if entering at low water, must pass well southward of it and then steer northwestward inside the bar until on the range, but some local knowledge is required to carry the best water. From inside the entrance to the head the best water generally follows a midchannel course or favors the ebb-tide bends. A drawbridge crosses the river at Flemings Landing, 3 miles above the mouth. It is a center-pier draw, each opening 36 feet wide; the north opening is generally used.

Tides.-The mean range of tides is 6 feet at the entrance and 3.5 feet at Smyrna Landing. High and low water at Smyrna Landing occur 2 hours and 13 minutes later than at the entrance.

DELAWARE BAY, EASTERN SIDE

[Chart 1218]

The eastern side of Delaware Bay is low and has few prominent marks except the lighthouses. There are many small creeks, frequented mostly by fishing and oyster boats and a few truck boats, and two large tributaries, Maurice and Cohansey Rivers, which have considerable trade, the deepest draft being about 11 feet (3.3 m.). The ruling depth on the eastern side of Delaware Bay is 7 to 15 feet (2.1 to 4.5 m.) with many spots of less than 6 feet (1.8 m.) These shoals are generally unmarked and some local knowledge is required to avoid them. There are bars at the mouths of the creeks and deeper water inside.

Cape May, on the eastern side of the entrance to Delaware Bay, is marked by the dirigible hangar and water tank on Sewell Point, by the large hotels at the town of Cape May, and by Cape May Lighthouse at the town of Cape May Point.

Storm warnings are displayed at Cape May Point Coast Guard station, southward of the lighthouse.

The shoals and channels on the northeastern side of Delaware Bay entrance, as determined by the 1914 and 1927 surveys, show little change in position or depth. The bottom, in places, consists of clay and sand mixed and with a consistency of hard pan. The ridges run approximately in the same directions as the currents.

Cape May channel is the principal one of the several buoyed channels. Passing through this channel and then between North and Crow Shoals, the least depths are 15 to 18 feet (4.5 to 5.4 m.). Some tugs pass northward of South Shoal. The channels have strong tidal currents, and many tide rips occur near Prissy Wicks Shoal. Strangers should enter the bay by the main channel along the southwest side, which is broad and deep.

Small boats may pass along the south side of Cape May and cross Prissy Wicks Shoal about 0.3 mile off the cupola at Cape May shown on the chart. There are depths through here 9 feet (2.7 m.)

or more.

There are several unimportant creeks northward of Cape May, but the first one open to navigation is Goshen Creek, 1311⁄2 miles northnortheastward of Cape May Lighthouse. There is a depth of about 1 foot (0.3 m.) across the flats at the mouth and 2 feet (0.6 m.) to Goshen Landing, 1 mile above the mouth and 1 mile below the village of Goshen. It is only entered by small local boats.

Dennis Creek, 63 miles eastward of East Point Lighthouse, has a depth of 2 feet (0.6 m.) across the flats at the mouth and 6 to 12 feet (1.8 to 3.6 m.) inside. It is navigable for a considerable distance, but is principally used as an anchorage by oyster boats. The entrance is marked by range lights, which lead in the best water across the flat in the approach. There is a fixed highway bridge across the creek near Dennisville.

West Creek, 1 mile northwestward of the entrance to Dennis Creek, is nearly bare at low water at the mouth and has a depth of about 3 feet (0.9 m.) inside. It is little used.

Deadman Shoal, lying 5% to 7 miles southward of East Point Lighthouse, had a least depth of 3 feet (0.9 m.) in 1914. It is marked on the east side by a gas buoy and at the north end by a horizontally striped buoy. Extending southward (true) from the west end of the shoal is a ridge with 6 to 7 feet (1.8 to 2.1 m.) over it, the south end of which lies 3 miles southwestward from the gas buoy.

East Point Lighthouse (flashing white), a white dwelling on the point on the east side of Maurice River Cove, is the most prominent mark in the vicinity.

Maurice River is navigable to the city of Millville, 21 miles above the mouth. The landings near the mouth are the center of a large oystering and fishing industry, and there is considerable trade in the upper river, mostly in towed sand barges. The deepest draft entering the river is 11 feet (3.3 m.), and this draft is taken to Millville at high water. In 1927 there was a depth of 534 feet (1.7 m.) and width of 100 feet in a dredged channel across the flats outside the mouth. From inside the mouth to 2,000 feet above the Millville bridge there was a least depth of about 6 feet (1.8 m.).

Bivalve is a railroad terminus and important oyster-shipping point on the west bank of Maurice River, 211⁄2 miles above the mouth. Gasoline and provisions are obtainable and there is water on the wharves. There is a railway capable of hauling out vessels of 150 tons and 6 or 7 feet (1.8 or 2.1 m.) draft, and a machine shop for ordinary repairs to motors. Storm warnings are displayed.

Maurice River, a post office opposite Bivalve, is also the terminus of a railroad and a shipping point for sea food.

