United States Coast Pilot: Gulf Coast. Key West to the Rio Grande

Myers. A draft of 9 feet (2.7 m.) can be taken to the anchorage off the wharves. The Gulf Oil Dock, the longest dock here, has 512 feet (1.7 m.) of water at the end, and there is also 512 feet (1.7 m.) of water at the end of the railroad dock. A bridge with draw crosses the river about 600 feet above the docks. Good anchorage, in depths ranging from 6 to 9 feet (1.8 to 2.7 m.) can be found off the town. Fresh water, gasoline, and some supplies can be had here, and there is telegraph and telephone communication. Storm-warning signals are displayed from a tower on the water front. Minor repairs to engines and machinery can be made, and there are slipways of about 30 tons capacity, but limited to drafts of 4 feet. At Cleveland, 3 miles above Punta Gorda, on the same bank, is a marine railway of about 100 tons capacity, on which vessels of 6 feet draft can be hauled. Single-pile beacons, with pointers, mark the best water in Peace River from Punta Gorda to Cleveland.

Prominent features.-In approaching the entrance to Charlotte Harbor from the southward or southwestward a water tank, 136 feet (41.6 m.) high, and a yellow chimney, 125 feet (38.1 m.) high, threeeighths mile north of the entrance, will be the first objects sighted in the daytime. At night the entrance gas buoy and Gasparilla Island Lighthouse will be recognized first. Coming from northward a vessel will first sight a high water tank (103 feet (31.4 m.)), 134 miles north of the entrance. At night this tank has a small light on the side.

Gasparilla Island Lighthouse is a white frame dwelling on the south end of the island. The light is flashing white (flash 0.5 second, eclipse 9.5 seconds), 41 feet (12.5 m.) above the water, and visible 12 miles.

Pilots will board vessels near the entrance buoy. Pilotage is compulsory for most vessels. (See the extracts from the laws of Florida relative to pilotage on p. 4.) Pilotage rates for the port of Bocagrande, effective after November 1, 1923, are as follows:

6 to 8 feet_. 8 to 15 feet_.

From sea to anchorage, or from anchorage to sea

15 to 20 feet__

201⁄2 and over..

Per foot

$2.50

3.00

4.50

5.50

Dockage rate

To dock

From dock_.

Boat, running lines__

Boat waiting on ship in stream-daylight service-per day.

Changing anchorage_.

Boat transferring laborers to and from ship in stream for leveling cargo, daylight service_

To quarantine ground....

To delivering orders at sea--

10.00

15.00

5.00

10.00

25.00

Anchorage. The best anchorage for large vessels is in deep water at the inner end of the entrance channel. This is the anchorage used by vessels while waiting for a loading berth at the phosphate elevators. It affords excellent shelter from all winds, and is also used as a harbor of refuge by coasters and other vessels. Small vessels can anchor almost anywhere in Charlotte Harbor that suit

able depth can be found. Good depths for small craft close inshore can be found anywhere within 12 miles northward of the entrance and one-half mile off the east side of Gasparilla Island. Small craft can also use the lagoon at Bocagrande.

The harbor master has control of the anchorage and berthing of vessels at South Bocagrande. Masters should report to him immediately after anchoring or docking. The following is an extract from the regulations relating to South Bocagrande:

No steamers shall, while passing along the line of the wharves of this city, exceed in speed 4 miles an hour; and where two or more vessels are moored abreast of any of said wharves the steamer passing will stop her engines and turn over slow," using every precaution to avoid unnecessary suction until the vessels in her immediate vicinity are passed by.

Quarantine. The quarantine station is inside the point on the south side of the entrance. Vessels subject to visitation will be boarded at the anchorage at the inner end of the entrance channel. Hospital.-The nearest marine hospital is at Key West.

Supplies.-Ship chandlery and provisions can be obtained at South Bocagrande and Punta Gorda. There is no supply of coal, but it can be brought by rail from the town of Arcadia on short notice. Good water can be had at South Bocagrande.

Minor repairs only to machinery and hulls of small craft can be made at South Bocagrande, Punta Gorda, and Cleveland. (See also Punta Blanca on page 53.)

