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by numerous uncovering rocks. Buck Island light, a group flashing white light, three flashes every 20 seconds, is exhibited at a height of 125 feet from a white square tower on the highest point of the western island. Off the western end a shallow ledge extends to a distance of 100 yards and off the northern side the depth is 5 fathoms at the same distance. The south side is steep-to. There is a small wharf and boat landing at the head of the southwest bight on the western island.

Frenchmans Cap lies 32 miles southeastward of Buck Island, and like Buck Island is a useful landfall for making St. Thomas Harbor. It is 350 yards long, 200 yards wide, and 183 feet high, covered with grass and steep-to. The shore line for the most part consists of high rocky cliffs. Off the northern side of the islands are depths of 6 to 8 fathoms 400 yards from the island and off the southern side 24 fathoms at 200 yards.

ST. THOMAS HARBOR.

This is the most important harbor of the Virgin Islands and one of the best harbors of the Windward Islands. It is situated on the south coast of St. Thomas Island, is 10 miles eastward of Sail Rock, Virgin Passage, and 7 miles northwestward of Frenchmans Cap. The northern and eastern sides are formed by St. Thomas Island and the western side by Hassel Island.

The entrance between Rupert Rock Beacon and Frederik Point is 500 yards wide, from whence it spreads out on either side into a basin, about 34 mile in diameter, and being open to the southward it is at all times convenient to enter or leave with the prevailing trade winds. Although of small extent, the harbor is well protected and perfectly safe except during a hurricane.

Muhlenfels Point is the eastern entrance point of the harbor. The quarantine station, a group of brown buildings with red roofs, and Muhlenfels Point lighthouse (white cylindrical tower, from which is shown a flashing white light every 15 seconds) are located on this point; a somewhat similar group of buildings on a ridge back of French Bay are sometimes mistaken for the quarantine station and Muhlenfels Point.

The West Indian Company's dock is located along a section of reclaimed water front northeastward from Havensight Point. Off the face of the dock is a channel dredged to 30 feet deep and 125 yards wide.

St. Thomas, formerly called Charlotte Amalia or Amalienborg, with a population of 7,747, is the principal town of the Virgin Islands and is located along the north shore of St. Thomas Harbor. As seen from off the entrance of the harbor the town is built around three spurs which branch off to the southward from the main mountain ridge. French Hill, the western spur, is 165 feet high. The center one, Judge Bergs, is 295 feet high, and there is a prominent square white building near the top. On the eastern spur, Government Hill, 205 feet high, is Blackbeards Castle (Kiaer Tower), a remarkable stone tower, 47 feet high. To the eastward of the town another hill, Bluebeard (Frederiksberg), rises abruptly from the shore, to a height of 224 feet, surmounted by a stone tower 34 feet high.

Chacha Village, a fishing settlement, lies along the shore of Mud Hole, the bay at the northwest corner of the harbor. Ballast Island is small, low, and covered with trees and undergrowth.

The Sticks or Haulover is a narrow channel separating St. Thomas from Hassel Island. At the present time the available depth through this passage into East Gregerie Channel is about 3 feet.

Hassel Island, % mile long, north and south, with an average width of 1/4 mile, is high and prominent, and forms the westerly side of the harbor. Along its northeast side are old docks, partly in ruins. Careening Cove indents the eastern shore and is the site of the U. S. Navy dock. Two large prominent oil tanks are on the hill southward of the dock. A conspicuous wreck lies on the shore just south of the southern entrance point to Careening Cove. Located on Frederik Point, the easterly point of the island, is an old fort. Cowell Point is the southern end of a ridge sloping up to the highest point on the island, known as Cowell Battery.

Channels.-The channel into St. Thomas Harbor is marked by Judge Bergs range lights (white structures on Judge Bergs Hill, front light fixed red, rear light fixed red), buoys, and a beacon on Rupert Rock, and has a least depth of 31 feet. A dredged channel leads alongside of the West India Company's dock at Havensight Point. Pilotage is compulsory, and vessels approaching the harbor are met outside by the pilot. If compelled to wait for a pilot, vessels should keep the entrance range open somewhat to the westward. The rates of pilotage, and extracts from the rules and regulations relating to pilots and pilotage, are given in the Appendix.

Reporting station. There is a signal station on Cowell Battery, Hassel Island, and all approaching vessels are reported to the Harbormaster.

Towboats. No towboats can be obtained outside but there are small gasoline boats that do light towing in the harbor.

Anchorages. The best anchorage in the harbor for deep-draft vessels is with the highest part of Rupert Rock in line with Muhlenfels Point lighthouse, and the easterly oil tank south of Careening Cove bearing 240° true (SW by W 34 W mag.) in 5 fathoms of water. Vessels of lesser draft may anchor nearer the town or in Long Bay. Fishing vessels and small local craft usually select anchorage in Mud Hole.

