in the Oklawaha River. The wind has no appreciable effect on the water level at the head of Dunns Creek and in Lake Crescent.

The flood stages in the river usually occur during the fall months and are about 1 foot (0.3 m) above ordinary low-water level at Jacksonville, 2 feet (0.6 m) at Palatka, 3 feet (0.9 m) at Lake George, 5 feet (1.5 m) at Sanford, and 61⁄2 feet (1.9 m) at Lake Harney.

The river water may be fresh at Jacksonville at low water with westerly winds, while with northeasterly winds brackish water may extend up to Doctors Lake.

JACKSONVILLE TO PALATKA

(Charts 682, 683, and 684)

The distance to Palatka is 48 miles, and the controlling depth 13 feet (3.9 m).

There are two bridges at Jacksonville at Hendricks Point. The highway bridge (vertical lift) has a vertical clearance at mean high water of 58.5 feet (17.8 m) minimum, and 166.5 feet (50.8 m) maximum. The railroad bridge (single-leaf bascule) alongside has a vertical clearance of 9.2 feet (2.8 m) when closed. The horizontal clearance of both bridges is 185 feet (56.4 m).

Ortega River, 3 miles above the Florida East Coast Railway bridge at Jacksonville, is crossed by two drawbridges near its mouth. The first one, a highway bridge, has a double-leaf bascule draw span, 53-foot horizontal clearance when open and 10-foot (3.0 m) vertical clearance when closed (at mean low water). The second is the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad bridge, which has a single-leaf bascule draw span, 40-foot horizontal clearance when open and 3.2-foot (1.0 m) vertical clearance when closed (at mean low water). A draft of about 5 feet (1.5 m) can be taken across the bar above the bridges into the narrower part of the creek.

a

Orange Park, about 10 miles above Jacksonville, on the west bank of the river, is a winter resort, and the site of "Moose Haven ", home for the aged. The principal dock supports a sewer outfall and has only 2 feet (0.6 m) at mean low water at its outer end.

Doctors Lake, 11 miles above Jacksonville, has a depth of 7 to 8 feet (2.1 to 2.4 m) in the entrance and is occasionally used as a freshwater anchorage. At the entrance is a highway-bridge crossing. This bridge has a swing draw span, with 60-foot horizontal clearance when open and 8-foot (2.4 m) vertical clearance when closed (at mean low water). A sunken barge, 460 feet SSW. % W. from the center of the draw is awash at low water. Vessels should not anchor in this vicinity. There is a small marine railway in Doctors Lake which can haul out boats of 45 feet (13.7 m) length, and 4 feet (1.2 m) draft.

Julington Creek, 13 miles above Jacksonville, has a least depth of 5 feet (1.5 m) for a distance of 3 miles to the forks, and the same depth can be taken about 3 miles up both branches. This creek is crossed by a highway bridge about a mile inside from the entrance. The bridge is a fixed span, with 39-foot horizontal clearance and 112-foot (3.4 m) vertical clearance (at mean low water).

Black Creek, 18 miles above Jacksonville, is navigable for vessels of 8-foot (2.4 m) draft about 15 miles to the village of Middleburg. The creek just inside its entrance is crossed by a drawbridge.

Green Cove Springs, a village on the west bank of the St. Johns River, about 20 miles above Jacksonville, is a winter resort. The wharves of the sawmills which formerly operated here are now in ruins. There is a good municipal dock with a depth of 72 feet (2.3 m) along its face. There is fresh water on the dock. Gasoline and supplies can be secured in the town.

A highway bridge crosses the St. Johns River about 2 miles above Green Cove Springs, at Old Field Point. It has a single-leaf bascule draw span with horizontal clearance of 100 feet, when open. When closed it has a vertical clearance of 10 feet (3.0 m) above mean low water.

Trout Creek and Six Mile Creek have a common entrance about 24 miles above Jacksonville. These creeks are navigable about 3 or 4 miles for boats of 6-foot (1.8 m) or less draft.

Tocoi is a small settlement on the east bank about 31 miles above Jacksonville. There are several small docks and gasoline can be obtained.

Deep Creek, 36 miles above Jacksonville, is navigable for a draft of 7 feet (2.1 m) for a distance of about 4 miles to Hastings, a town on the railroad. Several very sharp bends in this creek interfere with navigation. In June 1933 the controlling depth in the dredged entrance channel to Deep Creek was 734 feet (2.3 m).

Rice Creek, 44 miles above Jacksonville, is navigable for small craft of 6-foot (1.8 m) or less draft about 5 miles to the forks and a short distance up both branches. Two drawbridges cross the creek a short distance above its mouth.

