feet (2.7 m.) draft. Local knowledge should be had in entering. The channel passes close westward of Fishing Point Light.

Fishing Point is a bare sand spit on the south side of the anchorage and is extending rapidly northwestward. From 1908 to 1911 the rate of movement was 200 yards per year, and from 1911 to 1922 about 75 yards. The end of the point is marked by Fishing Point Light (flashing white).

There are two fish factories, with prominent iron stacks, located on the north side of Fishing Point.

Chincoteague Inlet, southwestward of Fishing Point, affords some protection from northerly and northeasterly swell for vessels anchoring near the bell buoy. Vessels in entering should avoid the wreck with 20 feet (6.1 m.) over it, about 2 miles northwestward of Turners Lump gas and bell buoy.

The shoals southeastward and eastward of Fishing Point are subject to some change both in depth and position, and strangers should proceed with caution when in this vicinity. The off-lying shoals are fairly stable, but those southward of Fishing Point are moving slowly southward.

Blackfish Bank, least depth 15 feet (4.5 m.), lies 4 to 5 miles off Assateague Island, and is marked near the south side by a gas and whistling buoy. Coasting vessels seeking protection from westerly weather pass westward of this bank.

Porpoise Banks, 10 miles southward of Assateague Anchorage and the same distance offshore, is broken area on which the least depths found were 52 to 6 fathoms (10 to 10.9 m.) as shown on the chart. The banks have not been closely developed and should be avoided by deep-draft vessels.

Parramore Banks, extending 8 miles from shore off Wachapreague Inlet, is a broken area on which the least depths found are 312 to 4 fathoms (6.4 to 7.3 m.), as shown on the chart. The banks have not been closely developed. A gas and whistling buoy, moored 15 miles 5112° true from Hog Island Lighthouse, marks the eastern end of the banks.

Hog Island Lighthouse is a black skeleton tower. The light is flashing white (flash 3.5 seconds, eclipse 41.5 seconds), 180 feet (55 m.) above the water and visible 20 miles. There is a white unused lighthouse tower 1/2 mile southward of the lighthouse.

Smith Island Shoal has a present least depth of 23 feet (7.0 m.), lying 734 miles 101° true (ESE. 1⁄2 E. mag.) from Cape Charles Lighthouse. It is marked by a red gas and whistling buoy. Depths less than 30 feet (9.1 m.) extend 2 miles, and broken ground with least found depths of 52 to 64 fathoms (10 to 11.6 m.) extends 111⁄2 miles, northeastward from Smith Island Shoal, as shown on the chart.

A vessel drawing 222 feet (6.8 m.) reported striking 134 miles northwest of Smith Island Shoal gas and whistling buoy, and a recent survey shows a least depth of 25 feet (7.6 m.) in that vicinity.

Cape Charles Lighthouse is a white skeleton tower. The light is group flashing white, 180 feet (55 m.) above the water, and visible 20 miles. The light flashes 9 times every 60 seconds, thus: Four flashes, eclipse 6.5 seconds, five flashes, eclipse 25 seconds; each flash 1.2 seconds duration.

Smith Island, upon which the lighthouse is located, is low and sparsely wooded, and the lighthouse shows well above the trees surrounding it.

The shoals and channels on the northeast side of the entrance to Chesapeake Bay are described on page 110.

Chesapeake Lightship, in 63 feet (19.2 m.), 15 miles 78° from Cape Henry Lighthouse, off entrance to Chesapeake Bay, has a red hull with "CHESAPEAKE" on the sides, red tubular mast with

black lantern and gallery. Light is occulting white, every 4 seconds, shown from foremast. It is 66 feet (20.1 m.) above the water and visible 14 miles. A fixed white riding light is exhibited from the forestay. The fog signal is made on a chime whistle once every half minute. A radiobeacon is maintained. Station receives and transmits radio messages. Call WRS. See page 16.

Fish weirs along the outside coast between Cape Henlopen and Cape Charles are limited by regulation to certain areas. The inner

limit of the areas for the entire distance is approximately 11⁄2 mile from shore. The limits of fish traps are shown on the charts.

