and vessels of about 10 feet draft should have no difficulty in going as far as Kings Ferry on a rising tide. The river is very crooked, some of the turns are sharp. The mean rise and fall of tides is about 5.9 feet at the entrance, 4.1 feet at the drawbrdige, 2.8 feet at Kings Ferry, and 1.4 feet at the closed bridge. Towboats can be had at Fernandina. Above the S. A. L. Railroad the water in St. Marys River is fresh and is used by vessels.

There are five private wharves at St. Marys having a docking space of 909 feet on the city water front and two having a docking space of 340 feet on North River, which lies on the north side of the city and empties into St. Marys River a short distance below the city. One of these latter wharves is equipped with a marine leg elevator for handling fish. All wharves have highway or street connection and are served by the Atlantic, Waycross & Northern Railway.

Amelia River enters the sound from southward just inside the entrance. The city of Fernandina is situated on the east bank about 2 miles above its mouth.

The city of Fernandina has railroad communication, and steamboat communication with Brunswick and St. Marys. Considerable lumber, phosphate, and some naval stores are shipped from the port in coastwise and foreign vessels. About 25 miles above Fernandina is Kingsleys Creek, through which the South Amelia River is entered; the latter river extending southward to Nassau Sound forms an inland passage between the two sounds.

Bells River enters Amelia River from westward opposite the city of Fernandina. The former river joins St. Marys River about 11/2 miles above the town of St. Marys and has a narrow and crooked channel.

Jolly River branches eastward from Bells River about 6 miles above the mouth of the latter and empties into Cumberland Sound at the mouth of St. Marys River.

Pilots are on the lookout for approaching vessels and will come out when pilot signals are set. Their headquarters are at Old Fernandina. Pilotage is compulsory for certain vessels. Pilots for the inland passages can be obtained at Fernandina. The pilot regulations and rates and harbor regulations for the port of Savannah have been adopted for the port of St. Marys.

Towboats. Sailing vessels usually employ a towboat when crossing the bar or if bound up St. Marys River; towboats are to be had at Fernandina.

Quarantine. The quarantine boarding station for Fernandina and St. Marys River is near Fort Clinch. Vessels bound to Fernandina must not proceed above the quarantine station until they have been visited by the health officer.

Hospital. At Fernandina there is a relief station of the United States Public Health Service.

Anchorages. There is good anchorage in the channel of Cumberland Sound and in the Amelia River up to the city of Fernandina. Vessels are forbidden to anchor in the Amelia River abreast of the city between Calhoun Street and the site of the creosote works.

Supplies.-Provisions and some ship chandler's stores can be had at Fernandina. Coal, both anthracite and bituminous, can be had at

the wharves in Fernandina. Fresh water can be obtained at the wharves and from water boats at. Fernandina, and can be taken from the St. Marys River about 30 miles above its mouth.

Repairs. There are no special facilities for repairs to vessels or machinery of steamers. Jacksonville and Savannah are the nearest places where vessels can be hauled out and where there are facilities for extensive repairs.

Wharves. The facilities for loading and discharging vessels are good, the depth alongside the wharves at Fernandina is 16 to 29 feet, according to locality, and at St. Marys from 18 to 20 feet. At Fernandina four wharves are equipped with mechanical unloading devices and one of these is specially equipped for loading vessels with bulk cargo and has a capacity of 2,000 tons per hour. Nearly all the wharves are served by railroad tracks and have highway or street connection.

Storm warnings are displayed in Fernandina near the post office.

For tides see table, page 32, also the tide tables for the Atlantic Coast of the United States, published annually in advance by the Coast and Geodetic Survey, in which the tides are predicted for every day of the current year.

The tidal currents at the entrance have great velocity and are dangerous at times, especially on the flood. Local pilots state that the conditions are about as follows: Between the bell buoy and the end of the north jetty the flood current sets southwestward, and with northeasterly winds sets strongly in a direction about south-southwest. Under the worst conditions of the flood on spring tides and a northeast gale, the velocity near the end of the north jetty is estimated to be as much as 5 knots at times. On the flood an eddy current sets out close along the inside of the north jetty. The ebb current appears to set directly out across the bar. In the present position of the channel, near the north jetty, the worst conditions for entering are on the flood with northeasterly winds, when vessels, especially long ones, are liable to strike the inside of the north jetty. Normally slack water occurs about 30 minutes after high and low water. With freshets in St. Marys River the ebb current may run from about high water until about 12 hours after low water.