Palatka, population 6,500 in 1930, is an important town and railroad center on the St. Johns River, 48 miles above Jacksonville. There are good facilities for the transfer of freight between rail and water. Four freight-boat lines operate to Jacksonville and up-river to Sanford. Lumber, ties, and citrus fruits are shipped. There are large sawmills, one of which has a vertical lift dock capable of taking out vessels 125 feet (38.1 m) in length, and 8foot (2.4 m) draft. There is a yacht storage house in Palatka with a marine railway capable of handling vessels of 100 tons, 85-foot (25.9 m) length, and 6-foot (1.8 m) draft. There is a machine shop in Palatka. Gasoline, Diesel oil, supplies, and fresh water can be obtained, and coal in quantities when prearranged for.

The depths at the commercial wharves above the bridge are 10 feet (3.0 m) and 16 feet (4.9 m) at the north and south docks respectively, and a channel with a controlling depth of 13 feet (4.0 m) leads to them. The city dock, the uncovered wharf to the south of them, has a depth of 11 feet (3.4 m) at the north face, 9 feet (2.7 m) at the east face, and fresh water connection. The depth at the dock at the lumber mill is 7 feet (2.1 m).

Two bridges cross the St. Johns River at Palatka. The first one is the Florida East Coast Railway bridge. It has a swing draw span with horizontal clearance of 98 feet (29.9 m) when opened. When closed the vertical clearance is 312 feet (1.1 m) at mean low

water. The new highway bridge is about 200 yards above the railroad bridge. It has a single-leaf bascule draw span with a horizontal clearance of 101 feet (30.8 m) when open. When closed the vertical clearance is 2212 feet (6.9 m) at mean low water.

DIRECTIONS, JACKSONVILLE TO PALATKA

This part of the river is comparatively easy to navigate with the aid of the charts.

After coming through the draws at Jacksonville keep about 150 yards off the starboard bank for % mile until abeam of Winter Point.

There is a large shoal with a least depth of 3 feet (0.9 m) in midriver southeast of Winter Point. Lights no. 32 and no. 34 mark this shoal. River boats use the channel east of the shoal passing about 150 yards east of light no. 32 and 350 yards east of light no. 34 on a course of 181° true (S. mag.) heading for a point about 100 yards west of Phillips Point Light No. 25. There is a controlling depth of 12 feet (3.7 m) in the east channel, and 15 feet (4.6 m) in the west channel.

From a position 150 yards east of Winter Point steer 180° true (S. 1 E. mag.) for 1 mile to a position about 900 yards SW1⁄4S of light no. 34..

Then make good a course of 16312° true (S. by E. 1⁄2 E. mag.) for 4.2 miles, passing about 350 yards off Phillips Point Light No. 25, to a position about 400 yards east of Piney Point Light No. 36. Change course to 1852° true (S. 3% W. mag.) and continue on course for 1.7 miles to a position 400 yards west of Buckley Bluff Light No. 27.

Haul southwestward and, with the tall elevated tank on Christophers Point astern, steer 214° true (SSW. % W. mag.) for 211⁄2 miles until the end of the dock at Orange Park bears west, distant about 850 yards. Thence haul southward and steer 175° true (S. 11⁄2 E. mag.) for 234 miles, passing about 500 yards west of Mandarin Point Light No. 29, north-northwest of Mandarin Point, to a position about 200 yards east of Ragged Point Light No. 40.

From a position 200 yards east of Ragged Point Light No. 40 steer 180° true (S. 1% E. mag.) for 311⁄2 miles to a point about 500 yards west of Switzerland Point Light No. 31 off New Switzerland Point. This course heads for a prominent white house on the west shore of the St. Johns River and shows slightly to the eastward of the prominent elevated tank in Green Cove Springs.

Continue on course for 134 miles to a position about 0.7 mile northwest of Popo Point Light No. 33. Then change course to 151° true (SSE. 5% E. mag.) and continue on course for 1.9 miles, passing about 400 yards southwest of Popo Point Light No. 33, to a position about 300 yards northeast of Green Cove Springs Light No. 50. Then stand for the center of the draw of Shands Bridge, 21 miles above Jacksonville, on course 12412° true (SE. by E. mag.) for 1.9 miles. The counterweight of the bascule-type draw is an excellent landmark. The horizontal clearance through the draw is 102 feet (31.1 m); the vertical clearance when closed is 11 feet (3.4 m) at mean low water.

From the center of the draw steer 11612° true (SE. by E. 34 E. mag.) for 1.3 miles to a position 400 yards east of Red Bay Point Light No. 54; thence steer 168° true (S. by E. 1 E. mag.) for 2.3 miles to a position 200 yards east of Bayard Point Light No. 56. On this course a prominent lone tree on Picolata Point is slightly on the port bow.

From a position 200 yards east of Bayard Point Light No. 56 steer 190° true (S. 34 W. mag.) for 1.1 miles to a position 200 yards west of Picolata Flat Light No. 37.

Make good a course of 166° true (S. by E. 3 E. mag.) for 3 miles, passing about 150 yards west of Orange Point Beacon No. 39, to a position about 100 yards west of Tocoi Cut Range Rear Light No. 41.

