakwater extends about 300 yards northward of the entrance of the inner harbor, and is (30) The ocean has a dampening effect on hot winds in marked at its end by a light and fog signal. A bell buoy is summer and an accelerating effect on cold winds from 0.55 mile northward of the breakwater. A light marks the mainland in the winter. Katabatic winds from the end of the breakwater on the west side at the en- Narrangansett Bay and Long Island reach as high as 35 trance to the inner harbor. knots when anticyclonic conditions prevail on the (38) Great Salt Pond (New Harbor), on the west side of mainland in winter. The wind velocity averages 15 Block Island, is the best harbor in Block Island Sound knots for the year, but the mean is 17 knots in the win- for vessels of 15-foot draft or less. In easterly gales ter, when gales are frequent. In the early fall most of the when the sea is too heavy to enter Old Harbor, a landing tropical storms moving up the coast affect the island to can be made at Great Salt Pond. The entrance, about 2 some extent. Since 1871, 13 storms have come within miles south-southwestward of Block Island North 25 miles of Block Island. The most recent was Hurri- Light, is a dredged cut through the narrow beach. The cane Bob in August 1991. The center of Hurricane Bob southwestern side of the entrance is protected by a passed about ten miles to the west of the island with 85- jetty, which is marked by a light and a fog signal at its knot winds. outer end. (39) In September 2000, the controlling depth were 13 (31) (See page T-4 for Block Island climatological ta- feet in the left half and 11 feet in the right inside quar- ble.) ter of the entrance channel. Gradual shoaling to 1 foot or less occurs in the right outside quarter, about mid- (32) A ferry operates daily from Galilee to Great Salt way between Buoy 10. Local knowledge is advised be- Pond or Old Harbor, carrying mail, passengers, freight, fore entering. and vehicles. There is summer ferry service from Old (40) The usual anchorage in Great Salt Pond is near the Harbor to Providence, via Newport, and to New Lon- southeast end, off the ferry landing, in 15 to 48 feet, don. The island has telephone service to the mainland. taking care to leave a fairway to the landing. A channel Air service is also available. with a reported depth of about 8 feet in July 1981 leads to Trim Pond, where local fishing craft are moored. (33) Block Island Southeast Light (41°09.2'N., (41) Small-craft facilities in Great Salt Pond can provide 71°33.1'W.), 261 feet above the water, is shown from a berths, electricity, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, and steel tower on Mohegan Bluffs on the southeast point marine supplies. The marina about 0.3 mile westward of the island. of the ferry landing had a reported depth of 16 feet at (34) About 0.2 mile southeast of the light is the wreck of the large tanker SS LIGHTBURNE. The wreck is marked by a buoy. At Clay Head, on the northeast side Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:07 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen 250 I Chapter 7 I Block Island Sound the face of the dock in July 1981. Sail and engine re- Harbor of Refuge East Entrance Light 3 in 41°21.6'N., pairs are available nearby. 71°29.1'W. (42) The mean range of tide is about 2.6 feet. (50) The southern entrance to the Harbor of Refuge, (43) Tidal currents in the entrance to Great Salt Pond known locally as the East Gap, is 400 yards wide; in July have a velocity of 0.3 knot. (See Tidal Current Tables for 1981, it had a reported controlling depth of about 24 predictions.) feet with deeper water in the western half of the chan- nel. (44) Point Judith Light (41°21.7'N., 71°28.9'W.), 65 feet (51) The western entrance to the Harbor of Refuge, above the water, is shown from an octagonal tower, 51 known locally as the West Gap, is 500 yards wide; in feet high, with the lower half white, upper half brown. July 1981, it had a reported controlling depth of about The station has a fog signal. About 100 yards north of 18 feet, with lesser depths on the north side of the en- the light is Point Judith Coast Guard Station. A lighted trance. whistle buoy is about 2.4 miles southward of the light. (See chart 13218.) (52) The mean range of tide in the Harbor of Refuge is 3.1 feet. The tidal currents have a velocity of about 0.7 (45) The area around Point Judith, including the ap- knot at the south entrance. The currents off the west proaches to Point Judith Harbor of Refuge, is irregular entrance are rotary, with a velocity at strength of 0.5 with rocky bottom and indications of boulders. Caution knot. (See Tidal Current Tables for predictions.) is advised to avoid the shoal spots, even with a smooth sea, and to exercise extra care where the depths are not (53) Considerably stronger currents have been reported more than 6 feet greater than the draft. to develop especially when the tide is ebbing. (46) Point Judith Harbor of Refuge, on the west side of (54) Point Judith Pond is a saltwater tidal pond entered Point Judith, is formed by a main V-shaped breakwater between two rock jetties at The Breachway in the and two shorearm breakwaters extending to the shore. northwestern part of Point Judith Harbor of Refuge. The harbor is easy of access for most vessels except with The east jetty is marked near its seaward end by a a heavy southerly sea. It is little used by tows. The only daybeacon. The pond extends 3.3 miles northerly to the soft bottom in the harbor is found in the southern part town of Wakefield. It is used extensively by small fish- of the deeper water enclosed by the main breakwater. ing vessels and pleasure craft, and numerous fish On the north side the shoaling is gradual; the 18-foot wharves are inside the entrance. The north end of Point curve is about 0.3 to 0.5 mile offshore. Judith Pond affords good anchorage for boats of 4 feet draft or less during a heavy blow. (47) Near the central part of the harbor are two shoals; the northernmost one has depths of 14 to 18 feet, and (55) The village of Galilee on the east side of the en- the southernmost one has depths of 14 to 16 feet and is trance and Jerusalem on the west side at Succotach marked by a buoy. Point have State piers and numerous small piers chiefly used by fishermen. A State fisheries laboratory (48) The area within the V-shaped breakwater affords is just above the State pier at Jerusalem. A State pier su- protected anchorage for small craft. The breakwater perintendent controls the State piers at Galilee and Je- should be given a berth of 200 yards to avoid broken rusalem; his office is at the head of the Galilee State and hard bottom; a rocky shoal area about 100 yards Pier. wide, paralleling the west side of the main breakwater northward from the angle should be avoided. A good (56) A channel with three dredged sections marked by berth for a vessel is on a line between Point Judith Har- buoys and a daybeacon extends from Point Judith Har- bor of Refuge East Entrance Light 3 and Point Judith bor of Refuge along the west side of the pond to the Harbor of Refuge West Entrance Light 2, midway be- State Pier at Jerusalem, and thence northerly to the tween them in 22 to 30 feet. This position falls on the turning basin at Wakefield. A branch channel, on the edge of the east-west thorofare used by pleasure craft east side, extends northeasterly from the entrance to and fishing boats. the pond to the State Pier at Galilee, and into anchor- age areas westward of Galilee and southward of Little (49) In August 1984, a submerged obstruction was re- Comfort Island. ported about 270 yards southeast of Point Judith Har- bor of Refuge West Entrance Light 2 in about (57) In February 1983, the controlling depths were 11 41°21'37\"N., 71°30'40\"W. A dangerous wreck, covered feet (13 feet at midchannel) to the junction with the 4½ feet, is about 450 yards westward of Point Judith Galilee branch channel, thence 11 feet to the State Pier at Jerusalem, thence in December 1985, 4½ feet to the turning basin at Wakefield with 6 feet in the basin Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:07 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen Block Island Sound I Chapter 7 I 251 Courtesy of U.S. Power Squadron, District 1. CHARLESTON BREACHWAY, RI except for shoaling to 5 feet along the west limit. In electricity, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, marine sup- February 1983, the east branch channel had a control- plies, storage, launching ramps, and hull and engine ling depth of 15 feet to the State Pier at Galilee, thence repairs are available. The largest marine railway in the 11 feet (14 feet at midchannel) to the anchorage basin area, at the southern end of the waterfront at Snug southward of Little Comfort Island, thence in October Harbor, can handle craft up to 150 feet long or 400 1985, depths of 4½ to 7 feet were available in the an- tons. In July 1981, a reported depth of 12 feet could be chorage except for shoaling to 1½ feet along the north- carried to the railway. east limit. In February 1983, the anchorage westward (60) Daily ferry service is available to Block Island from of Galilee had depths of 10 feet. Galilee. Daily bus service is operated to Providence. (61) Potter Pond, shallow and landlocked, is joined with (58) The mean range of tide in the pond is 2.8 feet and Point Judith by a narrow channel near Snug Harbor. occurs later than in the Harbor of Refuge by about 10 Local knowledge should be obtained before using this minutes just inside the entrance and 30 minutes at the channel, which has depths of 2 to 4 feet and is crossed north end. The tidal currents in the entrance have a ve- by overhead power and telephone cables with a clear- locity of 1.8 knots on the flood and 1.5 knots on the ebb, ance of 30 feet at the channel entrance and by a fixed and cause slight rips and overfalls at changes of tide. highway bridge with a clearance of 5 feet about 0.4 mile Higher current velocities are reported to occur. (See above the entrance. A current of more than 3 knots de- Tidal Current Tables for predictions.) velops through the channel on the ebb. The mean range of tide in the pond is about 1 foot, and it occurs (59) Several boatyards and marinas are at Galilee, Jeru- about 2.5 hours later than in the Harbor of Refuge. salem, Wakefield, and at Snug Harbor, on the west side of the pond about 0.8 mile above the entrance. Berths, Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:11 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen 252 I Chapter 7 I Block Island Sound Courtesy of U.S. Power Squadron, District 1 QUONOCHONTAUG BREACHWAY, RI (62) From Point Judith to Watch Hill the shore is low feet inside. The southern part of Ninigret Pond is and for the most part consists of sandy beaches which mostly mud flats. Local knowledge is required in enter- are broken by several projecting rocky points. Back ing and moving about inside. A small-craft facility is at from the immediate shore are areas of cultivation in- Charlestown, and one is at the western end of Ninigret terspersed with rolling grass-covered or wooded hills. Pond; berths, gasoline, electricity, marine supplies, Except for Point Judith Pond, most pond outlets are and launching ramps are at both facilities. used only by small local craft. The coast is fringed by (65) Quonochontaug, 10.8 miles westward of Point Ju- broken ground and boulders in places, which should be dith, is a summer settlement at the outlet of avoided by deep-draft vessels where the depths are less Quonochontaug Pond. In July 1981, a reported depth than 36 to 42 feet. of about 3 feet could be carried in Quonochontaug Breachway, with depths of 15 to 20 feet reported in the (63) Matunuck is a summer resort about 3 miles west of pond. Vessels favor the west side of the entrance to Point Judith. Southwest of Matunuck Point is Ne- avoid rocks in the easterly half of the entrance. braska Shoal, a patch of boulders covered 18 feet and (66) Weekapaug Point, 12.5 miles west of Point Judith, marked by a buoy. The shoal is at the south end of bro- is bold, rocky, and prominent from the southwest and ken ground, with depths less than 30 feet offshore; the southeast. Two stone jetties, 1,500 feet long, protect water deepens abruptly around the patch. the entrance to Winnapaug Pond just westward of the point. In July 1981, a reported depth of about 5 feet (64) Charlestown Breachway, 4.5 miles westward of could be carried in Weekapaug Breachway to the pond; Matunuck Point, is a narrow inlet which leads to vessels favor the west side of the breachway above the Ninigret Pond, also known as Charlestown Pond, to bridge. Reported depths in Winnapaug Pond vary from the westward, and the village of Charlestown to the bare to 10 feet. There are numerous shoals and sand- northward. In 1994, a reported depth of about 1½ feet bars. Southerly winds cause breakers at the ends of the could be taken in the inlet, with depths of about 3 to 6 Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:14 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen Block Island Sound I Chapter 7 I 253 Courtesy of U.S. Power Squadron, District 1. WEEKAPAUG BREACHWAY, RI jetties; extreme caution is advised. The fixed bridge spot with 12 feet over it in the passage is marked by a over the entrance has a clearance of 6 feet. buoy; the best channel is northward of this buoy, giving (67) Old Reef, with a depth of 5 feet over it, is about 1.5 it a berth of about 150 yards. miles west of Weekapaug Point and about 0.5 mile off- (72) Watch Hill Reef, on the southwest side of Watch shore. Hill Passage, has rocks that bare and is marked by a gong buoy. (68) Watch Hill, about 17.5 miles west of Point Judith, (73) Sugar Reef Passage, between Watch Hill Reef and is a high bare bluff on its easterly side with several large Sugar Reef, has a width of 0.3 mile; the least depths are hotels and summer houses. about 22 feet. (74) Sugar Reef, some 500 to 600 yards in extent, is cov- (69) Watch Hill Light (41°18.2'N., 71°51.5'W.), 61 feet ered 2 to 12 feet and should be avoided; it is marked by a above the water, is shown from a square gray granite buoy off its north side. tower, 45 feet high, attached to a white building with a (75) Catumb Passage, between Sugar Reef and Catumb red roof, on Watch Hill Point. Rocks, has a width of 150 yards; its least depth is 13 feet. (70) Gangway Rock, awash at low water, is part of a (76) Catumb Rocks, the highest of which are awash, are boulder reef extending about 0.2 mile southward from marked by buoys on the north, southeast, and south- Watch Hill Light. A lighted bell buoy marks the south west sides. Rocks covered 1 to 18 feet extend 0.8 mile end of the reef. A submerged rock is about 50 yards westward of Catumb Rocks to the buoy that marks the northward of the buoy. east side of Lords Passage. This passage, about 0.3 mile wide, has a least depth of 16 feet. (71) Watch Hill Passage is the principal entrance to (77) Wicopesset Rock, on the northwesterly side of Fishers Island Sound from eastward, and the only one Lords Passage, is the easterly part of foul ground used by strangers. It has a least depth of about 17 feet. A Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:17 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen 254 I Chapter 7 I Block Island Sound extending about 0.3 mile to Wicopesset Island, which (84) The Race, the main entrance to Long Island Sound is low and rocky. from eastward, extends between Fishers Island and Lit- (78) Wicopesset Passage, between Wicopesset Island tle Gull Island, between which is a width of about 3.5 and East Point, is narrow and is obstructed by a rock in miles. The only dangers are Valiant Rock, nearly in the the middle marked by a buoy; it is suitable only for middle, and Little Gull Island with its reefs. small craft and should not be used by strangers. A bell buoy marks the southern entrance. Extreme caution is (85) In the middle of The Race, the flood sets 295° and recommended when using the passage as the ebb cur- the ebb 100°, with average velocities of 2.9 knots and rent is apt to set boats on the foul ground. 3.5 knots, respectively. There are always strong rips and (79) Information about the tides and tidal currents in swirls in the wake of all broken ground in The Race, ex- the passages is given with the discussion of Fishers Is- cept for about one-half hour at slack water. The rips are land Sound. exceptionally heavy during heavy weather, and espe- cially when a strong wind opposes the current, or the (80) Fishers Island, 6 miles long, is hilly and sparsely current sets through against a heavy sea. (Predicted wooded. Chocomount, 136 feet high, is the highest times of slack water and times and velocities of point on the island. East Point, at the east end of the is- strength of current are given in the Tidal Current Ta- land, is marked by several large houses. The former bles.) Coast Guard station at East Harbor, about 1 mile from East Point of Fishers Island, is prominent; numerous (86) Little Gull Reef, with little depth over it and foul buildings on the western part of Fishers Island and a ground, extends 0.3 mile east-northeastward from Lit- large yellow hotel building are conspicuous. The radar tle Gull Island. Deep-draft vessels should avoid this lo- antenna on Mount Prospect, near the west end of the cality. Little Gull Island Light (41°12.4'N., 72°06.5'W.), island, south shore, is the most prominent landmark 91 feet above the water, is shown from a gray granite on Fishers Island from seaward. The south side of the tower, 81 feet high, attached to a red dwelling on a pier. island is fringed with foul ground which rises abruptly A fog signal is at the light. The light and Race Rock from depths of 42 to 48 feet; but by giving the shore a Light are the guides, as soundings cannot be depended berth of 0.5 mile, all dangers will be avoided. upon. (81) Race Point Ledge, partly bare at low water, extends (87) In passing north of Valiant Rock, vessels should about 0.2 mile southwestward from Race Point, the keep from 0.5 to 0.8 mile southwestward of Race Rock southwest extremity of Fishers Island, and is marked at Light, and craft passing southward of Valiant Rock its end by a buoy. Inside the buoy are boulders with 2 to should hold to a course about 1 mile northeastward of 9 feet over them. The passage between the buoy and Little Gull Island Light. Race Rock Light has very irregular bottom; the least depth is about 24 feet. It is suitable only for small ves- (88) Cerberus Shoal, 6 miles southeast of Race Rock sels with a comparatively smooth sea. Light, is about 0.4 mile in diameter, with a least depth of 19 feet on a small rocky patch near its north end. The (82) Race Rock, on the northeast side of The Race, is seas break on this shoal during heavy swells. It is nearly 200 yards in diameter, with a depth of 8 feet. A marked by a lighted gong buoy. Near the shoal, tide rips ridge with a least depth of 25 feet is reported extending are unusually strong. about 370 yards south of Race Rock. Mariners should use caution when transiting just SSW of Race Rock as (89) Great Gull Island, 0.6 mile southwest of Little Gull this area has been reported to have much lesser depths Island, was formerly a military reservation, but is now than 25 feet. Another ridge, oriented north-south and privately owned. The pier on the north side is in ruins. with a least depth of 40 feet, is about 380 yards east of A lookout tower on the island is conspicuous. Race Rock. (90) Valiant Rock, with a least depth of 19 feet, is sur- (83) Race Rock Light (41°14.6'N., 72°02.8'W.), 67 feet rounded by shoal area, and the 10-fathom curve sur- above the water, is shown from a granite tower attached rounding the rock marks the area which should be to a dwelling on a granite pier on the rock. A fog signal avoided by deep-draft vessels and preferably all vessels, is sounded at the station. The fog signal is reported at on account of the heavy swirls and rips. A lighted bell times to be inaudible when a vessel is approaching buoy is northward of the rock. from eastward and is close southward of Fishers Island. (91) The Sluiceway, the passage between Great Gull Is- land and Plum Island, has several known dangers and very irregular bottom with boulders, and should be Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:17 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen Block Island Sound I Chapter 7 I 255 avoided. The velocity of the tidal current in the passage Point. Shagwong Reef, with a least depth of 8 feet and is 2.6 knots on the flood, and 3.2 knots on the ebb; flood marked by a lighted bell buoy, is the northern limit of sets 299°, and ebb 133°. Considerably higher velocities this area. Shagwong Rock, with a least depth of 7½ feet occur at times, and tide rips are very bad in heavy and marked by a lighted buoy, and Washington Shoal, weather. Boulders covered 3 to 10 feet are between Old with a least depth of 15 feet, are between the shore and Silas Rock and Plum Island. Old Silas Rock is awash at Shagwong Reef. The principal danger outside high water. Middle Shoal Rock, 0.3 mile northeastward Shagwong Reef is a shoal with a depth of 30 feet, 5.3 of Old Silas Rock, has a depth of 8 feet. miles northwestward of Montauk Point. (92) Bedford Reef is broken ground, on which the least found depths are 14 to 16 feet, extending about 1.5 (99) Pilots generally, or by prearrangement, meet a ship miles southward from broken ground lying between “off Montauk Point”. The following pilot associations Great Gull and Plum Islands. It should be avoided. Con- meet vessels “off Montauk Point” at the locations indi- stellation Rock, on the southeasterly extension on this cated. For telephone number, FAX number, cable ad- broken ground, has 17 feet over it, is marked by a buoy, dress, description of the boat, frequencies, etc., consult and lies 1.9 miles southward of Little Gull Island Light. the name of the association under Pilotage, Narraganset Bay and Other Rhode Island Waters (in- (93) Montauk Point, the easterly extremity of Long Is- dexed as such), chapter 6; Pilotage, Long Island Sound land, is a high sandy bluff, on the summit of which is (indexed as such), chapter 8; and Pilotage, New York the light. The land is grass covered, with a height of 165 Harbor and Approaches (indexed as such), chapter 11. feet at Prospect Hill, 2 miles westward of the point. The south side of the point is bold, the 10-fathom curve is (100) Sound Pilots, Inc. (division of Northeast Marine Pi- about 0.5 mile from shore; depths of 24 feet and less ex- lots, Inc.), 2 miles east of Montauk Point Lighted Whis- tend 0.8 mile off the northeast side of the point. tle Buoy MP; (94) Montauk Point Light (41°04'15\"N., 71°51'26\"W.), (101) Connecticut State Pilots, 3 miles east-southeast of 168 feet above the water, is shown from a white octago- Montauk Point Lighted Whistle Buoy MP; nal, pyramidal tower with a brown band midway of its height and a covered way to a gray dwelling. A fog sig- (102) Constitution State Pilots Association, 3 miles east nal is at the light. of Montauk Point Lighted Whistle Buoy MP; (95) Surrounding Montauk Point for about 4 miles is a (103) Montauk Harbor, in the northern part of Lake shoal area that has been closely surveyed (see also chart Montauk, is entered through a dredged channel on the 13215); the bottom is very broken, and extra caution northern shore about 3 miles west of Montauk Point. should be observed where the depths are less than 10 The entrance is protected by jetties, each of which is feet greater than the draft. In general, the shoals are a marked by a light, and the west jetty has a fog signal. A series of long narrow ridges, in places only a few yards lighted bell buoy, about 0.3 mile north of the entrance, wide, and their positions are indicated by the rips over marks the approach to the harbor. In February-April them at the strength of the tidal currents. 