Fishweirs. Regulations prescribe that fishing structures and appliances in navigable waters of the United States shall be lighted for the safety of navigation, as follows:

The lights shall be displayed between sunset and sunrise. They shall be placed at each end of the structure excepting where the inner end terminates in such situation that there is no practicable navigation between it and the highwater line of the adjacent coast, in which case no inner light shall be displayed. The outer light shall be white and the inner light shall be red. The size, capacity, and manner of maintenance of the lights shall be such as may be specified in the War Department permit authorizing the erection of the structure or appliance.

When several structures or appliances are placed on one line with no navigable passage between them, they will be considered, for lighting purposes, as one structure.

Lighthouse tenders, when working on buoys in channels or other frequented waters, may display a red flag (international signal code flag B) and a black ball at the fore as a warning to other vessels to slow down in passing. Passing vessels will facilitate the work of the Lighthouse Service by a proper observance of the signals.

Special signals for surveying vessels. The following signals have been prescribed for vessels of the United States engaged in hydrographic surveying:

By day a surveying vessel of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, under way and employed in hydrographic surveying, may carry in a vertical line, one over the other not less than 6 feet apart where they can best be seen, three shapes not less than 2 feet in diameter of which the highest and lowest shall be globular in shape and green in color and the middle one diamond in shape and white. Vessels of the Coast and Geodetic Survey shall carry the above-described marks while actually engaged in hydrographic surveying and under way, including drag work. Launches and other boats shall carry the prescribed marks when necessary.

It must be distinctly understood that these special signals serve only to indicate the nature of the work upon which the vessel is engaged and in no way give the surveying vessel the right-of-way over the other vessels or obviate the necessity for a strict observance of the rules for preventing collisions of vessels.

By night a surveying vessel of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, under way and employed in hydrographic surveying, shall carry the regular lights prescribed by The Rules of the Road.

A vessel of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, when at anchor in a fairway on surveying operations, shall display from the mast during the daytime two black balls in a vertical line and 6 feet apart. At night two red lights shall be displayed in the same manner. In the case of a small vessel the distance between the balls and between the lights may be reduced to 3 feet if necessary. Such vessels, when at anchor in a fairway on surveying operations, shall have at hand and show if necessary in order to attract attention a flare-up light in addition to the lights which are, by this regulation, required to be carried.

The wire drags used by the Coast and Geodetic Survey in sweeping for dangers to navigation may be crossed by vessels without danger of fouling at any point except between the towing launches and the large buoys near them, where the towline approaches the surface of the water. Steamers passing over the drag are requested to change course so as to cross it approximately at right angles, as a diagonal course may cause the propeller to foul the supporting buoys and attached wires.

(2) COURSES AND DISTANCES, OUTSIDE COAST

59

2. GENERAL SAILING DIRECTIONS, OUTSIDE COAST The following tabulated Directions are for deep-draft vessels bound for any of the principal ports along the Gulf coast and coming either from the Straits of Florida or from another Gulf Coast port.

Caution. These tabulated Directions should be used in conjunction with the general information given concerning currents, depths, etc. General information regarding Tides and Currents is given on page 41. The Directions for approaching the entrances to the various ports give information regarding currents and depths to be encountered en route. The monthly pilot chart for Central American Waters also gives information regarding currents in the Gulf of Mexico.

COURSES AND DISTANCE BETWEEN GULF COAST PORTS

FROM KEY WEST, (1⁄4 mile east from Smith Shoal Light,
Northwest Channel:

TO TAMPA, Tampa Bay Lighted Whistle Buoy--
TO CHARLOTTE HARBOR, Entrance Lighted Bell
Buoy--

FROM REBECCA SHOAL, 3 miles east from Pulaski
Shoal Light:

TO TAMPA, Tampa Bay Lighted Whistle Buoy__
TO CHARLOTTE HARBOR, Entrance Lighted Bell
Buoy---

FROM DRY TORTUGAS, 111⁄2 miles 225° true from Dry
Tortugas Lighthouse:

TO (PANAMA CITY) 13 miles 215° true from Cape
San Blas Lighthouse_--

Thence to St. Andrew Bay Entrance Lighted
Bell Buoy-

TO PENSACOLA, Caucus Cut Entrance Lighted

Whistle Buoy..

TO MOBILE, Mobile Entrance Lighted Whistle Buoy-
TO PASCAGOULA AND GULFPORT, Horn Island
Pass Bar Whistle Buoy (See Position 14, Table
of Coastwise Courses)

TO SOUTH PASS Lighted Whistle Buoy_.
TO SOUTHWEST PASS Entrance Lighted Whistle
Buoy-

TO (SABINE PASS) Ship Shoal Lighted Whistle
Buoy (See Position 21, Table of Coastwise
Courses).

TO (GALVESTON Entrance) 1 mile southwest-
ward of Heald Bank Lightship-

Thence to Galveston Bar Lighted Whistle Buoy-
TO CORPUS CHRISTI, Aransas Pass Lighted
Whistle Buoy_ -

TO BRAZOS-SANTIAGO Entrance Lighted Whistle

Buoy-

277

772

334

57738°-36- -5

COURSES AND DISTANCE BETWEEN GULF COAST PORTS—Continued

TO TAMPA, Tampa Bay Lighted Whistle Buoy:
FROM NORTHWEST CHANNEL (Key West),
4 mile east of Smith Shoal Light__.

