From abreast lighted bell buoy No. 10 steer 355° true (N. 5% E. mag.) with the end of Long Wharf a little on the port bow, and leave the red buoys which mark the eastern side of the dredged channel on the starboard hand. This course leads in the middle of the dredged channel, and midway between the flashing green light at the end of Long Wharf and the fixed red light off the end of Canal Dock. (There is also a fog bell at Long Wharf.) Pass 150 to 200 yards off Canal Dock light and steer for the draw of Tomlinson Bridge. (See "Anchorage," in the description preceding.)

NEW HAVEN TO BRIDGEPORT

From New Haven to Bridgeport the shore is generally settled, and there is communication by an electric road, which follows it in most places, as shown on the chart. Wepawaug (Milford) and Housatonic Rivers are available as harbors of refuge for small vessels with local knowledge.

Savin Rock, a part of West Haven, is a summer resort on the northwest shore of New Haven Harbor. Boats of about 5-foot (1.5 m) draft run from the landings at Savin Rock across the harbor to the landings at the summer resort northeastward of Five Mile Point. A roller coaster is very prominent at Savin Rock.

Woodmont is a post office and summer settlement on Merwin Point, 2 miles west-northwestward of New Haven Lighthouse. The shore is rocky at Woodmont, and there are two large bare rocks and much foul ground in the bight westward of the point.

Pond Point, 311⁄2 miles westward of New Haven Lighthouse, has a rocky shoal, with little depth over the greater part of it, extending 600 yards southward, which is marked at its south end by a red buoy. Lying 1⁄2 mile northeastward of the point is a large, yellow residence with a lawn in front of it, and there is a prominent white mast on the point.

Welchs Point, 1 mile westward of Pond Point, is on the east side at the entrance of Milford Harbor. A reef extends 600 yards southward from the point, and is marked at its south end by a red buoy. There is a prominent flagstaff near the end of the point.

Milford Harbor (chart 219) is a bight between Welchs Point and Charles Island, about 5 miles westward of New Haven Lighthouse, and nearly 4 miles northeastward of Stratford Point Lighthouse. The bight affords anchorage in 6 to 15 feet (1.8 to 4.6 m), sheltered from all but southerly and southeasterly winds. The entrance is clear between the buoy southward of Welchs Point and the buoy eastward of Charles Island. The shoaling is gradual and the lead is a good guide on the northwest side of the cove; the western side of Welchs Point and the reefs around Charles Island and between it and the shore should be approached with caution, as the shoaling is abrupt. The mean rise and fall of tides is about 612 feet.

Wepawaug River, on the north side of Milford Harbor, has been improved by dredging a channel 100 feet wide and 10 feet (3 m) deep from the entrance to Merwin Wharf; in 1932 there was a depth of about 6 feet (1.8 m) in the channel to Merwin Wharf. A small anchorage basin with a depth of 10 feet (3 m) has been dredged on the east side of the channel from 100 feet northward of Long

Jetty to Merwin Wharf, and another basin with depths of 6 to 10 feet (1.8 to 3 m) has been dredged on the southwest side of the channel opposite Merwin Wharf. In 1930 the eastern and western anchorages had depths of 7 and 5 feet (2.1 and 1.5 m), respectively. Long Jetty, which shows at high water, extends in a westerly direction from the eastern side at the entrance of the river, and is marked at its end by a flashing red light which lies 120 feet eastward of the dredged channel. Burns Point Jetty, partly bare at half tide, extends southward from the western point at the entrance; it lies about 75 feet westward of the dredged channel, and is marked at its south end by a stake. There is a yacht club on the north side of Burns Point, with a float landing.

The dredged channel is marked by bush stakes on its western side and by range targets. The ranges are used in connection with dredging operations, are temporary in character, and may not always be in position. In 1932 the rear range was obscured by trees. There is a perpendicularly striped buoy at the entrance. Pass about 175 yards westward of this buoy and follow close to the line of oyster stakes marking the west side of the channel, keeping the day marker about midway between the light and the stake on the south end of the Burns Point Jetty, on course about 8° true (N. by E. 34 E. mag.). When inside of Long Jetty pass 100 feet off the boat landings on the northeast side of Burns Point, and steer to pass 50 feet off Merwin Wharf. Vessels should go to Merwin Wharf, as there is not swinging room in the anchorages except for small craft. Above Merwin Wharf the channel is not difficult for motor boats, with the aid of the chart, but vessels require a pilot. Above Merwin Wharf there is a narrow, dredged channel with a depth of 6 feet (1.8 m) about halfway up to the town wharf of Milford, thence nearly 5 feet (1.5 m) to the wharf on the north side of which there is a dredged slip with piles on its north side. Vessels of 10-foot (3 m) draft can be taken to the wharf at high water. The depth at the wharf is about 6 feet (1.8 m). For a distance of 350 yards above the wharf the channel has depths not over 3 feet (0.9 m) and is used as an anchorage by motor boats.