Tides. The mean range of tides on the outside coast is about 4 feet, and high and low waters occur at approximately the same time as at Sandy Hook.

INLAND WATERS, CAPE HENLOPEN TO CAPE CHARLES

[Charts 1219 to 1222]

The bays and connecting channels on the coast of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia form a continuous inland waterway from Lewes, Del., southward to Cape Charles. Except for a smail inlet which has been cut through the beach from Indian River Bay to the ocean and which had only 2 foot (0.2 m.) in the entrance at low water in May, 1929, there are no navigable entrances to the interior waters from outside between Cape Henlopen and Chincoteague Inlet, a distance of 61 miles, but southward of Chincoteague Inlet there are several inlets through which the inside waters can be reached. All of the inlets have shifting entrances, in some cases marked by buoys. The inlets and interior waters give access to the villages and summer resorts on the beaches and the adjacent mainland. They are used by a large number of small craft engaged in the oyster and clam industry and inside and outside fishing, and by some pleasure boats. There is some freight business between points inside, and some coasting trade in sea food, wood, and lumber.

The north end of Rehoboth Bay is connected with Delaware Bay by a canal dredged 6 feet (1.8 m.) deep and 50 feet wide, except in the deep cuts, where it is 40 feet wide. This leads from just inside the mouth of Broadkill Creek (5 miles northwestward of Cape Henlopen) southeastward in Lewes Creek to Lewes, then by a canal southeastward to Gordon Pond, then southward through Rehoboth Canal to Rehoboth Bay. In June, 1928, the controlling depth, at mean low water, from Delaware Bay to Rehoboth Bay via Lewes Creek and Canal was 4 feet (1.2 m.) at the entrance in Delaware Bay, thence 5 feet (1.5 m.) to the highway bridge at Rehoboth, thence 512 feet (1.6 m.) to Rehoboth Bay.

The commerce is mostly in motor boats and lighters, carrying fish, coal, shells, fertilizers, and farm products.

There are two wharves at Lewes open to the public and two private ones at Rehoboth. Directions for the inland waters are given on page 90.

Supplies.-Gasoline, provisions, and water can be obtained at Lewes, Rehoboth, Ocean View, Ocean City, Franklin City, Chincoteague, Wachapreague, Broadwater, Willis Wharf, and Oyster. Coal can be had in limited quantities at Ocean City, and at Chincoteague. There is communication by telephone at all villages and by telegraph at the railroad stations.

Repairs.-There is a railway at Chincoteague capable of hauling out vessels of 50 tons, 65 feet length, and 5 feet (1.5 m.) draft, and shops for ordinary repairs to hulls and motors. There are also smaller railways at Ocean View, Ocean City, Franklin City, Accomac, Wachapreague, and Willis Wharf capable of hauling out most of the boats frequenting those places.

Pilots.-There are no regular pilots for the inside passages or the inlets, but all of the local boatmen are competent pilots. In good weather there are often fishing boats outside the inlets, and strangers can obtain a fisherman for a pilot. There are no towns at the inlets from which a pilot may be obtained on signal, but a member from the Coast Guard station nearest the inlet will usually go out if a signal is set.

Bridges. There are three fixed bridges crossing the canal between Indian River Bay and Little Assawoman Bay, with a least headroom of 8 feet. All of the other bridges have draw openings with sufficient width for any of the boats using the inside waters.

Communication.-Lewes, Rehoboth, Ocean City, and Franklin City have railroad communication. Points on the beaches from Ocean City southward can be reached only by boat. Points on the mainland adjacent to the interior waters can be reached from the railroad and highway a few miles westward of them.

Ice. The inside waters northward of Chincoteague Bay are usually closed to navigation by ice during ordinary winters. From Chincoteague Bay southward the waters tributary to the inlets are closed by ice during severe winters, but remain so for only short periods of time. The principal inlets are rarely closed by ice, and are used by local boats throughout the winter.

