Bell Island, wooded and of small extent, lies 1/4 mile eastward of Crane Island. Vessels using Pole Pass keep the north shore of this island close aboard to avoid the reefs and shoals extending from the western point at the entrance to West Sound. A rock, bare at extreme low water, lies 300 yards eastward of Bell Island; it is marked by a black buoy placed in 34 feet (10.4 m) close-to and eastward of the rock. Another rock with 6 feet (1.8 m) over it lies 400 yards 71° true (NE. 14 E. mag.) from the north point of Bell Island, and only 250 yards southeastward from the sharp point on the north shore. Some of the steamers go northward of this rock when entering or leaving West Sound.

West Sound, in the western part of Orcas Island on the southern shore, extends northwestward for 234 miles with an average width of 3/4 mile. The depths range from over 20 fathoms (37 m) at the entrance to 7 and 8 fathoms (12.8 and 14.6 m) at the head. Double Island, two small islands connected at low water, lies close to the western shore near the entrance. Victim Island lies close to the western shore about 1/4 mile northward from Double Island. Westsound is a settlement and post office in a cove on the eastern shore of the inlet 2 miles above the entrance. A wharf has been built out to about 12 feet (3.7 m) of water. Only a few piles remain of the old sawmill wharf. Care should be taken when leaving the wharf to avoid some submerged piling about 100 feet away in a southwesterly direction. Provisions in small quantities are available. Sheep Island, low, is in the southern part of the cove and is connected with the beach at low water; a shoal projects about 150 yards westward from the island.

Harbor Rock, with 4 feet (1.2 m) over it, lies in mid-channel 3/4 mile from the head of West Sound; the rock is of small extent and is surrounded by depths of 4 to 10 fathoms (7.3 to 18.3 m).

Anchorage may be had. anywhere in the sound northward of Double Island in 7 to 12 fathoms (12.8 to 21.9 m), soft bottom. Harney Channel, between the north shore of Shaw Island and Orcas Island, leads from the entrance of West Sound to the entrances of East and Lopez Sounds. At its eastern end it is joined by Upright Channel leading from San Juan Channel between Shaw and Lopez Islands. Harney Channel is 214 miles long with an average width of 11⁄2 mile; the depths range from 10 to 25 fathoms (18.3 to 46 m). There are no outlying dangers, and a mid-channel course is clear. Orcas, a small settlement and post office, is situated on the northern shore in a cove at the western end. A wharf with water and gasoline piped to the end has been built out to 10 feet (3.0 m) at mean lower low water. The automobile ferry slip lies just east of the wharf. It is a summer resort with a hotel and accommodations for yachtsmen. It is a port of entry, the customs office being on the ferry slip. There is daily communication by mail boat and ferry to the other islands and the mainland, and freight and passenger service three times a week to Seattle. There are telephone facilities. A rock with 15 feet (4.6 m) over it lies about 125 yards southward of the wharf; there is deep water between the rock and the beach. Blind Bay is a small cove on the southern shore of Harney Channel; the bay is shoal and there are several reefs. A small islet lies in the entrance, and a reef, bare at low water, extends 200 yards from the western point of the cove.

A rock partly bare at low water is reported to lie about 100 yards 132° true (E. by S. 12 S. mag.) from Blind Island at entrance to Blind Bay.

Shaw is a post village at the eastern entrance point of the bay. It has a store, warehouse, wharf built out to 12 feet (3.7 m), and a ferry slip. Provisions and gasoline may be obtained in small quanties. It is the only shipping point on Shaw Island. Farm produce is shipped and general merchandise is received. It has a telephone service and daily ferry service.

Upright Channel is 3 miles long, with an average width of 4 mile. Canoe Island near the southern entrance contracts the passage to a width of 600 yards. A rock, bare at lowest tides, lies 300 yards southward from the southern point of Canoe Island. A sunken rock marked by kelp lies 300 yards eastward from the southern point of Shaw Island. The depths in the channel range from 20 to 35 fathoms (37 to 64 m) and, excepting the rocks mentioned above, it is free from dangers. Anchorage for small vessels may be had in the cove westward of Canoe Island in 6 to 7 fathoms (11 to 12.8 m), soft bottom.

Upright Head, the northern extremity of Lopez Island, is long and narrow with an elevation of 260 feet (79 m). An automobile ferry slip is located in the small cove of the northeast end of the head. There is daily service with the larger islands and the mainland.

East Sound, on the south shore of Orcas Island, extends northwestward for 6 miles. It varies in width from 2 miles at the entrance to less than 1/2 mile, the narrowest part being about halfway up the inlet. The depths vary from 15 fathoms (27.4 m) at the entrance to 9 and 10 fathoms (16.5 and 18.3 m) less than 1/4 mile from the head. There are no outlying dangers and a mid-channel course is clear to the head; the shores may be approached to within 14 mile with safety. Shag Rock, marked by a spindle, lies 300 yards offshore about 5% mile eastward from the western point at the entrance. The rock shows at high water, but the ledge extends about 150 feet northward. Anchorage may be had anywhere in the inlet in 15 to 17 fathoms (27.4 to 31 m), soft bottom, and at the head in 10 to 12 fathoms (18.3 to 21.9 m). Eastsound is a summer resort and post office in the western one of the two small coves at the head of the sound. With a population of 256 (1930 census), it is the second largest village in the San Juan Archipelago. Gasoline, water, and lubricating oil may be obtained on the wharf, which is built out to 10 feet (3.0 m) at mean lower low water. Farm produce is shipped and general merchandise received. Several summer hotels are located here. Communication with the other islands and the mainland is maintained by daily boats and by telephone.