Then change course to 160° true (S. by E. % E. mag.), pass 100 yards west of Tocoi Cut Range Front Light No. 43 and immediately haul to close Tocoi Cut range astern (front light Fl. W., rear light F. W.; front beacon white square pile structure, rear beacon white daymark on square pile structure) on course 160° true (S. by E. 8 E. mag.).

Hold this range for 3 miles through Tocoi Cut to a position about 30 yards west of Tocoi Cut Entrance Light No. 43A. The controlling depth through the cut is 13 feet (4.0 m).

From a position 30 yards west of Tocoi Cut Entrance Light No. 43A. steer 1482° true (SSE. % E. mag.) for 13% miles to a position about 100 yards south of Racy Point Cut Range Front Light No. 47.

Close the Racy Point Cut range astern (front light Fl. W., rear light F. W.; both daymarks, white square, on pile structures) and steer 18112° true (S. mag.) through Racy Point Cut.

Continue on course for 31/4 miles, passing about 250 yards west of Federal Point Light No. 49, and then enter the dredged cut on a course of 195° true (S. by W. 14 W. mag.) for 1/4 mile to a position about 50 yards east of Nine-Mile Flat Light No. 60.

Haul slightly westward and, with Dancey Point range ahead (front light FI. W., rear light F. W.; front daymark, black square, on pile structure, rear daymark, white, slatted, on square, pile structure), steer 22012° true (SW. 11⁄2 S. mag.) for 2 miles to a point about 200 yards from Dancey Point Range Front Light No. 53.

Veer to westward and steer 271° true (W. mag.) for 2.4 miles, passing about 200 yards north of Forrester Point Light No. 51A, to a position 400 yards (SE. 5% E.) from Forrester Point Lower Range Rear Light. Then head to pass about 50 yards southeast of Forrester Point Lower Range Front Light No. 62.

Haul to southward and close Forrester Pont Lower range astern (front light Fl. W., rear light F. W.; front daymark, black square, on pile structure, rear daymark, red square, on skeleton structure). Continue on course 199° true (S. by W. 5% W. mag.) for 3/4 mile.

Veer to close Forrester Point Middle range astern (front light Fl. W., rear light F. W.; front daymark, red square, on pile structure, rear daymark, white square, on skeleton structure) passing about 50 yards off Forrester Point Middle Range Front Light No. 64.

With Forrester Point Middle range astern steer 173° true (S. 34 E. mag.) for 0.6 mile, then haul southeastward to close Forrester Point Upper range astern, passing about 50 yards off Forrester Point Upper Range Front Light No. 66.

With Forrester Point Upper range astern (from light Fl. W., rear light F. W.; front daymark, red square, on pile structure, rear daymark, white square, on skeleton structure) steer 152° true (SSE. 5% E. mag.) for 1 mile; then favor the east bank of the river for about 3/4 mile to a point about 200 yards west of the dock on the west side of One Mile Point (Moritani Point).

Thence steer 186° true (S. 12 W. mag.) for 1/2 mile to pass about 150 yards east of Lower Palatka Light No. 68; then head for the center of the railroad draw at Palatka.

Pass through the draws of the railway and highway bridges which cross the river at Palatka. The first of these has a swingtype draw with a horizontal clearance of 98 feet (29.9 m), and a vertical clearance of about 32 feet (1.1 m) at mean low water when closed. The openings adjacent to the swing span have a vertical clearance of 5.8 feet (1.8 m) at mean low water and a horizontal clearance of 8.7 feet (2.7 m). The highway brdge has a double leaf, bascule-type draw, with a horizontal clearance of 101 feet (30.8_m) and a vertical clearance of 221⁄2 feet (6.9 m) at mean low water when closed.

The docks at Palatka lie southward of the bridges.

PALATKA TO SANFORD

(Charts 508 and 509)

The distance from Palatka to Sanford is 90 miles, and the controlling depth 8 feet (2.4 m).

The route, which is interesting and scenic, follows the St. Johns River and crosses Little Lake George, Lake George, Lake Dexter, the south end of Lake Beresford, and the west end of Lake Monroe.

At certain times of the year great masses of hyacinths are found in the river above Palatka but a channel is usually kept clear through them by the river boats operating to Sanford. Floating logs and snags are frequently encountered in this section of the waterway.

Dunns Creek, 611⁄2 miles above Palatka, is navigable for boats of 7foot (2.1 m) draft to Crescent Lake, a distance of 72 miles. Some of the bends in the creek are sharp.

Directions. From the St. Johns River the creek should be entered from a point northeast of its mouth, passing about 50 yards off the fish traps on the east side of the entrance. The eastern entrance of Polly Creek lies just to the west of the mouth of Dunns Creek and care should be taken not to confuse the two.

Keep within 50 yards of the west bank for 11⁄2 mile, passing the mouth of Murphys Creek which lies to starboard and Cross Creek which lies to port.

One-quarter mile beyond pass through the draw of the highway bridge. The southwest opening has the deeper channel. The draw is a swing span with a horizontal clearance of 60 feet (18.3 m) and a vertical clearance of 11 feet (3.4 m) at mean high water when closed.