Storm warnings are displayed at South Bocagrande, Bocagrande, and Punta Gorda.

Tides and currents.-The mean rise and fall of the tide is 1.4 feet, but the variations in the water surface due to the force and direction of the wind are as much as 4 or 5 feet at times, obliterating all traces of the normal tidal action.

The tidal currents in the entrance channel have considerable strength, especially the ebb current, which is said to attain occasionally an extreme velocity of 3 to 4 knots, dependent also upon the force and direction of the wind. Slack water before the flood occurs at about the time of high water at Key West and slack water before the ebb occurs about 1 hour 45 minutes before the time of low water at Key West.

DIRECTIONS, CHARLOTTE HARBOR

On both sides of the entrance there are shifting shoals extending in a general southwesterly direction for 311⁄2 miles. Their shoaler parts, locally known as "sand bores," are usually marked by breakers. Near their western edges the shoals rise abruptly from 4 and 5 fathoms (7 and 9 m.) of water, and the lead gives but poor warning of their proximity in approaching them.

Bocagrande, the main channel, has an improved depth of 18 feet (5.5 m.) for a width of nearly three-eighths mile, and a depth of 24 feet (7.3 m.) in a dredged channel 300 feet wide. It is marked by buoys and range beacons. A draft of 15 feet (4.6 m.) can be taken in through Bocagrande when there is a moderately heavy sea running, but strangers of a greater draft should not attempt to enter under such conditions without a pilot.

It is well to keep at least 4 miles offshore until the gas and gas bell buoy is sighted, or steer for the lighthouse, or the chimney and

water tank at South Bocagrande, bearing 47° true (NE. mag.), and stand in on this course until up with the gas and bell buoy. Then steer 36° true (NE. by N. mag.) for 21⁄2 miles from the gas buoy with two beacons on the shoals west of the lighthouse in range, and leave the buoys on the sides indicated by their color. The shoal on the northwest side of the channel has built out so that it extends into the channel between buoys Nos. 2 and 3. Vessels of over 16 feet (4.9 m.) draft should keep well to eastward of the range between these buoys. From buoy No. 4 steer 67° true (NE. by E. 34 E. mag.), being guided by the buoys, and pass a little over one-fourth mile southward of Gasparilla Island Lighthouse.

Vessels of less than 18 feet (5.5 m.) draft could formerly enter the harbor on the lighted range; but due to shoaling on the bar from the northward, this range should not be used to cross the bar by vessels of over 8 feet (2.4 m.) draft.

A break in the shoal along the north side of the Boca grande Channel forms what is known as the Swash Channel, a narrow passage 5 feet (1.5 m.) deep, close to the southern end of Gasparilla Island. This channel is used to a considerable extent by small local craft and is said to change but little. However, a stranger should attempt it only when the sea is so smooth that the shoals can be clearly seen.

To go to Punta Gorda.-Steer 72° true (ENE. % E. mag.) with Charlotte Harbor Light a little on the port bow, passing 150 yards north of beacons Nos. 8 and 10. When beacon No. 10 is abeam steer 75° true (ENE. 11⁄2 E. mag.) until Charlotte Harbor Light bears 13 true (N. by E. mag.), and then steer 44° true (NE. 1⁄4 N. mag.) to a position 100 yards east of black beacon No. 7. Then steer 355° true (N. 5% W. mag.) for Mangrove Point beacon (flashing white light), leave it 100 yards on the port hand, and steer 16° true (N. by E. 14 E. mag.), so as to leave Peace River beacon (flashing red light) 100 yards on the starboard hand. From a position 200 yards north of the last beacon steer 69° true (ENE. mag.) for seven-eighths mile, and then steer 92° true (E. mag.) so as to leave beacon No. 2 about 25 yards on the starboard hand. From there steer 67° true (NE. by E. 34 E. mag.) to the anchorage westward of beacon No. 4. A depth of 512 feet (1.7 m.) can be carried to the wharves at low tide.

