Dixon Entrance
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118 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 8, Chapter 4 19 SEP 2021 Chart Coverage in Coast Pilot 8—Chapter 4 131°W 130°W NOAA’s Online Interactive Chart Catalog has complete chart coverage http://www.charts.noaa.gov/InteractiveCatalog/nrnc.shtml 133°W 132°W UNITEDCANADA ST ATES 17420 17424 56°N A 17422 C L L U A S R N R 17425 E I E N N E V C P I E L L A S D T N G R A I L B A G E E I L E T V A H N E D M A L 17423 C O C M I H C L E S P A B A L R N N I A A N L A N C C D E 17428 O F W 17430 D A 17427 Ketchikan N L A E GRAVINA ISLAND L S A T N I R S N E E O L G T R P A E T A S V S I E L N A L P I A S G S L D I L A G O N E D H D C O I N C 55°N H D A A N L N T E E L L DUKE ISLAND L N I I S L CORDOVA BAY D N A A N L T D R O P C Cape Chacon H A T H A 17437 17433 M S O Cape Muzon U N 17434 D DIXON ENTRANCE Langara Island 17420 54°N GRAHAM ISLAND HECATE STRAIT (Canada) 19 SEP 2021 U.S. Coast Pilot 8, Chapter 4 ¢ 119 Dixon Entrance to Ketchikan (1) This chapter describes the waters of Dixon Entrance, (8) Bowie Seamount is a sharp pinnacle with a depth of Pearse and Portland Canals, Revillagigedo Channel, 13.9 fathoms in 53°17'58"N., 135°39'02"W. Tongass Narrows, Carroll and George Inlets, Behm (9) Learmonth Bank is in the fairway of the west Canal, Ward Cove and the city and harbor of Ketchikan. entrance of Dixon Entrance between 8 and 18 miles north (2) of Langara Island and inside the 100-fathom curve. The Weather bank is about 12 miles long, northwest and southeast, and (3) Dixon Entrance is exposed to the rigors of the nearby about 5 miles wide. The least depth is about 19 fathoms Pacific. Gales blow frequently from October through over a bottom of sand, rock and gravel. April, mainly out of the southeast, up the Hecate Strait. (10) Sometimes north gales draw down Portland Inlet across Currents the northeast end of Chatham Sound, making the crossing (11) In Dixon Entrance, the flood current runs east from Dundas Island to Cape Fox hazardous. Strong around Langara Island and sets along the north shore of southwest winds create a heavy beam sea on this same Graham Island. In the area about midway between Rose crossing. Swells approach Dixon Entrance mostly from Spit and Dundas Island it divides: one part sets north past the west and southwest, particularly in winter. They move Dundas Island and the other south into Hecate Strait. through passages, break on shoals or against shorelines (12) The turn of the current in the vicinity of Rose Spit and are heavy at times. In Caamano Passage, the west coincides approximately with the times of high and low coast of Dundas Island experiences almost continuous water. At times the streams run as high as 4 knots in the heavy swell. Parry Passage, as well as the west and north vicinity of Rose Spit and cause heavy overfalls that have coasts of Langara Island, is subject to prevailing ocean the appearance of shallow water in depths of 10 fathoms swell. or more. This area should be navigated with great care. (4) Uncertain currents and a number of hazards make Give Rose Spit a wide berth. navigation in Dixon Entrance treacherous when visibility (13) At Cape Muzon the flood current sets around the is poor. Advection fog plagues these waters from July cape northeast and the ebb southwest, with a velocity of through September, when visibility less than 0.5 mile about 2.4 knots at strength. occurs up to 5 percent of the time, and is often cyclical (14) At Nunez Rocks and Cape Chacon the currents are over a period of several days. At Langara Island, fog irregular and affected by storms. The flood generally sets is reported 4 to 9 days each month from May through east or northeast. From the cape to Nichols Bay there is September. apparently an eddy with a west set close to the shores. Between the cape and the rock off the cape, the current (5) apparently always runs west, although not strong during ENCs - US2AK30M, US3AK40M the last half of the flood. North of Cape Chacon an eddy Charts - 16016, 17400 runs to the south, close to the shore. Off the cape a current of 2 to 3 knots has been experienced. (6) Dixon Entrance, the south approach from the Pacific (15) On the ebb