2001, the controlling depths in the channel were 12 feet to the boat basin northwestward of Star Island, (96) Montauk Shoal, about 2.5 miles south-southeast- thence 11 feet (12 feet at midchannel) to the yacht ba- ward of the light, has least depths of 30 feet. Great East- sin east of Star Island; the boat basin had a depth of 10 ern Rock, 1.5 miles east-northeast of the light, has a feet with shoaling to 8 feet along the southwest edge. least depth of 25 feet. Phelps Ledge, just northerly of The channel is marked by private seasonal buoys. Great Eastern Rock, is covered by 24 feet. Endeavor Shoals, about 2.3 miles northeast of the light, are cov- (104) Star Island, just inside Montauk Harbor, is con- ered by 19 to 24 feet on a narrow ridge about 0.4 mile nected to the mainland by a causeway. A private light is long. A lighted gong buoy is off the eastern end of the shown from the eastern side of the island. Depths of 3 ridge. feet closer to shore to 12 feet in the middle are reported in the yacht basin off the eastern side of the island; cau- (97) Vessels drawing up to 20 feet can avoid the dangers tion is advised in selecting anchorage because lesser eastward and northeastward of Montauk Point in depths may be found. A privately marked channel with smooth weather by giving the point a berth of over 1 a reported controlling depth of 7 feet in June 1999, mile and avoiding Great Eastern Rock. leads from the yacht basin to the southern part of Lake Montauk where there are depths of 6 to 8 feet in the (98) Broken ground with rocky bottom and boulders ex- center. tends about 2 miles off the north coast west of Montauk Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:17 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen 256 I Chapter 7 I Block Island Sound (105) The lines established for Montauk Harbor are de- weather when the adjoining bays are unsafe. There are scribed in 80.155, chapter 2. no landings in the harbor. (114) Promised Land is a former fishing village on the (106) The mean range of tide is 1.9 feet. southwest side of Napeague Bay. A depth of about 4 feet (107) Tidal currents at the entrance to Montauk Harbor can be carried to the landing at the yacht club, 1.3 miles westward of Promised Land. have a velocity of 1.2 knots on the flood and about 0.5 (115) Gardiners Island, 11 miles westward of Montauk knot on the ebb. They are reported to decrease rapidly Point, is partly wooded and has an elevation of 130 feet after entering the harbor and are practically negligible near its middle. Cartwright Island is narrow, low, and near the yacht club landing on the east side of Star Is- sandy, and extends 1 mile in a southerly direction off land. (See Tidal Current Tables for predictions.) the south tip of Gardiners Island. Its size and shape are Montauk Coast Guard Station is at the northern end of subject to considerable change by storms. Star Island. (116) Crow Head is the high bluff at the western end of (108) There are several small-craft facilities on both sides Gardiners Island. Shoal water with depths of 9 to 16 of the entrance to Montauk Harbor, and a yacht club feet extends 1.8 miles southwestward from Cherry Hill and several marinas are on the east side of Star Island. Point, the westerly end of Gardiners Island, and termi- Gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, marine supplies, and nates at Crow Shoal. The shoal has depths of 3 to 11 space for transients are available. Lifts to 80 tons can feet and is marked by a buoy. An obstruction covered 12 handle craft for complete engine and hull repairs. Gro- feet is 200 yards eastward of the buoy. ceries and other supplies may be obtained at the village (117) The bight between the southern part of Gardiners of Montauk. Island and Crow Shoal is Cherry Harbor. It has depths (109) Fort Pond Bay is a semicircular bight about 1 mile of 24 to 27 feet with mud bottom and affords shelter wide on the north side of Long Island, 5 miles westward from northeasterly winds. Bostwick Bay is the bight on of Montauk Point. The bay is free of dangers, but flats the northwest side of Gardiners Island. It affords excel- with 8 to 12 feet over them make out 0.2 mile from its lent anchorage in easterly winds in depths of about 25 eastern shore. The bay affords anchorage in 40 to 50 feet, but is exposed to all westerly winds. feet, soft bottom, but is exposed to northerly and north- (118) Gardiners Point, a low spit, is at the northerly end westerly winds; the shoaling is abrupt on its east and of a very shoal bar which extends 1.5 miles south sides. north-northwestward from Gardiners Island. This (110) Montauk, a summer resort at the southeast end of shoal is steep-to on its north and west sides and is the bay, is the terminus of the Long Island Railroad. A marked by a lighted gong buoy. A rock with a depth of 2 depth of 10 feet was reported alongside the commercial feet over it is about 0.8 mile eastward of the north point pier on the east side of the bay. There are no public of Gardiners Island and is marked by a buoy. piers available. (119) The Ruins, a concrete structure on Gardiners (111) Napeague Bay, 8 miles westward of Montauk Point, Point, is Government property and formerly a naval is shallow in the western and southwestern part. Prom- aircraft bombing target; it is prohibited to the public. ised Land Channel, the buoyed passage southward of The Ruins and the area within 300 yards radius of it is Gardiners and Cartwright Islands, has a least center- dangerous due to the possible existence of undetonated line depth of about 14 feet; however, the depth is con- explosives. tinually changing due to the shifting shoals. (120) A restricted anchorage for U.S. Navy submarines is (112) The tidal currents have a velocity of about 1.5 knots about 3 miles eastward of Gardiners Island. (See 110.1 through all the channels between the shoals. It is not and 110.150, chapter 2, for limits and regulations.) advisable for vessels drawing more than 10 feet to at- (121) Gardiners Bay is at the western end of Block Island tempt the passage without local knowledge, and then Sound from which it is separated by Gardiners Island. only when the buoys can be seen. The bay is an excellent anchorage easily entered day or (113) Napeague Harbor, a small-craft refuge in the night, and is the approach to Shelter Island Sound and southwest part of Napeague Bay, can be entered the Peconic Bays. The principal entrance is northward through privately dredged channels northward and of Gardiners Point. The entrance from Long Island southward of Hicks Island. In June 1981, the reported Sound is through Plum Gut. The entrance southward controlling depths were 4 feet in the northerly and of Gardiners Island is used by fishing vessels. southerly entrances. Depths in the central part of the (122) The principal guides for the entrance to Gardiners harbor range from 1½ to 7 feet; the chart is the best Bay from Block Island Sound are the lighted gong buoy guide. The harbor is especially useful in northeasterly north of Gardiners Point, Little Gull Light, and Orient Point Light. The white church spires at Orient and Sag Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:18 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen Block Island Sound I Chapter 7 I 257 Harbor are prominent. When past the lighted gong mile of the island. Caution is recommended when us- buoy north of Gardiners Point, vessels can select the ing this passage. anchorage in Gardiners Bay which affords the best lee (130) Oyster Pond Reef, extending about 0.5 mile in the prevailing winds. east-northeastward from Orient Point, is marked by a (123) The principal dangers in approaching Gardiners light and fog signal. Caution is recommended regard- Bay from the northward are the broken ground be- ing the fog signal, as it may be difficult to hear at times, tween Constellation Rock and Plum Island, and the particularly with an easterly wind. Numerous boulders shoal making out to Gardiners Point. In the bay, Crow and little depth are between the light and Orient Point. Shoal should be avoided. In general, the shoaling is Midway Shoal, about 0.5 mile east of the light, has 17 rather abrupt in approaching these dangers and grad- feet over it and is marked by a buoy. ual in approaching the shoals on the western side of the (131) When using Plum Gut it is well to give Plum Island bay. and Orient Point Light a berth of 0.2 mile. The best wa- (124) Plum Island, about 2 miles westward of Great Gull ter in the passage will be found on a 295° course, pass- Island, is 2.5 miles long, hilly, and bare of trees except ing Pine Point and the buoy marking Midway Shoal at a near the southwest end, and has several large build- distance of 350 yards and passing midway between Ori- ings, a prominent tank and flagpole, and is marked on ent Point Light and Plum Gut Light on the western end its western point by Plum Gut Light. The island is a of Plum Island. Government reservation and closed to the public. (132) A channel, with a reported controlling depth of 7 (125) The bight in the southeast side of Plum Island is feet in 1999, leads to a research basin operated by the foul to Plum Island Rock, which is 0.5 mile from shore U.S. Department of Agriculture on the south side of abreast of the middle of the island, has 1 foot over it and Orient Point, about 1 mile southwest of Orient Point is marked by a buoy. Light. A ferry operates between here, Plum Island and (126) Plum Gut Harbor, on the southwest side of Plum New London. A small-craft facility is about 0.1 mile Island, has an entrance between jetties with private westward of the wharf. Berths, electricity, gasoline, die- seasonal lights on dolphins off the outer ends. The sel fuel, water, ice, and a launching ramp are available. lights are shown daily from sundown to 0130. A private In June 1981, a reported depth of about 6 feet could be fog signal at the west jetty light is sounded occasionally carried to the facility. when Department of Agriculture vessels are navigating (133) Acabonack Harbor, at the southeast end of in the area. A depth of about 14 feet is in the entrance. Gardiners Bay, is entered through a privately main- Small yachts seeking shelter in an emergency lie tained and marked channel with a reported controlling alongside the wharves. The harbor is under the super- depth of 2½ feet in the entrance in June 1981. There is vision of the Department of Agriculture and the Coast deeper water inside. Guard, and may be used only with permission. (134) Hog Creek Point, on the southerly side of Gardiners Bay, is generally flat, with bluffs approxi- (127) The lines established for Plum Gut Harbor are de- mately 25 feet in height. Lionhead Rock, off the point scribed in 80.155, chapter 2. and marked by a buoy, is awash at high water. Fishtraps are westward of the point. (128) Plum Gut, the entrance to Gardiners Bay from (135) Threemile Harbor, on the south side of Gardiners Long Island Sound, is nearly 0.6 mile wide and has suf- Bay 1.7 miles southwestward of Hog Creek Point, is en- ficient water for vessels of the deepest draft; in the pas- tered through a channel with two privately dredged sage are several rocks with depths of 17 to 19 feet over sections. In September 1980, a portion of the wooden them. Tidal currents set through the passage with great bulkhead on the west side of the entrance collapsed velocity. Steamers, or sailing vessels with a strong fa- into the channel. In 1981, it was reported that by favor- vorable wind, should have no difficulty in passing ing the east side of the entrance channel a depth of 8 through. feet could be carried to a point opposite Maidstone Park, thence in 1996, a reported depth of 6 feet could be (129) Velocities of the current on flood and ebb are 3.5 carried to the basin at the head of the harbor. The ap- and 4.3 knots, respectively. The flood sets proach to the harbor is marked by a seasonal lighted northwestward and the ebb southeastward. Heavy tide bell buoy, and the channel is marked by lighted and rips occur. In November 1983, NOAA Ships RUDE and unlighted buoys. The jetties at the harbor entrance are HECK reported that during the flood a countercurrent marked on the outer ends by private lights. A public normally develops along the north shore of Plum Is- commercial landing with reported depths of 8 feet is on land. This countercurrent is most prevalent within 0.5 the east side of the channel about 0.6 mile above the en- trance. A 5 mph speed limit is enforced in the harbor. Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:18 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen 258 I Chapter 7 I Block Island Sound (136) Anchorage is available in Threemile Harbor in (145) Ram Head is a prominent sandy bluff on the west- depths of 9 to 14 feet with soft bottom and good holding ern shore of Gardiners Bay. A lower bluff is nearly 1.5 ground; this is a good anchorage during strong winds. miles westward of Ram Head with numerous houses The range of tide in the entrance to the harbor is 2.4 along the top. A shoal with 7 to 17 feet over it extends feet. The tidal current has a velocity of about 3 knots about 2.4 miles southeastward from Ram Head. through the entrance. (146) A boulder with 1 foot over it is 230 yards from shore (137) Small-craft facilities on the east and south sides of about 0.3 mile northeastward of the northern point of Threemile Harbor can provide berths, electricity, gaso- the entrance to Coecles Harbor. Other boulders with line, diesel fuel, water, ice, launching ramps, storage, little depth are between this boulder and Ram Head. lifts to 40 tons, and hull and engine repair. Provisions can be obtained at the town of East Hampton, 3.5 miles (147) The entrance to Coecles Harbor is at the south end south of Threemile Harbor. of Ram Head; the channel is marked by private seasonal buoys and a private seasonal light. In April 1996, the re- (138) In June 1989, the public pier maintained by the ported controlling depth in the privately maintained town of East Hampton at the head of the harbor had re- entrance channel was 8 feet. The speed limit is 5 mph. ported depths of 7 feet at its face and 4 feet on its west A marina and boatyard are in the harbor. A mobile hoist side. at the boatyard can haul out craft up to 35 tons; gaso- line, water, ice, diesel fuel, marine supplies, sewage (139) The lines established for Threemile Harbor are de- pumpout, berths, guest moorings, storage facilities, scribed in 80.155, chapter 2. and complete engine and hull repairs are available. In June 1981, a reported depth of 5½ feet could be carried (140) Shelter Island Sound and Peconic Bays extend to the marina and boatyard. westward from Gardiners Bay about 22 miles to River- head, the head of navigation on Peconic River. They are (148) A special anchorage is in Coecles Harbor. (See much frequented by yachts and other small craft in the 110.1 and 110.60(y), chapter 2, for limits and regula- summer. Fishtraps and oyster stakes are on many of the tions.) shoals. (149) The lines established for Coecles Harbor are de- (141) A depth of about 26 feet can be carried through the scribed in 80.155, chapter 2. channel north of Shelter Island and through Little Peconic Bay as far as Robins Island, and about 13 feet (150) Extensive flats make off from Ram Head and the through the channel south of Shelter Island. Across the shore between it and Hay Beach Point, the northern- bar between Little and Great Peconic Bays about 13 feet most point of Shelter Island, which is a low flat with a can be carried. With local knowledge greater depths clump of scrub at its end and backed by wooded high- can be carried in the channels and across the bar. A land. Long Beach Point is a low spit eastward of Hay depth of about 6 feet can be taken to South Jamesport Beach Point. A bar with little depth extends southwest- and Riverhead. erly from Long Beach Point to the ruins of a former lighthouse of which only the 10-foot concrete founda- (142) The mean range of tide is about 2.5 feet. The tidal tion remains. A private light marks the ruins. currents have considerable velocity wherever the chan- nel is narrowed. The velocity in the narrower places is (151) Shoals with depths of 10 to 12 feet extend 0.5 mile about 1.8 knots. eastward from Long Beach Point. The south and west sides of this shoal have depths of 12 to 15 feet, and rise (143) Ice obstructs navigation in the coves and shallow abruptly from the channel. The limits of the shoal harbors during January and February. In severe win- south of the point are marked by buoys. The bar has ex- ters, drift ice is reported to interfere with navigation for tended southward enough to be a real danger to small short periods of time. In the south arm of Shelter Is- craft. land Sound, the ice is heavy enough at times to destroy structures exposed to it. (152) The lines established for the Long Island bays are described in 80.155, chapter 2. (144) Diesel fuel, gasoline, ice, water, marine supplies, and other provisions can best be obtained at Greenport (153) Orient Harbor, about 4 miles northwestward of and Sag Harbor. Several boatyards, shipyards, marine Ram Head, is an excellent anchorage; the depths range railways, and enclosed basins with excellent repair fa- from over 20 feet in its southern part to 16 feet at its cilities are at Greenport. northern end. Orient is a village at the northeast end of Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:18 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen Block Island Sound I Chapter 7 I 259 Orient Harbor. At the end of the main wharf the depth Greenport to Orient Point where there is ferry service is 8½ feet. The eastern part of Orient Harbor has depths to New London. of 7 to 9 feet. Fish traps are on the shoals. (162) Dering Harbor, southward of Greenport and at the (154) About 0.4 mile northeastward of Cleaves Point, at northwest end of Shelter Island, is a favorite anchorage the southwest end of Orient Harbor, the shore has been for yachts and motorboats. The entrance to the harbor, cut through to a small pond which is used as a private marked by private buoys, is partially constricted by a basin for small craft. The entrance, between two jetties, disposal area in about midentrance and shoal area with has a depth of about 3 feet over the bar, with about 6 a reported depth of 4 feet in June 1981 that extends feet in the basin. Permission is required before anchor- from the southwestern entrance point to near the dis- ing in the basin. Rocks are 0.2 mile south of the en- posal area; caution is advised. In April 1989, it was re- trance. ported that about 10 feet could be carried into the (155) Hallock Bay makes eastward from Orient Harbor harbor with local knowledge. Depths of 10 to 14 feet are on the north side of Long Beach Point. A channel, available in the central part of the harbor, with much marked by uncharted private daybeacons, leads into lesser depths around the edges. Moorings and float the bay. The bay is shallow and dangers and shoaling landings for small craft are in the bight at the south- have been reported. Local knowledge is advised prior to west end of the harbor. Vessels too large to enter can entering. anchor outside the harbor in depths of 14 to 30 feet. (156) Gull Pond is 0.3 mile westward of Cleaves Point at The speed limit is 5 mph. Small-craft facilities, on the the southwest end of Orient Harbor. In July 1981, a re- west side of the harbor, can provide berths, electricity, ported depth of 4 feet could be carried through the en- gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, marine supplies, sew- trance, with depths of 10 to 15 feet reported in the age pumpout, and hull and outboard engine repairs. A pond. A State launching ramp is available in the pond. launching ramp is also available. Shelter Island (157) Greenport is an important town and the terminus Heights is on the southwestern side of Dering Harbor. of a branch of the Long Island Railroad. The white (163) Fanning Point is on the north shore at the south- church spires, near the northern end of town, and a west end of Greenport. A shoal extends 300 yards off the tank and TV radio tower in the center of town are prom- point and is marked by a buoy. Four dolphins, part of a inent. former oil facility, are northward of the point. Currents (158) Greenport Harbor is formed on the northeast by a of 2 knots, running fair with the channel, have been re- 5-foot-high breakwater, which extends 0.2 mile south- ported in the vicinity of Fanning Point. eastward from Youngs Point, nearly to the 18-foot (164) Conkling Point, on the north shore 1 mile south- curve, and is marked at its outer end by a light. The westward of Fanning Point, is low and sandy at the end depths at the wharves range from 5 to 20 feet. The rail- and has deep water as close as 150 yards. A marina on road wharf on the south side of the waterfront can ac- the southwest side of the point had a reported depth of commodate a vessel up to 100 feet. 5½ feet in the approach in July 1981. Berths, electric- (159) Stirling Basin, on the northeast side of Greenport, ity, gasoline, marine supplies, storage, a launching is a part of Greenport Harbor. In July 1981, the re- ramp, and a 30-ton mobile hoist are available. Hull and ported controlling depth was 8 feet in the entrance engine repairs can be made. channel with 10 to 12 feet in the mooring areas. The (165) Mill Creek is the