Shellpile is the name of a group of oyster-packing plants just up the river from Bivalve. There is deep water at the docks.

Port Norris is a town about 3/4 mile from the river and northward of Bivalve.

Between Port Norris and Millville are the villages of Leesburg, Dorchester, Brickboro, and Port Elizabeth on the east bank, all on the railroad, and Mauricetown on the west bank. There are railways at Dorchester capable of hauling out vessels of about 250 tons, 120-foot length, and 7-foot (2.1 m.) draft, and a machine shop for ordinary repairs to motors.

A highway drawbridge crosses the river at Mauricetown. It has a center pier draw, width of openings 58 feet. Either opening is clear, but the eastern opening is the one generally used, as there is a westerly set on both ebb and flood tide.

In the season over 600 oyster boats operate out of the river. Much sand and gravel is handled.

Millville is an important town at the head of navigation on Maurice River. It has railroad communication and several factories. A drawbridge having a draw opening 36 feet wide crosses the river at the lower end of the wharves. Gasoline and provisions may be obtained.

Tides. The mean range of the tides is 5.7 feet at the entrance and 6 feet at Millville; it is high water at the latter place about 1 hour and 55 minutes later than at the mouth of the river. The tidal currents change at the entrance 1/2 hour and at Mauricetown 1 hour after the currents change at Overfalls Lightship. At Millville the flood current changes to ebb a little before high water, and the ebb changes to flood about 3/4 hour after low water; this applies to the river in summer, when there are no freshets.

Directions, Maurice River.-There are numerous oyster stakes off the entrance, but no difficulty will be experienced if guided by the fixed aids until sure of the buoys. The following courses will lead in a depth of 9 feet (2.7 m.) or more until approaching the entrance: A 358° true (N. 12 E. mag.) course from a position 1/2 mile westward of the western end of Cape May Point will lead to a position 1/2 mile eastward of Deadman Shoal gas buoy. Then a 335° true (N. by W. 12 W. mag.) course will lead to a position 1/4 mile southwestward of the entrance to the dredged channel.

Or a 14° true (NNE. mag.) course with Brandywine Shoal Lighthouse astern will lead to the above position off the entrance.

Coming down Delaware Bay the safest course for a stranger is to pass southward of the buoy at the south end of Miah Maull Shoal, steer 82° true (E. mag.) for 411⁄2 miles, until East Point Lighthouse bears 35° true (NE. 14 N. mag.), then steer 31° true (NE. 1⁄2 N. mag.) for 434 miles to the entrance of the dredged channel.

The channel across the bar is marked by an unlighted range and buoys, and into the river by a lighted range and buoys. The outer range shows a little to the westward of East Point Lighthouse (flashing white); the inner shows to the left of a dwelling.

The center line of the dredged channel follows the northern edge of the white sector between two red sectors in East Point Lighthouse on a 47° true (NE. % E. mag.) course until on the inner range, then a 346° true (N. 12 W. mag.) course on this range until inside the mouth. On the flood, vessels should guard against a northwesterly set. For a distance of 16 miles above the entrance the channel has ample width and is easily followed; in the absence of local knowledge it is safer to take it on a rising tide and proceed with caution. In the upper 5 miles to Millville the channel is narrow and some local knowledge is required to follow the dredged channel. Towboats bound to or from the upper part of the river usually run with the current.

There is a narrow cut through the marsh leading into Maurice River about 3 mile eastward of the main entrance. It has a depth of about 22 feet (0.7 m.) and is much used by motor boats.

Dividing Creek, 2121⁄2 miles northeastward of Egg Island Lighthouse, has a depth of about 212 feet (0.7 m.) across the flats at the mouth and 5 to 15 feet (1.5 to 4.5 m.) inside. A draft of about 4 feet (1.2 m.) at high water can be carried through a very narrow

crooked channel to the town of Dividing Creek, about 8 miles above the mouth. It is used only by a few oyster boats.

Oranoaken Creek, 1/2 mile westward of Dividing Creek, has a depth of about 212 feet (0.7 m.) across the flats at the entrance and deeper water inside. It is little used.

Egg Island Lighthouse (occulting white every 2 seconds), a white dwelling, is the most prominent mark in its vicinity. There are shoals southward of the point marked on the south and west sides by buoys; also an unmarked slough, good for a depth of about 7 feet (2.1 m.) close along the point inside the shoals. The slough is used by local vessels, but strangers should pass southward of the shoals.

Fortescue Beach is a post village and small summer settlement on the shore about 4 miles north-northwestward of Egg Island Lighthouse.

Nantuxent Creek, 61/4 miles east-southeastward of Ship John Shoal Lighthouse, has a depth of about 5 feet (1.5 m.) in the entrance, and is navigable at high water to within about 1 mile of the village of Newport. It is used only by local oyster boats.

