Columbia. The rivers are under improvement by the removal of snags and shoals to maintain a depth of 4 feet (1.2 m) at low water to these towns. Boats enter the river from Winyah Bay through the Intracoastal Waterway.

The entrance to South Santee River is shoal and should not be attempted without local knowledge. There was a depth of 4 feet (1.2 m) over the bar in a narrow channel according to surveys made in January 1935.

There was a depth of 5 feet (1.5 m) over the bar at the entrance to the North Santee River according to surveys made in January 1935. The bar can be crossed on a 0° true (N. 1% E. mag.) course heading for the middle of the inlet.

East Bank, with 10 feet (3.0) over it, is the southeasterly end of the shoals, which extend 4 miles from shore southward of the entrance of Winyah Bay. The southeasterly end of the bank is marked by East Bank Buoy (red and black horizontally banded can), which lies nearly 2 miles 171° true (S. 5% E. mag.) of Winyah Bay South Jetty Light.

Between East Bank and Cape Romain, shoals extend 2 to 3 miles from shore; spots with 15 feet (4.5 m) over them extend 534 miles from shore in one place, the outer one lying 534 miles southward of Winyah Bay South Jetty Light. Farther out is broken ground with 5 fathoms (9.1 m) and less, which extends 1234 miles from shore.

The wreck of the Hector lies on the outer edge of the shoals, 14 miles 94° true (E. 12 S. mag.) from Cape Romain Lighthouse. A red and black nun buoy is moored 100 yards east of the wreck. Hector Wreck Lighted Bell Buoy 4 CR is moored 3/4 mile seaward from the wreck and 14.5 miles 9412° true (E. 2 S. mag.) from Cape Romain Lighthouse. Another wreck was formerly located 134 miles north or the Hector, but it is reported to have disappeared. The broken ground inside of the lighted bell buoy should be avoided by all deep-draft vessels.

Cape Romain Shoal extends nearly 4 miles southeastward from Cape Romain and is marked by Cape Romain Shoal Buoy (red and black horizontally banded can) in 33 feet (10.1 m) of water about 1/4 mile outside of the shoal. There is a depth of 434 fathoms (8.6 m) 214 miles south-southeastward of the buoy, while the 6-fathom (11.0 m) curve is 3 miles southward.

Cape Romain Lighthouse, lat. 33°01'08'' N., long. 79°22′26′′ W., on the east end of Raccoon Key, is an octagonal pyramidal tower; lower half white, upper half faces alternately black and white; black top. The light is group-flashing white, 3 flashes every 30 seconds (3 flashes 0.6 second each, 2 eclipses 6.9 seconds each, 1 eclipse 14.4 seconds), 154 feet (47 m) above the water, and visible 19 miles.

Cape Romain Harbor is an unimportant harbor having a general depth of from 1 to 2 feet (0.3 to 0.6 m). A narrow, crooked, unmarked channel with a limiting depth of 5 feet (1.5 m) leads through it from the sea around the north end of Cape Island to Horse Head Creek. This channel is extremely difficult to follow and should not be attempted by anyone unfamiliar with the locality. Into Casino Creek, which joins the Intracoastal Waterway, about 3 feet (0.9 m) can be carried. The harbor is used only by small local fishing

boats. A stranger seeking anchorage should go to Winyah Bay or Bull Bay. The mean rise and fall of the tide is about 5 feet (1.5 m). The inlet leading to Cape Romain Harbor from the south is practically closed at low water.

Bull Bay is broad and shallow with numerous shoals, many of which are bare at high water. There is a narrow channel, which is occasionally used as an anchorage, on its southwest side, having a depth of about 10 feet (3.0 m) at low water over the bar. The anchorage is easily accessible in moderately calm weather.

A shoal, the eastern end of which bares at low water, extends 0.6 mile off the point. It is close to the channel, but is marked on its extreme east end by a black can buoy, and breakers will show over the

shoal at any time that it is covered. To enter, leave this buoy and head about 300 yards off the point of Bull Island, being guided by the lead and the appearance of the shoal. Anchor in the channel when well sheltered from the sea, off Jack Creek. Small boats can go up Bull Creek into Summer House Creek opposite the Bull Island wharf.

Romain River is closed from the sea at both inlets at all stages of the tide.

Five Fathom Creek, at the western end of Raccoon Key, has a controlling depth of 6 feet (1.8 m) from the sea to the Intracoastal Waterway. The Creek, crooked and narrow at the upper end, enters the sea through an inlet marked by a buoy and two beacons. Strangers are not advised to attempt an entrance as the outer bar is subject to change.