Merwin Wharf, on the east side just above Burns Point, has depths of 7 to 10 feet (2.1 to 3 m) alongside. Vessels of 12 feet (3.7 m) draft can be taken to the wharf at high water, but the usual draft is not more than 8 feet (2.4 m). The principal trade is in coal and oysters. Gasoline, fresh water, and some coal can be obtained. Towboats can be had from New Haven or Bridgeport, but are seldom used. A pilot can be had from Merwin Wharf, if necessary.

Charles Island, on the southwest side at the entrance of Milford Harbor, is low and partly covered with scrubby trees. There are several houses on it and a prominent white house is on its south end. A white pole in the center of the island is prominent. It lies 1/2 mile from the shore northwestward, with which it is connected by a bar, bare at low water. A black buoy marks the end of a shoal, which extends 250 yards east-northeastward from the island. Charles Island Rocks is the name given to the rocky shoal which extends 3 mile southward from the island; the south end of the shoal is marked by a lighted bell buoy. There is good anchorage

in 10 to 16 feet (3 to 4.9 m) northward of Charles Island, sheltered from southerly to southwesterly winds.

Myrtle Beach, Walnut Beach, and Laurel Beach are summer resorts on the beach between Milford Harbor and Housatonic River. Walnut Beach is a post office.

Housatonic River is described under a separate heading.

Stratford Point Lighthouse is a white, conical tower with a brown band midway of its height. The light is flashing white, flash 1.7 seconds, eclipse 28.3 seconds, 52 feet (15.8 m) high and visible 13 miles. The fog signal is an air Tyfon and sounds 2 blasts every 30 seconds.

Stratford Point, on the western side of the entrance to Housatonic River, is marked on the south side by a lighthouse. The shoals, which extend southward toward Stratford Shoal (Middle Ground) Lighthouse from the shore westward of Stratford Point Lighthouse, consist of narrow ridges of hard sand with deeper water between, and are occupied by oyster beds, marked by stakes. Depths of 12 feet (3.7 m) or less extend 1 mile from shore, and are marked at the south end by a red nun buoy, which lies about 11⁄2 miles south westward of Stratford Point Lighthouse.

Directions. The shoals, with depths of 12 feet (3.7 m) or less, will be avoided by keeping Stratford Point Lighthouse bearing northward of 34° true (NE. % E. mag.) and Bridgeport Harbor Lighthouse bearing northward of 304 true (NW. 1 N. mag.). Lumps, with 16 to 18 feet (4.9 to 5.5 m.), extend % mile southward and 1 mile southwestward of the nun buoy and are marked by a lighted bell buoy. These will be avoided by keeping Penfield Reef Lighthouse bearing northward of 273° true (WNW. 5% W. mag.), while Stratford Point Lighthouse bears between 34° true (NE. % E. mag.), and 11° true (NNE. mag.), and by passing southward of the lighted bell buoy. The 5-fathom (9 m) curve at the south end of the shoals lies 31% miles from shore and 214 miles northward of Stratford Shoal Lighthouse.

All vessels of less than 10 feet (3 m) draft trading between Housatonic River and Bridgeport pass northward of the nun buoy, as follows: Passing 1/4 mile southward of Stratford Point Lighthouse, steer 251° true (W. 5% S. mag.) for Penfield Reef Lighthouse until southward of Point No Point, marked by a group of bathhouses and a large yellow building; then steer 271° true (WNW. % W. mag.) for Black Rock Lighthouse until about 3/4 mile off the beach and Bridgeport Harbor Lighthouse and East Breakwater Light are in range. Then follow the beach at this distance and enter between the breakwaters.

Stratford Shoal Middle Ground, with depths of 8 to 16 feet (2.4 to 4.9 m), extends about 3⁄4 mile northward and southward from the lighthouse marking it. The south point of the shoal is marked by a red buoy. Another red buoy, about 225 yards southeastward of the lighthouse, marks a pinnacle rock with 10 feet (3 m) over it. Shoal spots, with 14 to 15 feet (4.3 to 4.6 m), extend 3/4 mile northeastward and northward from the lighthouse. The north end of the shoal is marked by a black buoy, placed in a depth of 6 fathoms (11 m), about 1 mile northward of the lighthouse.

Stratford Shoal (Middle Ground) Lighthouse is a gray granite, octagonal tower, projecting from a house, on a pier. The light is flashing white, flash 0.8 seconds, eclipse 9.2 seconds, 60 feet (18.3 m) high and visible 13 miles. The fog signal is an air siren, blast 2 seconds, silent 13 seconds. A radiobeacon is operated at the lighthouse.

