is marked by lighted beacons about 1 mile apart and by numerous intermediate beacons.

Port Isabel (Point Isabel) (population 1,177 by the 1930 census) is a small commercial fishing and resort town 211⁄2 miles westward of Brazos Santiago pass. There are both railroad and improved highway connections to Brownsville and to Rio Grande Valley points in general. There are several small stores and two small hotels. Gasoline, oil, water, provisions, and some boat supplies are available for small craft. Water is rather unpalatable but acceptable for boiler use. There are marine ways capable of hauling boats up to about 40 feet long and 4 feet (1.2 m) draft, and some machine repairs can be made.

Terminal Facilities.-There is a transit shed (200 feet by 100 feet) with rail connections along the west side of the turning basin at Port Isabel. Shipments consist of citrus fruit, early vegetables (particularly onions), and cotton, while the receipts are general commodities.

Boca Chica, at the south end of Brazos Island and 4 miles southward of Brazos Santiago, is an entrance from the Gulf to Laguna Madre. It has a depth of 112 to 3 feet (0.5 to 0.9 m) at the entrance but only a few inches inside, and is seldom used.

Del Mar (Boca Chica Beach) on Brazos Island is a bathing and fishing resort.

The Rio Grande, which for about 1,000 miles of its length forms the boundary between the United States and Mexico, empties into the Gulf 7 miles southward of Brazos Santiago Pass.

By international agreement, the river is not used for navigational purposes; special permission is necessary for any boat to enter the river. No survey of the river has been made recently but it is reported that about 4 feet (1.2 m) can be carried across the bar off the entrance to the river; inside the channel is changeable and not dependable. Brownsville is 55 miles from the mouth via the river but only 20 miles by airline. Matamoros is opposite Brownsville on the Mexican side of the river.

Brownsville Ship Channel.-This project provides for the extension of the ship channel for 1211⁄2 miles southwestward from Long Island to a turning basin 1,000 feet by 1,300 feet on the northeast side of the city of Brownsville. The channel is to be 100 feet wide and the whole project 25 feet (7.6 m) deep. It is expected that this project will be completed by about June 1936.

Terminal Facilities. When the above ship channel is completed, it is expected to have certain facilities available at the turning basin. Two or more wharves with transit sheds will be constructed along the north side of the basin. Each of the wharves will be 400 feet long and the transit sheds 400 feet by 120 feet. Tracks will extend along the face of the wharves as well as behind the transit sheds and an excellent highway will connect the port with the town of Brownsville. Industrial sites are available along the ship canal.

Brownsville (population 22,021 by the 1930 census) is the fastgrowing metropolis of the Rio Grande Valley, a rich agricultural section extending along the north side of the Rio Grande for approximately 100 miles above its mouth. In addition to the agricultural

development of the valley, Brownsville is both a summer and a winter resort and a port of entry into Mexico. Less than 100 miles west of the city a considerable area of new oil fields is being developed. Three trunk-line railroads connect the city with both United States and Mexican points and excellent highways extend throughout the valley area as well as to the northern and northwestern part of Texas.

Airways.-The Pan American airport, about 5 miles east of the city, has airport facilities of every kind including customs, immigration, and health officers of both the United States and the Mexican Governments. There are about 200 employees at the airport. There are daily scheduled planes north to Dallas and Fort Worth and south to Mexico City, where connections are made for Central and South American points.

Anchorages. The only available anchorage site is outside the jetties in the Gulf of Mexico. After entering the pass, ships have to proceed to the wharves.

Pilotage.-Pilotage is compulsory to the same extent as for Aransas Pass and Galveston. The pilots meet vessels in a motor launch by previous arrangement; they intend to establish a lookout station on Padre Island. The rates of pilotage for Port Isabel are as follows:

For foreign vessels--.
Coastwise vessels__

Per foot of draft

$4.00

2.50

Pilotage rates for Brownsville have not yet been established. Quarantine, Customs, Immigration.-All these services maintain offices in the Federal Building.