Bull Breakers extend 41/4 miles southward from the shore on the southwest side of the entrance of Bull Bay and are marked off the southeasterly end by Bull Breakers Buoy (red and black hori

zontally banded nun) which lies in 33 feet (10.1 m) 511⁄2 miles, 166° true (S. by E. 1% E. mag.) from the eastern end of Bull Island.

Price Inlet, 512 miles westward of Bull Bay, has an entrance depth of 6 feet (1.8 m) over the bar. The channel is unmarked. It is the best inlet between Bull Bay and Charleston and is used by local fisherman. Under average weather conditions there are heavy breakers on the shoal point on the eastern side of the channel and small breakers on the west side of the channel. A good anchorage may be made in Price Creek, and the Intracoastal Waterway may be reached at the head of the creek.

Capers Inlet, between Capers Island and Dewees Island, has an entrance depth of 4 feet (1.2 m) over the bar. It has a narrow, unmarked channel. It is little used but may be entered when the wind is southwest because of a shoal point that extends eastward on the south side of the inlet and breaks the southwesterly seas. There is a shoal, bare at about half tide, that extends southward along the eastern side of the inlet. There are numerous stumps and snags outside the high-water line in Capers Creek.

Dewees Inlet, between Dewees Island and Isle of Palms, has an entrance depth of 4 feet (1.2 m) over the bar. It has a narrow, unmarked channel and is of little use. Under average conditions, seas break entirely across the inlet.

Isle of Palms is a pleasure resort about 4 miles eastward of the entrance of Charleston Harbor. There is a prominent standpipe here. There is communication by autobus line with Mt. Pleasant and Charleston.

Breach Inlet has very little water on the bar and under almost all weather conditions is entirely surrounded by heavy breakers. Currents are extremely strong in this inlet. Boat traffic is obstructed by a fixed highway bridge over the inlet.

Rattlesnake Shoal lies a little over 3 miles from shore southeastward of Isle of Palms, and east-northeastward of the entrance between the jetties of Charleston Harbor. It is about 2 miles long east and west, has a least depth of 9 feet (2.7 m), and is marked by Rattlesnake Shoal Buoy 2 (red nun) at its eastern end.

Charleston Lighted Whistle Buoy C, lat. 32°41′ N., long. 79°52′ W., is moored in 42 feet (12.8 m) of water off the entrance to Charleston Harbor, on Fort Sumter Range line. The buoy is black and white vertically striped; the light quick flashing white (75 flashes per minute), 16 feet (4.9 m) above the water, visible 9 miles. There is a whistle on the buoy.

Charleston (Fort Sumter) Radiobeacon, lat. 32°45′12′′ N., long. 79°52'30" W., is located at Fort Sumter.

Charleston Lighthouse, lat. 32°41'43" N., long. 79°53′02′′ W., on the south end of Morris Island, is 4 miles southwestward of the entrance of Charleston Harbor. The structure is a black and white, horizontally banded conical tower, black at top. The light is group flashing white every 30 seconds (4 flashes 3 seconds, 3 eclipses 1 second each, 1 eclipse 15 seconds), 155 feet (47 m) above the water, and visible 19 miles.

There is a Radio Direction-Finder station located on the northeast end of Folly Island and about 1 mile south of Charleston Lighthouse, call letters NZV.

CHARLESTON HARBOR

8. CHARLESTON

CHARLESTON HARBOR

(Charts 470, 680, and 681)

151

Charleston Harbor is 264 miles southwestward of Cape Hatteras and about 65 miles northeastward of Savannah entrance. The harbor is the approach to the city of Charleston and to Cooper and Ashley Rivers; it is easy of access either day or night in clear weather and is one of the best harbors of refuge on the south Atlantic coast. The port has a large foreign and coastwise trade, the principal articles of commerce being coal, cotton and cotton goods, lumber, petroleum products, and fertilizer material.

The entrance is between two converging jetties which extend nearly 3 miles seaward across the bar. In June 1934, there was a controlling depth of 30 feet (9.1 m) along the Fort Sumter Range (mid-channel), seaward of the jetties. The shoal along the northern edge of the channel near buoy 2 was being removed. The controlling depth in the channel between the jetties was 30 feet (9.1 m). The channel is marked by Charleston Lighted Whistle Buoy C, range lights, and buoys.

Prominent features.-Eastward of the entrance, on the Isle of Palms, is a tank which shows prominently from seaward. On the southern side of the entrance is Charleston Lighthouse. Charleston Lighted Whistle Buoy C is moored in 42 feet (12.8 m) of water off the entrance to the harbor, on Fort Sumter Range line. On the eastern side of the entrance is the village of Moultrieville, and Fort Sumter is on the west side of the channel inside the entrance. The spires and houses of the city of Charleston will be seen from outside the bar when the entrance is fairly opened out.

