Sandy Hook to Cape Henry

19 SEP 2021 U.S. Coast Pilot 3, Chapter 3 ¢ 169 Sandy Hook to Cape Henry (1) Between New York Bay and Delaware Bay is the (9) New Jersey coast with its many resorts, its inlets and its Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System (CBIBS) Intracoastal Waterway. Delaware Bay is the approach to (10) The Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System Wilmington, Chester, Philadelphia, Camden and Trenton; (CBIBS) is a network of data-sensing buoys along the below Wilmington is the Delaware River entrance to the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail. Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, the deep inside link The buoys broadcast real-time weather/environmental between Chesapeake and Delaware Bays. The Delaware- data and voice narration of natural and cultural history Maryland-Virginia coast has relatively few resorts; the of the area. Real-time information from the buoy can numerous inlets are backed by a shallow inside passage be retrieved by phone at 877–BUOY–BAY or at www. that extends all the way from Delaware Bay to Chesapeake buoybay.noaa.gov. Bay. The last seven chapters, nearly half of this book, (11) are required to describe Chesapeake Bay to Norfolk and Radar Newport News, to Washington and Baltimore and to (12) Radar, though always a valuable navigational aid, Susquehanna River 170 miles north of the Virginia Capes. is generally of less assistance in navigation along this (2) A vessel approaching this coast from seaward will coast due to the relatively low relief; the accuracy of radar be made aware of its nearness by the number of vessels ranges to the beach cannot be relied upon. Coastal buoys passing up and down in the coastal trade. The coast of New equipped with radar reflectors are of help in this regard. It Jersey is studded with large hotels, prominent standpipes is sometimes possible to obtain a usable radar return from and elevated tanks. South of Delaware Bay, the principal the larger lighthouses, but positive target identification landmarks are the lighthouses and Coast Guard stations. is usually difficult. Radar is of particular importance in (3) The general tendency along this mostly sandy coast detecting other traffic and in the prevention of collisions is for the ocean beaches and the points on the north sides during periods of inclement weather and in fog and low of the entrances to wash away and for the points on visibility. the south sides of the entrances to build out. Protective (13) works have done much to stabilize the New Jersey coast, COLREGS Demarcation Lines but several lighthouses have been abandoned between (14) Lines have been established to delineate those waters Delaware Bay and Chesapeake Bay because of erosion. upon which mariners must comply with the International (4) The shores of Delaware Bay and Delaware River are Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972 (72 mostly low and have few conspicuous marks, other than COLREGS) and those waters upon which mariners must lights, below the industrial centers along the river. The comply with the Inland Navigational Rules Act of 1980 shores of Chesapeake Bay are low as far north as Patuxent (Inland Rules). The waters inside of the lines are Inland River, then rise to considerable heights at the head of the Rules Waters, and the waters outside of the lines are bay. COLREGS Waters. (See 33 CFR Part 80, chapter 2, (5) for specific lines of demarcation.) Disposal Sites and Dumping Grounds (15) (6) These areas are rarely mentioned in the Coast Pilot Ports and waterways safety but are shown on the nautical charts. (See Disposal Sites (16) (See 33 CFR Part 160, chapter 2, for regulations and Dumping Grounds, chapter 1, and charts for limits.) governing vessel operations and requirements for (7) notification of arrivals, departures, hazardous conditions Aids to navigation and certain dangerous cargoes to the Captain of the Port.) (8) Lights are numerous along the section of the coast (17) covered by this Coast Pilot. Sound signals are at most Regulated Navigation Areas of the principal light stations. Many coastal and harbor (18) Regulated Navigation Areas have been established buoys are equipped with radar reflectors, which greatly within the navigable waters of the First Coast Guard increase the range at which the buoys may be detected on District to increase operational safety for towing vessels the radarscope. The critical dangers are marked. and tank barges. (See 33 CFR 165.100, chapter 2, for limit and regulations.) 