Hospitals. The nearest marine hospital is at Galveston and the nearest United States Public Health Service Relief Station is at Corpus Christi. There is a private hospital in Brownsville.

Supplies and Repairs.-Provisions and general supplies can be secured at the numerous stores in Brownsville. There are as yet no facilities for ship repairs.

Meteorological table for Brownsville is given in the appendix.

Directions. There is no inside route southward from Aransas Pass to Brazos Santiago. From Aransas Pass Lighted Bell Buoy, a course 183° true (S. 11⁄2 E. mag.) for 106 miles leads to Brazos Santiago Entrance Lighted Whistle Buoy. Or small boats can follow the coast southward at a distance of about 1 mile to Brazos Santiago Pass.

Courses and Distances for deep-draft vessels approaching Brazos Santiago Pass are given on page 62, and also under Coastwise Courses (Position No. 30). The following courses and distances are for entering from the entrance buoy. The Inland Rules apply inside Brazos Santiago Entrance Lighted Whistle Buoy.

34. INSIDE ROUTES, KEY WEST TO THE RIO GRANDE

KEY WEST TO SAN CARLOS BAY

The various routes available for smaller vessels between Key West and San Carlos Bay are described and directions given on page 92. The route via Hawk Channel and Florida Bay is the most protected route and greatly reduces the distances between protected anchorages although considerably increasing the total distance. The total distance via this route is 181 miles from Key West Harbor to Caloosa Lighted Bell Buoy off San Carlos Bay and the limiting draft across Florida Bay is about 6 feet (1.8 m).

The route via Northwest Channel to Northwest Cape is 60 miles and an additional 90 miles to Caloosa Lighted Bell Buoy. The limiting depth for the courses and distances given to the northward of Northwest Cape is 7 to 8 feet (2.1 to 2.4 m) but this can be increased by keeping a somewhat greater distance off the coast.

There are two passages affording protected routes behind Cape Romano for smaller vessels.

Caxambas Pass.-See page 88 for Description and Directions. The distance through this passage from Coon Key Light to the western entrance to the pass is 6 miles and in 1935 the controlling depth was 3 feet (0.9 m) at low water. The tidal range is about 2 feet.

Big Marco Pass and River.-See page 89 for Description and page 90 for Directions. The distance from Coon Key Light to the western

entrance to the pass is about 11 miles, and in 1935 the controlling depth was 212 feet (0.8 m) at low water. The tidal range is about 1.7 feet.

Big Marco Pass to Gordon Pass.-A shallow inside passage extends from Big Marco Pass to Gordon Pass with a dead end extension to Naples. The southern entrance is north of Beacon 4 in Big Marco Pass, whence the passage extends northward through creeks and small dredged cuts. A low-water depth of about 4 feet (1.2 m) can be carried as far as Little Marco Pass but barely 2 feet (0.6 m) from there to Gordon Pass. The passage is not marked and is quite difficult to follow and should only be attempted with local information. The outside route is generally used between Big Marco Pass and Gordon Pass.

Gordon Pass to San Carlos Bay. Gordon Pass to San Carlos Bay. section of the coast.

There is no inside passage from Boats must pass outside along this

INSIDE ROUTE ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA

The entrance to this route is through the southern portion of the Caloosahatchee River to Fort Myer. Description and Directions for this portion of the Caloosahatchee River are given on pages 98 and

100.

This route above Fort Myers is described and directions given on pages 103 to 108. The route follows the Caloosahatchee River and connecting canal to Lake Okeechobee, thence the St. Lucie Canal and St. Lucie River to the Intracoastal Waterway along the east coast of Florida.

The present (1935) controlling depth is 3.5 feet (1.0 m). The project depth is 6 feet (1.8 m) and construction work is in progress toward the completion of the project.

The distance from Fort Myers to Stuart by this route is 108 miles.