entrance to Hashamomuck Pond, entrance channel is marked by private seasonal buoys. about 1.1 miles westward of Conkling Point. In July Two smaller privately dredged channels with depths of 1981, the privately dredged entrance channel into the about 9 feet reported are in the northeastern part of the creek had a controlling depth of 4 feet, thence 3½ feet basin. The harbormaster for Greenport Harbor con- was reported in the channel along the northwest shore trols mooring and berthing in the basin. The speed of Mill Creek. The entrance channel is marked by pri- limit is 5 mph. vate seasonal buoys. About 400 yards eastward of the (160) Small-craft facilities at Greenport can provide creek is a small bight entered through a channel with a berths, electricity, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, stor- depth of about 4 feet and marked by private seasonal age, marine supplies, and hull and engine repairs. The lights and buoys. In May 1992, severe shoaling was re- largest marine railway, at a shipbuilding company at ported across the entrance. the southeast end of the waterfront, can handle craft up (166) Jennings Point, the western end of Shelter Island, to 500 tons and 15 feet in draft. Mobile hoists to 50 tons is high and wooded. Rocks are off the point close-to, are available. A well-equipped machine shop is also in and it should be given a berth of over 150 yards. A the town. lighted buoy is off the point. A gazebo on the point is (161) A ferry operates between Greenport and Shelter Is- prominent. land. During the summer, bus service is available from Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:18 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen 260 I Chapter 7 I Block Island Sound (167) The town of Southold is at the head of Southold (175) A shoal extends 0.3 to 0.4 mile north of the shore of Bay, which is the bight at the western end of Shelter Is- Cedar Point which is marked by a light. The shoal has land Sound westward of Jennings Point. For about a boulders, and its edge is marked by buoys. mile northeastward of the entrance jetty, shoals with 12 feet or less extend nearly 0.4 mile from shore and are (176) Shoals with boulders and little water over them in generally steep-to. The southwest part of the bay is places extend nearly 0.5 mile southeastward from shoal for about 0.3 mile from shore. Anchorage can be Nicoll Point. Buoys mark the limit of the channel in selected east-southeast of the jetty at a distance of from this area. 0.2 to 0.4 mile, in 12 to 18 feet. (177) Northwest Harbor, between Cedar Island Light and (168) A small jettied basin is about 0.5 mile northeast of Barcelona Point, is strewn with boulders covered by 4 Southold entrance. The overhead power cable crossing to 6 feet. the entrance has a clearance of 31 feet. There are no public landings in the basin. (178) Sand Spit, an extensive shoal partly bare at half-tide, is between Mashomack Point, the southeast- (169) In April 1989, the reported controlling depth was ern extremity of Shelter Island, and Sag Harbor. The about 3 feet in the privately maintained channels in spit is marked by buoys and a light. Town Creek, Jockey Creek, and Goose Creek. The com- mon entrance to Town Creek and Jockey Creek is (179) A group of rocks locally known as Gull Island, marked by private seasonal buoys. The highway bridge showing bare at half-tide, is nearly 0.4 mile northeast- at the mouth of Goose Creek has a clearance of 9 feet ward of the breakwater at Sag Harbor. and the bridge that crosses Jockey Creek has a 45-foot fixed span with a vertical clearance of 6½ feet. (180) Sag Harbor, about 2.5 miles southwestward of the light on Cedar Point, is protected on the northeast by a (170) On the shore south of Southold entrance jetty is a breakwater marked at the outer end by a light. A spheri- prominent white tower. cal tank, a radio tower, and several flagpoles are promi- nent landmarks. (171) There are several small-craft facilities on the creeks and along the west shore of Southold Bay from Para- (181) In entering Sag Harbor, do not round the breakwa- dise Point to Conkling Point. Berths, electricity, gaso- ter too closely, as a depth of about 6 feet is found near line, water, ice, marine supplies, launching ramps, its end. Anchor eastward or northeastward of the end of storage, lifts, and cranes are available. Provisions can the former ferry wharf, locally known as Long Wharf. A be obtained at Southold. 5 mph speed limit is enforced. (172) Paradise Point, on the west side of Shelter Island (182) In July 1974, the dredged channel into Sag Harbor Sound, is low and wooded, and from the point a sloping had a controlling depth of 8 feet (10 feet at midchannel) sandspit extends about 0.3 mile eastward and is marked through the entrance to the turning basin, 9 feet in the by a lighted buoy. Southward of Paradise Point, shoals turning basin, 5 feet in the southerly anchorage area, with depths of 10 to 15 feet extend from the west shore and 7 feet in the main anchorage area. In 1991, the to midsound; the southeast point of the shoals is channel was no longer being maintained. The channel marked by a buoy. to Sag Harbor Cove is about 8 feet deep; this channel and the cove are marked by private seasonal lights and (173) The channel south of Shelter Island has numerous buoys. A fixed bridge at the entrance has a clearance of shoals, but is easily followed by vessels of 13 feet or less 21 feet. Berths, electricity, gasoline, diesel fuel, storage, draft when the buoys can be seen. The channel is used marine supplies, water, ice, launching ramps, and com- by vessels going to Sag Harbor. Vessels operating be- plete engine, hull, rigging, and sail repairs are available tween Greenport and Sag Harbor prefer the inside at Sag Harbor; a 30-ton mobile hoist, near the inner route around the western end of Shelter Island. The end of the breakwater, can haul out craft up to about 60 tidal current in the channel between Shelter Island and feet. North Haven Peninsula has a velocity of about 2.4 knots. The approach from Gardiners Bay is across a (183) Smith Cove, a small bight on the south side of shoal or bar which extends in a southeasterly direction Shelter Island, is a good anchorage for small craft in from Ram Head to the south shore, the depths on northerly weather. Depths range from 11 to 30 feet. A which vary from 7 to 11 feet about 1.6 miles from Ram marina on the west side of the cove can provide moor- Head, and thence 13 to 17 feet to the buoys which mark ings, limited berths, gasoline, electricity, water, and the entrance. some marine supplies. In June 1981, a depth of 6 feet was reported alongside the pier at the marina. A ferry (174) Dangerous Rock, awash at low water in surround- operates between South Ferry on the southwest side of ing depths of about 12 feet, is 0.2 mile south of the the cove to North Haven Peninsula. channel. (184) West Neck Harbor and West Neck Bay are shallow bodies of water on the southwest side of Shelter Island. In June 1989, it was reported that a depth of 2 feet Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:18 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen Block Island Sound I Chapter 7 I 261 could be carried over the bar and into the harbor from mile, but shoals extend 0.6 mile from the south end of Shelter Island Sound. The entrance is close eastward of the bay. the seaward end of a peninsula, marked by a private (193) An aquaculture site, marked by private seasonal lighted buoy, that separates the harbor from the sound, buoys, is at the south end of Little Peconic Bay about 1 and the channel follows along the north side of this mile north-northwest of the entrance to North Sea peninsula. The channel is marked by private buoys. The Harbor. harbor has numerous private landings. A boatyard with (194) A prominent sandy bluff, known locally as Holmes a marine railway can handle craft up to 40 feet for hull Hill, is just west of the entrance to North Sea Harbor. and engine repairs. Berths, gasoline, water, ice, a In June 1981, the reported controlling depth through launching ramp, and some marine supplies are avail- the dredged channel into the harbor was 4 feet. The able. channel is marked by private seasonal buoys and by a (185) A special anchorage is in West Neck Harbor. (See private seasonal light at the entrance. This is an excel- 110.1 and 110.60 (y-1), chapter 2, for limits and regu- lent harbor of refuge for small craft with drafts not ex- lations.) ceeding 3½ feet. The bottom is soft with good holding (186) Noyack (Noyac) Bay is between North Haven Pen- ground. insula and Jessup Neck and southward of the western (195) A marina in the harbor has gasoline, ice, water, end of Shelter Island. No dangers will be encountered if some marine supplies, and a lift that can handle craft to the shores are given a berth of 0.4 mile. 10 tons; hull and engine repairs can be made. (187) Mill Creek, in the southern part of Noyack Bay, is (196) Wooley Pond, 1 mile northeastward of North Sea entered through a privately dredged channel that leads Harbor, is entered through a dredged channel which, in to a basin. The channel is marked by private seasonal June 1981, had a reported controlling depth of 6 feet. lights and buoys. In 1991, the reported controlling The channel is marked by private seasonal buoys and by depth was 8 feet in the channel; thence in 1981, 6 feet a private seasonal light on the north side of the en- in the basin. A clubhouse on the west side of the en- trance. trance is prominent. Small-craft facilities in the creek (197) A marina in the pond can provide berths, electric- can provide berths, electricity, gasoline, water, ice, ity, gasoline, water, ice, storage, marine supplies, and storage, a launching ramp, marine supplies, and hull hull and engine repairs; a 45-foot marine railway and a and engine repairs; a 25-ton mobile hoist is available. 12-ton forklift are available. In June 1981, depths of 5 (188) Jessup Neck is a long narrow strip, partly high and to 6 feet were reported available at the marina. wooded, separating Noyack Bay from Little Peconic (198) Nassau Point, the long neck on the northwest side Bay. The north end of the neck is a sandspit from which of Little Peconic Bay, has high bluffs on the eastern a shoal with 4 to 12 feet over it extends nearly 0.4 mile side. A shoal with little depth over it extends 0.5 mile north-northwestward. A lighted buoy marks the outer southward from Nassau Point and is marked by a end of the shoal area. lighted buoy. (189) A shoal with depths of 5 to 7 feet extends 1.5 miles (199) Cutchogue Harbor, between Nassau Point and New southwestward from Great Hog Neck, on the north- Suffolk, is used by local boats drawing 6 to 10 feet. On west side at the entrance to Little Peconic Bay; this the east shore of the harbor, northwestward of Nassau shoal is marked by a buoy. Point, three channels leading into the ponds have been (190) Heavy tide rips occur southeast of Great Hog Neck dredged by private interests. At the middle of the three during the flood with a southwesterly wind. At such channels, 0.9 mile northwest of the extremity of times, small craft can avoid the worst of them by favor- Nassau Point, are several private wharves. The channel ing the shore on the northwest side of the passage. leads between two jetties, and a depth of about 3 feet (191) Richmond Creek and Corey Creek are at the head can be carried into the pond and 1 foot to some of the of Hog Neck Bay. A depth of about 7 feet can be taken in wharves. the privately dredged channel leading to a basin in (200) Haywater Cove, Broadwater Cove, Mud Creek, and Richmond Creek; the channel is marked by private sea- East Creek, used by local interests and sharing a com- sonal buoys. In August 1999, the dredged channel lead- mon entrance, are at the head of Cutchogue Harbor. ing into and connecting with small boat channels in The entrance channel and the channels through these Corey Creek had a controlling depth of 4 feet. In 1964, waterways have been privately dredged. In August controlling depths in the small-boat channels inside 1999, a reported depth of 6 feet was available in the en- Corey Creek were 5½ to 6 feet. The entrance channel is trance channel; thence in 1966, 6 feet in East Creek and marked by private buoys. 7 feet in Haywater Cove and Broadwater Cove; thence (192) Little Peconic Bay is about 5 miles long. The in 1976, 6 feet in the Mud Creek. Shoaling is reported southerly shore of the bay is clear if given a berth of 0.4 to occur in these areas; caution is advised. Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:19 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen 262 I Chapter 7 I Block Island Sound (201) A depth of 8 feet can be taken within 100 feet of the privately dredged channel, marked by private seasonal wharves at New Suffolk by passing eastward and about lights and buoys, leads into the creek and had a re- 200 yards northward of the buoy westward of Nassau ported controlling depth of 8 feet in June 1981. The Point and steering westward for the wharves. A small landings are at West Neck, a small settlement north- basin, with a depth of about 8 feet reported in 1981, is eastward of Ram Island in Bullhead Bay. An obstruc- northward of the wharf. In July 1981, shoaling to 2 feet tion buoy is locally maintained during the summer to was reported in the southern part of Cutchogue Har- mark a rock, covered 1½ feet, about 100 feet westward bor, about 0.4 mile east of New Suffolk. of the town landing. In June 1981, a reported depth of 5 feet could be carried to the town landing. A 5 mph (202) A larger basin at the north end of New Suffolk, lo- speed limit is enforced. cally known as School House Creek, extends to the (211) Cold Spring Pond, about 1.6 miles southwestward highway. The entrance channel is protected by a short of Sebonac Creek and 1.1 miles eastward of Shinnecock rock jetty, covered at high water, on the south. The Canal entrance, is entered through a privately dredged depth to the boatyard at the head of the basin was re- channel which had a reported depth of 2 feet in June ported to be about 4 feet in June 1981. Berths, gasoline, 1981. In May 1992, severe shoaling was reported in the storage, marine supplies, hull and engine repairs, and a entrance. The entrance channel to the pond is marked 30-ton mobile hoist are available at the boatyard. by a private seasonal light and buoy. An overhead power cable at the entrance to the pond has a clearance of 34 (203) Wickham Creek, locally known as Boatmens Har- feet. bor, 0.7 mile north of New Suffolk, is entered through a (212) James Creek, on the north shore of Great Peconic privately dredged entrance channel with a reported Bay opposite the entrance to Shinnecock Canal, is en- controlling depth of 6 feet in July 1981. The channel is tered through a privately dredged channel that had a marked by private seasonal buoys and bush stakes. Gas- reported controlling depth of 6 feet in 1981. The en- oline, water, ice, storage, a launching ramp, and some trance is marked by private seasonal buoys. Small-craft marine supplies are available in the basin. A flatbed facilities on the creek can provide berths, gasoline, trailer can haul out craft to 32 feet. storage, launching ramps, and hull and engine repairs. A flatbed trailer can haul out craft to 30 feet. (204) In southeast gales, local craft of less than 6-foot (213) South Jamesport is a village on Miamogue Point, draft seek shelter in the small cove, locally known as 3.4 miles southwestward of James Creek. Local knowl- Horseshoe Cove, in the northeast part of Cutchogue edge is necessary to avoid the shoals in this area, and Harbor. strangers should take soundings frequently to keep in the best water. A small-craft facility at South Jamesport (205) The through channel in North Race, northward of can provide berths, electricity, gasoline, water, ice, Robins Island, is marked and used only by light-draft launching ramps, storage, marine supplies, and hull boats. South Race, the channel southward of Robins Is- and engine repairs; a 25-ton mobile hoist is available. land, has a controlling depth of about 13 feet and is In June 1981, a reported depth of about 8 feet could be marked by buoys. taken to the facility. The town has railroad passenger and bus service. (206) An aquaculture site, marked by private buoys, is 0.6 (214) Peconic River empties into the western end of mile southwest of the south end of Robins Island. Flanders Bay, about 1.5 miles westward of South Jamesport. The river is entered through a dredged (207) Tide rips occur between the mainland and the channel marked by private seasonal lights that leads south end of Robins Island when the tidal current sets from Flanders Bay to the head of navigation at River- against the wind. head, about 2.4 miles above the channel entrance. The dredged channel is approached from deep water in (208) Great Peconic Bay, about 5 miles in diameter, is Great Peconic Bay through a marked channel. In used mostly by local motorboats from Shinnecock Ca- March 2001, the controlling depth was 4.3 feet (5.7 feet nal and by yachts. The bay is generally clear, but exten- at michannel) in the dredged channel. A fixed highway sive shoals make off from the shores, except on its bridge with a clearance of 25 feet crosses the river south side. Shinnecock Canal, the entrance from the about 0.9 mile above the mouth. south, is described in chapter 10. (215) Flanders Bay is the scene of considerable small boat activity. A yacht club is at Riverhead; limited (209) Rodgers Rock, about 1.3 miles berths, electricity, and water are available. west-southwestward of Cow Neck and about 1.2 miles south-southwest of Robins Island, has a depth of 6 feet over it and is marked on the northeast side by a buoy. Robins Island Rock, 0.8 mile westward of the south end of Robins Island, is awash at low water. It is marked by a buoy. Caution is recommended in this vicinity. (210) Sebonac Creek, on the southeast side of Great Peconic Bay, is used extensively by yachts, and serves as a yacht harbor for the town of Southampton. A Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:19 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen Block Island Sound I Chapter 7 I 263 (216) Meetinghouse Creek, Terrys Creek, and Reeves (221) In Lords Passage the tidal currents set diagonally Creek, which empty into the northwestern part of across the channel and have a velocity of nearly 2 knots, Flanders Bay, are entered through privately dredged the ebb being greater than the flood. channels. In June 1981, the channels had reported con- trolling depths of 5 feet. The entrance channel leading (222) In the main channel of Fishers Island Sound, the to, and connecting with, Terrys Creek and Meeting- flood sets westward and the ebb eastward. In the main house Creek is marked by private seasonal buoys and a channel between Napatree Point and Wicopesset Is- private seasonal light. A marina is on Meetinghouse land, the velocity of flood is 1.7 knots and ebb 2.2 knots. Creek. Berths, electricity, gasoline, water, ice, a 5-ton The flood sets 284° and the ebb 113°. forklift, 30-ton mobile hoist, launching ramp, storage facilities, and hull and engine repairs are available. In (223) In the channel south of Ram Island Reef, the veloc- June 1981, a reported depth of 7 feet was available at ities of flood and ebb are 1.3 and 1.6 knots, respectively. the marina. The flood sets 255° and the ebb 088°. The direction and velocity of the current are affected by strong winds that (217) Reeves Bay, on the southwest side of Flanders Bay, may change the duration of flood or ebb. is entered through a privately dredged channel that leads to the town of Flanders on the south side of the (224) The strong tidal currents prevent the formation of bay. In August 1999, the channel had a reported con- heavy local ice, except in shoal tributaries. The only ice trolling depth of 2 feet. Other dredged channels lead to give trouble is that set in from Long Island Sound by from the entrance channel into several arms of the bay. wind and current. The ice formations in Little A boatyard at Flanders has gasoline, storage facilities, Narragansett Bay are sufficiently heavy to be destruc- marine supplies, and a 10-ton marine railway; hull and tive to structures exposed to them. engine repairs can be made. (225) On the south side of Fishers Island Sound, off the (218) Fishers Island Sound extends between the main- north side of East Point on Fishers Island, are Seal land of Connecticut and Fishers Island, and forms one Rocks, partly bare at low water and marked by a buoy. A of the entrances into Long Island Sound that is used to rocky patch covered 11 feet and marked by a buoy is some extent by light tows and other vessels up to about 500 yards northeastward of Seal Rocks. Youngs 14-foot draft. The sound has numerous shoals and lob- Rock, about 0.4 mile westward of Seal Rocks, has about ster trap buoys, and the entire area is exceedingly 1 foot over it and is marked by a buoy. A rocky patch ex- treacherous, characterized by boulder patches that rise tends about 400 yards to the east-northeastward. abruptly from deep water. Vessels should follow the deeper channels between the shoals and proceed with (226) East Harbor and Chocomount Cove, in the north caution if obliged to cross shoal areas. In general, all shore of Fishers Island, are sometimes used as anchor- shoal spots or abrupt changes of depth are indications ages by small craft. There is considerable foul ground of boulders and should be avoided as anchorages. in East Harbor and in the approach to Chocomount Cove. The harbor and cove are exposed to northerly (219) In Watch Hill Passage the tidal currents are strong winds. A former Coast Guard Station with a boathouse and necessitate caution in navigating. Buoys may be and dock is prominent near the south side of East Har- towed under. The flood current sets nearly in the direc- bor. Several small private piers with about 6 feet at tion of the channel, but has a tendency to northward their ends are in East Harbor. and the ebb a tendency to southward. The northerly and southerly set is more marked between Napatree (227) The north shore of Fishers Island from East Harbor Point and Latimer Reef Light. around into West Harbor has several private landings. (220) In Sugar Reef and Catumb Passages the tidal cur- (228) East Clump is a cluster of rocks partly bare at high rents set obliquely across the axis of the channel. The water and marked by a buoy about 0.8 mile north of flood sets northwestward and the ebb southeastward. Fishers Island. From East Clump for some 2.8 miles The tidal currents in Sugar Reef Passage are about the westward to North Dumpling, there are rocky islets and same velocity as in Watch Hill Passage, but are stronger dangers which must be avoided. These are 0.5 to 0.8 in Catumb Passage. mile off the Fishers Island shore, and most are buoyed. North Dumpling, an islet marked by a light and fog sig- nal, is surrounded by rocks awash and foul ground. Seaflower Reef, marked by a light, is near the middle of the western entrance of Fishers Island Sound and 0.8 mile northwestward of North Dumpling Light. (229) West Harbor, on the north side of Fishers Island southeastward of North Dumpling Light, affords shel- ter from southerly winds. In April 1986, the dredged channel leading into the harbor along the west shore Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:19 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen 264 I Chapter 7 I Block Island Sound Courtesy of U.S. Power Squadron, District 1. WATCH HILL COVE, RI had a controlling depth of 12 feet. Foul ground extends Fishers Island and New London lands here. During the across the entrance of West Harbor to near the eastern summer, a Coast Guard unit is stationed inside the en- edge of the dredged channel; the northern limits of the trance to the cove. foul ground are buoyed. (233) On the north side of Fishers Island Sound are: Lit- (230) A yacht club wharf and another small-craft facility tle Narragansett Bay, and Pawcatuck River leading to are on the southwest side of the harbor. Gasoline, diesel the towns of Westerly and Pawcatuck; Stonington Har- fuel, water, ice, and hull and engine repairs are avail- bor and the town of Stonington; and Mystic Harbor able. A marine railway can handle craft up to 40 feet. leading to the towns of Noank and Mystic. The head of the harbor is used by boats drawing less (234) Napatree Beach, 1.3 miles long between Watch Hill than 5 feet which enter by the narrow unmarked chan- Point and Napatree Point, is bare. Sandy Point, about nel southward of Goose Island. 