Harbor regulations are given in the Appendix.

Quarantine.-National quarantine regulations are enforced. The quarantine station is at Muhlenfels Point. Vessels with contagious diseases on board should anchor outside of Scorpion Rocks. Vessels subject to inspection are required to fly the letter "Q" of the International Code at the masthead from the time of their approach to the harbor until practique is given by the quarantine officer.

Communication.-St. Thomas has communication by cable with all parts of the world. The Navy Department maintains a radio station, the towers of which are located on Kings Wharf, St. Thomas.

St. Thomas is a port of call for steamship lines from United States and Europe.

Communication between St. Thomas, San Juan, and Christiansted is maintained by sailing vessels, on a regular weekly schedule.

Wharves.-There is a depth of 30 feet alongside the West India Company's dock at Havensight Point. The public boat landing is at Kings Wharf. Westward of this location there are several private landings for small boats. The Navy wharf is accessible for all but the largest ships.

Supplies. Coal, water, and fuel oil may be obtained. Ship chandlery and other supplies may be purchased in limited quantities.

Repairs. All ordinary repairs to vessels may be made. On Hassel Island, in the western part of the harbor, under the ruins of Shipley Battery, there is a marine railway capable of taking out vessels of 95 feet length, but owing to the filling of the entrance with mud the available draft is not over 9 feet.

The floating dock, which is situated in the western part of the harbor, has a length of 250 feet accommodating a length of keel of 300 feet, inside breadth 72 feet, greatest draft 21 feet, capacity 3,000 tons.

Hurricane warnings are displayed from a staff on Fort Christian, and at the signal station, Cowell Battery.

The customhouse is north of Kings Wharf, facing the public park. Dangers.-Green Cay, a small islet south of French Bay, is 24 feet high and covered with a low underbrush. A reef partly awash extends to the nearest point on St. Thomas, and partially shelters French Bay. There are several bare rocks and rocks awash lying 100 yards southward of the cay.

Triangle Rocks lie nearly midway between Green Cay and Muhlenfels Point. They consist of three groups of rocks in the shape of a triangle; the eastern group, known as Barrel of Beef, is 2 feet high, the northern one is partially awash and seldom breaks, and the southwestern and outer rock is 1 foot high.

A detached coral rock about 35 yards in diameter lies with the two western rocks of the Triangle in line bearing north, distant 300 yards from the outer. It has 234 fathoms water on it, and 7 fathoms close-to, with patches of 52 fathoms at short distances to south and east.

The southern limit of these dangers is marked by a red nun buoy. Banana Point (the northern end of Water Island) just open of Cowell Point (the southwestern point of the entrance to the harbor), bearing 305° true (NW 2 W. mag.), leads northward of the 234fathom rock, but rather close to the southwest of the Triangle, and it is advisable to pass southward and westward of the buoy marking the dangers.

Scorpion Rock lies in the fairway of the entrance to the harbor, between Muhlenfels and Cowell Points. It is a small coral rock, with two or three heads higher than the rest, on which there is a depth of 18 feet at mean low water. At about 30 yards on either side of the rock are depths of from 4 to 42 fathoms. A red and black nun buoy surmounted by a perch and ball marks this danger. Kiaer Tower (Blackbeard Castle), in line with Frederik Point, bearing 2° true (N 1/2 E mag.), leads 250 yards to the westward, and the tower on Bluebeard Hill in line with the highest part of Rupert Rock bearing 9° true (N by E 1% E mag.), leads about 125 yards eastward of the Rock. The entrance range clears the rock about the same distance eastward.

Point Knoll is a coral head over which there is a depth of 16 feet, lying 238° true (SW by W 2 W mag.) from Muhlenfels Point lighthouse and about 175 yards from the nearest part of the point.

Rohde Bank lies 500 yards north-northwestward from Muhlenfels Point lighthouse and consists of three small coral heads lying close to each other with a least known depth of 12 feet. Kiaer Tower, open westward of Rupert Rock Beacon, bearing 350° true (N 12 W mag.), leads over the western part of the Bank in 23 feet of water. This range also clears Point Knoll. The western side of Rohde Bank is marked by a red nun buoy.

Rupert Rock, 12 feet high, white on top, lies about 1/2 mile northward of Muhlenfels Point lighthouse, at the narrowest part of the channel into the harbor. At its base are some large boulders which extend out to a distance of 100 yards and toward the west become just covered at high water. A beacon, white spindle with target, marks this danger. Between the Rock and Havensight Point there are only 12 to 15 feet of water.

Between Frederik Point and Careening Cove the 18-foot curve is 100 to 150 yards off shore.

DIRECTIONS, ST. THOMAS HARBOR.

