The wire drags used by the Coast and Geodetic Survey in sweeping for dangers to navigation may be crossed by vessels without danger of fouling at any point except between the towing launches and the large buoys near them, where the towline approaches the surface of the water. Steamers passing over the drag are requested to change course so as to cross it approximately at right angles, as a diagonal course may cause the propeller to foul the supporting buoys and attached wires. Communication is by regular lines of coasting steamers, by rail, and by telegraph, telephone, and radio. A number of the light stations are equipped to receive messages by the international signal code, and transmit them by telegraph. There are several lines of trans-Pacific steamers, and a number of transcontinental railroads. There is an improved highway along the coast from border to border. Supplies.-Vessels usually obtain their supplies in either San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Columbia River, or Puget Sound. Coal can be obtained at a number of points. Fuel oil can be obtained at all the principal ports. Ship-chandler's stores can be had at San Diego, San Pedro, San Francisco, Humboldt Bay, Coos Bay, Columbia River, and Puget Sound, and in limited quantities at several other places. The majority of vessels on the Pacific coast are now oil burners, and in general the facilities for bunkering with fuel oil are much superior to coal. Repairs.-Extensive repairs to large vessels can be made only in Los Angeles Harbor, San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle. Small motor boats and yachts can be hauled out, and ordinary repairs to machinery can be made at several other places. The details of the largest dry docks and marine railways are given in the following table: Pilots will be found cruising off the port of San Francisco. Pilots are available at most of the other ports, but do not cruise off the entrances. Vessels desiring pilots are urged to radio ahead, and state probable time of arrival off the entrance. Extracts from the laws governing pilotage will be found under the headings of the various localities. Towboats are available at all the principal ports, but as a rule no longer cruise off the entrances. Arrangements for towboats should be made by radio or telegraph. Harbor masters are appointed for the principal ports, and they have charge of the anchorage and berthing of vessels in their respective harbors. The laws prohibit the dumping of ashes or other materials in the channels. Navigation laws of the United States are published by the Bureau of Navigation and Steamboat Inspection, Department of Commerce, at intervals of 4 years, the present edition being that of 1931. A supplement is issued after every session of Congress. The volume and supplements can be obtained from the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D.C., price $1 for the volume and 5 cents each for the supplements. Rules of the road.-International and inland "Rules to prevent collisions of vessels ", lines within which the inland rules apply, and "Regulations of motor boats" are published by the Bureau of Navigation and Steamboat Inspection, Department of Commerce, and are included in the appendix to this volume. Pilot rules for certain inland waters of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and of the coast of the Gulf of Mexico are published by the Bureau of Navigation and Steamboat Inspection in form 804. Copies of these pamphlets are furnished by the officers of the Bureau of Navigation and Steamboat Inspection, and can also be had from the Division of Publications, Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C. QUARANTINE AND MARINE HOSPITALS Quarantine for all ports within the limits of this volume is enforced in accordance with the regulations of the United States Public Health Service. National quarantine regulations will be found at the stations of the service and at American consulates, and will be furnished to vessels upon application, either by officers of the service or by the Bureau in Washington, D.C. Every vessel should be provided with the quarantine regulations. The following are the quarantine boarding stations within the limits covered by this volume: Medical relief.—American merchant seamen are entitled to free medical relief at the expense of the Government, through the United States Public Health Service at its established relief stations. A Fumigation facilities at these ports. list of such stations in the region covered by this volume is given below. An American merchant seaman is one 66 engaged on board in the care, preservation, or navigation of any registered, enrolled, or licensed vessel of the United States, or in the service, on board, of those engaged in such care, preservation, or navigation. Relief stations of the Public Health Service are located at the addresses given, in the following ports: California: San Diego, 722 Electric Building. San Pedro, 111 West Seventh Street. Los Angeles, 544 Wilcox Building. San Francisco, Marine Hospital, Fourteenth Avenue and Lake Street. Outpatient office, Appraisers Building. Eureka, 407 First National Bank Building. Oregon: Marshfield, 125 Broadway. Newport, Hurlburt Street. Astoria, 211 Post Office Building. Portland, 215 U.S. Courthouse. Washington: South Bend, Lumber Exchange Building. Aberdeen, 720 Becker Building. Port Angeles, 116 Laural Street. Port Townsend, Federal Building. Seattle, Marine Hospital, Judkins Street and Fourteenth Avenue South. Out-patient office, Federal Building. Tacoma, 435 Medical Arts Building. Olympia, 407 Security Bank Building. Everett, Medical Dental Building. Anacortes, Empire