depth to 27 feet (8.2 m). A vessel or combined tug or barge, exceeding 46 feet in beam is not permitted to pass through the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal unless special arrangements are made for a specific trip. Rafts in transit must not exceed 45 feet in width. A vessel with a speed of 10 miles, running in daytime only, can make the passage from Trenton to Norfolk in 2 to 22 days under favorable conditions. Supplies. Coal in limited quantities can be obtained at numerous places, but the best and most convenient coaling places are Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Norfolk. Gasoline, provisions, and water can be obtained at most of the towns or cities along the route. Pilots can be obtained at Trenton, Philadelphia, Delaware City, Chesapeake City, Baltimore, and Norfolk for either the whole or parts of the passage. A fisherman or pilot may sometimes be obtained at the mouth of Back Creek competent to pilot a vessel to Chesapeake City. The fees are not prescribed by law. Ice sufficient to interfere with the navigation of small craft may be expected at any time between December and April and is most severe during January and February. The Chesapeake & Delaware Canal is kept open as long as navigation is possible and is opened as soon as navigation is possible in the spring. During mild winters local vessels use it throughout most of the winter, but strangers should make inquiries about conditions before attempting the passage. It should be borne in mind that wooden vessels running in thin ice are liable to cut quickly through at the water line. DELAWARE RIVER TO THE ENTRANCE TO CHESAPEAKE AND (Charts 294, 295, and 296) The distance is 66 miles from Trenton to the entrance to the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal at Reedy Point, and the channel, which has been dredged, has ample width and is easily followed. A stranger proceeding with caution should have little difficulty in making the passage from Trenton to Reedy Point with the aid of the chart and the directions. A project calls for a dredged channel 12 feet (3.7 m) deep and 200 feet wide from the lower bridge at Trenton to the Marine Terminal of that city. Depths in the dredged channel below Trenton are always ample for vessels that can use the inside route. Many of the shoals in the river are bare at or before low water and are generally covered with marsh grass, which makes them usually well defined. The water in the river above Chester is fresh and suitable for boilers. Coal can be obtained conveniently at the larger cities along the river. Anchorage.-Except for 1/2 mile below Bordentown there is sufficient width at most places alongside the channel for anchorage, for which the chart must be the guide. Between Port Richmond and Marcus Hook anchorages are prescribed by regulation. Those most convenient to the city of Philadelphia are on the east side of the river at Port Richmond, Cooper Point, and Greenwich Point, and are marked by anchorage buoys (see p. 75). Below Marcus Hook suitable anchorages may be selected well off the ranges. Convenient anchorage for yachts can be found off the yacht clubs at Tacony and Essington, north and south of Philadelphia, respectively. (For yacht clubs see p. 365). Public landings where vessels may tie up for a short time are located at the foot of Vine Street and at the foot of Dock Street in Philadelphia. There are a number of piers at Philadelphia at which vessels may lie for which wharfage charges are made, pier No. 57 north and Nos. 30 and 34 south being convenient to the city. Caution. All persons operating yachts, motorboats, speedboats, and other craft in Delaware River are warned to keep clear of the submerged portions of the training dikes at Hope Creek, N. J., at the south end of Reedy Island, and at the north end of Pea Patch Island. These dikes are shown on Chart No. 294. They are marked by lights as shown on the chart. Tides. The mean range of tides at Trenton is 4.8 feet; at Bordentown, 4.9 feet; Burlington, 4.9; Philadelphia, 5.2; Chester, 5.4; and Delaware City, 5.5. Tides occur at Trenton 2 hours, at Bordentown 24 hours and at Burlington 111⁄2 hours later than at Philadelphia, and at Chester 14 hours and at Delaware City 24 hours earlier than at Philadelphia. CHESAPEAKE & DELAWARE CANAL This canal is 12 miles long from its eastern entrance at Reedy Point on the Delaware River to its western entrance at Chesapeake City on Back Creek. It is a government-owned, sea-level canal and there are no toll charges. The overhead clearance is limited to 140 feet (42.7 m) at mean low water by vertical lift bridges, when in an upper position. The canal and its approaches are being dredged to a new project depth of 27 feet (8.2 m). In 1936 vessels with a draft of 12 feet (3.7 m) or less navigated the main canal. Information concerning the conditions existing in the canal at any particular time, and authority for wide craft, and rafts to traverse the waterway (see p. 311) should be obtained from U. S. Engineer Sub-Office, Chesapeake City, Md., telephone Chesapeake City 43. Circulars are issued