1.4 miles north-northwestward of Napatree Point, is at (231) Hay Harbor, at the west end of Fishers Island, is the northwestern end of a long and narrow sand island used by small craft. in Little Narragansett Bay. An extensive sandspit makes (232) Silver Eel Cove (Silver Eel Pond) is on the west off from the northeasterly and southwesterly sides of side of Fishers Island, 0.6 mile northeastward of Race the island; give these areas a good berth. The island is Point. The entrance, about 75 feet wide and jettied, is subject to continual change; caution is advised. marked by a private light and has a depth of about 11 (235) Napatree Point Ledge, a boulder reef with little feet, with similar depths inside. Submerged fender pil- depth, extends nearly 0.4 mile southward of the point. ings are reported on both sides of the entrance. Dol- It is marked by a lighted bell buoy. A sunken wreck is phins are on the northeast side of the cove, and the about 0.3 mile eastward of the ledge in about 41°18'N., channel is clear between them and the wharves on the 71°53'W. southwest side. Vessels must go to the wharves as there (236) The west side of Napatree Point should not be ap- is no room for anchorage. There is very little dockage proached closer than 175 yards to avoid a stone jetty available. The entrance is difficult with northwesterly which is covered at high water. Between Napatree Point or westerly winds. A lighted bell buoy is about 450 yards and the Stonington outer breakwater is an extensive off the entrance. A ferry which operates between flat on which the depths are 3 to 10 feet, rocky bottom. Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:22 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen Block Island Sound I Chapter 7 I 265 Middle Ground, the western part of the flat, is marked (243) Pawcatuck River, entered just south of Pawcatuck by the outer breakwater, which has a light at its west- Point, extends about 4 miles to Westerly. ern end. A fog signal is at the light. (237) A depth of 17 feet can be taken to an anchorage in- (244) About 1 mile above the entrance to Pawcatuck side this breakwater, giving the light on the breakwater River the tidal current has a velocity of 0.6 knot on a berth of more than 250 yards. In anchoring, give the flood, and 0.5 knot on the ebb. The river is generally inside of the breakwater a berth of over 300 yards to closed by ice from January to March. avoid shoals and fishweirs. This anchorage provides good shelter except in southwesterly and westerly (245) Colonel Willie Cove, 0.5 mile above Pawcatuck winds, although it is seldom used. Point, has a boatyard with a marine railway that can (238) Little Narragansett Bay, at the eastern end of handle craft up to 50 feet for hull and engine repairs. Fishers Island Sound, is entered at its extreme western Berths with electricity, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, end southward of Stonington Point. The channel, with storage facilities, a pump-out station, marine supplies, dredged sections, extends generally southeasterly and a 30-ton lift are also available. Mariners in route to across the bay into Pawcatuck River to Westerly. In the boatyard should use the chart as a guide. 1994, the controlling depth was 8 feet from the en- trance to a point just southwest of Narragansett Bay (246) A special anchorage is in Thompson Cove, 2 miles Entrance Lighted Buoy 5 where the channel has been above Pawcatuck Point. (See 110.1 and 110.48, chap- encroached upon by the shoaling off Sand Point. Deep ter 2, for limits and regulations.) A yacht club pier is in water is available, with local knowledge, north of the the cove. Private seasonal buoys mark the approach to channel opposite the shoal. The channel continues the pier. eastward of Narragansett Bay Entrance Lighted Buoy 5 to Narragansett Bay Entrance Buoy 9 with a control- (247) Westerly, 4 miles above Pawcatuck Point, is an im- ling depth of 5 feet thence in 1989, 4½ feet to the en- portant manufacturing town. trance of Pawcatuck River. In March-April 1983, the controlling depth was 8 feet (10 feet at midchannel) to (248) There are numerous small-craft facilities along Certain Draw Point (41°20'33\"N., 71°49'52\"W.), thence both sides of the Pawcatuck River and at the head at 4 feet (7 feet at midchannel) for about 1.7 miles to a Westerly and Pawcatuck, just across the river. The larg- point in about 41°22.1'N., 71°50.1'W., thence 3½ feet at est marine railway in the area is at Avondale and it can midchannel to Westerly. The channel is well marked. handle craft to 55 feet. Berths, electricity, gasoline, die- (239) Caution should be exercised in entering Little sel fuel, water, ice, storage facilities, launching ramps, Narragansett Bay. Shoal water extends for about 200 lifts, some repairs and marine supplies are available. yards off Stonington Point, and the shoal area north of Depths of 7 to 9 feet are reported at the town dock at Sandy Point is subject to continual change. Strangers Pawcatuck. are advised to obtain local information before entering because of rocks and shoal water near the edges of the (249) Wequetequock Cove is a shallow cove at the north- channel. ern end of Little Narrangansett Bay. A narrow un- (240) In the dredged channel northward of Sandy Point, marked channel leads eastward of Elihu Island into the the currents have a velocity of 1.3 knots. The flood sets cove. A depth of about 4 feet can be taken as far as Goat eastward and the ebb westward. (See the Tidal Current Island, about a mile above Sandy Point. A fixed railroad Tables for predictions and Tidal Current Charts, Block bridge with a clearance of 6 feet crosses the cove about Island Sound and Eastern Long Island Sound, for 0.2 mile above Goat Island. A small-craft facility is on hourly velocities and directions.) the west side of the cove near the head. Water, ice, (241) Watch Hill Cove, in the southeastern part of Little berths, gasoline, storage facilities, launching ramp, Narragansett Bay, is used by small craft. In August 4-ton forklift, marine supplies, and hull and engine re- 1996, the buoyed dredged channel leading to the cove pairs are available. In July 1981, a reported depth of 2 had a controlling depth of 6 feet (9 feet at midchannel) feet could be carried to the facility. Depths of 6 to 10 feet are inside the cove and at the wharves. A special anchorage is in the cove. (See 110.1 (250) Stonington Harbor, 3 miles northwestward of and 110.47, chapter 2, for limits and regulations.) Watch Hill Point, is protected by breakwaters on each (242) A yacht club and town dock are in Watch Hill Cove; side. Each of the breakwaters is marked at its seaward berths, guest moorings, electricity, diesel fuel, and wa- end by a light. The controlling depth to the inner har- ter are available. In July 1981, a depth of 10 feet was re- bor is about 11 feet. Anchorage can be selected inside ported at the face of the town dock. the west breakwater in depths of 15 to 18 feet, taking care to keep the south end of Wamphassuc Point bear- ing northward of 270°. Vessels drawing up to 8 feet can find anchorage in the inner harbor. A rock that bares at low water is about 50 yards southward of the fishing wharf and is marked by a private buoy. Special anchor- ages are in Stonington Harbor. (See 110.1 and 110.50, chapter 2, for limits and regulations.) Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:22 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen 266 I Chapter 7 I Block Island Sound Courtesy of U.S. Power Squadron, District 1. NOANK, CT (251) Stonington Harbor is approached from southeast- southerly weather, a surge is felt by vessels tied to the ward and westward. Vessels with local knowledge southern side of the seaward pier. sometimes cross Noyes Shoal from southwestward. (256) A boatyard is in the northeast part of the harbor. The southeastern approach is best, with fewer dangers, Berths, electricity, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, stor- and the navigational aids serve as excellent guides to age, 40-ton lift, marine supplies, and hull, engine, and avoid them. In daytime with clear weather, no difficulty electronic repairs are available. In July 1981, a reported should be experienced in entering any of the ap- depth of 7 feet could be carried to the yard. A proaches. harbormaster is at Stonington. (257) A railroad causeway, with two fixed spans each hav- (252) From southeastward, the course from south of ing a clearance of 4 feet, crosses Stonington Harbor 0.4 Napatree Point Ledge should be west-northwestward mile above Stonington. Overhead power cables at the until off the buoy at the southwest end of Middle openings have clearances of 41 feet. Ground, from which a northerly course can be shaped (258) Noyes Rock, 0.4 mile southward of Wamphassuc past the breakwater lights and into the harbor. Point, has a least depth of 7 feet. Noyes Shoal, with 10 to 18 feet over it, is nearly 1.5 miles long in a (253) From southwestward, a northeasterly course can west-northwesterly direction; it is marked by a bell be shaped from the lighted bell buoy south of Ram Is- buoy near its eastern end. land Reef to south of White Rock, and thence eastward (259) Latimer Reef, about 0.6 mile south of Noyes Shoal, past the north side of Noyes Rock to the harbor. is a very broken and rocky area 0.4 mile long. It is marked by a light at its west end and a buoy at its east (254) The inner breakwater, about 400 yards northward end. The eastern end of the reef has a least found depth of Stonington Point on the east side of the entrance, ex- of 6 feet. tends westward about 250 yards and is marked by a (260) Latimer Reef Light (41°18.3'N., 71°56.0'W.), 55 light. feet above the water, is shown from a white conical (255) Stonington is on the east side of the harbor. Traffic is mostly fishing and recreational craft. The wharves have depths of 7 to 12 feet alongside. Following Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:25 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen Block Island Sound I Chapter 7 I 267 tower, brown midway of its height, on a brown cylindri- with 13 feet over it and marked by a buoy, which should cal foundation. A fog signal is at the light. be avoided. Mouse Island, marked by several dwellings, (261) A detached 11-foot spot, marked by a buoy, is about is 150 yards southwestward of Morgan Point. 0.4 mile northeast of Latimer Reef Light. (269) In November 1983, a rock, covered about 2 feet, (262) Eel Grass Ground, about 0.8 mile northwestward was reported 0.2 mile west of Mouse Island in about of Latimer Reef Light, is a shoal with a least depth of 6 41°18'52\"N., 71°59'50\"W. feet, marked by buoys. White Rock, about 0.8 mile (270) Morgan Point, on the west side at the entrance of northeastward of Eel Grass Ground, is bare and promi- Mystic Harbor, is marked by an abandoned light tower. nent. Red Reef, covered 2 feet, is 0.2 mile north of A privately maintained and marked channel leading to White Rock and marked by a buoy. Ellis Reef, 0.4 mile the piers in West Cove at Noank westward of the point northwestward of Eel Grass Ground, is marked on its had a least depth of 4 feet reported in July 1981. east side by a daybeacon. (271) Groton Long Point, on which is a summer settle- (263) Mason Island, 2.5 miles west of Stonington Har- ment, is about 0.9 mile southwestward of Morgan bor, is joined to the mainland by a fixed bridge with an Point. A reef extends nearly 300 yards southwestward 18-foot span and a clearance of 3 feet; the sound end of from the point and is marked by a buoy. About 0.3 mile the island is strewn with boulders. A special anchorage to the west a rock awash at low water is 175 yards off the is on the east side of Mason Island. (See 110.1 and southwest end of Groton Long Point. It is marked by a 110.50a, chapter 2, for limits and regulations.) An an- buoy. chorage for small craft is on the west side of the south (272) Mystic Harbor, about 6 miles westward of Watch end of Mason Island where depths range from 8 to 11 Hill Point, is the approach to the towns of Noank and feet; caution and local knowledge are required to use Mystic. A dredged channel leads from Fishers Island this anchorage because of the boulders in the area. A Sound through Mystic Harbor and into Mystic River to dangerous rock is off the east side of Mason Point, the Mystic Seaport Museum Wharf, about 0.6 mile above southern extremity of Mason Island, in 41°19'21.6\"N., the bascule bridge. An anchorage basin is on the east 71°58'05.0\"W. side of the river opposite Willow Point. In 1998, the (264) Enders Island, 0.3 mile eastward of the southern controlling depths were 8.3 feet (9.6 feet at end of Mason Island, is connected to it by a fixed bridge midchannel) to the head of the project; the anchorage with a 15-foot span and a clearance of 6 feet. basin had depths of 5.9 to 8 feet with lesser depths (265) Ram Island Reef, 1.8 miles westward of Latimer along the east edge. Reef Light, has two detached parts: the southerly sec- (273) Special anchorages are in Mystic Harbor. (See tion is covered 8 feet and marked by a lighted bell buoy, 110.1, 110.50b, and 110.50d, chapter 2, for limits and the northerly section, covered by 6 feet, is marked and regulations.) by a daybeacon. Passage between the reef and island is unsafe because of shoals. (274) To enter from eastward, lay a west-northwesterly (266) Ram Island, about 0.4 mile southwest of Mason Is- course from south of the lighted bell buoy marking land, is wooded and grass-fringed. A shoal, on which Napatree Point Ledge for a little over 3 miles to about are two rocky islets, extends about 0.2 mile northeast- 400 yards south of the buoy marking the south end of ward from Ram Island. Ram Island Shoal, extending Cormorant Reef. From here steer 261° for the aban- nearly 0.5 mile westward from Ram Island, has little doned light tower on Morgan Point in range with the water over it and many rocks bare at low water. north end of the northern rocky islet off the north end Whaleback Rock and the islet 300 yards northwestward of Ram Island until Mason Point is abeam. Then follow of it are bare. the buoyed channel. (267) The narrow but deep channel along the north side of Ram Island Shoal is the easterly entrance to Mystic (275) From westward, proceed cautiously from about Harbor. Between the shoal and Groton Long Point is an 100 yards or more southward of the buoy southward of area of foul ground and several dangerous rocks, in- Groton Long Point on an easterly course for about 0.5 cluding Whale Rock, which bares at low water, at the mile to Mystic Harbor Channel Buoy 1, then steer a northwesterly end of Ram Island Shoal. This rock is northerly course through the buoyed channel into marked by a seasonal lighted buoy. Leading across the Mystic Harbor, rounding Noank Light 5 at a distance of shoal is the buoyed channel, good for about 11 feet, about 75 yards. which is used by vessels entering Mystic Harbor from westward. (276) Noank is a town on the west side of the channel (268) A rock covered 6 feet is about 0.5 mile SW of Whale through Mystic Harbor. The mean range of the tide is Rock; about 0.65 mile SW of that rock is Intrepid Rock, about 2.3 feet. There are several small-craft facilities at Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:26 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen 268 I Chapter 7 I Block Island Sound Noank and in West Cove. Berths, electricity, gasoline, Collections of maritime relics are on exhibit in several diesel fuel, water, ice, storage facilities, launching formal museum buildings. ramps, a pump-out station, 30- and 60-ton lifts, and (284) Above the Mystic Seaport Museum, the channel is marine supplies are available; hull, engine, sail, and very narrow and is marked by privately maintained sea- electronic repairs can be made. A harbormaster is at sonal daybeacons; boats of about 5-foot draft can be Noank. taken to the Narrows, and thence depths are 1 and 2 (277) Mystic River flows into Mystic Harbor from north- feet to Old Mystic. Twin fixed highway bridges crossing ward just below Mystic. The river is used by recre- the Narrows have clearances of 25 feet. The stream fol- ational craft, the local fishing fleet, and by transient lows the east bank to the next narrows and the west craft visiting Mystic Seaport. An anchorage area with bank to a marina in the bight about 0.3 mile below Old depths of 3½ to 7 feet is in the lower part of the river be- Mystic. tween Willow Point and Murphy Point. Ice usually closes the river during January and February. (285) Mumford Cove is entered about 2 miles west of (278) Willow Point, 0.6 mile below Mystic, has several Mystic Harbor. A privately dredged channel leads small-craft facilities that can provide berths, electricity, northward from the entrance to the head of the cove; water, ice, some engine parts, and marine supplies. A two spur channels lead eastward from the main chan- 12-ton crane and 30-ton mobile hoist are available; hull nel, about 0.3 mile and 0.6 mile, respectively, above the and engine repairs can be made. entrance. The channels are marked by private seasonal (279) A channel, privately marked by daybeacons, leads buoys and daybeacons. In July 1981, the channels had a from the vicinity of Willow Point for 0.3 mile in an east- reported controlling depth of 2 feet. erly direction, thence about 0.4 mile northeastward to a marina on the west side of the mouth of Pequotsepos (286) Special anchorages are in the cove. (See 110.1 and Brook, just below the Amtrak railroad bridge. Berths, 110.50c, chapter 2, for limits and regulations.) electricity, water, ice, storage, marine supplies, a 12-ton mobile hoist, and hull and engine repairs are (287) Venetian Harbor is a yacht basin on the east side of available. In July 1981, a reported depth of 4 feet could the entrance to Mumford Cove. A channel 75 feet wide be carried in the channel to the marina. leads through stone breakwaters into a basin with (280) Several small-craft facilities are on the northern depths of about 3 to 7 feet. A submerged jetty extends end of Mason Island. Berths with electricity, gasoline, along the channel from the outer end of the east break- diesel fuel, water, ice, storage facilities, marine sup- water. The entrance to the harbor is marked by a light plies, a pump-out station, 35-ton lift, and hull and en- on the outer end of the west breakwater. gine repairs are available. In 1993, a reported depth of 4 feet could be carried to the facilities. (288) Horseshoe Reef, 0.5 mile southward of Mumford (281) The Amtrak railroad bridge over Mystic River be- Cove entrance, is awash at low water, and is marked by low Mystic has a swing span with a clearance of 8 feet. a buoy. Broken and rocky grounds extend from the reef The U.S. Route 1 highway bridge at Mystic has a bas- to the shore eastward of Mumford Point. cule span with a clearance of 4 feet. (See 117.1 through 117.59 and 117.211, chapter 2, for drawbridge regu- (289) Vixen Ledge, with a depth of 10 feet and marked by lations.) The bridgetenders monitor VHF-FM channel a buoy, is about 1 mile west of Horseshoe Reef. Pine Is- 13; call signs KJA–842 and KXR–912, respectively. land is bluff and grassy, about 1.3 miles west of (282) Mystic, a town about 2 miles above Noank, has sev- Mumford Point. It is surrounded by shoal water and eral small-craft facilities. Berths, electricity, gasoline, rocky bottom, and is marked off the southwest side by a diesel fuel, water, ice, marine supplies, storage facili- lighted bell buoy. A rock, covered 7 feet, in 41°18'35\"N., ties, mobile hoists, a 60-ton lift, and marine railways up 72°03'17\"W., is about 0.3 mile northwestward of Vixen to 110 feet are available; hull and engine repairs can be Ledge. made. A harbormaster is at Mystic. (283) The Mystic Seaport Museum is about 0.6 mile (290) A special anchorage is on the north side of Pine Is- above the highway bridge at Mystic. The whaler land. (See 110.1 and 110.51, chapter 2, for limits and CHARLES W. MORGAN, full-rigged training ship regulations.) JOSEPH CONRAD, and Grand Banks fishing schooner L. A. DUNTON are permanently moored at the museum (291) The cove indenting the mainland northward of and open to the public. Along the waterfront of the mu- Pine Island and eastward of Avery Point, is entered be- seum property, a mid-19th Century coastal village has tween Avery Point and westward of Pine Island. The en- been recreated with shops and lofts of that period. trance to the cove is marked by two buoys just inside and eastward of Avery Point. Depths shoal from about 10 feet in the entrance to about 1 foot at the head of the cove. A breakwater, marked at its end by a private light, Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:26 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Block Island Sound I Chapter 7 I 269 Composite Default screen extends southeasterly from the east end of Avery Point. A yacht club, marina, and State launching ramp are in the cove. An unmarked rock awash is about 500 yards 060° from the former lighthouse tower at Avery Point. Berths, guest moorings, gasoline, electricity, water, ice, marine supplies, and a 14-ton mobile hoist are available at the marina; hull and engine repairs can be made. In March 2000, a reported depth of 7½ feet could be carried to the marina. (292) Special purpose buoys maintained by the City of Groton show a speed limit of 5 m.p.h. in the area. (293) A special anchorage is in the cove. (See 110.1 and 110.51, chapter 2, for limits and regulations.) Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:26 PM