From westward.-From a position 4 miles eastward of Culebrita lighthouse make good a 103° true (ESE 2 E mag.) for 9 miles to a position 14 miles south-southwestward of the prominent red cliffs of Saba Island, with Muhlenfels Point lighthouse just open southward of Flamingo Point, Water Island. This course will lead 114 miles to the northward of Sail Rock. Then steer to make good a 750 true (E by N mag.) course for 314 miles, to a position 1/2 mile southsoutheastward of Flamingo Point. Then steer 53° true (NE by E % E mag.) heading for Muhlenfels Point lighthouse. When Rupert Rock is on range with the tower on Bluebeard Hill, or Judge Bergs Hill is open out of Frederik Point, haul slowly to the northward to meet the Judge Bergs entrance range (small white structures, with red vertical stripe) on Judge Bergs Hill, course 344° true (N by W mag.). Continue on this range until past Rupert Rock beacon, when anchorage may be selected to the eastward of the range. This range is not very sensitive off the entrance and care should be taken to keep on it. From eastward.-To pass between Buck Island and Packet Rock. Bring the southern extremity of Dog Island in line with Ram Head, St. John Island, bearing 88° true (E % S mag.), and steer 268° true (W 1 N mag.). This range will lead over 1/2 mile southward of Packet Rock and 34 mile northward of Buck Island lighthouse. When Contant Mill (stone structure on hill 377 feet high north of Gregerie Channel) is open of Cowell Point, bearing 319° true (NW 5% N mag.) it may be steered for, passing 400 yards southwestward of the nun buoy off the Triangle. When Judge Bergs entrance range is on steer for it, course 344° (N by W mag.) until past Rupert Rock beacon, when anchorage may be selected to the eastward of the range.

At night vessels should pass between Frenchman Cap and Buck Island.

From southward.-Vessels approaching from southward will sight Frenchman Cap and Buck Island as landfalls for the harbor. Steer

to give Buck Island lighthouse a berth of about 1 mile and head in for the harbor on a 344° true (N by W mag.) course and pick up the entrance range. Then follow the preceding directions.

Gregerie Channel, immediately westward of St. Thomas Harbor, is formed by Water Island to the south and St. Thomas on the north, making a complete elbow.

Water Island, 1/2 miles long, 294 feet high, is of irregular outline, indented by several small bays and covered by small trees and dense underbrush. Flamingo Point, the southern point of the island, consists of brown rocky cliffs, 100 feet high, upon which the sea continually breaks. Flamingo Bay and Drift Bay, separated by Drift Point, are two small bights on the west side of Water Island. Banana Point, the northern end of the island, is a low rocky point. Between it and Drift Point to the southward the sandy bays and beaches are used by the fishermen for seining. Banana Bay and Sand Bay are two shallow bights on the east side of the island. Sprat Point, terminating in high rugged cliffs, separates East Gregerie Channel from Sprat Bay, a small bight with a fine sand beach at its head. Limestone Rock, 4 feet high, lies on an extensive coral reef, 175 yards southward of Carol Point, the point which forms the eastern shore of Limestone Bay. Sprat Bay and Limestone Bay being open to the prevailing swell are rough and of no commercial importance.

East Gregerie Channel, between Hassel and Water Islands, is free from danger. At its entrance, between Cowell and Sprat Points, it is 1/2 mile wide, and at the elbow, or northwestern end, between Careen Hill and Banana Point, 1/4 mile. West Gregerie Channel, the southwestern arm, is about the same length and over 1/4 mile wide. At the head or elbow it opens into a well-sheltered basin 1/2 mile in diameter.

Depths.-East Gregerie Channel carries from 6 to 8 fathoms, and West Gregerie Channel from 6 to 9 fathoms. At the junction of the two, northward of Water Island, there is a bar with from 42 to 512 fathoms.

Dangers. Gregerie Bank is in midchannel, 475 yards northwestward of Sandy Point. It consists of a coral sand shoal about 80 yards long and 40 yards wide, with a least depth of 13 feet. Cowell Point, open off Banana Point, bearing 125° true (SE 2 E mag.) leads northward of it. Sandy Point Rock is an elongated shoal with a depth of 1 foot at its northeastern end and 3 feet at its southwestern end, lying near the end of a sandy shoal making 250 yards off from Sandy Point. The distance between it and Gregerie Bank is 250 yards. Between Sandy Point Rock and Sandy Point there is a rocky shoal with a least depth of 1 foot.

Telegraph cables.-Three telegraph cables are laid through West Gregerie Channel, the landing place being on a small point in Crown Bay, westward of Careen Hill.

Anchorage.-Anchorage can be found anywhere in Gregerie Channel, clear of the shoals. To avoid fouling the cables in West Gregerie Channel anchorage should be selected off the entrance to Little Krum Bay. A good berth can also be found north of Banana Point.

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