UNITED STATES COAST PILOT

PACIFIC COAST-CALIFORNIA, OREGON, AND WASHINGTON

GENERAL INFORMATION

This volume covers the western coast of the United States between the Mexican boundary on the south and the international boundary between British Columbia and the United States on the north, including Juan de Fuca Strait and tributary waters. within those limts.

The coast, as a rule, is rugged and mountainous, the high land in many places rising abruptly from the sea. Southward of San Francisco Bay the mountains are usually bare or covered with chaparral and underbrush. Northward of San Francisco Bay they are generally well timbered, and in some places, especially northward of the Columbia River, the timber is particularly dense and heavy.

There are few outlying dangers, the principal ones being Bishop Rock, southward and westward of Point Loma; Noonday Rock and the Farallones, in the approaches to San Francisco Bay; Blunts, St. George, Rogue River, Orford, and Umatilla reefs, northward of San Francisco. These are described under separate headings in their appropriate place in the detailed description of the coast. The islands off the southern coast of California are the largest and most prominent and, except the Farralones, the farthest offshore of any along the coast.

The depths in approaching the coast are too great for a vessel, that is not equipped with an echo sounding instrument, to readily obtain soundings until within a short distance of the shores; the slope from the 100-fathom (183 m) curve to greater depths is very abrupt, as is the case in many places from the 30-fathom (55 m) curve to 100 fathoms (183 m). The 100-fathom (183 m) curve lies at an average distance of less than 10 miles offshore, but this distance is increased in several cases, as in approaching San Francisco Bay, in the vicinity of Heceta Bank, off the mouth of the Columbia River, and at the entrance to Juan de Fuca Strait. In thick weather the greatest caution should be exercised and soundings taken frequently. Kelp grows on nearly every danger having a rocky bottom and is particularly heavy at various points in the Santa Barbara Channel and in the vicinity of San Diego Bay. It will be seen on the surface of the water during the summer and autumn months; during the winter and spring it is not always to be seen, especially where it is exposed to a heavy sea. Kelp should always be considered a sign of danger and no vessel should pass through it unless the spot has

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been carefully examined and sounded. There are, however, many rocks not marked by it; a heavy sea will occasionally tear the kelp away from rocks, and a moderate current will draw it under water so that it will not be seen. When passing on the side of a patch of kelp from which the stems stream away with the current, care should be taken to give it a good berth. Dead, detached kelp floats on the water curled in masses, while live kelp, attached to rocks, streams away level with the surface.

Anchorage, affording shelter from the severe northwesterly winds of summer, may be had in a number of places along the coast. In southeast and southwest weather there are few places where shelter may be had; San Diego Bay, Los Angeles Harbor, the lee side of the islands off the southern coast, and Monterey Bay are the only places south of San Francisco Bay. North of San Francisco, Humbolt Bay, Coos Bay, Tilamook Bay, Columbia River, Willapa Bay, and Grays Harbor afford good shelter, but most of these places must be made before the sea rises, as afterwards the bars become impassable. Neah Bay, just. inside the entrance to Juan de Fuca Strait, is used considerably by vessels in westerly or southerly weather.

Aids to navigation. These are numerous, and there are few places along the coast where a vessel is not in sight of one or more lights. Lightships are placed off: San Francisco Entrance, Blunts Reef near Cape Mendocino, the mouth of the Columbia River, Umatilla Reef, and Swiftsure Bank off the entrance to Juan de Fuca Strait. The dangers are buoyed as a rule and generally marked by kelp. The buoyage accords with the system adopted in United States waters. The lightships and principal coast lights are described in the text of this volume. For a complete description of all lighted aids, buoys, and daymarks see the Light List, Pacific Coast of the United States, published by the Lighthouse Service, which can be obtained from the Division of Publications, Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C. The light list is priced at 30 cents.

All lightships and some light stations are equipped with radiobeacons and there are numerous radiocompass stations located along the coasts and particularly in the vicinity of the entrances to the main ports.

System of buoyage. In conformity with section 4678 of the Revised Statutes of the United States, the following order is observed in coloring and numbering buoys in United States waters, viz:

In approaching the channel, etc., from seaward, red buoys, with even numbers, will be found on the starboard side.

In approaching the channel, etc., from seaward, black buoys, with odd numbers, will be found on the port side.

Buoys painted with red and black horizontal stripes will be found on obstructions, with channel ways on either side of them, and may be left on either hand in passing in.

Buoys painted with white and black perpendicular stripes will be found in midchannel, and must be passed close-to to avoid danger.

All other distinguishing marks to buoys will be in addition to the foregoing and may be employed to mark particular spots.

Nun buoys, properly colored and numbered, are usually placed on the starboard side and can buoys on the port side of channels when entering.

Day beacons (except such as are on the sides of channels, which will be colored like buoys) are constructed and distinguished with special reference to each locality, and particularly in regard to the background upon which they are projected.

Buoys maintained by the United States Army Engineers for dredging purposes are painted white with the top, for a distance of 2 feet, painted dark green.

Bridge regulations.-Regulations for lighting bridges over navigable waters, also for lights on sheer booms, piers, dams, and similar obstructions to navigation are prescribed by the Department of Commerce. A copy of these regulations will be sent free of charge to any shipmaster, pilot, or bridge owner on application to the Division of Publications, Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C. The lighthouse superintendents have immediate authority over lighting of structures in their respective districts and are charged with the enforcement of the regulations.

Regulations for the operation of drawbridges are prescribed by the Secretary of War, and extracts from these regulations are given in the description of the waters affected under the heading “Bridge regulations.

Fishweirs.-Regulations prescribe that fishing structures and appliances in navigable waters of the United States shall be lighted for the safety of navigation, as follows:

The lights shall be displayed between sunset and sunrise. They shall be placed at each end of the structure excepting where the inner end terminates in such situation that there is no practicable navigation between it and the highwater line of the adjacent coast, in which case no inner light shall be displayed. The outer light shall be white and the inner light shall be red. The size, capacity, and manner of maintenance of the lights shall be such as may be specified in the War Department permit authorizing the erection of the structure or appliance.

When several structures or appliances are placed on one line with no navigable passage between them, they will be considered, for lighting purposes, as one structure.

Lighthouse tenders, when working on buoys in channels or other frequented waters, may display a red flag (international signal code flag B) and a black ball at the fore as a warning to other vessels to slow down in passing. Passing vessels will facilitate the work of the Lighthouse Service by a proper observance of the signals.

Special signals for surveying vessels.-The following signals have been prescribed for vessels of the United States engaged in hydrographic surveying:

By day a surveying vessel of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, under way and employed in hydrographic surveying, may carry in a vertical line, one over the other not less than 6 feet apart where they can best be seen, three shapes not less than 2 feet in diameter of which the highest and lowest shall be globular in shape and green in color and the middle one diamond in shape and white. Vessels of the Coast and Geodetic Survey shall carry the above-described marks while actually engaged in hydrographic surveying and under way, including drag work. Launches and other boats shall carry the prescribed marks when necessary.

By night a surveying vessel of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, under way and employed in hydrographic surveying, shall carry the regular lights prescribed by The Rules of the Road.

A vessel of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, when at anchor in a fairway on surveying operations, shall display from the mast during the daytime two black balls in a vertical line and 6 feet apart. At night two red lights shall be displayed in the same manner. In the case of a small vessel the distance between the balls and between the lights may be reduced to 3 feet if necessary. Such vessels, when at anchor in a fairway on surveying operations, shall have at hand and show if necessary in order to attract attention a flare-up light in addition to the lights which are, by this regulation, required to be carried.