THE INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY

The Intracoastal Waterway affords a protected route, with the exception of various short sections, for vessels between Boston, Massachusetts, and the Rio Grande, a distance of approximately 3,100 miles. No toll is charged for passage as the waterway is under Federal jurisdiction. Navigation is restricted, however, by the limiting depths, and horizontal and vertical clearances in the various sections of the waterway. The controlling horizontal clearance for the entire route is 391/2 feet (12.0 m) at the Palm Valley bridge in Florida. The locks in the alternate route through the Dismal Swamp Canal have a controlling horizontal clearance of 36 feet (11.0 m). The height of the masts of vessels is restricted by the vertical lift bridge at Boynton, Florida, to 42.6 feet (13.0 m).

Aids to navigation. The United States Lighthouse Service has recently adopted a uniform method of marking for the Intracoastal Waterway to be generally applied south of Norfolk, both on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. The present aids will be changed as rapidly as practicable and all aids subsequently established will conform with the system.

In proceeding in a southerly direction along the Atlantic coast and thence generally westerly along the Gulf coast the port hand is considered as on the left, starboard on the right, and aids colored and numbered accordingly. The use of the triangle or square and the color yellow, as indicated below, will be characteristic of the aids marking any part of the Intracoastal Waterway.

Red lights, starboard side, surmounting red superstructures with red triangular daymarks, with yellow borders, even numbers in white at the center of the daymark.

White or green lights, port side, surmounting black superstructures with black square daymarks, with yellow borders, odd numbers in white at the center of the daymark.

Daymarks or unlighted beacons, starboard side, red triangles with yellow borders, even numbers in white at the center of the daymark. Daymarks or unlighted beacons, port side, black squares with yellow borders, odd numbers in white at the center of the daymark.

Single pile structures on which the triangular or square daymarks are not used will be fitted with a pointer board directed toward the channel. The top half of the starboard piles, including the pointer board, will be red with even white numbers; the top half of the port piles, including the pointer board, will be black with odd numbers in white.

Where the Intracoastal Waterway traverses channels in rivers and inlets already marked as entered from seaward the numbering, coloring, etc., of aids in the latter will remain unchanged. In such cases a yellow triangle or square is added to daymarks or to buoys to indicate the relation of the aid to the Intracoastal Waterway.

Boston to New York Harbor.-Between Boston and Long Island Sound it is necessary to pass through comparatively exposed waters and no inland route exists except for the passage through the Cape Cod Canal and its approaches.

The Cape Cod Canal extends from Cape Cod Bay to Buzzards Bay and with its approach channels affords a sea-level waterway 12.6 miles in length. The controlling depth in January 1936, was 23 feet

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(7.0 m) at mean low water in the canal. Widening and deepening of the canal and the work of constructing two new high-level highway bridges and a vertical lift railroad bridge to replace the existing drawbridges is now nearly completed. The controlling vertical clearance through the canal is 135 feet (41 m) at high water.

From the canal the route generally followed extends from Buzzards Bay to the Atlantic Ocean, thence through Block Island and Long Island Sounds, and the East River to upper New York Bay, thence through the more open waters to lower New York Bay. There are numerous harbors on both sides of Long Island Sound.

An inland waterway extends along a portion of the south side of Long Island and affords a protected route from Gardners Bay to East Rockaway Inlet with a controlling depth of 4 feet (1.2 m).

New York Harbor to Delaware Bay.-An outside run between New York Bay and Delaware Bay is now necessary except for vessels whose draft permits use of the New Jersey Inland Waterway. This waterway is entered at its northern end through Manasquan Inlet, 23 miles, south of Sandy Hook, and extends for 109 nautical miles to Cape May Inlet at Cape May. The waterway is maintained by the State of New Jersey as a 6-foot (1.8 m) project but the controlling depth in October 1935 was reported to be 4 feet (1.2 m). Vessels are obliged to run outside from Sandy Hook to Manasquan Inlet, and to round Cape May and cross the lower reaches of Delaware Bay to the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal.

The Intracoastal Waterway formerly extended from New York Bay through the Raritan River, the Delaware and Raritan Canal, and the Delaware River to Delaware Bay. The Delaware and Raritan Canal, now under the jurisdiction of the State of New Jersey, has not been open to navigation since 1933.

Investigations for the most desirable route for the New York-Delaware Bay section of the Intracoastal Waterway have been completet and the route, extending between Sayreville, N. J., on the Raritan River and Bordentown, N. J., on the Delaware River, with a minimum depth of 25 feet (7.6 m) and a minimum width of 250 feet, was recommended to Congress under date of January 10, 1934.