Tides. In the inland waterways the tides are greatly affected by winds, both in time and height, westerly winds producing low water and easterly winds high water. In Assawoman, Isle of Wight, Sinepuxent, and Chincoteague Bays northerly and southerly winds drive the water to the ends of the bays. With strong winds of long duration the change in depth may be as much as 3 feet (0.9 m.) above or below the normal high or low water, respectively, and the time of high or low water may be accelerated or retarded by more than an hour.

At the western end of the inlet cut through from Indian River Bay there is a range of tide of about 1 foot, and at the south end of the bay there is no range. From here to the north end of Chincoteague Bay there is no tidal range, the only variation being due to winds as mentioned in the preceding paragraph.

Under the following stations in Chincoteague Bay and Inlet are given the mean range of tides and the time of high or low water after high or low water at Assateague Anchorage, Snow Hill Landing, 0.4 foot, 5 hours 30 minutes; Assacorkin Island, 0.4 foot, 3 hours 55 minutes; Franklin City, 1 foot, 2 hours 25 minutes; Chincoteague, 1.9 feet, 55 minutes; Chincoteague Point, 3 feet, 0 minute.

The mean range of tides at Assateague Anchorage and at the entrances of the inlets southward is about 4 feet, and high and low waters occur 15 minutes before they do at Sandy Hook. Along the inside waters between Chincoteague Inlet and Cape Charles the mean range is about 4 feet and high and low waters occur from 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the distance from the nearest inlet, after high and low waters at the inlets.

Currents. The currents have considerable velocity in the inlets and the narrow channels connecting the inlets with the adjacent bays and sounds. No observations are available, but it is estimated 89926-30-7

that current velocities of as much as 3 knots may be experienced at times in places of maximum velocities. In the inland waters from Rehoboth southward to the north end of Chincoteague Bay there are no tidal currents, the only currents being due to winds.

Aids to navigation. The more important of the navigable inlets are marked by buoys, but the channels are shifting and the buoys can not always be depended upon. Breakers form on the shoal areas even in ordinary weather and are often a good guide. Some of the more important interior channels are marked by beacons and lights, but most of them are marked only by bush stakes maintained by local authorities, which are of little use to a stranger. The sloughs leading through mud flats can best be followed at low water, when the shoals are visible. Strangers drawing near the limit of draft for the interior channels should take a pilot.

DIRECTIONS, INSIDE ROUTE REHOBOTH TO CAPE CHARLES

The directions and description following are written for use with charts 1219, 1220, 1221, and 1222, published by the Coast and Geodetic Survey.

Rehoboth to Ocean View, distance 1011⁄2 miles, least depth 4 feet (1.2 m.).—From the head of the canal 1 mile westward of Rehoboth, the waterway follows the canal southward for 134 miles to Rehoboth Bay. The south end of the canal leads between two stone jetties and is marked by a light on the east side and a prominent white shanty on the west side.

From here the best water slightly favors the west side of Rehoboth Bay, passes about 1/2 mile eastward of Piney Island, about 300 yards northeastward of Bluff Point (marshy and not marked), and close eastward and southward of the large island southeastward of it (marked by an old house in the center and a cedar thicket on the east end). The channel then passes through Big Ditch, the thoroughfare westward of Middle Islet, which lies between Burton Islands and Indian River Neck. Middle Islet is marked by a single tree and shanty.

From Big Ditch the waterway trends southwestward for 1 mile in Indian River Bay to avoid the shoals in its eastern part, then leads south-southeastward to White Creek, and then follows White Creek for 12 miles to the mouth of the canal at Ocean View. There are shoals, usually marked by bush stakes, making off many of the points in White Creek.

Ocean View to Ocean City, distance 15 miles. The least depth in 1929 was about 2 feet (0.6 m.).

The waterway leads from Ocean View southward through a canal crossed by 3 drawbridges to Little Assawoman Bay, then southward across the mouth of Miller Creek, passing westward of two grassy islets and eastward of a string of islets, and then close along the marsh on the west and south sides to the Narrows.

It favors the west side through the Narrows, keeping out of the bight, then leads southward, favoring the west side of Little Assawoman Bay to the thoroughfare connecting it with Assawoman Bay, passes through this thoroughfare and the eastern fork at its south end, and then favors the west side of Assawoman and Isle of