SAN CARLOS BAY TO TAMPA BAY

North of San Carlos Bay, an inside route is available through Pine Island Sound to Charlotte Harbor. Description and Directions for this route are given on pages 108 and 109. The controlling depth is about 6 feet (1.8 m) at low water and about an additional foot at high water. The distance from Caloosa Lighted Bell Buoy to Charlotte Harbor Entrance is 33 miles via Jug Creek Shoal cut at the north end of the sound.

From Charlotte Harbor to Venice Inlet, 30 miles south of Tampa Bay, there is no inside route and the entrance to the first inside route of importance is through Big Sarasota Pass, 11 miles north of Venice Inlet and 38 miles north of Boca Grande entrance.

When proceeding northward, the swash channel, about the outside of the north point at Charlotte Harbor Entrance, can under favorable weather conditions be used by boats drawing less than 5 to 6 feet. This channel follows close about the southern end of Gasparilla Island; it has a controlling depth of about 6 feet (1.8 m) but should be used by strangers only when the sea is smooth and the shoals can be seen.

(34) TAMPA BAY TO APALACHEE BAY

337

North of Charlotte Harbor Entrance the coast can be followed at a distance of 1 to 2 miles to Venice Inlet or to Big Sarasota Pass. Off Gasparilla Pass, shoals extend nearly a mile offshore.

The inside route from Venice Inlet to Sarasota Bay is seldom used as the channel is narrow, unmarked, and difficult to follow. In 1935 it was reported that sections of this channel had shoaled to a depth of about 22 feet (0.8 m). Local information is necessary for the use of this channel. In 1935 Venice Inlet had a controlling depth of about 22 feet (0.8 m) and a course of about 108° true (ESE. 5% E.) led through the entrance channel. Local information can be secured at Venice or Nokomis or sometimes just inside the entrance.

From Big Sarasota Pass to Tampa Bay, an inside route is available. Description and Directions for this route are given on pages 118 and 119. The controlling depth through Big Sarasota Pass was about 6 feet in 1935. The project depth for the channel through Sarasota Bay to Tampa Bay is 7 feet (2.1 m) but there is often less water (4 to 5 feet in 1935) over a shifting bar just inside Longboat Inlet. The distance from Big Sarasota Pass Light at the south end of the route to Sarasota Pass Light 1 at the north end of the route is 20 miles.

Directions for Tampa Bay are given on page 131.

TAMPA BAY TO APALACHEE BAY AND ST. GEORGE SOUND

Between Tampa Bay and Anclote Anchorage there is an inside route through Boca Ciega Bay, The Narrows, Clearwater Harbor, and St. Joseph Sound. Descriptions and Directions for this route are given on pages 133 and 139. The controlling depth through The Narrows and St. Joseph Sound was about 3 feet (2.4 m) in 1935. The distance from Point Pinellas Light to a position in Anclove Anchorage opposite Anclote Keys Lighthouse is 40 miles.

If passing outside at Tampa Bay, steer 352° true (N. by W. mag.) for 4.3 miles from Sarasota Pass Light 1, heading for the wharf at the old quarantine station. When one-half mile off the wharf follow the Tampa Bay ship channel about the north end of Egmont Key into the Gulf. See Directions for Tampa Bay, page 131.

Coastwise courses from Tampa Bay to Apalachee Bay and to East Pass, St. George Sound are given on page 63. If desiring to enter Cedar Keys, a course 355.5° true (N. 34 W. mag.) for 87 miles leads direct to Cedar Keys Main Entrance Light 1. Directions for Cedar Keys are given on page 144.

There is no inside route between Anclote Anchorage and Apalachee Bay, but shelter, supplies, and provisions are available at Cedar Keys; see page 143.

Directions between Anclote Anchorage and North Entrance Light 2, north of Anclote Keys, are given on page 137.

From North Entrance Light 2, a course 344° true (N. by W. 5% W.) for 10.5 miles leads to a position one-fourth mile west of St. Martins Outer Shoal Beacon 22, on the outer edge of St. Martins Reef and from this position a course 349° true (N. by W. 14 W.) for 39.5 miles leads to Cedar Keys Main Entrance Light 1. Directions for Cedar Keys are given on page 144.