Rosario is a post office in the small cove on the east side 3 miles from the entrance. There is a landing wharf with water piped to it built out to 12 feet (3.7 m). There are several buildings in the cove and a large private residence on the point to the westward, all lighted by electric lights at night. Olga post office and settlement, with a large hotel and summer resort, and wharf built out to 20 feet (6.1 m), is on the west side of Buck Bay, the small cove on the east shore just within the entrance. Provisions may be obtained in small

amounts. Communication is maintained with the other islands and the mainland by daily boat service and by telephone.

Obstruction Passes, immediately eastward of the entrance to East Sound, connect with Rosario Štrait. Obstruction Island is marked on its eastern and southern ends by lights. The north pass is about 350 yards wide in its narrowest part, and in this vicinity near mid-channel a submerged rock, covered by kelp, has been reported. Because of this danger, the passage should be avoided.

The south pass, generally known as Peavine Pass, is the straighter and shorter of the two. It is a little over 200 yards wide at its narrowest part, with a least depth of 614 fathoms (11.3 m) on a midchannel course, which can be followed with safety. Lydia Shoal, with 334 fathoms (6.9 m) over it, lies 1 mile 81° true (NE. by E. mag.) from the light on the eastern end of Obstruction Island. This is a danger in entering or leaving the northern passage. In entering the southern pass from Rosario Strait a cluster of rocks, bare at high water and marked by a spindle, will be seen about 1/4 mile from the Blakely Island shore. The currents through the passes have considerable velocity, and eastward of Obstruction Island form heavy tide rips.

Westward of Blakely Island the depths as a rule are good, with but one danger of importance. A rock with 10 feet (3 m) over it lies a little over 1/2 mile westward from the northern part of Blakely Island and 1% miles 219° true (S. by W. 14 W. mag.) from the light on the southern point of Obstruction Island.

Thatcher Pass, between the southern point of Blakely Island and the north shore of Decatur Island, is about 1/2 mile wide in its narrowest part. The passage is clear and deep, with the exception of Lawson Rock, in mid-channel in the eastern end, that bares at extreme low water; the rock is marked by a red and black horizontally striped buoy placed on its southern edge. With a southerly wind and ebb tide, heavy rips will be encountered off the eastern entrance to the pass.

Lopez Sound, at the western end of Thatcher Pass, extends southward for 434 miles, with an average width of a little over 1 mile. The greater portion of the inlet has depths of 3 to 5 fathoms (5.5 to 9.1 m), muddy bottom, but a narrow, deeper channel runs along the eastern shore to Trump and Center Islands. The inlet is of little importance at present. Thatcher post village is in the shoal cove on the west side of Blakely Island. A box factory run by water power is located here. There is a small wharf. Port Stanley, population 162 (1930 census), is a post village in Swift Bay, on the northeast side of Lopez Island. It has a landing wharf built out to 12 feet (3.7 m). Leo Reef, awash at high tide, and lying in the midentrance to Swift Bay, is marked by a flashing white light. Decatur post village, with wharf out to 8 feet (2.4 m), is on the west side of Decatur Island, about 1 mile eastward from Trump Island. Farming and sheepraising are the principal industries in the vicinity. A small shipyard is located on the south end of Decatur Island on the cove east of Center Island. Cannery tenders, launches, and scows are built and repaired.

Lopez Pass, at the southern point of Decatur Island, leads from Rosario Strait into Lopez Sound at a point about 2 miles from its

head. It is very narrow, with depths varying from 9 to 12 fathoms (16.5 to 21.9 m); it is little used. The southern point of Decatur Island is marked by a flashing white light.

ROSARIO STRAIT (CHART 6380)

is about 20 miles in length and varies in width from 5 miles at the southern entrance to 12 miles about midway through the channel. The water is deep as a rule, but there are several dangers, the more important of which are marked by aids to navigation.

The strait is in constant use by vessels bound to Bellingham, Anacortes, or the various ports in the San Juan Islands. Vessels bound for British Columbia or Alaska ports also frequently use it in preference to the passages farther westward, when by so doing greater advantage can be taken of the currents.

The currents in the passes attain velocities of from 3 to 7 knots at strength and should be carefully taken into account by vessels using the strait at night or in thick weather. On the ebb of the larger tide a southerly wind causes tide rips, dangerous to small craft, off the entrances to Lopez, Thatcher, and Obstruction Passes. In the strait off Burrows Island high-water slack occurs about 11⁄2 hour after the time of high water at Port Townsend and low-water slack about the time of low water at Port Townsend.