DIRECTIONS. The surveys indicate a movement of the bar, including the middle ground between the jetties, seaward at the rate of 200 to 400 feet per year and an increase in the general depths on the entire bar. The most important change affecting the marked channel is an easterly extension at the rate of about 200 feet a year of the easterly part of the shoal on the south side of the north jetty near buoy No. 4. The width of this part of the shoal from the north jetty is also increasing. In 1921 there was a depth of about 24 feet in the buoyed channel; but local knowledge is required to carry the best water, and the tidal currents have great velocity, especially the flood with northeast winds, and vessels of greater draft than about 15 feet are advised to take a pilot.

From northward. From Brunswick light vessel a 206° true (SSW. 14 W. mag.) course made good for 17 miles should lead to a position with Amelia Island lighthouse, or the standpipe in Fernandina, bearing 240° true (SW. by W. 14 W. mag.). A 259° true (W. by S. mag.) course made good for 314 miles should then lead

to the whistling buoy off the entrance. On a clear day the lighthouse and standpipe will be visible about 9 miles. In thick weather, if uncertain of the position, keep in a depth of not less than 7 fathoms.

From southward.-From St. Johns gas and whistling buoy a 356° true (N. 3% W. mag.) course made good for 1934 miles should lead to a position 1/2 mile eastward of the whistling buoy off the entrance. On this course the nun buoy off Nassau Sound entrance will be left about 24 miles on the port hand. This course leads over broken ground with least depths of 42 and 434 fathoms, and deepdraft vessel should keep farther eastward in a depth of over 8 fathoms until off the entrance.

From 200 yards northward of the whistling buoy steer 262° (W. 34 S. mag.) to a position northward of the bell buoy. Then steer southwestward for % mile to a position on the Tiger Island range (white structures), southeastward of buoy No. 4, passing between the gas buoy off the end of the north jetty and a can buoy, then follow the range, course 260° 30′ true (W. % S. mag.). When passing Fort Clinch keep a little northward of the range, and then round the northwest end of Amelia Island at a distance of about 300 yards.

Pass about 125 yards off the old wharf at the quarantine station, steer 168° true (S. by E. 1% E. mag.) for the water tower (standpipe) in Fernandina, and then follow the wharves at a distance of about 100 yards.

COAST FROM CUMBERLAND SOUND TO ST. JOHNS RIVER.

This stretch of the coast is formed by the shores of Amelia Island, Talbot and Little Talbot Islands, and Fort George Island.

Amelia Island lies very nearly north and south, having a length of 1134 miles and a width varying from 1 to 22 miles. It is low and flat or gently undulating, is heavily wooded along the coast line, but the western parts are marshy. The island is separated from the mainland by a broad stretch of marsh, through which flow the Amelia and South Amelia Rivers, connecting Cumberland Sound on the north with Nassau Sound on the south.

Seen from seaward Amelia Island presents no prominent natural features to distinguish it from other land in the vicinity. It shows a long line of dark woods, rather irregular in outline, with numerous trees rising conspicuously above the general level. In front of these woods is a range of sand hills partly covered with coarse grass and scrub, and in front of these a broad stretch of white sand beach. About 2 miles from its northern end the white tower of Amelia Island lighthouse, rising from a grove of large trees, forms a conspicuous landmark.

Nassau Sound is 10 miles southward of Amelia Island lighthouse and 6 miles northward of St. Johns River lighthouse. The entrance is obstructed by shifting shoals which extend about 14 miles seaward and form a shallow bar, through which there is a buoyed channel. Nassau River is navigable for some 15 miles to the S. A. L. Railroad closed bridge. Some lumber is towed inside to Jacksonville and Fernandina. South Amelia River, which enters the sound from northward, connects with Kingsleys Creek, and through the

latter has communication with Amelia River and Cumberland Sound. The depth through the this passage is about 7 feet. The mean rise and fall of tides is about 5.4 feet. Sawpit Creek, which enters the sound from westward, connects with Gunnisons Cut and Sister Creek, forming the inside passage to St. Johns River.

Little Talbot Island is a strip of low flat land about 3 miles in length and averaging about 3/4 mile in width. It lies nearly in a north and south direction and is wooded along the outer coast, but is marshy to the westward. By this strip of marsh, through which several creeks flow, it is separated from Talbot Island. This island is 41/4 miles in length by 11/2 miles in width. It is partly wooded and partly marshy, and is separated from the mainland by connecting streams, Sawpit Creek and Gunnison Cut. This last connects with Fort George Inlet and Sister Creek, affording an inside passage from Nassau Sound to St. Johns River, through which there is a depth of 7 feet at low water. Seen from seaward, Little Talbot Island shows a strip of dark woods with many conspicuous sand hills near the beach. Its south end runs off in a low point of bare sand bordering on Fort George Inlet, which is a narrow body of water separating Little Talbot and Talbot Islands from Fort George Island. Immediately to the southward of this inlet is Fort George Island. Its eastern shore, forming the coast line, shows a broad stretch of white sand beach, backed by a range of high sand hills. Near the north end of the island there is a conspicuous hill, called Mount Cornelia. It is 63 feet high and thickly wooded. On clear days it may be seen from a distance of 12 to 15 miles, affording an excellent landmark for the entrance to St. Johns River. Fort George Island is separated from the mainland by a stretch of marsh, through which flows Sister Creek.