Cooper River enters Charleston Harbor from the northward, through Drum Island Channel, and on the eastern side of the city of Charleston. The channel westward of Drum Island through Town Creek (controlling depth 30 feet (9.1 m), 1934) is marked by lights and is used by vessels going alongside piers westward of the island. Cooper River, Drum Island, and Town Creek are spanned by a fixed cantilever bridge. The overhead clearance is 135 feet above mean high water for Town Creek, and 150 feet for Cooper River. A channel of 30 feet (9.1 m) draft in the Cooper River is maintained to the navy yard, which is on the west bank about 5 miles above the customhouse in the city. In January 1934, however, there was a depth of 27 feet (8.2 m) in the channel north of Drum Island southward of the range. Deep water extends to the port terminal 2 miles above the navy yard.

This portion of the Cooper River is marked by range lights, beacons, and buoys, and is used extensively by large vessels. North Charleston is a suburb of Charleston, lying between the navy yard and port terminal. It is the site of several oil wharves, asbestos and phosphate plants, and a cotton compress. The Cooper River above the port terminal is marked, and is good for a draft of 23 feet (7.0 m) for a distance of 17 miles to the T where the river forks: 16 feet (4.9 m) can be taken to the Seaboard Air Line Railroad drawbridge at Rice Hope on the Western Branch, 4 miles above the T; 7 feet

(2.1 m) to Springfield Landing; and 5 feet (1.5 m), about 14 miles above the T to Wadboo Bridge, the head of navigation.

A draft of 10 feet (3.0 m) can be taken up the Eastern Branch, about 6 miles above the T, to Pompein Chapel, and a draft of 6 feet (1.8 m) 2 miles farther to the North State Lumber Co. log landing at Quimby Creek, which has a depth of 6 feet (1.8 m) alongside the principal wharf. Launches can go about 4 miles farther. The channel in the East Branch is very narrow and follows the ebb tide bends.

Wando River empties from the northeast into Cooper River, eastward of Drum Island. Cainhoy, also known as Wando, is the only village on this river, and lies about 12 miles from the customhouse dock in Charleston. A draft of 12 feet (3.6 m) can be taken to the Cainhoy Wharf, which has 6 feet (1.8 m) alongside. Provisions and gasoline in very limited quantities can be obtained; no fresh water is piped to any of the wharves. There is a post office, and communication is maintained with Charleston by a launch making daily trips between the two places. The Tuxbury Lumber Co. has a log landing about 1 mile above Cainhoy. A draft of 12 feet (3.6 m) can be carried to their principal loading wharf, which has 10 feet (3.0 m) alongside. The Wando River continues for about 7 miles to Wards Bridge (fixed) at the head of navigation. Guerin Creek empties from the northeast into the Wando River about 2 miles above Cainhoy. Guerin Bridge (fixed), the head of navigation, lies about 3 miles from its mouth. The upper part of the Wando River is shown on chart 681.

Several small and unimportant creeks empty into Charleston Harbor. Of these, the most used is The Cove, which is the southern entrance to the Intracoastal Waterway northward to Bull Bay, Winyah Bay, and other points in that locality. The entrance is marked by Moultrieville Light No. 4 and a range off the northwest end of Fort Moultrie on Sullivans Island. The Hog Island Channel and Shem Creek with a controlling depth of 5 feet (1.5 m) lead to small docks at Mount Pleasant on the east side of Lower Bay. The entrance to the creek is marked by Shem Creek range light. Shem Creek is crossed by a fixed bridge about 1/4 mile from the entrance. Shipyard Creek empties into the Cooper River from the west side, about 1 mile above the north end of Drum Island. Considerable traffic in oil, phosphates, and lumber uses this waterway. In January 1935 there was a controlling depth of 22 feet in Shipyard Creek to a point about 250 yards above the bend northward abreast the Gulf Refining Company, thence 152 feet to the head of the improvement at the Tuxbury Lumber Wharf. Shipyard Creek Light 5A is on the north point of the entrance to the creek.

Ashley River empties into Charleston Harbor from northwestward on the southwest side of Charleston. There are no towns or villages of importance; the principal landings are at numerous phosphate works, all of which have wharves extending to the channel.

In May 1933 the controlling depth was 19 feet (5.8 m) to Standard Wharf, the upper phosphate plant near Duck Island. Above Standard Wharf a least depth of about 7 feet (2.1 m) at low water or 13 feet (3.9 m) at high water can be taken a distance of about 8 miles to Lambs. Above Lambs there is a depth of 7 feet (2.1 m) in the chan