monthly showing channel conditions from the latest examinations and surveys and copies will be mailed to interested parties upon request to the District Engineer, United States Engineer Office, Philadelphia, Pa. Delaware River entrance. The Delaware River entrance to the canal is at Reedy Point, about 134 miles below the old Delaware City entrance. The entrance is between two stone jetties about 800 feet apart at the outer ends, and the channel, project width of which is 250 feet, is located midway between them. The north jetty is marked by a flashing red light, and the south jetty by a flashing white light. A branch channel from Delaware City to the main canal, has been dredged to a depth of 6 feet (1.8 m) at mean low water, and a bottom width of 50 feet. The point of junction of the new and old channels is about 2 miles west of the Delaware River. This branch channel is crossed at Delaware City by a double leaf bascule bridge having a horizontal clearance of 60 feet and a maximum vertical clearance of 17 feet (5.2 m) at mean low water when closed. This bridge is only open for passage of vessels between the hours of 8:00 A. M. and 4:00 P. M., Eastern Standard Time. The branch channel is open to traffic, and in May, 1936, had a controlling depth of 5 feet (1.5 m) from Delaware River to the bridge, and thence 2 feet (0.6 m) to the main canal. Project Depth.-The existing project provides for a channel having a depth of 27 feet (8.2 m) and a width of 250 feet from Delaware River to Elk River; and thence 400 feet wide down Elk River and Chesapeake Bay to deep water at or near Pooles Island. It also provides for deepening the Delaware City Branch Canal to 8 feet (2.4 m). (The portion of the project in Elk River and Chesapeake Bay is included in the Baltimore, Maryland, U. S. Engineers' District.) Tides. The normal range of tide is 5.5 feet (1.7 m) at the Delaware River end of the canal, and about 2.0 feet (0.6 m) at the Chesapeake City end. "Local mean low water" at the mouth of Back Creek is about +2.0 feet (0.6 m) on the canal datum; it increases to +2.2 feet (0.7 m) at Bethel, and then decreases gradually eastward, being +0.9 feet (0.3 m) at Delaware River. The set of the flood tide is from Chesapeake Bay toward the Delaware River, and there is a difference of about two hours in the times of tide at each end of the canal. The heights of high and low tides are greatly changed by winds at times. During a violent northeast storm the high tide may rise to 9 to 10 feet (2.7 to 3.0 m) above zero throughout the canal, and during a westerly storm the low tide may fall to zero or lower at Chesapeake City, and to 1.0 or 1.5 feet (0.3 or 0.5 m) below zero at Reedy Point; all references being to canal datum. Staff gages, with zeros set at canal datum, have been installed at numerous places along the canal, including both ends and at the bridges. Currents. The daily predicted times of slack water and the times and velocities of strengths of flood and ebb are given in the Atlantic Coast Current Tables published annually by the Coast and Geodetic Survey. The currents in the canal are moderate during fair weather, ranging from 12 to 2 miles per hour, with the highest velocities at Chesapeake City and Reedy Point. Storm tides increase these velocities to as much as 3 miles per hour, or even more. Under such conditions tows usually have difficulty in making headway against the current. At times there is considerable current across the jettied entrance which must be guarded against, especially when passing other vessels in the entrance. Turning Basin.-A turning basin at which wide boats may pass each other, or long craft turn around, is provided 1,500 feet west of the Chesapeake City bridge. Distances through the canal are shown on channel markers at 500 foot intervals and are measured westward from station 0+000 in the Delaware River. Tie-up Facilities.-There are tie-up dolphins and boardwalks provided in the canal at Reedy Point entrance, on the north side and at Chesapeake City on the south side. Bulkhead wharves are provided at St. Georges just east of the bridge, at Chesapeake City on the west side of the mooring basin, and at Delaware City at the Delaware River entrance to the Branch Channel on the north side. Regulations for the use of these facilities have been posted and further information can be secured by telephoning the Canal Office, Chesapeake City 43. Bridges. There are four highway bridges over the canal; that is, at Reedy Point, St. Georges, Summit, and Chesapeake City; and one railway bridge, at Canal Station. All bridges are vertical lift, with clearance of 140 feet above low water when open. The bridge at Summit has a clearance of about 65 feet when in a closed position. When closed, the vertical clearances above mean high water are as follows: The signal for opening of bridges is three blasts of the whistle or of a horn. (See below-Traffic signals at all bridges.) Supplies.- Gasoline and supplies can be obtained at Chesapeake City, St. Georges Bridge, and Delaware City. There is a marine railway at Chesapeake City capable of hauling out a boat about 60 feet long and draft of about 412 feet (1.4 m). Traffic Control.