censed vessel of the United States, or in the service, on board, of those engaged in such care, preservation, or navigation.' Free medical advice is furnished to seamen by radio. (See Radio Service, page 24. Relief stations of the Public Health Service are located at the addresses given, in the following ports: Marine hospitals: Norfolk, Va. Relief station, second class: Miami, Fla. Savannah, Ga. Key West, Fla. Relief stations, third class (in charge of medical officer): AIDS TO NAVIGATION, UNITED STATES LIGHTHOUSE SERVICE The lighthouses, lightships, radiobeacons, radio direction-finder stations, and other aids to navigation are the principal guides and mark the approaches and channels to the important ports. The buoyage is in accordance with the system adopted by the United States and is described below. The principal coast lights and the lightships are described in the text of this volume. All lightships and some light stations are equipped with radiobeacons and distancefinding apparatus. A list of the radiobeacons and the radio direction-finder stations operated by the United States Navy in the area covered by this volume is given under the heading "Radio Service." Descriptions of all aids to navigation will be found in the publications of the United States Lighthouse Service listed in the appendix under "Publications." Private aids to navigation, such as stakes and small floats, are not supervised by the Government, and are therefore not listed or indicated on the charts. When private aids are established similar to those maintained by the Government they must be authorized by the United States Light house Service. System of buoyage. The United States Lighthouse Service observes the following order in coloring and numbering buoys in the United States waters, viz: In approaching the channel, etc., from seaward, red buoys, with even numbers, will be found on the starboard side. In approaching the channel, etc., from seaward, black buoys, with odd numbers, will be found on the port side. Buoys painted with horizontal bands (red and black or black and red) will be found where channel ways lie on either side of them. In general, these buoys have no distinctive shape, but when it is desired to indicate the main or preferred channel, a can buoy with black band at the top is used when the important channel is to the right for the entering vessel, and a nun buoy with red band at the top when the important channel is to the left. Buoys painted with white and black perpendicular stripes will be found in the middle of a fairway and they may be passed close-to. Offshore buoys along the Atlantic Coast are colored and numbered from north to south, and along the Pacific Coast from south to north, conforming to the order of Light Lists; this does not apply to outside bouys which have a definite approach signification, and which are colored and numbered to conform to the approach. In channels not having a definite approach charac ter, buoys are colored and numbered from north to south or from east to west on the Atlantic Coast and from south to north or from west to east on the Pacific Coast. All other distinguishing marks on buoys are in addition to the foregoing and may be to mark particular spots. A description of such marks is given in the Light Lists. Nun buoys, red and properly numbered, are usually placed on the starboard side and can buoys, black and properly numbered, on the port side of the channels. Day beacons (except such as are on the sides of channels, which will be colored like buoys) are constructed and distinguished with special reference to each locality, and particularly in regard to the background upon which they are projected. Buoys maintained by the United States Army Engineers for dredging purposes are painted white with the top, for a distance of 2 feet, pained dark green. Significance of light characteristics A system of four characteristics of flashes is used on lighted buoys to distinguish their principal purposes, corresponding in part to the color distinctions that are made in buoys for use by day. 1 The first 2 characteristics (quick flashing) are shown on lighted buoys marking features requiring particular attention. For a complete description of the significance of colors, shapes, and numbers of buoys and the characteristics of lights used on lighted buoys, see the introduction to the Light Lists published by the United States Lighthouse Service. Defects in aids to navigation.-Aids to navigation are protected by law, and mariners in their own interest should use every precaution to avoid collisions with them. Mariners are requested to report defects in the aids to navigation direct to the Superintendent of Lighthouses of the district concerned by commercial radio, by radio communication with lightships, or other prompt means. Suggestions as to aids to navigation.-Mariners are also invited to send suggestions as to improvements or changes in aids to navigation directly to the Superintendents of Lighthouses, as listed below, or to confer with them, or to address the Commissioner of Lighthouses, Washington, D. C. Dangers, changes in channels, shoals, etc.-Mariners are requested to send important facts affecting the charts or other publications of the Coast and Geodetic Survey promptly to the Director of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, Washington, D. C., or to the nearest Coast and Geodetic Survey field station. The field stations are listed in the appendix of this volume. Communication with outlying lightships. All lightships and stations having radio communication facilities observe watch on 500 kilocycles during the first 15 minutes of each hour from 8 a. m. to 8:15 p. m. standard time for radiotelegraph communication. Information of importance in the maintainance of aids to navigation or other urgent matters from vessels may be transmitted at such times. Should the radiobeacon be in operation for regular schedule, fog, or thick weather, it will not be interrupted for such communication except in matters of extreme urgency. Calling and brief communication can be carried on during the silent periods of the radiobeacons. (See Light and Buoy Lists, United States Lighthouse Service, for signal characteristics and operating times.) The district offices of the Lighthouse Service in the area covered by this publication are: NORFOLK, VA.; Superintendent of Lighthouses, Fifth District.Includes the waters of Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina from Fenwick Island Light Station to and including New River Inlet. CHARLESTON, S. C.; Superintendent of Lighthouses, Sixth District. Includes the waters of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, from New River Inlet to Hillsboro Inlet Light Station. KEY WEST, FLA.; Superintendent of Lighthouses, Seventh District.-Includes the waters of Florida from Hillsboro Inlet Light Station to Suwanee River. Notice to Mariners, showing changes in aids to navigation and issued weekly, will be mailed free to mariners who apply to the Superintendents of Lighthouses as above, or single copies may be obtained or consulted at the offices of the Superintendents of Lighthouses, or the Coast and Geodetic Survey Field Stations, or other agencies distributing marine information. Radio broadcasts.