Delaware Bay to Norfolk.-The Chesapeake and Delaware Canal is a sea-level route which extends, for a distance of 19 miles, from Reedy Point on the Delaware River 40 miles below Philadelphia, Pa., to the junction of Back Creek and Elk River, about 4 miles west of Chesapeake City, Md. In June 1935 the controlling depth was 9.7 feet (3.0 m) although the conditions are such that a draft of 12 feet (3.6 m) can usually be carried through by taking advantage of the tide.

From the junction of the canal into Chesapeake Bay to Norfolk, a distance of 210 miles through Chesapeake Bay, depths in excess of 12 feet (3.6 m) obtain.

Norfolk to Beaufort entrance.-A sea-level waterway, paralleling the Atlantic coast, with a tidal lock at Great Bridge, Va., is afforded by the route through the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal, the Alligator River-Pungo River Canal, and the sounds of North Carolina. The project for this waterway provides a depth of 12 feet (3.6 m) at mean low water but the controlling depth was 11 feet (3.4 m) in the early part of 1935.

The alternate route to Albemarle Sound by way of the Dismal Swamp Canal, a lock canal, has a controlling depth of 9 feet (2.7 m). The section of the Intracoastal Waterway between Norfolk, Va. and Beaufort, N. C., with the alternate route through the Dismal Swamp Canal is more fully discussed in the section under "Waterways from Norfolk to Albermale Sound" on page -.

Navigation is practicable throughout the year on both of the abovenamed routes.

Beaufort entrance to Winyah Bay.-In June 1934 there was a controlling depth of 11 feet (3.4 m) from Beaufort Harbor to Wrightsville, thence 12 feet (3.7 m) to the Cape Fear River.

The new cut from Cape Fear River to Winyah Bay has not yet been completed and vessels whose draft will not permit crossing the bar at Little River Inlet, S. C., are required to go outside from Cape Fear River to Winyah Bay, a distance of about 73 miles.

A depth of 8 feet (2.4 m) is available in the waterway to Little River Inlet from Cape Fear River, a distance of about 28 miles. In August 1935 the low water depth in Little River Inlet was about 412 feet (1.4 m). The channel across the bar, although subject to change, is well buoyed. Navigation, however, should not be attempted except on a rising tide and only after securing local information. The distance from Little River Inlet Lighted Bell Buoy to Winyah Bay Entrance Bell Buoy is 47 nautical miles.

Winyah Bay to Charleston.-Dredging of this section of the waterway to a project depth of 10 feet (3.0 m) is now in progress (April 1935). In September 1935 it was reported that navigation was restricted to a draft of 32 feet (1.1 m) at mean low water at one point and 52 feet (1.7 m) at mean low water through several reaches between Minim Creek and Charleston.

Charleston to the St. Johns River, through the rivers and sounds of South Carolina and Georgia.-The project depth through the main waterway is 7 feet (2.1 m). The controlling depth for this section is in Brickyard Creek, north of Beaufort, S. C., where there is a depth of 5 feet (1.5 m) at mean low water.

St. Johns River to Miami.-This section of the waterway extends from the St. Johns River by way of the old Florida East Coast Canal through natural and connecting waterways to Miami on Biscayne Bay. A project depth of 8 feet (2.4 m) at mean low water is being maintained although the controlling depth may be temporarily reduced by shoaling.

Miami to Key West.-The route north of the Florida Keys has a controlling depth of 4 feet (1.2 m) which occurs in the northern channel through Shell Key Bank.

The route through Hawk Channel has a controlling depth of 10 feet (3.0 m).

Anchorages, sheltered from all ordinary weather, may be found anywhere along these passages, in the lee of reefs and keys.

Key West to Apalachicola. There is outside passage only from Key West to San Carlos Bay (at the mouth of the Caloosahatchie River). Shelter from weather is afforded, however, by sheltered anchorages in Shark River, among the Ten Thousand Islands, and in the passes at Cape Romano.

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From San Carlos Bay there is an inland channel with a controlling depth of 6 feet (1.8 m) through Pine Island Sound to Charlotte Harbor.

Outside passage is necessary from Charlotte Harbor to Venice Inlet.

An inland channel through shoal areas is available from Venice Inlet by way of Tampa Bay to Clearwater Harbor with controlling depths of 3 feet (0.9 m) from Venice to Sarasota, 7 feet (2.1 m) from Sarasota to Tampa, and 3 feet (0.9 m) from Tampa Bay to Clearwater Harbor.

Outside passage is necessary from Clearwater Harbor to Apalachicola Bay.

Apalachicola to Pensacola. The channel from Apalachicola River to St. Andrews Bay provides a protected route with a controlling depth of 5 feet (1.5 m).