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Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen Block Island Sound I Chapter 7 I 271 Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:28 PM

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Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen Eastern Long Island Sound I Chapter 8 I 273 Eastern Long Island Sound (1) This chapter describes the eastern portion of Long (6) New London Harbor is the most important of the Island Sound following the north shore from Thames anchorages sought for shelter in the eastern part of River to and including the Housatonic River, and then Long Island Sound. Niantic Bay and the approach be- the south shore from Orient Point to and including tween Bartlett Reef and Hatchett Reef are used to some Port Jefferson. Also described are the Connecticut extent by small vessels when meeting unfavorable River; the ports of New London, New Haven, and weather or reaching the eastern part of the sound. Northville; and the more important fishing and yacht- Small vessels can select anchorage eastward or west- ing centers on Niantic River and Bay, and in Westbrook ward of Kelsey Point Breakwater, also in Duck Island Harbor, Guilford Harbor, Branford Harbor, and Roads. Off Madison there is anchorage sheltered from Mattituck Inlet. northerly winds. New Haven Harbor is an important harbor of refuge. (2) The lines established for Long Island Sound are de- scribed in 80.155 chapter 2. (7) The time of tide is nearly simultaneous throughout Long Island Sound, but the range of tide increases from (3) Long Island Sound is a deep navigable waterway about 2.5 feet at the east end to about 7.3 feet at the lying between the shores of Connecticut and New York west end. Daily predictions of the times and heights of and the northern coast of Long Island. high and low waters for New London, Bridgeport, and Willets Point are given in the Tide Tables. (4) In this region are boulders and broken ground, but little or no natural change in the shoals. The waters are (8) The effect of strong winds, in combination with the well marked by navigational aids so that strangers regular tidal action, may at times cause the water to fall should experience no difficulty in navigating them. As several feet below the plane of reference of the charts. all broken ground is liable to be strewn with boulders, vessels should proceed with caution in the broken ar- (9) In the eastern portion of Long Island Sound the eas where the charted depths are not more than 6 to 8 current turns from ½ to 1½ hours earlier along the feet greater than the draft. All of the more important north shore than in the middle of the sound. places are entered by dredged channels; during fog, vessels are advised to anchor until the weather clears (10) Proceeding westward from The Race in the middle before attempting to enter. The numerous oyster of the sound, the velocity of current is 1.8 knots off grounds in this region are usually marked by stakes Cornfield Point, about 1 knot off New Haven, 1 knot off and flags. These stakes may become broken off and Eatons Neck, 0.4 knot between Peningo Neck and form obstructions dangerous to small craft. Mariners Matinecock Point, and 0.5 knot eastward of Hart Island. should proceed with caution especially at night. (11) About 1.5 miles east-southeastward of Barlett Reef, (5) Submarine operating areas are in the approaches the velocity of flood is 1.2 knots and ebb 1.6 knots. The to New London Harbor, Connecticut River, and off the flood current sets 285° and the ebb 062°. northern shore of Long Island. As submarines may be operating submerged in these areas, vessels should (12) At a point about 3 miles southward of Cornfield proceed with caution. Point, the flood current sets 256° with a velocity of 2 knots and the ebb sets 094° with a velocity of 1.7 knots. (13) About 1 mile north of Stratford Shoal (Middle Ground) Light, the velocity is 1 knot, the flood setting westward and the ebb eastward. (See Tidal Current Ta- bles for predictions.) Current directions and velocities at various places throughout the eastern portion of Long Island Sound for each hour of the tidal cycle are Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:31 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen 274 I Chapter 8 I Eastern Long Island Sound shown on the Tidal Current Charts, Block Island Sound (19) In New Haven Harbor, the influence of the north- and Eastern Long Island Sound. erly winds clear the harbor and its approaches unless the local formation is too heavy to be moved. Southerly (14) Weather is most favorable from mid-May to winds force the drift ice in from the sound and prevent mid-October, when the most common hazards are the local formations from leaving the harbor. Tides thunderstorms and fog. There is also a rare threat of a have little effect upon the ice. Additional information tropical cyclone. During June, July and August on the concerning ice conditions in the waters adjoining Long average, there are 20 to 25 days per month with condi- Island Sound is given under the local descriptions. tions generally considered ideal even for small boaters. Fog is most likely in spring and early summer. Fog, or (20) Vessel Traffic Service, New York, operated by the the lack of it, at inland locations is not a guide to condi- U.S. Coast Guard, serves New York Harbor (see tions in the Sound or its approaches. Areas along the 161.501 through 161.580, chapter 2, for regulations). coast, at the heads of bays and within rivers may be rel- atively clear, while offshore the fog is thick. For exam- (21) Pilotage is compulsory in Long Island Sound for ple, on exposed Block Island heavy fog is encountered foreign vessels and U.S. vessels under register. about 10 to 12 percent of the time from April though August compared to 1 to 3 percent at Westhampton. (22) The pilot boat sets radio guard at least 1 hour be- Thunderstorms on the other hand are more likely over fore a vessel’s ETA. land, but can be viscous in the Sound, especially in a squall line preceding a cold front in spring and early (23) Vessels to be boarded should provide a ladder 3 feet summer. Winter winds are mostly out of the west above the water on the lee side. through north, but gales blow less than 5 percent of the time in these somewhat sheltered waters. Waves are re- (24) Pilot services are generally arranged at least 24 stricted by limited fetch except to the east. However, hours in advance through ships’ agents or directly by choppy conditions can create problems. shipping companies. (15) In ordinary winters the floating and pack ice in (25) Pilotage, in the waters of Long Island Sound, is Long Island Sound, while impeding navigation, does available from, but not limited to: not render it absolutely unsafe; but in exceptionally se- vere winters the reverse is true, none but powerful (26) Sound Pilots, Inc. (a division of Northeast Marine steamers can make their way. Pilots, Inc.), 243 Spring Street, Newport RI 02840, tele- phone 401-847-9050 (24 hours), 800-274-1216, FAX (16) Drift ice, which is formed principally along the 401-847-9052, Cable RISPILOT, Newport. Pilot boats northern shore of the sound under the influence of the are RHODE ISLAND PILOT, 35-foot, black hull, white prevailing northerly winds, drifts across to the south- superstructure, word PILOT on sides; NORTHEAST I, ern side and accumulates there, massing into large 49-foot, black hull, white superstructure, word PILOT fields, and remains until removed by southerly winds, on sides; and NORTHEAST II, 49-foot, gray hull, gray which drive it back to the northerly shore. superstructure, word PILOT on sides. The boat moni- tor channels 16, 10, 13, 14; work on 10. (17) In ordinary winters ice generally forms in the west- ern end of the sound as far as Eatons Neck; in excep- (27) Connecticut State Pilots (a division of Interport Pi- tionally severe winters ice may extend to Falkner Island lots Agency, Inc.), State Pier, New London, CT 06320, and farther eastward. telephone 800-346-4877 or 908-787-5554, FAX 908-787-5538, cable PORTPILOTS. Pilot boats are (18) In Long Island Sound northerly winds drive the ice CONNECTICUT PILOT, 65-foot, with blue hull, white to the southern shore of the sound and southerly winds superstructure; CONNECTICUT PILOT II, 47-foot, carry it back to the northern shore. Northeasterly with blue hull, and white superstructure. The boat winds force the ice westward and cause formations monitors channels 16 and 13, works on 11. heavy enough to prevent the passage of vessels of every description until the ice is removed by westerly winds. (28) Constitution State Pilots Association, 500 Water- These winds carry the ice eastward and, if of long dura- front Street, New Haven, CT 06512, telephone tion, drive it through The Race into Block Island 800-229-7456 or 203-783-5991, FAX 516-582-6327. Sound, thence it goes to sea and disappears. The pilot boat CONSTITUTION, is 65-foot, with black hull, white superstructure, and the word PILOT on sides. The boat monitors 16, 13, and 9A; works on 13 or 9A. (29) Long Island Sound State Pilots Association, Inc., 1440 Whalley Avenue, Suite 123, New Haven, CT 06515, telephone 203-772-0101, FAX 302-629-9392, Cable LISPILOT, New Haven. The pilot boat OLYMPIC, has a white hull, red superstructure, and displays the Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:31 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen Eastern Long Island Sound I Chapter 8 I 275 Courtesy of U.S. Power Squadron, District 1. CITY PIER, NEW LONDON, CT word PILOT in black letters. The boat monitors chan- (34) New London is a city on the west bank of Thames nel 16; works on 11. River about 2.5 miles above the mouth. The town of (30) See Pilotage, New London-Groton (indexed as Groton on the east bank is connected to New London such), this chapter; Pilotage, New Haven (indexed as by a highway bridge and a railroad bridge. The main such), this chapter; Pilotage, Bridgeport (indexed as harbor comprises the lower 3 miles of Thames River such), chapter 9; Pilotage, Offshore Terminal, from Long Island Sound to the bridges, and includes Northville-Riverhead (indexed as such), this chapter; Shaw Cove, Greens Harbor, and Winthrop Cove. It is see Pilotage, Offshore Terminal, Northport (indexed as approached through the main entrance channel ex- such), chapter 9. tending from deep water in Long Island Sound to deep water in the upper harbor. The harbor is generally used (31) New London Harbor, near the east end of Long Is- by vessels drawing 9 to 30 feet; the deepest draft enter- land Sound at the mouth of the Thames River, is an im- ing is about 36 feet. Petroleum products, molasses, sul- portant harbor of refuge. Vessels of deep draft can find furic acid, woodpulp, hemp fiber, coconut products, anchorage here in any weather and at all seasons. and lumber are the principal waterborne products han- dled at the port. (32) Waterborne commerce in New London Harbor and on the Thames River is chiefly in petroleum products, (35) Greens Harbor, a small-craft shelter just north of chemicals, lumber, pulpwood, and general cargo. the entrance, has general depths of 6 to 17 feet. Special anchorages are in the harbor. (See 110.1 and 110.52, (33) Security Zones have been established in New Lon- chapter 2, for limits and regulations.) don Harbor. (See 165.1 through 165.7, 165.30, 165.33, and 165.140, chapter 2, for limits and regula- (36) New London Coast Guard Station is at Fort tions.) Trumbull, on the west side of main channel northward of Greens Harbor. (37) Shaw Cove is a dredged basin about 0.8 mile north- ward of Greens Harbor. In February 1986, the control- ling depth was 15 feet in the entrance channel through the south draw of the bridge, thence depths of 11 to 15 Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:38 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen 276 I Chapter 8 I Eastern Long Island Sound Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:40 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen Eastern Long Island Sound I Chapter 8 I 277 Courtesy of U.S. Power Squadron, District 1. CITY PIER, NEW LONDON, CT feet were available in the basin. The railroad bridge thence 38 feet to State Pier No. 1, thence 36 feet to the over the entrance has a swing span with clearances of 6½ U.S. Navy Submarine Base. A Federal project provides feet. (See 117.1 through 117.59 and 117.223, chapter for a channel 23 feet deep in the waterfront channels 2, for drawbridge regulations.) north of Fort Trumbull and in Winthrop Cove. (See No- (38) Winthrop Cove, northward of Shaw Cove, is part of tice to Mariners and latest editions of the charts for the main waterfront channel. The fixed railroad bridge controlling depths.) Lighted and unlighted buoys and a near the head of this cove has a clearance of 4 feet. 354° lighted range mark the channel. The range does not mark the center of the lower end of the channel. (39) New London Ledge Light (41°18.3'N., 72°04.7'W.), (42) Pine Island Channel, northeastward of New Lon- 58 feet above the water, is shown from a red brick build- don Ledge Light, between Pine Island and Black Ledge, ing on a square white pier on the west side of New Lon- has a rocky and very broken bottom on which the least don Ledge; a fog signal is sounded at the station. found depth is 10 feet. It is used some by local vessels between New London Harbor and Fishers Island (40) Other prominent features in approaching New Sound, but should be avoided by any vessel drawing London Harbor are: New London Harbor Light, on the more than 10 feet. west side of the entrance channel; the monument at Fort Griswold; the microwave tower atop a building in (43) General and naval anchorages are in the ap- downtown New London; the large sheds at the shipyard proaches to, and in, New London Harbor. (See 110.1 on the east side of the river opposite Fort Trumbull; and and 110.147, chapter 2, for limits and regulations.) the highway bridge at New London. Special anchorages are in Greens Harbor and in the vi- cinity of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. (See 110.1 and (41) A U.S. Navy project for New London Harbor pro- 110.52, chapter 2, for limits and regulations.) vides for a channel 40 feet deep to Fort Trumbull, Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:44 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen 278 I Chapter 8 I Eastern Long Island Sound (44) On the west side of the approach to New London (49) Overhead power cables with a clearance of 160 feet Harbor, foul ground extends about 1 mile from shore in cross the river about 5.5 miles below Norwich. the vicinity of Goshen Point (chart 13211). The south- erly and southeasterly limits of this area are marked by (50) The mean range of tide at New London is 2.6 feet. buoys. The area has numerous rocky patches and boul- Daily predictions are given in the Tide Tables. ders, some showing above water, and should be avoided by small craft. Rapid Rock, marked by a buoy on its (51) The tidal currents follow the general direction of southeast side, is about 1.6 miles southwestward of the channel and usually are not strong. At Winthrop New London Ledge Light. It has a least depth of 11 feet. Point, on the west side of the river at New London, the An unmarked ledge covered 38 feet is about 750 yards velocity is 0.4 knot, and at Stoddard Hill, about 6.5 southeast of Rapid Rock and is the outermost shoal to miles above New London, 0.7 knot on the flood and 0.4 the southward. Sarah Ledge, 0.7 mile northeastward of knot on the ebb. During freshets or when the river is Rapid Rock and marked by a buoy, has a least depth of high and the wind is from the north, the current can 16 feet and is the easternmost shoal on the west side of have considerable southerly set even on the flood. Cur- the main channel approach. rent directions and velocities at various places on the Thames River for each hour of the tidal cycle are shown (45) On the east side of the main channel foul ground on the Tidal Current Charts, Block Island Sound and extends about 1 mile offshore. New London Ledge, Eastern Long Island Sound. marked by New London Ledge Light, has a least depth of 7 feet. Black Ledge, just to the northeastward of New (52) Ice obstructs navigation about 2 months each year London Ledge, has a rocky islet, 2 feet high, on it. above the naval station, which is some 5 miles above Depths are 2 to 16 feet on the ledge. Buoys mark the New London Ledge Light, but seldom forms below the shoal area. station. In extremely severe winters, however, heavy ice from the sound, driven in by winds, has been known to (46) Broken ground fringes the shore southwestward of extend about 1.8 miles above the entrance. Between New London Harbor Light. Rocks with 2 to 11 feet over New London and the mouth of the river small vessels them extend about 0.2 mile from shore in the bight just may navigate with comparative safety in ordinary win- southward of the light. ters; and even in severe weather it is rare that naviga- tion for small vessels stops for more than a week. (47) White Rock, an islet in Greens Harbor, is 200 yards Steamers can nearly always enter and leave with safety. from the 18-foot curve on the western edge of the chan- Drift ice sometimes forms a decidedly dangerous ob- nel. Hog Back, a small ledge awash at low water, is 150 struction in the approaches through Long Island yards southwestward of White Rock and about 0.3 mile Sound during severe winters, especially during Febru- from the western shore, and is marked by two buoys. ary and March; and small vessels are much hindered in Rocks, covered 3 to 6 feet, are in the middle of the their movements during January, February, and northern part of Greens Harbor. Melton Ledge, north- March. ward of White Rock, with one-half foot over it, is 125 yards eastward of Powder Island and is marked by a (53) Freshets usually occur in the river in the spring. It buoy; a rock awash is close westward of Melton Ledge. is reported that they seldom exceed 2 feet above high water at Norwich. (48) Four bridges cross the Thames River below Norwich: three near Winthrop Point and one about 0.2 (54) New London Harbor and Thames River are easy of miles southward of Fort Point. The first is the railroad access by day or night, but local knowledge is required bridge, which has a bascule span with a clearance of 30 to take drafts greater than 20 feet above the submarine feet. (See 117.1 through 117.59 and 117.224, chapter base. 2, for drawbridge regulations.) The bridgetender of the railroad bridge monitors VHF-FM channel 13; call sign (55) Pilotage is compulsory in Long Island Sound for KT-5473. In 1998, it was reported that cross currents of foreign vessels and U.S. vessels under register. See Pi- 1 to 2 knots can be encountered in the vicinity of this lotage, Long Island Sound (indexed as such),chapter 8. bridge. Just above it are two high-level fixed bridges Pilotage for New London is available from Constitution with clearances of 135 feet, and 7.9 miles farther up the State Pilots Association (CSPA), 500 Waterfront Street, Thames is a fixed highway bridge with a clearance of 75 New Haven, CT 06512, telephone 800-229-7456 or feet. A RACON is in the center of the main channel span 203-783-5991, FAX 516-582-6327. Pilot boat on the southernmost of two high-level fixed bridges. CONSTITUTION is 65-foot, with black hull, white su- perstructure, and the word PILOT on sides. The boat monitors 16, 13, and 9A, works on 13 or 9A. The CSPA Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:44 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen Eastern Long Island Sound I Chapter 8 I 279 pilot will meet a New London bound vessel about 2 (61) (See chapter 3, Vessel Arrival Inspections, and ap- miles south of New London Ledge Light; also will meet pendix for addresses.) a vessel off Montauk Point. See Pilotage Pickup Loca- tions Off Montauk Point (indexed as such), chapter 7. (62) Quarantine is enforced in accordance with regula- (56) Pilotage for New London is also available from tions of the U.S. Public Health Service. (See Public Long Island Sound State Pilots Association, Inc. Health Service, chapter 1.) New London has several (LISSPA), 1440 Whalley Avenue, Suite 123, New Haven, hospitals. CT 06515, telephone 203-772-0101, FAX 302-629-9392, Cable LISPILOT, New Haven. The pilot (63) Harbor regulations are in force for New London boat OLYMPIC, has a white hull, red superstructure, Harbor. The harbormaster has authority to berth ves- and displays the word PILOT in black letters. The boat sels, shifting them if necessary, but occasion for doing monitors channel 16 and works on channel 11. Among so seldom arises. other locations, the LISSPA pilot will meet a ship 3 miles south of Watch Hill, RI, in about 41°15'00\"N., (64) New London Harbor has more than 30 wharves and 71°51'30\"W. piers. Most of these facilities are used as repair berths, (57) Pilotage for New London is also available from and for mooring recreational craft, fishing vessels, Sound Pilots, Inc. (SPI) (a division of Northeast Marine barges, ferries, and government vessels. Depths along- Pilots, Inc.), 243 Spring Street, Newport, RI 02840, side these facilities range from 10 to 40 feet. Only the telephone 401-847-9050 (24 hours), 800-274-1216, deep-draft facilities are described. For a complete de- FAX 401-847-9052, Cable RISPILOT, Newport, RI scription of the port facilities refer to Port Series No. 4, 02840. The pilot boats are NORTHEAST II, 49-foot, published and sold by the U.S. Army Corps of Engi- with grey hull and superstructure and the word PILOT neers. (See appendix for address.) The alongside depths on the side; or RHODE ISLAND PILOT, 35-foot, with are reported; for information on the latest depths con- black hull and white superstructure and the word tact the private operator. PILOT on the side; or NORTHEAST I, 49-foot, similarly marked as the RHODE ISLAND PILOT. The SPI pilots (65) Amerada Hess Corp. Wharf (41°20'09\"N., meet a ship bound for a Long Island Sound port, off 72°04'58\"W.): on the east side of the river opposite Point Judith, but will also meet a ship off Montauk Greens Harbor; T-head pier with 55-foot face, 960 feet Point by prearrangement. See Pilotage, Narragansett of berthing space with dolphins; 40 feet alongside; deck Bay and Other Rhode Island Waters (indexed as such), height, 8 feet; pipelines to storage tanks; fresh water chapter 6, and Pilotage Pickup Locations Off Montauk connection; railroad and highway connections; receipt Point (indexed as such), chapter 7. and shipment of petroleum products and receipt of mo- (58) The Connecticut State Pilots (a division of lasses; bunkering vessels; owned and operated by Hess Interport Pilots Agency, Inc.) also serve the port of New Oil and Chemical Division, Amerada Hess Corp. London, address: State Pier, New London, CT, tele- phone 800-346-4877 or 908-787-5554 (24 hours), cable (66) State Pier No. 1: the more easterly of the two long PORTPILOTS Port Monmouth, NJ. Pilot boats are piers southwestward of the Thames River bridges, CONNECTICUT PILOT, 65 feet long with blue hull and about 1.3 miles northward of Amerada Hess Corp. white superstructure, and CONNECTICUT II, 47 feet Wharf; 200-foot face, 28 to 32 feet alongside; west side long with blue hull and white superstructure. The 1,000 feet, 28 to 36 feet alongside; east side 1,020 feet, boats monitor VHF-FM channels 16 and 13, 2 hours 36 to 38 feet alongside; deck height, 10 feet; 20-ton prior to the vessel's scheduled ETA, and work on chan- crane; 153,000 square feet of covered storage, 5 acres nel 11. The Connecticut State Pilots meet ships bound open storage; electricity and potable and feed water for Long Island Sound ports at the Montauk Point Pilot connections on pier; railroad and highway connec- Station or the Point Judith Pilot Station by prearrange- tions; receipt and shipment of general cargo, ment. woodpulp, copper, hemp, and paper products and mooring naval vessels; owned by State of Connecticut, (59) Tugs to 3,200 hp are available at New London. Ves- west side operated by New London Terminal Co., east sels usually proceed to the upper harbor without assis- side and face by U.S. Navy. tance, although a tug may be required when entering with a head wind and contrary current. Large vessels (67) Supplies of all kinds are available. Gasoline and normally require tugs for docking and undocking. diesel oil can be obtained from oil companies on 48 hours’ notice by tank truck. Water is available at most (60) New London is a customs port of entry. of the piers, wharves, and marinas. Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:44 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen 280 I Chapter 8 I Eastern Long Island Sound Auto-Passenger Ferry Dock State Pier Courtesy of U.S. Power Squadron, District 1. NEW LONDON, CT (68) A shipbuilding company at New London can per- to Block Island, Fishers Island, and to Orient Point, form all kinds of repairs on steel-hulled vessels. The Long Island. company has floating drydocks with lifting capacities (73) Thames River above New London has a dredged from 1,000 to 10,000 tons. The company’s largest channel to Norwich, the head of navigation. In Janu- drydock is on the west side of the river, and has a maxi- ary-June 1978, the controlling depth was 35 feet from mum pontoon length of 300 feet, a width between above the bridges at New London to the north end of wingwalls of 110 feet, and is about 0.9 mile north of the the turning basin opposite Smith Cove, thence in Au- Thames River bridges. gust-September 1974, depths of 16 feet (23 feet at midchannel) to Stoddard Hill, and thence 18 feet to the (69) Cranes to 70 tons and floating derricks to 25 tons turning basin at Norwich, and 11 feet in the turning ba- are available at New London. sin. The channel is well marked by navigational aids. (70) Several companies in New London are in the busi- (74) The dikes along the Thames River from Easter ness of wrecking, salvage, and marine contracting Point (41°28.2'N., 72°04.5'W.) to Norwich are sub- work. They are equipped with pumps, divers’ outfits, merged at half tide. floating equipment, and other gear. (71) There are numerous small-craft facilities in Greens (75) For Pilotage for the river see Pilotage, New Lon- Harbor and Shaw Cove. (See the small-craft facilities don-Groton (indexed as such) earlier this chapter. tabulation on chart 12372 for services and supplies available. (76) The U.S. Coast Guard Academy is on the west side of Thames River about 1 mile north of the center of (72) New London has good railroad and bus communi- New London. The administration building, with its cations. Automobile-passenger ferry service is available white tower and clock, and the lighted chapel spire are very prominent, but are not visible until almost abeam of the academy. Depths alongside the 410-foot-long Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:48 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen Eastern Long Island Sound I Chapter 8 I 281 Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:50 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen 282 I Chapter 8 I Eastern Long Island Sound academy pier are reported in January 1995, to be 20 feet (86) Bartlett Reef Light (41°16.5'N., 72°08.2'W.), 35 at the face, 20 feet along the south side, and 20 feet on feet above the water and shown from a skeleton tower the north side. with a red and white diamond-shaped daymark, is (77) The U.S. Naval Submarine Base is on the east side about 3.3 miles southwestward of New London Ledge of the Thames River about 2.5 miles above New Lon- Light and marks the south end of Bartlett Reef. A fog don. signal is at the light. The reef, about 1.3 miles long in a (78) A restricted area is off the U.S. Naval Submarine general north-south direction and about 0.3 mile wide, Base. (See 334.75, chapter 2, for limits and regula- is covered 2 to 12 feet and has rocks awash near its tions.) northern end. The north end of the reef is marked by a (79) Just below Gales Ferry, on the east side about 4 buoy. A lighted bell buoy and an unlighted buoy are miles above the bridges, are the crew training quarters about 0.9 mile southward and about 0.3 mile eastward and boathouses of Harvard and Yale Universities. Oppo- of the light, respectively. site Gales Ferry is the town of Bartlett, site of a promi- nent power plant with two tall and conspicuous stacks. (87) A general anchorage is about 0.8 mile northeast- A privately dredged channel with depths of about 19 ward of Bartlett Reef Light. (See 110.1 and 110.147 feet leads to the dock and coal tipple. (a) (4), and (b), chapter 2, for limits and regulations.) (80) At Montville Station, just above Bartlett, is a dock with a depth of 23 feet at the face. The northeast end of (88) Twotree Island, small and bare, about 1.4 miles the dock is in ruins. Overhead power cables with a northwestward of Bartlett Reef Light, is surrounded by clearance of 160 feet cross the river 0.5 mile above the shoals. A buoy marks rocks awash that extend off the station near Kitemaug. northern end of the island. (81) Allyn Point, on the east side about 5 miles above New London, is the site of a large private pier for receiv- (89) Twotree Island Channel leads northward of Bart- ing liquid chemicals, with a reported depth of about 30 lett Reef and Twotree Island. With an adverse current in feet alongside. It is marked by an elevated water sphere the sound, this channel is used to some extent by light and several small tanks on the pier. tows and sailboats with a leading wind in the daytime, (82) Fort Point, on the east side 8 miles above New Lon- as the tidal currents turn about 1 hour earlier along the don, has a long fuel pier marked by privately main- north shore than in the middle of the sound. About 0.3 tained red lights, and on shore is a building with several mile southwestward of Seaside, the tidal currents have stacks. Numerous piles are in the water southward of a velocity of 1.2 knots, and ebb 1.6 knots. Flood sets the pier. The fixed highway bridge crossing the river westerly and the ebb easterly. The channel is buoyed, about 0.2 miles south of Fort Point has a clearance of but strangers are advised to use it with caution and 75 feet. should never attempt to beat through. (83) The red brick buildings of the Norwich State Hos- pital are on a bluff just north of Fort Point and are a (90) From Goshen Point (41°18.0'N., 72°06.8'W.) west- conspicuous landmark. ward, there are scattered boulders which extend off- (84) At Thamesville, on the west side of the river about shore as much as 0.2 mile in places. Jordan Cove, 1.5 1 mile below Norwich, are two finger piers each with miles west of Goshen Point, is foul in its northerly half, breasting dolphins used to receive petroleum products and the southerly part is obstructed by Flat Rock, bare from barges. Depths of 20 to 25 feet are reported along- at low water and marked by a buoy, and High Rock, side the face of the piers. which shows at high water and is marked by a buoy. (85) Norwich, a city at the head of navigation on Thames River at its junction with Shetucket River and (91) Millstone Point, on the east side at the entrance of Yantic River, is about 11 miles above New London. In Niantic Bay, is occupied by the buildings of the Mill- 1981, waterborne commerce to Norwich consisted of pe- stone Nuclear Power Station. A 389-foot red and white troleum products. Small boats generally anchor in stack at the station and a radio tower on the point are Shetucket River just above the fixed bridges at Norwich, the most conspicuous landmarks in the area. A cove which have a minimum clearance of 11 feet. with depths of 9 to 15 feet is on the west side of the point. A rock with 1 foot over it lies 60 feet off the mouth of the cove. The station maintains channel markers and a range for occasional barge traffic. A dredged area for the power station’s water intakes is 0.2 mile northwest of the cove. Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:50 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen Eastern Long Island Sound I Chapter 8 I 283 Courtesy of U.S. Power Squadron, District 1. GRISWOLD ISLAND, GIANTS NECK, CT (92) White Rock is an islet on the east side of the en- the north side by a U-shaped breakwater; a private sea- trance to Niantic Bay 0.5 mile westward of Millstone sonal light is near the outer end of the breakwater. Point. Little Rock, two rocks partly bare at low water, is (96) A special anchorage is on the west side of Niantic 150 yards east of White Rock. A rock over which the Bay off Crescent Beach. (See 110.1 and 110.53, chap- least depth is 8 feet is about midway between Little ter 2, for limits and regulations.) Rock and the cove at Millstone Point. A shoal spot, cov- (97) Niantic River empties into the northeast end of ered 12 feet, is 200 yards eastward of the rock. A rock, Niantic Bay and is entered through a dredged channel covered 14 feet, is about 300 yards south-southeast of that leads from the bay, thence through a narrow pas- White Rock and is marked by a lighted bell buoy. sage at the entrance, and thence to a point about 300 yards northward of the entrance to Smith Cove. In Au- (93) Niantic Bay, 4.5 miles westward of New London gust-October 1988, the controlling depth was 6 feet at Harbor, is a good anchorage sheltered from easterly, midchannel to the highway swing bridge about 0.4 northerly, and westerly winds. It is a harbor of refuge in mile above the channel entrance, thence 4½ feet to the northerly gales and can be used by small vessels and head of the channel. The channel is marked by tows. The general depth of the bay is about 19 feet; the daybeacons and seasonal buoys. Two bridges cross the water shoals gradually northward. The entrance is 1.5 narrow passage at the entrance. The more southerly is miles wide, and the dangers are marked by buoys or the Amtrak bridge, with a 45-foot bascule span and a show above water. clearance of 11 feet; the State Route 156 highway bridge, about 0.1 northward, has a bascule span with a (94) Niantic and Crescent Beach are summer resorts clearance of 32 feet. (See 117.1 through 117.59 and with railroad communication at the north end and 117.215, chapter 2, for drawbridge regulations.) The northwest side of the bay. bridgetender at each bridge monitors VHF-FM channel 13; call signs KGA-511 and KXR-911, respectively. (95) The Niantic Bay Yacht Club basin at Crescent Beach is protected on the south, east, and partially on Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:54 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen 284 I Chapter 8 I Eastern Long Island Sound (98) Strangers attempting to enter Niantic River are mile west-southwestward of South Brother; the range cautioned to pass through the bridges either at slack of South Brother well open northward of Griswold Is- water or against the current. land leads southward of Johns Rock. (107) Strangers entering the bight should proceed with (99) Above the head of the dredged channel, small craft caution, as the bottom is broken; the best route is to can navigate for about another 1.5 miles to Golden pass southward and westward of the buoy southward of Spur (East Lyme) with local knowledge. The river Blackboys, and pass on either side of South Brother. from westward of Sandy Point to the stone bulkhead at Seal Rock, 160 yards south of the end of Giants Neck, is Golden Spur is deep and clear; vessels generally follow marked by a buoy on the south side. the west bank. Pine Grove, Sandy Point, and Saunders (108) A special anchorage is east of Giants Neck. (See Point are summer resorts on Niantic River. 110.1 and 110.54, chapter 2, for limits and regula- tions.) An unmarked rock is within the anchorage area, (100) The mean range of tide is about 2.7 feet in Niantic about 0.1 mile south of Giants Neck; depth over the Bay. rock is not known. (109) Hatchett Point has several large dwellings. A reef (101) The tidal currents through the bridges set fair with extends about 0.2 mile off the southwest side of the the channel; the flood velocity is 1.6 knots and the ebb point. velocity, 0.8 knot. It has been reported that much (110) Hatchett Reef, 0.6 to 1 mile south-southwestward greater velocities may be expected under storm and of Hatchett Point, has a least depth of 5 feet and is freshet conditions. (See Tidal Current Tables for pre- marked by buoys. Close to the southeast side of the reef dictions.) Current directions and velocities for the en- the depths are 30 to 48 feet. A bar with 10 to 16 feet over trance to the Niantic River for each hour of the tidal it extends westward from Hatchett Reef to Saybrook cycle are shown on the Tidal Current Charts, Block Is- Bar. land Sound and Eastern Long Island Sound. (111) Connecticut River rises in the extreme northern (102) Ice generally closes the river to navigation for part of New Hampshire, near the Canadian border, and about 3 months during the winter. flows southerly between the States of Vermont and New Hampshire and across Massachusetts and Connecticut (103) Smith Cove is on the west side of Niantic River to Long Island Sound. It is approximately 375 miles long about 1.5 miles above the channel entrance. A channel, and is one of the largest and most important rivers in marked by private daybeacons, leads westward from the New England. The head of commercial navigation is at river channel into the cove. In February 1999, the Hartford, about 45 miles from the mouth. Waterborne channel had a reported depth of 5 feet. commerce on the river is mostly in petroleum products and chemicals. (104) There are several small-craft facilities just above the entrance at Niantic and Waterford, on the west side (112) The river water is fresh at and above Deep River. and east side of Niantic River, respectively, and in Each year after the spring freshets, shoals with least Smith Cove. (See the small-craft facilities tabulation depths of 10 feet are found in places on bars in the up- on chart 12372 for services and supplies available.) per river; dredging to remove such shoals is begun as Harbormasters are at Niantic and Waterford. A 6 mph soon as the water subsides. speed limit is enforced on the river. (113) Between the entrance and Middletown the river (105) Black Point, on the west side at the entrance to banks are hard and in some places rocky, but between Niantic Bay, is flat with bluffs at the water and is occu- Middletown and Hartford the river flows through allu- pied by many summer cottages. Broken ground with a vial bottom land, where freshets and ice jams may least found depth of 20 feet extends 0.6 mile south of cause shoaling. the southwest side of the point. (114) A Federal project for Connecticut River provides (106) The bight between Black Point and Hatchet Point, for a 15-foot jettied entrance channel and 15-foot about 2.3 miles to the westward, has many rocks show- dredged cuts across the bars to Hartford, 45 miles ing above high water. Griswold Island, on the north- east side of the bight, is high and prominent. Rocks extend 0.35 mile southward and 0.2 mile southwest- ward of the island. The southwest rocks are marked by a buoy. South Brother, in the center, and North Brother, in the northwestern part of the bight, are prominent bare rocks. A rock, covered 6 feet, is 250 yards off the west side of Black Point. Blackboys, two rocks awash are 0.4 mile southward of Griswold Island. A rock, cov- ered 3 feet and marked by a buoy, is about 0.2 mile southward of Blackboys. Johns Rock, covered 5 feet, is 0.3 mile off the northwest side of the bight, about 0.5 Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:54 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen Eastern Long Island Sound I Chapter 8 I 285 above the entrance. (See Notice to Mariners and the lat- (See 117.1 through 117.59 and 117.205, chapter 2, est editions of the charts for controlling depths.) for drawbridge regulations.) The bridgetender of the (115) The channel above the jettied entrance channel Amtrak bascule railroad bridge at mile 3 monitors usually follows the banks on the outside of the curves of VHF-FM channel 13; call sign KT-5414. Vessels re- the river, except through the dredged cuts across the questing the opening of this bridge are cautioned to bars which are marked by navigational aids. confirm by radiotelephone that the bascule span is safely raised and stabilized before making passage. The (116) Saybrook Breakwater Light (41°15.8'N., bridgetender of the highway swing bridge at East 72°20.6'W.), 58 feet above the water, is shown from a Haddam at mile 14.6 monitors VHF-FM channel 13; white conical tower, 49 feet high, on a brown cylindri- call sign KXR-913. cal pier on the south end of the west jetty at the en- (121) Overhead power cables across the Connecticut trance to Connecticut River. A fog signal is at the light. River have a least clearance of 100 feet, except for the one at Laurel, 24.2 miles above the mouth, which has a (117) Secure anchorage can be had eastward or north- clearance of 65 feet. eastward of Lynde Point Light. Farther up anchorage can be selected in the wider parts of the channel. Spe- (122) The time of tide becomes later and the range di- cial anchorages are at Old Saybrook, Essex, Chester, minishes in progressing up the river. High water and Lord Island, Eddy Rock Shoal in the vicinity of Con- low water at Hartford occur about 4.5 and 6 hours later, necticut River Light 45, and Mouse Island Bar vicinity. respectively, than at the entrance. The mean range of (See 110.1 and 110.55, chapter 2, for limits and regu- the tide is 3.5 feet at Saybrook jetty, 2.5 feet at Haddam, lations.) and 1.9 feet at Hartford. (118) Saybrook Outer Bar, which obstructs the mouth of (123) At the entrance the currents have considerable ve- the Connecticut River, is shifting, with depths of 4 to 12 locity at times and always require careful attention, as feet extending nearly 2 miles off the mouth; it is the tidal current of the sound often sets directly across marked off its southeastern end by a lighted bell buoy. the direction of the current setting out or in between jetties. This condition is reported to be especially dan- (119) In March 1976, obstructions were reported in the gerous during the first 3 hours of ebb tide. (Consult the channel at the railroad bascule bridge 3 miles above the Tidal Current Tables for times and velocities of cur- mouth of the Connecticut River; a least depth of 13 feet rents at a number of locations in Connecticut River. In is reported in the channel in area 40 to 50 feet from the addition, see Tidal Current Charts and Tidal Current east abutment of the bridge. Mariners requiring Diagrams, Long Island Sound and Block Island Sound, greater depths are advised to avoid this area of the for current directions and velocities at various places in channel during passages. the Connecticut River for each hour of the tidal cycle.) (120) Several drawbridges and fixed bridges cross Con- (124) During the ebb, a strong current runs from the necticut River between the entrance and Hartford. The Lyme Landing toward the center of the railroad bridge. distance above the mouth, type, and clearance of each Towboats with vessels in tow should steer for the east bridge follows: 3 miles, Amtrak railroad with bascule pier of the draw and should not swing out for the draw span, 19 feet; 3.5 miles, Raymond E. Baldwin (IS 95) until almost in it, to avoid being set to the west side of Bridge, fixed highway, 81 feet; 14.6 miles, State Route the channel. Because of river discharge, the ebb cur- 82 highway with swing span at East Haddam, 22 feet; rent usually will be considerably stronger than the 27.8 miles, ConRail railroad with swing span at flood. Ebb current velocities of 1 knot or more have Middletown, 25 feet; 32.2 miles, Arrigoni Bridge (State been observed under normal conditions on the bars in Route 66), fixed highway, 89 feet; 41.2 miles, Wm. H. Connecticut River between Higganum and Hartford; Putnam Bridge (State Route 3), fixed highway near the velocities of the flood currents are much less. Wethersfield, 80 feet over main channel; 44 miles, Charter Oak Bridge (U.S. 5/State Route 15), a fixed (125) Freshets occur principally in the spring, when the highway bridge at Hartford, 69 feet for a width of 215 snow is melting, although occasional floods have oc- feet; 44.9 miles, Founders Bridge, fixed highway, 49 curred in every month of the year except