Point Colville is the western point at the southern entrance to the strait. Watmough Head, 240 feet (73 m) high, flat-topped and wooded, rises immediately back of the point and is prominent in approaching from southwestward.

Colville Island, 40 feet (12.2 m) high, small and bare of trees, lies 11⁄2 mile 227° true (SSW. mag.) from Point Colville, and should be given a berth of not less than 1 mile. A steamer reported striking bottom 214 miles 99° true from Colville Island indicating 17 feet (5.2 m) or less in this area. Davidson Rock, bare at extreme low water, lies 1/4 mile eastward from Colville Island. It is marked by a lighted beacon, flashing white every 3 seconds. The fog signal is a bell, 1 stroke every 20 seconds. Heavy kelp extends westward to Colville Island.

Aleck Bay is the western and largest of three small bays on the southern shore of Lopez Island. It affords good anchorage for small vessels in 4 to 7 fathoms (7.3 to 12.8 m), sticky bottom, with good protection except from heavy southeast winds. Hughes and McArdle Bays, adjacent, are smaller, with less protection, and are not used. One-fourth mile offshore on the western side of the entrance to Aleck Bay is an irregular, dark-brown rock, 40 feet (12.2 m) high with a reef and detached rocks awash extending about 200 yards eastward from it. These are two shoals with least found depths of 44 and 434 fathoms (7.7 and 8.6 m) 700 yards 278° true and 1,050 yards 318° true, respectively, from the western point of Colville Island. Except for these dangers, the passage inside Colville Island is clear and is used by small boats.

Lawson Reef lies 15% miles 260° true (SW. by W. mag.) from the west point of Deception Island at the entrance to Deception Pass. It is of small extent, with a least depth of 17 feet (5.2 m), and is marked by a red and black horizontally striped bell buoy in 28 feet.

(8.5 m) on the eastern edge of the shoal. The red sector in Burrows Island Light covers this reef.

A shoal with a least depth of 35 feet (10.7 m) lies about midway between Davidson Rock and Lawson Reef.

Kellett Ledge, 2 miles northward from Point Colvill, lies 700 yards offshore; it is of small extent, marked by kelp, and is bare at lowest tides.

Burrows Bay, on the western shore of Fidalgo Island, is a broad, open bight, affording anchorage in the northern part in 15 to 16 fathoms (27.4 to 29.3 m), soft bottom. Protection from westward and northward is afforded by Burrows and Allan Islands, but the bay is exposed in southerly weather. The southeastern part of the bay has depths of 6 to 9 fathoms (11.0 to 16.5 m) over sandy bottom. Eastward of the passage between Allan and Burrows Islands is a middle ground with a least depth of 54 fathoms (9.5 m). Vessels using Deception Pass bound to or from ports in the islands or Bellingham Bay pass through Burrows Bay and the passage northward of Burrows Island.

Flounder Bay, a shallow lagoon, has been partially filled in and is now used as a log pond and lumberyard. There is a large sawmill here with a prominent brick stack and burner. There is an exporting dock with 30 feet (9.1 m) at low tide at its western end. The sawmill is known as the "Burrows Bay mill." The mill, however, has not been operated for several years nor has there been any shipping.

Burrows Island Lighthouse, on the southwestern end of Burrows Island, is group flashing white light (light 2 seconds, eclipse 2 seconds, light 2 seconds, eclipse 9 seconds), with a red sector from 311° to 9°. The fog signal is a reed horn sounding a group of 2 blasts every 40 seconds.

Williamson Rocks, a cluster of bare rocks of small extent, lie about 1/2 mile southward of the south point of Allan Island. Dennis Shoal, bare at low water, lies about 500 yards off the southern shore of Allan Island and 5% mile 328° true (NW. by W. mag.) from Williamson Rocks. The red sector in Burrows Island Light covers Dennis Shoal and also Lawson Reef. A small, bare rock lies 700 yards 58° true (NE. by N. mag.) from Langley Point, the southern point at the entrance to the bay, and about 500 yards offshore. A rock awash lies about 7% mile 32° true (N. 5% E. mag.) from Langley Point, and 650 yards off the southern point of a small cove on the eastern shore.

Bird Rocks, almost in midchannel, 4 miles northward from Point Colville, consists of 3 rocks close together, the southernmost_being the largest and 30 feet (9.1 m) high. There is deep water close-to and passage may be made on either side.

Belle Rock, bare at extreme low water, lies 11⁄2 mile 39° true (N. by E. 14 E. mag.) from Bird Rocks. It is marked by a flashing white light. If passing eastward, to clear the rock keep Tide Point, the western point of Cypress Island, on with Lawrence Point, the eastern point of Orcas Island, until Guemes Channel is open.

Pointer Island, locally known as "White Rock", about 16 feet (4.9 m) high, lies 1/4 mile off the southeastern shore of Blakely Island on the northern side of the entrance to Thatcher Pass.