Outside passage is necessary between St. Andrews Bay and Choctawhatchee Bay.

An inland waterway by way of the Narrows and Santa Rosa Sound affords a passage with a controlling depth of 9 feet (2.7 m) between Choctawhatchee Bay and Pensacola Bay.

Pensacola Bay to New Orleans.-The controlling depth in the waterway between Pensacola Bay and Mobile Bay is 9 feet (2.7 m).

The major portion of the waterway between Mobile and New Orleans is subject to rough weather as it follows the open waters of Mississippi Sound and Lake Pontchartrain. The controlling depth is 9 feet (2.7 m).

New Orleans to Galveston.-The controlling depth in this section is 9 feet (2.7 m).

Galveston to Corpus Christi.-The controlling depths are as follows: Galveston to Brazos River, 3 feet (0.9 m); Brazos River to Matagorda Bay, 2 feet (0.6 m) closed just east of Brazos River diversion canal; Pass Cavallo to Aransas Pass, 3 feet (0.9 m).

Corpus Christi to the Rio Grande.-There is no inland route at present between Corpus Christi and the Rio Grande.

Charts covering the Intracoastal Waterway routes along the Atlantic coast and Gulf of Mexico are published by the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey.

The inland waters are covered in the following publications of the Coast and Geodetic Survey:

United States Coast Pilot, Section B, covering the coast and inland waters from Race Point, Cape Cod, to Sandy Hook, including Long Island Sound, New York Harbor, and tributaries.

United States Coast Pilot, Section C, covering the coast and inland waters from Sandy Hook to Cape Henry, including Delaware and Chesapeake Bays, and the inside route from New York to Norfolk.

United States Coast Pilot, Section D (this volume), covering the coast from Cape Henry to Key West.

Inside Route Pilot, New York to Key West.

United States Coast Pilot, Gulf Coast, covering the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.

Additional information concerning the latest controlling depths in the Intracoastal Waterway can be secured at the various United States Engineer district offices along the route.

ROUTE ACROSS FLORIDA

The passage across Florida from the Intracoastal Waterway on the East coast to San Carlos Bay on the Gulf of Mexico by way of the St. Lucie River, St. Lucie Canal, Lake Okeechobee, and the Caloosahatchie River has a controlling depth of about 2 feet (0.6 m). This occurs in that section of the Caloosahatchie River which lies between Moore Haven and Fort Myers. It is reported that improvement work will shortly be undertaken to deepen this section to 6 feet.

Latest information concerning this route can be secured at the United States Engineer district office at Jacksonville, Fla., or at the office of the United States Engineers at Clewiston, Fla.

THE ATLANTIC-GULF SHIP CANAL

The construction of a waterway across northern Florida to connect the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico has recently been begun.

The route of the canal is via the St. Johns River to Palataka; thence in a southern and western direction to the Oklawaha and the Withlacoochee Rivers to deep water in the Gulf of Mexico. When completed the canal will have a depth of 30 feet (9.1 m), mean sea level, and widths as follows: 300 feet to Jacksonville; 400 feet, Jacksonville to Palataka; 250 feet, Palatka to the Gulf of Mexico; from 500 to 1,000 feet in the channel in the Gulf. The total length from deep water to deep water will be about 195 miles.

NEW YORK STATE CANAL SYSTEM

The New York State Barge Canal, known as the Erie Canal, affords an all-water route from the Hudson River on the east to Lake Erie. The canal is free for the use of both commercial and pleasure vessels. The canal was constructed for a depth of 12 feet throughout, but in 1930 the controlling depth was about 10 feet. Barges loaded to about 912 feet use the canal regularly.

There are 35 locks, the usable dimensions being 300 feet in length, 442 feet in width, and 12 feet over the sills. The controlling clearance under fixed bridges is about 141⁄2 feet.

If bound to Lake Ontario, the Erie Canal is followed to Three Rivers Point where the canalized Oswego River is entered and followed to Oswego on Lake Ontario. There are 7 locks in the Oswego Canal which is 24 miles in length. The locks are the same dimensions as those in the Erie Canal.

Construction has recently been begun in accordance with the legislation enacted by the 74th Congress which provided for the deepening of that section of the New York State Canal System between Oswego (Lake Ontario) and Waterford (Hudson River) to 14 feet (2.3 m) between locks, raising the level of bridges crossing the canal to provide for a vertical clearance of 20 feet (6.1 m), and for widening at such places and to such dimensions as the Secretary of War may deem advisable.

Troy to St. Lawrence River.-The Champlain Canal, Lake Champlain and the Richelieu River afford an all-water route from Troy to the St. Lawrence River. The size of vessels using this route is limited by the locks in the Chambly Canal (Canadian), which