254 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 8, Chapter 9 19 SEP 2021 134°W Chart Coverage in Coast Pilot 8—Chapter 9 NOAA’s Online Interactive Chart Catalog has complete chart coverage 17300 http://www.charts.noaa.gov/InteractiveCatalog/nrnc.shtml 135°W L 17316 Y N N C A N A L UNITED STCANADA ATES 17315 T Juneau E L N DOUGLAS I ISLAND U K A T I C Y S T R A I T 17313 A 17314 D 58°N M I S R T 17360 E A P H L 17300 E T N S C Y 17311 H P A A S T S H 17363 A I A 17362 WINDHAM BAY G M S E L S T GAMBIER BAY A R A HOBART BAY N I T D PYB PORT HOUGHTON US B AY 17363 17365 I C K S O F R E D E R U N D 19 SEP 2021 U.S. Coast Pilot 8, Chapter 9 ¢ 255 Stephens Passage (1) This chapter describes Stephens Passage, Holkham during the winter, reaching its maximum in January. Bay, Endicott Arm, Tracy Arm, Taku Harbor, Gastineau The least fog occurs during April to July, inclusive, the Channel, Auke Bay, Tee Harbor and the city of Juneau, minimum being in May. including the communities of Douglas and Auke Bay. (10) (2) Ice ENC - US2AK30M (11) Ice is discharged from glaciers in Tracy and Endicott Chart - 16016 Arms, is always found in Holkham Bay and is prevalent in Stephens Passage off the entrance to that bay. Occasional pieces of ice may be expected in all parts of the passage. (3) Stephens Passage extends from its junction with Frederick Sound at Cape Fanshaw (57°11.1'N., In daytime with clear weather it is not a serious menace to 133°34.3'W.) in a general north-northwest direction for navigation, but it is dangerous at night or in thick weather. about 88 miles to Shelter Island, which divides it into (12) two channels, Saginaw Channel and Favorite Channel, ENC - US5AK0DM and connects it with Lynn Canal. Numerous islands are Chart - 17365 in both entrances to the passage, but otherwise it is open, deep and generally free from dangers. (13) Cape Fanshaw, on the east side at the junction of (4) Stephens Passage and Frederick Sound, is a long, low, Anchorages wooded point terminating in a sandspit, with a reef and (5) The waters of Stephens Passage and its branches rocks at the extreme end and deep water within 0.2 mile. are generally deep, and there are few good anchorages. (14) Cape Fanshaw Light (57°11'07"N., 133°34'26"W.), Anchorage can be had in Cleveland Passage, Gambier 33 feet above the water, is shown from a skeleton tower Bay, Seymour Canal, Taku Harbor, Gastineau Channel, with a red and white diamond-shaped daymark on the Young Bay, Fritz Cove, Auke Bay, Barlow Cove, Tee point of the cape. Harbor and Eagle Harbor. Temporary anchorage can also (15) Fanshaw Bay, on the northeast side of Cape be found in Port Houghton, Hobart Bay, Sanford Cove Fanshaw, is connected with Cleveland Passage by South (Endicott Arm), Limestone Inlet, Taku Inlet and Adams Passage. Anchorage can be made in the southeast side at Anchorage. the head, about 600 yards offshore and 0.5 mile southwest (6) of Whitney Island in 12 to 15 fathoms, sand and shell Currents bottom, sheltered from northeast and southeast winds. (16) (7) The flood current enters Stephens Passage from both Storm Islands, about 1.5 miles north of Cape ends and meets in varying places west of Point Arden; the Fanshaw, consist of a wooded island and several rocks; ebb current flows in the opposite direction. The velocity the southernmost, Bird Rock, is grass covered and of the current is 0.5 to 2 knots. In Saginaw Channel, the marked by a light on the south side. A ledge extends about current frequently ebbs throughout the day when the 300 yards west-northwest of Bird Rock. A grass-covered Moon is in quadrature. The ebb current in this channel is rock is between the larger Storm Island and Bird Rock. A considerably stronger than the flood. The currents have 3¾-fathom shoal was reported about 300 yards northeast considerable velocity in the entrance to all the larger bays of the light marking Bird Rock in about 57°12'37.0"N., and inlets that make off from Stephens Passage, causing 133°35'05.1"W. There is no safe passage through Storm tide rips and swirls. (See the Tidal Current Tables for daily Islands and adjoining rocks, and the passage between predictions of places in Stephens Passage.) Storm Islands and Whitney Island is narrowed to about 0.6 mile by a ledge awash at half tide 0.2 mile northeast (8) of the north end of Storm Islands. Weather (17) Whitney Island, wooded, forms the northeast shore (9) The prevailing