-As an aid to navigation in the canal, a dispatching system has been established, with a dispatcher on duty at the Chesapeake City office at all times. Each boat is reported as it enters the canal and a log of its name, length, beam, draft, and speed of travel is kept, and the dispatcher, with this information and knowledge of the tide and channel conditions, is able to dispatch traffic safely over shoals. The cooperation of the canal users is essential to the successful handling of traffic, especially in the matter of information as to length, beam, and draft of vessels, visibility of draft numerals, and the strict observance of existing rules and regulations pertaining to the use of the waterway. Traffic Signals at all bridges. Red Light: Vessels must be kept under control to stop if necessary due to failure of bridge to raise. Green Light: Vessel may proceed. Two blasts of horn, Fixed Red and Blinking Red Lights: Stop and tie up before reaching bridge. This signal will be given when, for any reason, it becomes necessary to stop a vessel at any of the canal bridges. Four blasts of horn: Vessel may proceed after having been stopped and tied up. Tows. No towboat shall be permitted to enter this canal with more than one barge in one tow proceeding with the tide. When proceeding against the tide two loaded, or three light barges, in single file are permitted. No towboats shall be permitted to enter the canal if considered inadequate to safely handle its tow. Vessels transiting the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal abreast must have the towboat on the port side of the vessel being towed. For further information see pages 308 and 310. Passing in Canal.-Large vessels and tows must not overtake and attempt to pass other large vessels or tows in the canal. Right-of-Way. When meeting in the canal, all vessels proceeding with the tide shall have the right-of-way over those proceeding against the tide. Rafts. All tows of rafts must, before entering the canal, tie up and be inspected by a representative of the United States Engineer Sub-office at Chesapeake City, Md. (Telephone Chesapeake City 43). Such tows will be allowed in the canal only during daylight hours, and must not exceed 45 feet in width or 800 feet in length. Pontoon rafts exceeding 200 feet in length must be accompanied by two tugs, one forward and one aft, so that the tow can be kept strung out behind the forward tug and on the proper side of the channel. All rafts must be accompanied by sufficient crew to properly care for them during transit, to see that they are secure when tied up, and properly lighted at night. (See p. 310.) Speed Limits. The speed limit in any part of the waterway is 6 miles per hour-3 miles per hour when passing approaching craft or craft tied to the bank. Excessive speed is not only damaging to boats tied up at wharves, and detrimental to the banks of the canal, but is liable to cause serious accidents to those who indulge in it. The operations involved in interrupting the stream of vehicular traffic and raising the bridge are based upon a speed of 6 miles per hour by the approaching vessel. If that speed is exceeded, the boat may reach the bridge before it is elevated sufficiently to allow the boat to pass, with consequent serious damage to the craft. BACK CREEK AND ELK RIVER (Chart 1226) Back Creek has a length of 34 miles from Chesapeake City to Elk River. A channel 27 feet (8.2 m) deep and 250 feet wide is being dredged through this creek at present from the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal at Chesapeake City to near Courthouse Point with cut-offs through Sandy and Grass Points. The section between Courthouse Point and Long Creek has been completed but the depths in the canal are reported subject to rapid change. (See p. 309.) It is well marked by lights and buoys. Caution should be exercised because of dredging and other working plant. A pilot may be obtained on inquiry at Chesapeake City and sometimes at the entrance to the creek. The channel in the creek is too narrow for anchorage. Gasoline and provisions are obtainable at Chesapeake City, and there is a shipyard and marine railway. (See previous page.) Elk River has a length of nearly 8 miles from Back Creek to the entrance of the river at Turkey Point. The natural channel is wide and easily followed. A convenient anchorage will be found near the west shore about 111⁄2 miles northeast from Turkey Point. The project calls for a dredged channel from near Courthouse Point to near Pooles Island in Chesapeake Bay continuing 27 feet (8.2 m) deep and 400 feet wide from the dredged section in Back Creek. Dredging is under way. Tides. At Chesapeake City, Back Creek tides occur about 3 hours after tides at Baltimore, and the mean range of tides is 2.3 feet. CHESAPEAKE BAY (INSIDE ROUTE) (Charts 1222 to 1226) GENERAL The channel in Chesapeake Bay is well marked and easily followed. Coal, gasoline, repairs, and supplies of all kinds can be best obtained at Baltimore and Norfolk. Some supplies and gasoline |