Shoal spots with a least depth of about 5 feet (1.5 m.) extend about 1 mile south-southwestward of Nantuxent Point, and are marked off the west side by Hog Shoal gas buoy. Boats bound alongshore should keep outside of the buoy and well eastward of Ben Davis Point Shoal, which has a depth of 5 feet (1.5 m.) and borders the main channel of Delaware Bay.

Cedar Creek, 134 miles eastward of Ben Davis Point, has a depth of 4 feet (1.2 m.) across the flats at the mouth, 41⁄2 feet (1.3 m.) for a distance of about 3 miles above the mouth, and about 312 feet (1 m.) at high water for a farther distance of 212 miles to the village of Cedarville. The mouth is used as an anchorage for small boats and there is little traffic above.

Back Creek, on the east side of Ben Davis Point, has a depth of about 5 feet (1.5 m.) across the flats at the entrance, and is navigable with a good depth of water for about 3 miles. It is used only as an anchorage by local boats.

Cohansey River, marked by Cohansey Lighthouse (flashing white), a white dwelling, and a lighted range, is navigable to the city of Bridgeton, 171⁄2 miles above the entrance. It has considerable trade, carried mostly in barges to the upper end, and small schooners and motor boats in the lower end. The deepest draft entering the river is about 11 feet (3.3 m.) and this draft is taken to Bridgeton at high water. A large amount of garden truck is shipped down the river in season.

A new mouth 100 feet wide and 7 feet (2.1 m.) deep has been dredged into the river 500 yards northwestward of Cohansey Lighthouse, and the channel has been improved above to secure a width of 100 feet and depth of 7 feet (2.1 m.) to the lower drawbridge at Bridgeton, and a width of 60 to 75 feet and depth of 7 feet (2.1 m.) for a farther distance of about 1/4 mile to the head of navigation. In 1928 there was a depth of 8 feet (2.4 m.) from Delaware Bay to the mouth, thence 5.4 feet (1.6 m.) to the Broad Street bridge at Bridgeton, thence 2.6 feet (0.7 m.) to the Commerce Street bridge, and 1.5 feet (0.4 m.) to the nail works bridge.

The range at the mouth of the river consists of two flashing white lights on white pyramidal slatted posts.

Greenwich Pier, a railroad terminus and shipping point for sea food, is on the west bank of Cohansey River, about 4 miles above the entrance. Gasoline, provisions, and water are obtainable. There is a railway capable of hauling out small vessels up to 8 feet (2.4 m.) draft, and machine shop for ordinary repairs to motors. Greenwich is a town about 1 mile from the wharves.

Fairton is a village on the east bank of Cohansey River, 31⁄2 miles below Bridgeton.

Bridgeton is an important manufacturing town and railroad center at the head of navigation on Cohansey River. There are two drawbridges at Bridgeton, each a center pier draw, both openings clear. The clear width of openings of the lower bridge is 42.5 feet and of the upper bridge about 40 feet.

Supplies. Gasoline, coal, and provisions may be obtained at Bridgeton.

Tides. The mean range of the tides is 6.0 feet at the entrance and 6.5 feet at Bridgeton. It is high water at the latter place about 12 hours later than at the entrance.

Directions, Cohansey River.-Vessels approaching the river from northward usually leave the main channel of Delaware Bay southward of the red buoy at the south end of Arnold Point Shoal, steer 104° true (ESE. % E. mag.) with Cohansey Lighthouse on the port bow, until up to the Cohansey range, then steer 30° true (NE. 34 N. mag.) down the axis of the dredged cut, keeping south of the Vessels from the southward may steer in on Cohansey range from the main channel on a 36° true (NE. / E. mag.) course, until about 1 mile from shore, then down the axis of the dredged cut as above. A channel sometimes used is to the southward and eastward of Cohansey Lighthouse, avoiding the shoal making out from Cohansey Lighthouse in an east-southeasterly direction.

range.

From inside the entrance to about 1 mile below Bridgeton there is a natural channel with ample width and depth and easily followed; in the absence of local knowledge it is safer to take it on a rising tide and proceed with caution. Thence to Bridgeton the channel has been obtained by dredging, and some local knowledge is required to follow it. Vessels bound to or from the upper part of the river usually run with the current.

Stow Creek, 3 miles northwestward of Cohansey Lighthouse, has a depth of about 4 feet (1.2 m.) in the entrance and deeper water inside. It is said to be navigable at high water to within about 1 mile of the village of Canton, about 10 miles above the entrance. There are farm landings near the head from which some produce is shipped, the deepest draft being 6 feet (1.8 m.). The best water in entering lies close alongshore southward of the entrance, then eastward and northward of the island in the mouth.

Bayside, at the mouth of Stow Creek, is a railroad terminus and important shipping point for sea food. There is a depth of 3 feet (0.9 m.) at the wharf. Gasoline and some provisions are obtainable during the fishing season.

Mad Horse Creek, 6 miles northwestward of Cohansey Lighthouse, has a depth of about 62 feet (1.9 m.) in the entrance. It is