CHARLOTTE HARBOR TO TAMPA BAY

From Charlotte Harbor to Tampa Bay the coast trends about northwest by north, and is a nearly straight sand beach, broken at a few places by small inlets. The shore is low, and wooded nearly to the water's edge, and has but few prominent features that can be recognized from offshore. The buildings at Bocagrande, at Sarasota, and at several of the inlets can be made out, and the water tower at Sarasota can be seen from some distance offshore. S J tall palmettoes, with a hotel and several buildings at Maria, near the northwesterly end of Anna Maria Key, are also good landmarks. The coast is clear, except in the vicinity of the entrances to Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay.

Back of the coast line are shallow bays and lagoons which can be entered with light-draft vessels by the various passes and inlets, but there is no continuous inside passage even for the lightest draft.

Minor repairs only to machinery and hulls of small craft can be made at South Bocagrande, Punta Gorda, and Cleveland. (See also Punta Blanca on page 53.)

Storm warnings are displayed at South Bocagrande, Bocagrande, and Punta Gorda.

DIRECTIONS, CHARLOTTE HARBOR

It is well to keep at least 4 miles offshore until the gas and gas bell buoy is sighted, or steer for the lighthouse, or the chimney and

marine railway of 25 tons capacity which can haul out boats up to 45 feet in length and 4 feet draft. Anchorage for boats may be had in either of two artificial basins, where there are available depths of 7 to 8 feet (2.1 to 2.4 m.), or in a dredged area in the vicinity of the concrete dock. Dredging operations have removed part of the shoal in front of the town, and the shore line has been filled in and extended. A dredged channel 6 feet (1.8 m.) deep and 100 feet wide leads to Bird Key, on which a large white residence and a prominent tank are located. The entrance to this channel is marked by beacon No. 9. Storm warnings are displayed at Sarasota.

There is a 6-foot (1.8 m.) dredged channel into Hudson Bayou which is a good harbor for small boats. The entrance to the bayou is marked by single piles.

Hog Creek, on the north side of Sarasota, is the location of the slipways and machine shop. The Gulf Refining filling station is also located here. The entrance is through a 7-foot (2.1 m.) dredged channel.

There is a good channel extending north and south between Bird Key and Coon Key. This channel is good for about 7 feet (2.1 m.) draft, but is not marked. A causeway is being built from Cedar Point to Coon Key, with drawbridges over this channel, and over the channel near Cedar Point.

Longboat Inlet, 11 miles northward of Big Sarasota Pass, leads to Sarasota Bay. It has a depth of only 5 feet (1.5 m.) on the bar, but the channel is straight and is an easy entrance. On the north side are several unpainted buildings on the beach. The channel bears seaward in a south-southwest direction from the opening and is well defined by prominent shoals on each side. After entering the inlet turn northward and keep close to the shore until abreast of the wharf, then steer 22° true (N. by E. 34 E. mag.), with Longboat Inlet range beacons in line ahead. When about 100 yards from the front beacon haul northwestward and follow the channel. Longbeach, on the northern end of Longboat Key, is a small fishing village. Ilexhurst is a small settlement on the southern end of Anna Maria Key. Some supplies can be had at Ilexhurst where there is a small wharf.

Cortez is a post office and small fishing village 134 miles north of Longboat Inlet, on the eastern side of Sarasota Pass. Gasoline, oil, fresh water, and general supplies can be had. There is telephone connection to Bradentown, where there is a telegraph. A bridge with draw connects the town of Cortez with Cortez Beach on Anna Maria Key. A draft of 5 to 7 feet (1.5 to 2.1 m.) can be carried to the wharves at Cortez south of the bridge.

Directions, Big Sarasota Pass to Sarasota.-Approaching this pass a vessel should keep at least 2 miles offshore until a water tank and power-house chimneys in Sarasota are in line with the northwest point of Sarasota Key. Head in for the shore, passing close to the entrance buoy No. 2 and the channel buoy, and steer 28° true (NNE. 14 E. mag.) until about 100 yards from the shoal ahead, which is northerly of the point of the key. Then steer 59° true (NE. by E. mag.) passing the shoal fairly close to port, and leaving beacon No. 1 (flashing white light) about 150 yards to port. When about 100 yards off the starboard shore, follow it at this

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