HOUSATONIC RIVER (CHART 219)

is marked on the west side of its entrance by Stratford Point Lighthouse. The river has been improved by dredging a channel 7 feet (2.1 m) deep with a width of 200 feet across the bar at the entrance and 100 feet on the bars in the river, to the head of navigation at the wharves at the towns of Derby and Shelton, a distance of 111⁄2 miles above the entrance. The controlling depths on June 30, 1932, were 7 feet (2.1 m) up to Camp Meeting Bar, about 6 feet (1.8 m) over the bar and thence about 7 feet (2.1 m) to Shelton and Derby. The bars were to be dredged in the summer of 1932. At high water a draft of 11 feet (3.3 m) can be taken up the river to the oil company's wharf, about 2 mile above the railroad bridge, and 9 feet (2.7 m) to Derby and Shelton. The river is closed by a power dam at a point about 1 mile above Shelton. Small vessels can anchor in the river abreast Stratford, where the channel has an available width of about 500 feet.

On the east side of the entrance a breakwater has been built out from Milford Point across the bar, and is marked at its south end by a flashing red light. The outer section of the breakwater shows at high water, while the inner section, extending in to Milford Point, is covered at three-quarters flood.

Housatonic River Light No. 1, established in the former position of Stratford beacon, is the most southerly of four lights along the west side of the river channel. It is a black, square, pyramidal tower on white tank house with gray granite base, showing a flashing green light.

Stratford is a town on the west bank of the river, 214 miles above the entrance. The principal wharf has a depth of about 9 feet (2.7 m) at its end. Coal and gasoline can be obtained. There is a marine railway for vessels 100 feet long, 5 feet draft forward, and 12 feet aft; it has a capacity of about 100 tons.

Shelton, a town on the western bank of the river, and connected with Derby by two bridges, has many important manufactories. There are depths of 5 to 7 feet (1.5 to 2.1 m) at low water at the wharves at Derby and Shelton. Gasoline, provisions, and some motor boat supplies can be obtained at Derby. Communication is by electric road and busses with Bridgeport.

Bridges. Two bascule bridges cross the river. The first, lying 1 mile above Stratford, has an opening 125 feet wide and 32 feet above high water; the second, or railroad bridge, lying % mile farther up, has an opening 81 feet wide and 1912 feet above high water. The overhead wires at the railroad bridge are 159 feet (48.5 m) above high water, and the three towers are prominent. The whistle signals for the bridges are 1 long and 1 short blast for the lower one and 1 long and 2 short blasts for the railroad bridge.

HOUSATONIC RIVER

Pilots and towboats can be obtained at Bridgeport.

197

Tides.-The time of tide becomes later and the range diminishes in progressing up the river. The tide at Stratford occurs about 34 hour later and at Pecks Mill about 1 hour later than at Willets Point. At Shelton high water is about 12 hours later and low water about 22 hours later, respectively, than at Willets Point. The mean rise and fall of the tide varies from about 612 feet at the entrance to about 512 feet at Stratford and 5 feet at Shelton.

Currents.-Between Milford Point and Crimbo Point slack water before the flood occurs about 1 hour after the current turns westward at the Race (about 34 hours after low water at New London). The strength of flood comes 34 hour after strength of flood at the Race (about the time of high water at New London) and sets 300° true (NW. 14 W. mag.) with an average velocity of about 21⁄2 knots. Slack water before the ebb occurs about 1/2 hour after the current turns eastward at the Race (about 234 hours after high water at New London). The strength of ebb comes about the time of strength of ebb at the Race (about 14 hours before the time of low water at New London) and sets 130° true (SE. 34 S. mag.) with an average velocity of about 211⁄2 knots.

In the draw of the railroad bridge above Stratford, slack water before flood occurs about 1 hour after the current turns westward at the Race (about 314 hours after low water at New London). The strength of flood comes about 3/4 hour after strength of flood at the Race (about the time of high water at New London) and has an average velocity of about 1 knot. Slack water before ebb occurs about 12 hour after the current turns eastward at the Race (about 234 hours after high water at New London). The strength of the ebb comes about 14 hour after the strength of ebb at the Race (about 1 hour before low water at New London) and has an average velocity of about 11⁄2 knots.

When the river is high and during freshets the ebb current will be increased and the flood current diminished. Elsewhere in the river the tidal currents have less velocity, but are strong throughout, decreasing, however, toward the head of navigation. At the entrance, near the end of the breakwater, there is a strong westerly set on the flood. In the openings of the bridge above Stratford the flood current has some easterly set, while the ebb sets fair with the openings.

Freshets.-Spring freshets at Shelton rise to 10 feet or more above mean high tide. The river water is fresh above Oronoque Bar (2 mile above Fowler Island) and above Mill Bar on the ebb. Ice closes the river above Stratford during the winter, and sometimes extends to the entrance.

DIRECTIONS, HOUSATONIC RIVER

The channel is narrow and crooked, with little depth on either side, and across the bars in the river the channels are dredged cuts 100 feet wide. Moreover, the tidal currents are strong, especially in the lower part of the river, and strangers are advised to take a pilot. Small craft, without a pilot, should proceed with caution and preferably on a rising tide.