170 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 3, Chapter 3 19 SEP 2021 (33) 19 SEP 2021 U.S. Coast Pilot 3, Chapter 3 ¢ 171 (19) on the beaches after a southeasterly gale followed by a Harbor and inlet entrances sudden shift of wind to northwest. (20) The channels into Delaware and Chesapeake Bays (29) are broad and deep. The entrances to the inlets are Danger zones comparatively shallow and are more or less obstructed by (30) Danger zones have been established within the area shifting sandbars. Some of the inlets have been improved of this Coast Pilot. (See 33 CFR Part 334, chapter 2, for by dredging and by the construction of jetties. On many of limits and regulations.) the bars the buoys are moved from time to time to mark (31) the shifting channels. The best time to enter most of the North Atlantic right whales inlets is on a rising tide with a smooth sea. Strangers (32) The North Atlantic right whale is one of the world’s should not attempt to enter the inlets without assistance most endangered large whale species. North Atlantic when the seas are breaking on the bars. The tidal currents right whales are found primarily in continental shelf have considerable velocity in all of the entrances, and waters between Florida and Nova Scotia. They migrate their direction is affected by the force and direction of annually along the east coast between the feeding grounds the wind. off New England and Canada and the calving grounds off (21) Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. Because right Traffic Separation Schemes whales mate, rest, feed and nurse their young at the (22) Traffic Separation Schemes (Traffic Lanes) have surface, and often do not move out of the way of oncoming been established at the entrances to New York Harbor, ships, they are highly vulnerable to being struck. Pregnant Delaware Bay and Chesapeake Bay and in the main females and females with nursing calves appear to be channel of Chesapeake Bay off Smith Point just south of particularly vulnerable to collisions with ships. Ship the entrance to the Potomac River. (See chapters 4, 6, 9, strikes and fishing gear entanglements are the two known and 12, respectively, for details.) sources of human-related mortality. Intentionally (23) approaching within 500 yards of right whales is prohibited Anchorages and is a violation of federal law. (See 50 CFR 224.103, (24) The only protected anchorage for deep-draft vessels chapter 2 for limits, regulations and exceptions.) between New York Bay and Chesapeake Bay is outside the channel limits in Delaware Bay according to draft. (34) Description of North Atlantic right whale: Right Absecon Inlet, Cape May Inlet and some of the others whales are large baleen whales. Adults are generally 45 to can accommodate light-draft vessels such as trawlers and 55 feet in length and can weigh up to 70 tons. The body is small yachts, but not medium or deep drafts. Small local mostly black, but irregularly shaped white patches may be craft often seek shelter inside the shallower inlets, but present on the ventral surface. The best field identification entrance is difficult in heavy weather, and the unimproved marks are a broad back with no dorsal fin, irregular bumpy inlets are often difficult even in good weather, particularly white patches (callosities) on the head and a distinctive for strangers. two-column V-shaped blow when viewed from directly (25) A number of anchorage areas have been established behind or in front of the whale. The whales have broad, by Federal Regulations within the area of this Coast paddle-shaped flippers and a broad, deeply notched tail. Pilot. (See 33 CFR Part 110, chapter 2, for limits and (See diagrams and photographs.) Right whales are slow regulations.) moving and seldom travel faster than 5 or 6 knots. They (26) can stay submerged for 10 to 20 minutes and may appear Dangers suddenly when surfacing to breathe. They are often seen alone or in small groups. At times, right whales form large (27) The principal dangers along this coast are the outlying sand shoals, the fogs and the doubtful direction courtship groups of 20 to 30 animals. and velocity of the currents after heavy gales. Depths of (35) Seasonal occurrence of North Atlantic right 7.5 fathoms are found as far as 20 miles from shore. There whales: During seasons and in areas where right whales are many wrecks along this coast, but most of them have may occur, vessel operators should maintain a sharp been blasted off or cleared to safe navigational depths; lookout for whales and reduce speeds when consistent the others are marked by obstruction buoys. with safe navigation. In any given year oceanographic variability may affect the seasonal distribution of right (28) Gales from northeast to southeast cause heavy breakers on the beaches and outlying shoals; the sea whales. In 1986, right whales were frequently sighted breaks in 4 to 5 fathoms of water, and shoals of that depth within the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary or less usually are marked during easterly gales. The bars throughout the summer, and in the early spring of 1998 a across the inlets are then impassable and are defined by large number of right whales were documented near the breakers even in comparatively smooth water with a light Narragansett/Buzzards Bay Traffic Separation Scheme.

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