-The United States Lighthouse Service makes official announcement from time to time of the more important Notice to Mariners data, covering the establishment of new aids to navigation, changes in existing aids, or emergency happenings relating to aids to navigation which shipping interests should receive without delay. Broadcast announcements are preceded by the introductory words, "Lighthouse Services-Notice to Mariners" and are concluded by a signature as "Lighthouse Superintendent Norfolk" and are transmitted by the Naval Radio Stations and the Tidewater Wireless Telegraph Stations at the time and on the frequency designated. Emergency broadcasts announcing unusual happenings are made at any time using the 500-kilocycle frequency. Lighthouse Tenders also make emergency broadcasts in this manner when necessity therefor occurs. These radio broadcasts are supplemental to those of the United States Hydrographic Office and other established means of disseminating Notices to Mariners and are not in lieu thereof. Determination of compass error by the use of navigational ranges.Navigational ranges provide a convenient means of determining UNITED STATES HYDROGRAPHIC OFFICE 11 compass error for the headings along the ranges when a vessel is entering and leaving a port or harbor. However, extreme caution. should be exercised in the matter. Definite information as to the correct azimuth of any particular range is absolutely necessary; also, the permanency of the range should be taken into consideration. The azimuths of channel ranges, which have been determined with sufficient accuracy for compass error determination, will be indicated in degrees and minutes in the Light Lists and in the Notice to Mariners. Azimuths given only in degrees should not be used for this purpose. Channel ranges that are subject to changes in location may lead to serious misinformation if used for the determination, of the compass error. If a change has taken place the exact data relating to the change in azimuth may not be made immediately available in notices to mariners or otherwise. It is not considered good practice to derive the azimuth of a channel range from the chart. The scale of the chart and other considerations will usually prevent cartographic plotting of the azimuths to a degree of accuracy desired for the purpose of determining compass error. Furthermore, the chart may not show the latest known positions of the objects of the range (this will not affect the safe navigation of the channel, if the vessel follows the existing range beacons actually marking the channel). Along short reaches of channel ranges, sufficient time may not be available for the requisite steadying of the compass along the course of the range, and this will cause inaccuracies in observing for compass error. Where a known area of local magnetic attraction would interfere with such use of ranges a note describing this local attraction will be found on the chart. THE UNITED STATES HYDROGRAPHIC OFFICE The Hydrographic Office of the United States Navy Department exists for the improvement of the means for navigating safely the vessels of the United States Navy and of the mercantile marine by providing accurate and cheap nautical charts, sailing directions, navigators, and manuals of instruction for the use of all vessels of the United States, and for the benefit and use of navigators generally. The attention of mariners is called to the various Hydrographic Office publications of navigational interest listed under "Publications "in the appendix of this volume. The charts and coast pilots pertaining to the territorial waters of the United States and its possessions are published by the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. Branch Hydrographic Offices maintained at the various cities within the area covered by this volume are located as follows: Norfolk, Va., Room 16, Customhouse. Savannah, Ga., First floor, Customhouse. In conjunction with these offices the United States Coast Guard assists the Hydrographic Office in its service and the captain of the port, customhouse wharf, Charleston, S. C., performs some of the duties of a branch office. 20712°-362 THE UNITED STATES ENGINEERS The improvement of the rivers and harbors of the United States and miscellaneous civil works are under the charge of the Corps of Engineers, United States Army. The miscellaneous civil works under the Corps of Engineers include the administration of the Federal laws enacted for the protection and preservation of navigable waters of the United States governing the establishment of regulations for the use, administration, and navigation of navigable waters, the approval of plans of bridges, the alteration of obstructive bridges, the establishment of anchorage grounds and harbor lines, the removal of sunken vessels obstructing or endangering navigation, the granting of permits for structures or operations in navigable waters, etc. The attention of navigators is called to the various publications of the United States Engineers relative to matters of nautical interest which are listed under "Publications" in the appendix of this volume. The area with which this Coast Pilot is concerned lies entirely within the South Atlantic Division of the United States Engineers. A list of the district offices and their location in this division is given below: Norfolk District, foot of Front Street, Norfolk, Va. Wilmington District, 308 Custom House, Wilmington, N. C. Jacksonville District, U. S. Courthouse and Post Office Building, Jackson- Information concerning the various ports, improvements, channel depths, navigable waters, and the condition of the intracoastal waterway in the areas under their jurisdiction may be obtained direct from the District Engineer Offices. THE UNITED STATES BUREAU OF NAVIGATION AND STEAMBOAT INSPECTION The Bureau of Navigation and Steamboat Inspection under the Department of Commerce is charged with general supervision of the commercial marine and merchant seamen of the United States, except so far as supervision is lodged with other offices of the Government. In addition to various other duties, the Bureau is especially charged with the decision of all questions relating to the issuing of registers, enrollments, and licenses of vessels; investigates the operation of laws relative to navigation; is charged with the enforcement and investigation of violations of the navigation and steamboat inspection laws; and is charged with the duty of inspecting vessels, the licensing of the officers of vessels, and the administration of the laws relating to such vessels and their officers for the protection of life and property. The Bureau certificates the able seamen who form the crew of merchant vessels, and the inspectors of the Service, together with other Government officers, especially detailed for that purpose, also certificate the lifeboat men. For administrative purpose the supervising inspectors of the Service maintain 11 district offices, and local inspectors have offices in the more important cities having maritime interests. |