July and Sep- feet; 45.2 miles, Bulkeley Bridge (I-84), fixed highway, tember. At Hartford the usual rise due to spring 39 feet; and 46 miles, Conrail fixed railroad, 28 feet. freshets is between 16 and 24 feet. The highest freshets are generally of short duration, but the period during Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:54 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen 286 I Chapter 8 I Eastern Long Island Sound 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- (126) Ice closes the river to navigation a part of every cess of 100°F (37.8°C). An average of 18 days each year winter for wooden hull boats. The duration of closing is records temperatures in excess of 90°F (32.2°C) and an about 2 months. average of 134 days each year has a temperature of 32°F (0°C) or cooler. An average of eleven days each year has (127) Hartford is well inside the northern temperate cli- temperatures of 5°F (-15°C) or lower. matic zone in a prevailing west to east movement of air (132) The average annual precipitation for Hartford is carrying the majority of weather systems into Connect- 44.20 inches (1123 mm). Precipitation is fairly uniform icut from the west. The average wintertime position of with the difference between the wettest and driest the “Polar Front” boundary between cold dry polar air month being less than one inch (25.4 mm). The wettest and warm moist tropical air is just south of New Eng- month is November, averaging 4.07 inches (104 mm) land, which helps to explain the extensive winter storm and the driest month is February averaging 3.13 inches activity and the day-to-day variability of local weather. (80 mm). Average snowfall, on an annual basis, totals In the summer, the “Polar Front” has an average posi- 44 inches (1118). February 1961 holds the record of the tion along the New England-Canada border and Hart- greatest snowfall in a 24-hour period with 14.3 inches ford has a warm and pleasant climate. (363 mm). (133) The National Weather Service office is at Bradley (128) The location of Hartford, relative to the continent International Airport, northwest of Hartford. (See page and ocean, is also significant. Rapid weather changes T-5 for Hartford climatological table.) result when storms move northward along the Mid-Atlantic Coast, frequently producing strong and (134) To enter Connecticut River from eastward, pass persistent northeast winds associated with storms southward of Hatchett Reef and Saybrook Bar, until known locally as “coastals” or “northeasters”. Sea- Saybrook Breakwater Light bears 315°. Steer for sonally, weather characteristics vary from the cold and Saybrook Breakwater Light on this course through the dry continental-polar air of winter to the warm, mari- buoyed opening between the south end of Saybrook times air of summer, the one from Canada, the other Bar and the east end of Long Sand Shoal to the en- from the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, or Atlantic trance channel between the jetties. Ocean. (135) To enter from westward, pass 1 mile southward of (129) Summer thunderstorms develop in the Berkshire Falkner Island Light on course 076°. This will lead Mountains to the west and northwest, and move over about 0.4 mile northward of the lighted bell buoy on the Connecticut Valley and, when accompanied by the western end of Long Sand Shoal and about 0.2 mile wind and hail, sometimes cause considerable damage southward of the lighted bell buoy southward of Corn- to crops. Thunderstorm days average 20 each year. field Point. Then steer about 067°, with Saybrook June, July, and August are the most favored months. Breakwater Light a little on the port bow to the en- During the winter, rain often falls through cold air trance channel between the jetties. trapped in the valley and creates extremely hazardous ice conditions. On clear nights in the late summer or (136) Pilotage is compulsory in Long Island Sound for early autumn, cool air drainage into the valley and the foreign vessels and U.S. vessels under register. See Pi- moisture from the Connecticut River produce steam lotage, Long Island Sound (indexed as such), chapter 8. and/or ground fog which becomes quite dense Pilotage for the Connecticut River is available from throughout the valley and temporarily hampers trans- Connecticut River Pilots Association (CRPA), 104 portation. An average 162 days each year report fog. Nehantic Trail, Old Saybrook, CT 06475, telephone (203) 388-4167. Pilot boat TRUDEE II is 36-foot, with (130) Fog is reported to develop locally in the vicinity of black hull, white superstructure, and with the word the nuclear power plant’s efflux at Haddam Neck and PILOT on the house, forward. The boat monitors chan- around Gildersleeve Island. nel 16 and 13; works on 13. The CRPA pilot boards ves- sels abeam of the marina at the south end of Saybrook (131) The average annual temperature for Hartford is Point. 50°F (10°C). The warmest month is July with an aver- age temperature of 74°F (23.3°C) and the coolest is January with an average temperature of 26°F (-3.3°C). The warmest temperature on record is 102°F (38.9°C) Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:54 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen Eastern Long Island Sound I Chapter 8 I 287 (137) Pilot services are arranged in advance through clearance of about 10 feet is on the north side of the ships’ agents or directly by shipping companies. A bridge. About 0.3 mile above that bridge is a highway 24-hour advance notice is requested. bridge with a 24-foot fixed span and a clearance of 6 feet. A harbormaster is at Old Lyme. (138) Hartford is a customs port of entry. (146) The passage to the east and north of Calves Island, about 1 mile above the railroad bridge crossing Con- (139) The Connecticut River has more than 20 commer- necticut River, is used extensively for mooring small cial piers and wharves, most of which handle petro- craft in the summer. This passage is subject to shoal- leum products from barges or coastal tankers. Most of ing, particularly on the north side of Calves Island; cau- the facilities below Rocky Hill, about 34 miles above tion is advised. A small-craft facility is on the east side Saybrook Point, are marginal-type wharves, while of the passage just above the entrance. Berths, electric- those above Rocky Hill are finger-type piers with ity, water, ice, marine supplies, storage facilities, a breasting dolphins. Depths of 11 to 15 feet are reported 25-ton lift, and some repairs are available. In July 2002, alongside these facilities. depths of 18 feet were reported at the facility. (147) Lord Cove has its entrance about 300 yards north- (140) Gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, and marine sup- ward of Calves Island. In July 1981, a depth of 3½ feet plies are available at the principal towns and landings was available through the unmarked entrance. The along the Connecticut River. Boatyards along the river marshlands surrounding Lord Cove and the other can make engine, hull, and electronic repairs. coves between Essex and the river mouth at Saybrook are frequented by duck hunters in October and Novem- (141) Old Saybrook is a village on the west side of Con- ber. Because of danger of gunfire, mariners are cau- necticut River, about 1.4 miles northward of Saybrook tioned not to stray too close to the numerous duck Breakwater Light. There are several small-craft facili- blinds that exist in this area. ties along the west side of the river from Saybrook (148) The dredged section of the main channel in Con- Point to Ferry Point, about 2 miles to the northward. necticut River westward of Calves Island has numerous (See the small-craft facilities tabulation on chart 12372 obstructions and sunken rocks close to its edges; mari- for services and supplies available.) ners are advised to exercise caution and to avoid the edges of the channel. (142) A 5 mph speed limit is enforced at Old Saybrook be- (149) Haydens Point, about 4.6 miles above Saybrook tween the railroad bridge and the Connecticut Turn- Point, is marked by a light. Foul ground is between the pike bridge. light and the shore. (150) Essex, a town on the west bank about 5 miles above (143) North Cove, a dredged small-boat basin that affords Saybrook Point, is the scene of considerable small-boat excellent anchorage, is entered through a dredged activity. Depths alongside the town landing are about 6 channel that leads westward from the main channel feet. Essex Cove is the area off the main river channel about 0.4 mile northward of Saybrook Point. In Febru- skirting the waterfront at Essex. A dredged channel, ary-March 1999, the controlling depths were 2.2 feet (5 marked by private buoys, leads from the main channel feet at midchannel) in the entrance channel to the ba- through the cove, and thence rejoins the main channel sin, thence depths of 3 to 5 feet were in the basin. The to the northward. In February-March 1999, a control- entrance channel is marked by private buoys. ling depth of 5.8 feet was available in the buoyed chan- nel. A 5 mph speed limit is enforced. A privately marked (144) From Saybrook Point to Hartford local knowledge small-boat channel leads westward from the dredged is required to carry the best water. Small craft should buoyed channel in Essex Cove to a yacht basin in Mid- have no difficulty in following the channel. dle Cove, northward of Thatchbed Island. In February 1999, the small-boat channel had a reported (145) Lieutenant River, leading to Old Lyme, enters the midchannel controlling depth of 6½ feet. east side of Connecticut River about 1.4 miles north- (151) Essex has excellent small-craft facilities. (See the ward of Saybrook Point. Pipe stakes mark the south small-craft facilities tabulation on chart 12372 for ser- side of the channel across the bar at the entrance A vices and supplies available.) midchannel depth of about 3 feet can be carried over (152) Special anchorages are at Essex. (See 110.1 and the bar to about 0.2 mile above the second bridge. A 110.55 (a), (a-1), (b), and (c), chapter 2, for limits and railroad bridge with a 33-foot fixed span and a clear- regulations.) ance of 11 feet crosses the river 0.4 mile above the en- (153) Hamburg Cove and Eightmile River, which emp- trance. An overhead power cable with a reported ties into the north end of the cove, indent the east side Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:55 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen 288 I Chapter 8 I Eastern Long Island Sound of Connecticut River, 6 miles above Saybrook Point. A Point, is prominent. A marina is on the west side of the dredged channel leads from Connecticut River to a river just above the swing bridge between East Haddam turning basin at Hamburg, a village at the head of navi- and Tylerville. Limited guest berths, limited marine gation. In 1977, the controlling depth was 3 feet in the supplies, electricity, water, and ice are available. In channel with 4 feet in the basin except for shoaling at March 1990, a reported depth of 5 feet was available in the north end and along the east edge. There are boul- the marina basin. ders in places outside the dredged channel, and the en- (161) The shoal off the west side of the river, just north of trance channel is outlined by grassy flats on each side. East Haddam, is reported to be increasing. Buoys mark the entrance, and private seasonal buoys (162) Salmon Cove, on the east side of the river, 1 mile and daybeacons mark the remainder of the channel to above East Haddam, is reported to be navigable only by Hamburg. The center of the turning basin has piles small craft at high tide. The entrance to the cove is sub- used for moorings. A small-craft facility, on the east ject to shoaling. Considerable grass in the channel and side of the basin, has sewage pump-out, water, ice, and cove makes boat operation difficult. some marine supplies. A 35-ton travel lift is available (163) Overhead power cables with a least clearance of 86 for hull and engine repairs. feet cross the cove about 1.2 miles above the mouth. (164) A small-craft facility is on the west side of the river (154) Eustasia Island, 8.5 miles above Saybrook Point, about 1.1 miles above East Haddam. Berths, electricity, divides the Connecticut River into two channels. A water, ice, a 10-ton mobile hoist, and a launching ramp light off the southeast end of the island marks the junc- are available; hull and engine repairs can be made. In tion of the two channels. The eastern channel crossing March 1990, a depth of 6 feet was reported at the facil- Potash Bar through a dredged cut is better marked and ity. easier to follow. The western channel leads to Pratt (165) Haddam Island divides the Connecticut River Creek, westward of the southerly end of Eustasia Is- about 3.2 miles above East Haddam. The main river land, and to the landing at Deep River and thence channel leads eastward of the island through a dredged crosses Chester Creek Bar through a swash channel to cut known as Haddam Island Bar Channel. A pinnacle Chester Creek. A sand shoal and a rocky reef, both bare rock, covered 13 feet, is in the approach to Haddam Is- at low water, are north of Eustasia Island, between the land Bar Channel in 41°29'31\"N., 72°30'49\"W. main channel east of the island and Chester Creek. (166) The passage westward of Haddam Island is closed by a bare sand shoal lying between the island’s south- (155) In July 1981, it was reported that depths of 15 feet erly tip and the westerly shore of the river. could be carried to the facilities on Pratt Creek and in (167) The shoal off the east side of the river opposite March 1990, depths to 5 feet were reported to the facili- Higganum Creek, 5.5 miles above East Haddam, is ex- ties in Chester Creek. A rock, covered 3 feet, is on the tending westward. south side of the entrance to Chester Creek in about (168) A rock breakwater extends southward from the east 41°24'24.1\"N., 72°25'46.6\"W. side of the river, 1 mile above Higganum Creek. In 1969, the shoal, about 200 yards southward of the (156) There are several small-craft facilities on Pratt breakwater, was found to be extending southward. Creek and Chester Creek. Lifts to 25 tons, berths, elec- (169) A boatyard is on the north side of the river at Co- tricity, gasoline, water, ice, storage, marine supplies, balt, about 3.5 miles above Higganum Creek. Storage launching ramp, and complete hull and engine repairs facilities and a 15-ton hoist are available. In October are available in the area. 1990, a reported depth of 7 feet could be carried to the facility. (157) Special anchorages are off Chester Creek. (See (170) After passing through the channel in Paper Rock 110.1 and 110.55 (e–1) and (e–2), chapter 2, for lim- Shoal, 9.7 miles above East Haddam, favor the south its and regulations.) side of the river to about 300 yards southeastward of Bodkin Rock, then cross to the north side and pass it (158) The Chester-Hadlyme vehicular ferry crosses the close-to. river near Fort Hill, 2 miles above Eustasia Island. The (171) About 0.5 mile westward of Bodkin Rock, a dredged ferry operates from April through November. section of the channel leads along the southerly shore of Connecticut River and southward of Mouse Island (159) Special anchorages are northeastward of Connect- Bar. icut River Light 45 (41°26.2'N., 72°27.6'W.), about 12.8 (172) Special anchorages are along the north and east miles above Saybrook Point. (See 110.1 and 110.55 sides of the river, between Bodkin Rock and Portland. (d) and (e), chapter 2, for limits and regulations.) (160) On the east side of the river, the turret of the opera house at East Haddam, 13.3 miles above Saybrook Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:55 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen Eastern Long Island Sound I Chapter 8 I 289 (See 110.1 and 110.55 (f) and (g), chapter 2, for limits thence in 1983, 6 feet were available in the basin. The and regulations.) channel is marked by daybeacons. The Interstate 91 (173) Caution is recommended when rounding the point highway bridge over the entrance has a fixed span with on the south side of the river, about 1.5 miles above a clearance of 38 feet. The speed limit in the channel Bodkin Rock, to avoid a submerged crib that extends and cove is 5 knots. Ice, transient berthing, and some northward from the point. supplies can be obtained at the yacht club on the south (174) Portland, 26.3 miles above Saybrook Point, has side of the cove. A town marina is on the east side of the several boatyards with marine railways; the largest rail- cove; a launching ramp is available at the facility. The way can handle craft to 60 feet for engine and hull re- Wethersfield harbormaster can be contacted through pairs. Gasoline, water, berths with electricity, ice, the local police department or town hall. storage facilities, marine supplies, a pump-out station, (183) The only remaining commercial docks at Hartford launching ramps, and lifts to 50 tons are available at are the bulk fuel handling facility of the Hartford Elec- Portland. In March 1990, depths of 7 to 9 feet were re- tric Light Company’s powerplant on the west side of the ported available. river, about 0.2 mile below the Charter Oak Bridge, and (175) Berthing and water are available at Harbor Park in the Hartford Gas Company’s barge unloading facilities Middletown, across the river from Portland. Depths of on the west side of the river, about 0.5 mile above the 18 feet are reported to be available along the wharves. Charter Oak Bridge. A flood control dike is along the (176) Two small-craft facilities are on the east side of the west side of the river from just north of the Charter Oak river at Gildersleeve, about 2.5 miles above Portland. Bridge to the Bulkeley Bridge. Gasoline, diesel fuel, berths with electricity, water, ice, (184) Connecticut River above Hartford is practically un- storage facilities, marine supplies, a launching ramp, improved, but is navigable about 30 miles to Holyoke and 15- and 35-ton lifts are available, and hull and en- for boats not exceeding 3-foot draft, when the river is gine repairs can be made. not low. The channel is constantly shifting. (177) From Belamose, 6.5 miles above Portland, north- ward to Hartford, the land is much lower, and the Con- (185) Long Sand Shoal extends 6 miles westward from necticut River narrows, its curves become more off the entrance of Connecticut River and has a greatest pronounced, and both of its shores have numerous width of nearly 0.3 mile. The general depths on the wood-stake-and-rock groins. shoal are 4 to 15 feet; bottom is hard and lumpy. Shoal- (178) A marina on the east side of the river opposite ing is abrupt on both sides, but especially on the south Belamose has gasoline, berths, electricity, water, ice, side, where the 5-fathom curve is only 100 yards from it marine supplies, and a 15-ton lift; engine and hull re- in places. The shoal is marked at its eastern end by a pairs can be made. In July 1983, the privately marked buoy, and on the south side and west end by lighted channel into the marina basin had a reported control- sound buoys. ling depth of 7 feet. (179) At Rocky Hill, 1 mile above Belamose, a seasonal (186) A fairway lighted whistle buoy is 4.5 miles south of vehicular ferry crosses the river to South Glastonbury. Cornfield Point. A small-craft launching ramp is just above the ferry landing. (187) At the western end of Long Sand Shoal and 1 mile (180) The cove at Crow Point, on the west side of the southward is an area about 0.6 mile long with rocky river about 5.7 miles above Belamose, is used to obtain and broken bottom, and with a least found depth of 22 land fill. Dredging in the cove is uneven, but the bot- feet. tom is soft ooze. In July 1981, it was reported that the entrance had shoaled to bare and could be used only by (188) Sixmile Reef, about 3 miles southwestward of small outboards. Long Sand Shoal, is an area of broken ground about 2.5 (181) A rock, covered 5 feet, is on the south side of the miles long in a west-northwesterly direction with dredged channel about 0.8 mile above Crow Point in depths of 19 to 30 feet. The bottom is rocky and shoal- about 41°42'43.0\"N., 72°37'46.5\"W.; and a shoal that ing is abrupt in places. A lighted bell buoy is off the bares is in 41°43'11\"N., 72°38'52\"W., on the west side of southerly edge of this reef. With extreme low tides, due Connecticut River, about 1.9 miles above Crow Point. to northerly and westerly winds, this shoal may be dan- (182) Wethersfield Cove, on the west side of the river 14 gerous to vessels with 15-foot draft. Tide rips occur on miles above Portland, is entered through a narrow the reef whenever the direction of the tidal currents is dredged channel that leads to a dredged anchorage ba- opposed to that of the wind. This is especially true dur- sin about 0.3 mile above the entrance. In 1986, the con- ing spring tides and a southwest wind. trolling depth was 4.9 feet (5.1 feet at midchannel); Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:55 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen 290 I Chapter 8 I Eastern Long Island Sound (189) A ridge with depths of 24 to 36 feet is near the mid- when navigating small boats in this vicinity during dle of Long Island Sound southward of Sixmile Reef these conditions. and 5 miles north-northwestward of Horton Point (195) Duck Island Roads, between Menunketesuck Is- Light. It is marked by a lighted buoy. land and Kelsey Point, is a harbor of refuge protected by breakwaters 1,100 feet northward and nearly 0.5 (190) Cornfield Point, 2 miles westward of Saybrook mile westward from Duck Island, with the added pro- Breakwater Light, is marked by a large red-roofed stone tection of Kelsey Point Breakwater on Stone Island building. Rocky shoals and foul ground extend about Reef. A prominent landmark on Duck Island is a stone 0.5 mile southerly from this point and for about 1.9 chimney. Both breakwaters extending from Duck Is- miles westerly. Cornfield Point Shoal, a small rocky land are marked by lights. patch covered 3 feet, is about 0.4 mile south of the (196) The dredged anchorage enclosed by the breakwa- point. Westward of this shoal are Hen and Chickens, ters extending northward and westward from Duck Is- bare in spots at low water, and Crane Reef, an area of land is subject to shoaling. General depths of 3 to 8 feet broken ground with a least depth of 3 feet. These dan- are in the protected area, and 8 to 15 feet in the western gers are buoyed. About 0.5 mile westward of the point is end. In addition to the area inside the breakwaters, a Halftide Rock, surrounded by foul ground and marked small area