Building. Bellingham, 518 Bellingham National Bank Building. WEATHER There are two seasons-the summer or dry season, which begins about May and continues until October, and the winter or rainy season, covering the remainder of the year. These seasons vary in length in different parts of the coast as well as in different years. Along the southern part of the coast the rainy season is comparatively short and the rainfall much lighter than in the northern portion, being so light in some years as to cause considerable damage to stock and farming industries. The winter gales from southward and southwestward are less frequent and less severe than at more northern points. The temperatures are milder and more even, and the snowfall is limited to the higher mountain peaks. Northward of San Francisco the rainy season increases in length and amount of rainfall, and as Juan de Fuca Strait is approached showers of short duration and generally local may be looked for at any time. Snow falls at rare occasions in San Francisco and vicinity, but is frequent and at times heavy in the vicinity of Juan de Fuca Strait. From San Francisco northward the winter gales increase in severity, frequency, and duration, while in summer the northerly and northwesterly winds at times reach almost hurricane strength. Winds. The prevailing winds in summer are from northwest and west, on the northern part of the coast; on the southern part, from west and southwest. The northwest winds in summer frequently reach a velocity of 70 miles an hour and extend as far south as Point Conception, eastward of which their severity is much less. As a rule, the northwest wind begins about sunrise and reaches its maximum velocity about 3 or 4 p.m., moderating toward sunset and dropping to light airs or calms by daylight. The severe northwesterly gales generally last two or three days, and continue throughout the night with little or no diminution. In winter the heaviest weather is from southeast and southwest, with an occasional northerly gale of short duration. The southeast gale occurs at any time, generally accompanied by rain and thick weather, and increasing in severity northward. These gales, with the heavy southwest swell prevailing during the winter months, cause a confused, irregular sea that taxes the weatherly qualities of a vessel to the utmost. They spring up gradually from southward, and increase in strength, with a rapidly falling barometer. When the barometer becomes stationary, the wind shifts to southwest and blows heavily, with clearing weather and frequent rain qualls. The barometer rises when the wind hauls to the southwest, from which point it generally blows from 12 to 20 hours. When the southwest gale of winter, is not preceded by southerly weather, the barometer seldom falls, but either remains stationary, when the gale may be expected to continue longer, or rises slowly, when it will gradually subside and fine weather follow. Fog.--On the outside coast fogs are liable to occur at any time, but are more frequent in July, August, and September. On the southern part of the coast they are light and generally clear away by noon. In the northern parts of the coast they are more frequent and at times are very dense, and have been known to extend several hundred miles seaward. They continue at times for weeks, rendering navigation difficult, and frequently require considerable wind to dispel them. They are generally brought in toward sundown, from seaward, by light westerly winds, and ordinarily continue until noon of the following day and somtimes later. The following table shows the average number of hours per month, from a record of about nine years, that the fog signals were operated at the stated light stations of the United States: Ballast Point, San Diego Bay 27 11 8 3 9 10 8 5 7 19 22 8 137 261 424 428 868 12 54 34 21 5 10 4 23 18 35 27 18 767 801 858 NOTE.-It should be borne in mind that the amount of fog encountered in any month may vary widely from the mean values given above. For example, in February 1925 there were 158 hours of fog in Los Angeles Harbor. At Farallon Island there were 153 hours of fog in January 1925 while the average shown in the table is 28 hours. The winter of 1925 was an exceptionally foggy one for the coasts of southern California. North Pacific weather, by months.-JANUARY is usually a stormy month on the North Pacific Ocean. Brisk to high southeast winds may be expected, with gales often lasting for many days. An area of low pressure overlies the North Pacific and is more or less permanent in character. Numerous disturbances prevail on the Washington and Oregon coasts, sometimes moving southward over California, but more generally moving eastward or southeastward across the United States. Low tule fog occurs in the morning at the mouths of rivers and harbors. FEBRUARY is also a stormy month. High northeast winds lasting for days may be expected north of Cape Flattery, while high southeasterly winds prevail southward to Point Conception. Rainfall is heavy and frequent from Cape Mendocino northward. A rapidly falling barometer with southeast winds is generally followed by several days of stormy weather. MARCH is a month of unsettled weather. Southerly winds frequently hauling to strong southwesterly winds may be expected. Occasionally disturbances will move northward from the California coast over Oregon and Washington. The rainfall is apt to be heavy along the coast north of Cape Blanco. APRIL is a month of showers. Fresh westerly winds, changing to brisk northwesterly, may be expected along the entire coast. Occasionally disturbances may be expected on the Oregon and Washington |