FROM REBECCA SHOAL, 3 miles east of Pulaski
Shoal Light_

FROM PANAMA CITY, St. Andrew Bay Entrance
Lighted Bell Buoy to 13 miles 215° true from
Cape San Blas Lighthouse_

Thence to Tampa Bay Lighted Whistle Buoy... FROM PENSACOLA, Caucus Cut Entrance Lighted

Buoy 1A..

FROM MOBILE, Mobile Entrance Lighted Whistle

TO PANAMA CITY, St. Andrew Bay Entrance Lighted
Bell Buoy:

FROM TAMPA, Tampa Bay Lighted Whistle Buoy
to 13 miles 215° true from Cape San Blas Light-
house__

Thence to St. Andrew Bay Entrance Lighted
Bell Buoy

FROM PENSACOLA (See Table of Coastwise

Courses).

TO PENSACOLA, Caucus Cut Entrance Lighted Whistle
Buoy 1 A:

FROM CAPE SAN BLAS LIGHTHOUSE bearing
21° true and distant 7.1 miles (Position 9, Table
of Coastwise Courses)

FROM TAMPA, Tampa Bay Lighted Whistle Buoy
FROM DRY TORTUGAS LIGHTHOUSE, 11.4
miles 225° true from the lighthouse.
FROM SOUTH PASS Lighted Whistle Buoy
FROM MOBILE, Mobile Entrance Lighted Whistle
Buoy__.

NOTE.-Deeper draft vessels should keep
about 2 miles farther offshore than the direct
course between the two buoys.

FROM PANAMA CITY (See Position 11, Table of
Coastwise Courses) -

3362

327

340

39

(2) COURSES AND DISTANCES, OUTSIDE COAST

61

COURSES AND DISTANCE BETWEEN GULF COAST PORTS-Continued

TO MOBILE, Mobile Entrance Lighted Whistle Buoy:
FROM PENSACOLA, Caucus Cut Entrance Lighted
Whistle Buoy 1A_--

NOTE.-Deeper draft vessels should keep
about 2 miles farther offshore than the direct
course between the buoys.

FROM TAMPA, Tampa Bay Lighted Whistle Buoy 299
FROM DRY TORTUGAS LIGHTHOUSE, 11.4
miles 225° true from the lighthouse__
FROM SOUTH PASS, 2 miles southeastward from
South Pass Lighted Whistle Buoy---.

322

431

37

TO HORN ISLAND PASS BAR Whistle Buoy (Position 14, Table of Coastwise Courses):

TO SOUTH PASS Lighted Whistle Buoy:
FROM MOBILE, Mobile Entrance Lighted Whistle
Buoy

NOTE. This course and distance is to a posi-
tion 2 miles southeastward of South Pass
Lighted Whistle Buoy, passing 11⁄2 miles off Pass
A Loutre Lighted Whistle Buoy.

197

FROM PENSACOLA, Caucus Cut Entrance Lighted

Whistle Buoy-

FROM PANAMA CITY, St. Andrew Bay Entrance
Lighted Bell Buoy_.

FROM TAMPA, Tampa Bay Lighted Whistle BuoyFROM DRY TORTUGAS, 11.4 miles 225° true from Dry Tortugas Lighthouse...

TO SOUTHWEST PASS Entrance Lighted Whistle Buoy:
FROM DRY TORTUGAS, 11.4 miles 225° true
from Dry Tortugas Lighthouse_

FROM BRAZOS-SANTIAGO Entrance Lighted
Whistle Buoy_

FROM SHIP SHOAL Lighted Whistle Buoy (See
Position 21, Table of Coastwise Courses.)

TO SABINE PASS, Sabine Pass Lighted Whistle Buoy (Position 24, Table of Coastwise Courses): FROM DRY TORTUGAS LIGHTHOUSES, 11.4 miles 225° true from the lighthouse to Ship Shoal Lighted Whistle Buoy 2--

Thence courses given in Table of Coastwise

Courses, Positions 21 to 24.

COURSES AND DISTANCE BETWEEN GULF COAST PORTS-Continued

TO GALVESTON ENTRANCE, Galveston Bar Lighted
Whistle Buoy (Position 25, Table of Coast wise
Courses):

FROM DRY TORTUGAS, 11.4 miles 225° true
from Dry Tortugas Lighthouse to 1 mile south-
westward of Heald Bank Lightship-

Thence to Galveston Bar Lighted Whistle Buoy FROM BRAZOS-SANTIAGO Entrance Lighted Whistle Buoy -

NOTE. This course leads to a position 3 miles south of Galveston Bar Lighted Whistle Buoy.

TO CORPUS CHRISTI, Aransas Pass Lighted Whistle
Buoy (Position 29, Table of Coastwise Courses):
FROM DRY TORTUGAS, 11.4 miles 225° true
from Dry Tortugas Lighthouse_

FROM SHIP SHOAL Lighted Whistle Buoy 2_.

(See Position 21, Table of Coastwise Courses.)
NOTE. See also Table of Coastwise Courses.

TO BRAZOS-SANTIAGO Entrance Lighted Whistle Buoy
(Position 30, Table of Coastwise Courses):
FROM SOUTHWEST PASS Entrance Lighted
Whistle Buoy

FROM DRY TORTUGAS, 11.4 miles 225° true from Dry Tortugas Lighthouse –

FROM GALVESTON, 3 miles south of Galveston
Bar Lighted Whistle Buoy ----

NOTE. See also Table of Coastwise Courses.