northward and northeastward of Duck Is- by a private daybeacon. land North Breakwater Light can be used as an anchor- age in southwesterly weather. (197) The western entrance of Duck Island Roads is easy of access and should be used by vessels with greater draft than 8 feet. (191) Westbrook Harbor is the western part of the open (198) Pass southward of Duck Island and keep the light bight between Cornfield Point and Menunketesuck Is- on the end of Kelsey Point Breakwater bearing north- land. It has many unmarked submerged rocks and is ward of 264° until Duck Island West Breakwater Light seldom used as an anchorage; the anchorage in Duck 2DI bears 010°, then steer northward. Approaching Island Roads is better. The bight is characterized by from westward, the only dangers are the two 16-foot boulders. spots south-southwestward of Kelsey Point Breakwater Light, the southerly of which is marked by a buoy. (192) Westbrook, a town on the north side of Westbrook Harbor, is marked on its east side by an elevated tank. A (199) The eastern entrance of Duck Island Roads is ob- harbormaster is at Westbrook and can be contacted structed by a sand shoal with a least depth of 8 feet through the town hall. about 0.3 mile eastward of Duck Island, and by boulder reefs which extend about 0.2 mile off the western side (193) Menunketesuck Island is the outermost of several of Menunketesuck Island. This entrance is easy of ac- low narrow islands connected to the mainland at low cess for vessels drawing up to 8 feet. water on the west side of Westbrook Harbor. It has boulders at the south end. A boulder reef extends nearly (200) Anchorage in 18 to 24 feet, bottom generally sticky, 0.5 mile south-southeastward from the point to the can be had between the Duck Island West Breakwater 18-foot curve. Tide rips frequently occur on this reef. A Light 2DI and the 17-foot rocky patches southeastward private seasonal buoy is about 0.3 mile southeastward of Kelsey Point. This anchorage is exposed to winds of Menunketesuck Island. southward of east and west. (194) Between Menunketesuck Island and Hammonasset (201) Patchogue River, used chiefly by fishing and recre- Point, about 4 miles westward, broken ground extends ational craft, empties into Duck Island Roads just west about 1.5 miles offshore. A boulder reef extends 0.5 of Menunketesuck Island. A channel leads from deep mile southward from Duck Island to the 18-foot curve water in Duck Island Roads to the first fixed highway and is marked by a buoy. A rock with 1 foot over it is on bridge, about 0.6 mile above the mouth. The approach this reef about 300 yards south of Duck Island. Tide rips channel is marked by buoys, and the river channel is have been reported to extend from the vicinity of these marked by private aids. A light is on the outer end of the rocks to the buoy. During strong flood currents and a breakwater on the west side of the river mouth. In July southwest wind, tide rips extend from the shoal water 1999, the controlling depths were 4 feet (8 feet at southwest of Duck Island to the vicinity of Southwest midchannel) to the first turn near the mouth of Reef over 1 mile southwestward. Caution is advised Menunketesuck River, thence in January-February 1998, 6 feet (7½ feet at midchannel) to the head of the Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:55 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen Eastern Long Island Sound I Chapter 8 I 291 project about 60 yards below the first fixed highway feet in the north half of the channel to the head of the bridge. The anchorage basin had depths of 6½ feet. project, thence depths of 5.5 to 9.0 feet were available (202) Several small-craft facilities are on the river. (See in the anchorage basin on the northeast side of the the small-craft facilities tabulation on chart 12372 for channel east of the wharves at Clinton. From opposite services and supplies available.) the basin to the upstream limit of the Federal project, (203) Menunketesuck River, sharing the same entrance the southwest and south side of the channel is ob- channel as Patchogue River, is a shallow stream west- structed by a series of pilings. Boats may be moored be- ward of Patchogue River. In July 1981, a depth of about tween the pilings, caution is advised. Above the 8 feet was reported to the first fixed highway bridge dredged channel, the midchannel controlling depth is crossing the river above which depths of less than 1 about 2 feet in the Hammonasset River to the overhead foot are reported. A shoal was reported extending south pipeline and bridge crossing about 2 miles above from shore at the junction of Patchogue and Clinton. Private daybeacons mark this section of the Menunketesuck Rivers; caution is advised. The junc- channel. tion is marked by a private seasonal buoy. Small-craft (208) Several boatyards and marinas are in the harbor. facilities on the river can provide berths, electricity, (See the small-craft facilities tabulation on chart 12372 gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, storage, marine sup- for services and supplies available.) Mooring facilities plies, a pump-out station, and engine and hull repairs; are available by arrangement with the town a 12-ton mobile hoist and a 75-ton lift are available. The dockmaster who can be contacted through the town privately maintained channel in the river is reported to hall or police department. A 6 mph speed limit is en- be marked by seasonal private aids; local knowledge is forced in the harbor. The town maintains a fireboat at advised. Clinton Harbor. The vessel can be contacted through (204) A 6 mph speed limit is enforced on both rivers. the Clinton Police Department or the Coast Guard. (205) Kelsey Point Breakwater extends on Stone Island (209) Northeastward of Cedar Island in Clinton Harbor Reef over 0.6 mile south-southeastward from Stone Is- are two narrow crooked channels close together, with land and is marked by a light. The least depth on the depths of about 1 foot. The eastern one is usually rocky broken ground southwestward of the light is 16 marked by bush stakes; it leads to a marina and feet. The outer spot is marked by a buoy. Stone Island, boatyard just inside the mouth of Hammock River. The at the north end of the breakwater, is mostly covered at western channel, marked by a private range, leads to a high water. Some rocks bare at low water are between boatyard on Indian River. the island and the shore. Tide rips frequently occur in (210) Hammonasset Point, on the southwest side of the area southwestward from the end of the breakwater Clinton Harbor, is a low marshy area with many to the bell buoy. Depths of 18 feet or less near Kelsey wooded knolls. The end of the point is a rocky knoll. Point Breakwater indicate areas of broken rocky bot- Hammonasset State Park is marked by a conspicuous tom which should be avoided in anchoring. The broken flagstaff and the buildings at the recreational center. In ground east of the breakwater includes depths of 12 the summer it is an active resort. Broken ground with feet close to it; the 18-foot patch 0.2 mile rocky irregular bottom and least depths of 10 to 11 feet east-northeast of the end of the breakwater; East Ledge extends 0.5 mile southward of Hammonasset Point. with depths of 2 to 17 feet, which extends 0.4 mile (211) West Rock is the outermost of the bare rocks which southward from Kelsey Point; and the broken ground extend a short distance off the east end of with depths of 8 to 17 feet which extends over 0.4 mile Hammonasset Point. A reef, with two bare rocks and a southeastward from Kelsey Point. groin on its inner part, extends 0.3 mile southwestward (206) The bight at the entrance of Clinton Harbor and from the point and is marked by a buoy, northeastward westward of Kelsey Point Breakwater affords anchor- of which tide rips frequently occur. When rounding the age, but is exposed to southeasterly and southwesterly point, vessels should not pass between the buoy and winds. Hammonasset Point. (207) Clinton Harbor, the bight westward of Kelsey Point (212) Madison Reef, over 2 miles westward of Breakwater, is the entrance to Hammonasset River, a Hammonasset Point, extends over a mile east and west. stream used chiefly by fishing and recreational craft. This reef consists of several rocky patches with depths Wheeler Rock, with 1 foot over it, just outside the bar, of 4 to 17 feet, with deeper water between them. is marked by a lighted buoy. The channel is marked by Charles Reef, with a least depth of 7 feet, is about 0.5 buoys to Cedar Island and thence by seasonal private mile southwest of Madison Reef and marked by a buoy. buoys to the anchorage basin at Clinton. In Novem- (213) Kimberly Reef, about 1.9 miles southward of ber-December 2000, the controlling depths were 6.1 Charles Reef, is an area of broken ground with a least feet (7.1 feet at midchannel) to Buoy 11A, thence 7.0 depth of 12 feet. An isolated 27-foot spot, marked by a Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:55 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen 292 I Chapter 8 I Eastern Long Island Sound lighted horn buoy, is about 0.2 mile south of the shoal. about 0.1 mile and northeasterly into East River for A bank with depths of 14 to 28 feet extends about 1.5 about 0.4 mile to an anchorage basin. Buoys and a pri- miles west of Kimberly Reef to Falkner Island. vate range mark the dredged channel to the junction. (214) Vessels of 10-foot draft can anchor northward of In May 1997, the midchannel controlling depths in the Madison Reef, but should proceed with caution to avoid dredged channel were 3½ feet to the junction of East the rocky patches at lesser depths. River and Sluice Creek, thence 4 feet in Sluice Creek, (215) Tuxis Island, northward of Madison Reef and 0.2 thence 5½ feet at midchannel to the anchorage basin, mile south of Middle Beach, is high and rocky. Between with 4 to 6 feet in the basin except for shoaling to bare the island and the shore the water is shallow and the toward the north limit. ground foul. Rocks awash are 200 to 600 yards eastward (219) In 1988, a submerged obstruction was reported of the island, and an islet is 100 yards westward of the about 0.3 mile southwest of Half Acre Rock in about island. A steel bulkhead in ruins, the top of which is 41°15'06\"N., 72°39'36\"W. awash at high water, extends from shore to Gull Rock, a (220) At high water and with local knowledge, small high bare ledge about 300 yards east-northeastward of boats can go above the anchorage basin in East River to Tuxis Island. the fixed railway bridge, about 1.3 miles above the ba- (216) Madison, a town on the railroad, has one landing sin. The bridge has a clearance of 4 feet. An overhead which bares alongside at low water and is in disrepair. A power cable with a clearance of 45 feet is about 0.3 few small craft moor in the cove on its north side. miles below the bridge. A town marina, just above the Rocks, bare at low water, are 100 yards eastward of the entrance to Sluice Creek, has berths with electricity, landing. A beach club building, with a small stone land- water, ice and a launching ramp. In 1993, depths of 1½ ing, is northward of Tuxis Island. A church with a to 6 feet were reported alongside the marina. prominent tower and gilded dome is 0.8 mile north- (221) A 5 mph speed limit is enforced in the harbor. ward of Tuxis Island. (222) West River empties into the western side of Guilford Harbor 0.2 mile westward of Guilford Point. A (217) Guilford Harbor, a bight 5.5 miles westward of railroad bridge about 0.7 mile above the mouth has a Hammonasset Point, is used only by small craft. East clearance of 6 feet. Guilford is the town above the rail- River and Sluice Creek empty into Guilford Harbor road bridge. In September 1988-July 1989, a depth of 4½ from the northward. The approach to the harbor is ob- feet was reported in West River entrance channel; the structed by rocks and foul ground. The outermost dan- channel is marked by buoys and a 321° lighted range. gers are: Half Acre Rock, about 0.8 mile southeastward (223) There are two boatyards with several marinas and of the entrance channel, which shows at high water; marine railways on West River. The largest marine rail- scattered rocks, some bare at low water and others with way can handle craft up to 40 feet; berths with electric- 7 to 16 feet over them, extending about a mile eastward ity, water, ice, gasoline, diesel fuel, limited supplies, a from Half Acre Rock; Outer White Top, about 0.6 mile 12-ton mobile crane, a 25-ton lift, and complete engine southwestward of Half Acre Rock, and several rocks and hull repairs are available. northward of it bare at low water; and Indian Reef, ex- (224) Falkner Island and Goose Islands, with Stony Is- tending about 1 mile southwestward of Outer White land to the southward, are about 3 miles south of Top, the highest part of which is covered at high water. Guilford Harbor. Each is surrounded by reefs and rocks Indian Reef is marked on its south and southwestern that bare at low water. A depth of about 16 feet can be sides by buoys. Stakes and fish traps may exist north- carried between Goose Islands and Falkner Island by ward of Riding Rock, 0.6 mile northwestward of Half staying in the middle of the passage and avoiding the Acre Rock. 8-foot and 11-foot spots, about 0.35 mile 244° and 0.4 mile 300° from the light on Falkner Island, respec- (218) The approach channel to Guilford Harbor, marked tively, and the shoals and reefs extending from the is- by buoys, leads along the southeasterly side of Indian lands. Falkner Island Light (41°12.7'N., 72°39.2'W.), Reef, thence westward of Half Acre Rock to a dredged 94 feet above the water, is shown from a 46-foot white channel about 0.5 mile northwestward of Half Acre octagonal tower near the center of Falkner Island. A Rock. The dredged channel leads northward through lighted gong buoy marks the shoal off the northern end the harbor and eastward of Guilford Point to a junction of Falkner Island, and a lighted bell buoy is off the with Sluice Creek and East River, about 0.6 mile above southern end of Stony Island. the channel entrance. At the junction, the dredged (225) From Indian Reef westward are rocky shoals and is- channel leads northwesterly into Sluice Creek for lets extending from 0.2 to 0.7 mile off Vineyard Point and Sachem Head. Chimney Corner Reef, about 0.3 mile south of Sachem Head and marked by a buoy, is a Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:55 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen Eastern Long Island Sound I Chapter 8 I 293 Courtesy of U.S. Power Squadron, District 1. TOWN DOCK, GUILFORD, CT rocky broken area on which the least depth is 9 feet. privately maintained seasonal light. Just northward of Westward of it are Goose Rocks Shoals, on which are the islet a stone jetty with a bulkhead on its north side Goose Rocks, the northerly of which is bare and the extends about 100 yards in a northwesterly direction southerly one covered at high water. The outer limit of from the shore. Vessels can anchor in the angle near Goose Rocks Shoals is marked by a lighted bell buoy. To the shore where the depth is about 4½ feet. ensure clearing the westerly end of Goose Rocks (229) Joshua Cove, northwestward of Sachem Head, is Shoals, care must be taken not to round the buoy too little used, but affords good anchorage in its entrance closely. for small vessels in northerly or easterly winds in 6 to (226) Sachem Head Harbor, an anchorage for small craft 10 feet, soft bottom. The approach from southwestward on the southwest side of Sachem Head, is 0.3 mile long is clear between Goose Rocks and Leetes Rocks. and 0.1 mile wide, and has depths of 3 to 8 feet at the (230) Leetes Rocks, midway between Sachem Head and floats and in the moorings; it is sheltered except from the north end of The Thimbles, are two rocks bare at westerly winds. The island forming the south point at low water, with an area of broken ground around them. the entrance is connected with the shore by a bridge. A A 9-foot spot is about 200 yards southward of the south- yacht clubhouse is on the island. From the north point erly rock, and a 3-foot spot is 0.3 mile northeast of the of the island a breakwater extends 100 yards in a north- southerly rock. westerly direction; a rock awash, marked by a private (231) Leetes Island Quarry is a prominent feature on the seasonal light, is off the end of the breakwater. A rock south side of Hoadley Point; on the north side of the covered at half tide is 50 yards off the southeast side of cove eastward of the point are the ruins of an old dock. the harbor, about 350 yards eastward of the end of the (232) The Thimbles, about 1.6 miles west of Sachem breakwater. Head, comprise many islands, islets, and rocks that (227) The approach to Sachem Head Harbor for small bare. All of the area, extending over 2 miles from craft from eastward is along the south side of the rocks Hoadley Point southwestward to East Reef, is foul with making off from the south side of Sachem Head. Ap- rocky bottom and many shoals. To lesser extent, the proaching eastward of Goose Rocks, give the rocks a area from East Reef for 2 miles westward and berth of over 300 yards. The approach from westward is northwestward to Branford Harbor entrance is dotted clear between Goose Rocks and Leetes Rocks. with islets and rocks. The whole area is suitable only for (228) Uncas Point, the western extremity of Sachem small pleasure craft, which are very active here in sum- Head, is marked by a rocky islet on its west side and a mer. Many oyster stakes are encountered; these do not Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:59 PM

Color profile: Generic CMYK printer profile Composite Default screen 294 I Chapter 8 I Eastern Long Island Sound mark channels and caution should be used to avoid (238) 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 (233) 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 200 yards eastward. The reefs southwestward of Outer entrance channel and basin had reported depths of 5 Island, to and including East Reef and Browns Reef, feet. The basin approach northward of St. Helena Is- are buoyed. land has depths of 3 to 5 feet. Gasoline, diesel fuel, ice, (234) From eastward a buoyed channel leads through and water may be obtained at the yacht club landing. The Thimbles. The channel passes between Wayland Island and a buoy marking the foul area southward of (239) From Brown Point to Branford Harbor, 2.5 miles Cat Island. The channel extends between Davis Island westward, bare rocks and shoals extend up to about 2 and Dogfish Island, thence north of East Crib and miles offshore. A seawall extends westward from Brown West Crib into the more open water westward of The Point, and the shore is thickly settled. A rock bare at Thimbles; it is good for about 13 feet. half tide is 600 yards westward of Brown Point and 300 (235) Stony Creek, a village on the railroad, extends yards from shore. southward to Flying Point (41°15.5'N., 72°45.1'W.). A dredged channel west of Flying Point leads north to a (240) Rocks bare at low water are eastward of Haycock turning basin at Stony Creek. The channel is marked by Point, and rocks that bare at half tide are off the south- private buoys. In December 1988, the midchannel con- east side and southwest end of Green Island. The foul trolling depths were 3 feet in the channel with 1 to 4 ground extends about 0.6 mile south-southwestward feet in the basin. Rocks were reported in the northwest from Haycock Point, including Foot Rocks which are corner of the basin. Gasoline, marine supplies, inside partly above water. storage, and a small-craft launching ramp are available at marinas eastward of the turning basin; small craft (241) Branford Reef, about 1.8 miles southward of In- can be hauled out on a flatbed trailer for hull and en- dian Neck and 5 miles eastward of New Haven entrance, gine repairs. The village dock is on the southeast side of is marked by a light. This reef is surrounded by shoal the turning basin. water for a distance of 150 to 450 yards from the light. (236) Between the rocks westward of Rogers Island and Blackstone Rocks, a privately dredged channel, about (242) Deep water is between Branford Reef and Negro 0.9 mile westward of Flying Point, leads northeastward Heads, a reef bare in one place at low water about 0.9 to a quarry wharf on the west side of a dredged basin. In mile northward. Shoreward of Negro Heads are Specta- 1995, the reported controlling depths were 14 feet from cle Island, Sumac Island, and Clam Island, together the channel entrance to the basin, thence a depth of 14 with numerous rocks bare and covered. feet was available in the basin except for lesser depths along the north and west edges. The entrance channel (243) A private boat landing is on the northwest side of is marked by a private 028° range consisting of a front Clam Island. Small craft can enter Maltby Cove be- and middle light and a rear daybeacon. tween the bare rocks off the southwest end of Clam Is- (237) Thimble Island Harbor, in the western part of The land and Jeffrey Rock, favoring the northwest side of Thimbles, affords good shelter for small craft between Clam Island. Private markers are sometimes at the en- Pot Island and Money Island on the east and High Is- trance. The northwest side of the cove is foul, the prin- land and West Crib on the west. Although open south- cipal danger being a rock bare at low water near the westward, the sea from that direction loses much of its middle, northwestward of Clam Island; the rock is force before reaching the inner harbor. A rock with 3 sometimes marked by a seasonal private spindle. feet over it and marked by a buoy is 80 yards off the east side of High Island, just above its south end. Vessels (244) Jeffrey Point, the eastern point at the entrance of sometimes anchor near midchannel, between this rock Branford Harbor, has a bare rock close to its western and the north end of Pot Island in depths of 13 to 18 end. feet, soft bottom, but care should be taken to avoid the cables in the area. The harbor is easy of access between (245) Branford Harbor is a shallow cove between Jeffrey Outer Island and Inner Reef. Point and Johnson Point. Vessels up to 10-foot draft can select anchorage in the harbor southward of the Mermaids in 10 to 14 feet, protected against all but southerly and southwesterly winds. Boats up to 5-foot draft can select a well-sheltered anchorage in the upper part of the harbor above the Mermaids. The harbor is used chiefly for recreational boating and by the small local lobster fishing fleet. Coast Pilot 2 - 32nd Ed. Wednesday, January 08, 2003 3:04:59 PM