ST. JOHNS RIVER.

This river, the largest and most important of eastern Florida, is about 244 miles in length. It rises near the Atlantic coast, in about latitude 28° 10' N., flows in a northerly direction nearly parallel to the coast, and empties into the sea immediately north of St. Johns River lighthouse, in latitude 30° 24′ N. The river is the approach to the city of Jacksonville and a large number of towns and villages. The part of the river above Jacksonville is described under a separate heading.

The entrance of the river is between two converging jetties which extend out across the bar. The channel is under improvement to secure a depth of 30 feet from sea to Jacksonville; in 1921 there was a least depth of 29 feet in the channel to Arlington Cut, at which the least depth is 27 feet. The channel is 600 feet wide across the bar and 500 feet wide to the anchorage basin opposite Mayport. Thence to Jacksonville the channel is 300 feet wide, increasing to as much as 600 feet in the bends. The channel is well marked by range lights and buoys. With these aids it is not difficult for a stranger of 20 feet draft to navigate the river; all sailing vessels employ a towboat for crossing the bar and in the river as far as Jacksonville. Mayport is a village on the south bank, 3 miles inside the entrance between the jetties. It has communication by rail, small craft, telephone and telegraph with Jacksonville. A draft of 19 to 221/2 feet

can be taken to the railroad wharf. Some supplies and gasoline can be obtained; also pilots for the inland passage.

Pilot Town is a village on the north bank opposite Mayport. The city of Jacksonville is on the north bank of the river, 24 miles above the entrance between the jetties. Large quantities of lumber, naval stores, and produce are shipped to northern and foreign ports. The city has railroad communication, and steamboat communication with northern ports and with up-river landings as far as Enterprise and Sanford, a distance of 128 miles.

Prominent features.-Mount Cornelia, 63 feet high and thickly wooded, is about 2 miles northward of the entrance. St. Johns River lighthouse, on the south side of the entrance, is a red brick, conical tower. The light is fixed white with a red sector from 45° to 187°, 77 feet above the water, and visible 15 miles. About 334 miles south of the entrance are the buildings of Atlantic Beach, a summer resort.

Pilots will generally be found cruising outside the bar, or they will come out to a vessel making signal for one. The bar pilots keep a lookout for approaching vessels. Up-river pilots can be obtained at Jacksonville. Bar pilotage is compulsory for certain vessels. For pilot rates, see Appendix.

Towboats are usually stationed at Mayport or Pilot Town ready to go out to any vessel making signal outside the bar; they can always be had at Jacksonville for towing up or down the river.

Quarantine. The quarantine station is at Mayport. Vessels subject to visitation by the quarantine officer must wait to be boarded below the quarantine flag, which is displayed at the station. The local call for the quarantine officer is 1 long, 1 short, and 1 long blasts on a steam whistle.

Hospital. At Jacksonville there is a relief station of the United States Public Health Service.

Anchorages.-Vessels waiting outside the bar generally anchor, if the wind and sea are not too heavy, in the vicinity of the gas and whistling buoy; or they can anchor, in about 6 fathoms, about 3 miles northeastward of St. Johns River lighthouse, with the end of the north jetty bearing about south.

The best and usual anchorage inside the mouth of the river is abreast Mayport, where a basin 800 feet wide with a least depth of 27 feet has been dredged on the west side of the channel.

Anchorage is not permitted in the river at Jacksonville between Hogan Creek and the Florida East Coast Railroad bridge, except for small craft on the south side of the river; large vessels can anchor below Hogan Creek. A good anchorage at Jacksonville for yachts is above the railroad bridge off Winter (Lancaster) Point.

Supplies. Provisions can be obtained at Jacksonville and Mayport. Ship chandler's stores, anthracite and bituminous coal, and water can be obtained alongside the wharves at Jacksonville. Water can be had at the railroad wharf at Mayport.

Repairs.-There are a number of dry-docks and marine railways. The dimensions of the largest dock are: Length, 330 feet; width, 65 feet; depth over sill, 20 feet; capacity, 4,500 tons. The facilities for repairs to vessels and machinery of steamers are excellent.