winds are southeast throughout the of Fanshaw Bay and the west shore of Cleveland Passage. year. During the winter the winds are more variable and Duck Point, the south point of the island, and Bill Point, winds from the northeast quarter may prevail, particularly the north point, are marked by lights. in January. Southeast gales may occur at any season, but (18) Cleveland Passage, separating Whitney Island from they are more frequent and more severe in winter than in the mainland, is 0.5 mile wide and affords good anchorage summer. Fog may occur at any time but is more frequent near its southeast end. The depths vary from 8 fathoms 256 ¢ U.S. Coast Pilot 8, Chapter 9 19 SEP 2021 at its southeast end to over 70 fathoms at the northwest (26) Sail Island, about 5.3 miles northwest of Five end. A rocky shoal, covered 1¼ fathoms, is reported about Finger Light, is wooded. It has two hummocks with low 250 yards off the west shore of the passage about 0.9 mile land between and is conspicuous when approaching from north of Duck Point. The anchorage is about 0.8 mile the north. At the south end are two small islets and a north of the narrowest part of South Passage, favoring the rock awash. A 3-knot current has been observed over a east shore, in 12 to 20 fathoms, soft bottom; take care to 6¼-fathom shoal 1.0 mile to the north-northeast of the keep clear of East Spit. Small craft find anchorage in 4 to northern tip of Sail Island. 8 fathoms east and north of East Spit. Winds from west (27) False Point Pybus is on the west side of Stephens to north bring in a slight swell but do not seem to blow Passage, about 9.5 miles northwest of Five Finger Light. A home with any force. Winds from southeast, however, daybeacon marks the point 1 mile to the south-southwest blow down from the mountains with great force during of False Point Pybus. the southeast blows in Frederick Sound. (28) Point Walpole on the east side of Stephens Passage, (19) The entrance from northwest is much safer because about 7.3 miles north of Cape Fanshaw, is the west a midchannel course leads safely to the anchorage. South extremity of the west wooded islet on the south side of Passage has a midchannel depth of 11 fathoms. At the the entrance to Port Houghton. The shores of the bight north end of South Passage are East Spit and West Spit, southeast of the point are foul. projecting north and northeast, respectively. East Spit (29) Port Houghton is an extensive bay, about 9 miles is about 0.25 mile into the southeast end of Cleveland above Cape Fanshaw. Robert Islands are a group of Passage. A rock is at the east end of West Spit. islands forming the south point of the entrance. The waters (20) Small boats can find anchorage east of Duck Point of Port Houghton are very deep and afford no shelter for close to the mainland in 10 to 12 fathoms with protection large craft. A good small-craft anchorage may be found in from northeast and southeast blows. Sandborn Canal, which is a long narrow arm southeast (21) The tidal currents have a velocity of 1 to 2 knots in of Walter Island, in 8 fathoms, soft bottom. This is a good South Passage. See the Tidal Current prediction service winter anchorage if ice does not bother. A midchannel at tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov for specific information course into it is clear. The proximity of Cleveland Passage about times, directions, and velocities of the current at makes it unnecessary to use Port Houghton for anchorage numerous locations throughout the area. Links to a user except in winter. A reef is reported to extend about 0.5 guide for this service can be found in chapter 1 of this mile north from the north side of Walter Island. In 1971, book. rocks awash were reported off the unnamed point, on (22) Steamboat Bay is 1 mile north-northeast of Whitney the south side of the bay about 3.5 miles east-northeast Island and has Foot Island on its north side. McNairy of Walter Island; caution is advised in this area because Point is the south point and Fort Point the north point depths and character of bottom are not totally known. The at the entrance. The bay has generally deep water chart is the best guide. except for a reef that uncovers, about 400 yards north of (30) McDonald Rock is in the broad part of Stephens McNairy Point, and has an advantage as an anchorage Passage, about 8.8 miles north of Five Finger Light; it near Cleveland Passage.