the general direction of the current is to Ocean to the inner channels of southeastern Alaska and the west. From Cape Chacon it runs in the direction of the north seaward approach to those of British Columbia, Nunez Rocks, probably forced to the south by the current is entered between Queen Charlotte Islands on the south from Nichols Bay; the latter sets east as far as the cape and and Dall and Prince of Wales Islands on the north. It then turns south. The current from the south entrance of extends in a general east direction from Cape Muzon and Nichols Bay runs southeast until it meets the main current Langara Island to Dundas Island, a distance of about 75 when it turns west around Nunez Point. West of Nunez miles, with an average width of more than 30 miles; it Rocks the ebb current is west but is affected by currents then contracts to a width of about 8 miles between Cape from inlets; there are small eddies along shore. Fox and Dundas Island and continues with this width to (16) Between Cape Chacon and Zayas Island on the south the mouth of Portland Inlet, a distance of 17 miles. and Duke Island and Cape Fox on the north, the tidal (7) The International Boundary Line between currents are much confused. In bad weather the heavy the United States and Canada runs through Dixon and confused sea sometimes looks like breakers. Entrance, Tongass Passage, Pearse Canal and (17) Between Dundas Island and Cape Fox the flood Portland Canal. current sets east with an average velocity at strength of 120 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 8, Chapter 4 19 SEP 2021 2 knots, and the ebb current sets west with an average and mountainous; the highest peak is near the center of velocity at strength of 3 knots. the island. (18) See the Tidal Current prediction service at (28) Cape Muzon, the south extremity of Dall Island, tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov for specific information forms the northwest headland of Dixon Entrance. It is about times, directions, and velocities of the current at heavily wooded and rises to a rounded peak 2 miles numerous locations throughout the area. Links to a user northwest of the extremity of the cape. Off the east end guide for this service can be found in chapter 1 of this of the cape is a group of small islands and rocks. A breaker book. is 0.3 mile off the south shore of the cape. Vessels should (19) Additional information on currents in these waters give the cape a berth of at least 1 mile. A bank with a is given in the Canadian Sailing Directions British reported least depth of 14 fathoms is 2 miles southwest Columbia (North), Volume II. of Cape Muzon Light. (20) (29) Cape Muzon Light (54°39'54"N., 132°41'34"W.), Routes 80 feet above the water, is shown from a spindle with (21) Because of the numerous dangers and uncertain a red and white diamond-shaped daymark on the south currents, navigation of Dixon Entrance at night or in thick extremity of the cape. or foggy weather is somewhat risky. In approaching from (30) south, the light on Langara Island is a sufficient guide Local magnetic disturbance to the entrance. In approaching from west or northwest, (31) Differences of as much as 4° from normal variation Forrester Island is a good landmark. The light on Cape have been observed at Cape Muzon. Muzon and the light on Cape Chacon are good guides (32) when in their vicinity, but the unmarked Nunez Rocks, ENC - US5AK4KM about 3.2 miles southwest from Cape Chacon, should be Chart - 17433 kept in mind. The light on Barren Island is also a good guide when going to the east part of Dixon Entrance; it is (33) Point Marsh (54°43.2'N., 132°19.1'W.), about 13 advisable to set a course southeast of the island in passing. miles east of Cape Muzon, is a group of rocky islets, all (22) The high rugged coastline and the isolated islands of which are comparatively low and wooded, lying close are very good radar targets. to the main shore of Prince of Wales Island. Between 1 (23) and 2 miles back of the point, the ground rises evenly and ENCs - US3AK40M, US3AK42M, US3AK4RM several irregular knobs show along the slope. About 2.5 Charts - 17400, 17420 miles northeast of the point is a prominent, almost bare hill, with rounded top.