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The easterly branch of Fresh Kills (Richmond Creek) is good for a depth of about 6 feet (1.8 m) at low water for a distance of 1 mile to a drawbridge (bascule span, opening 60 feet wide and vertical clearance 9 feet (2.7 m) above mean high water when closed). Barges load to 1112 feet (3.5 m) at high water at the brickyard at the village of Fresh Kills, below the bridge. Above the bridge the channel narrows and gradually shoals to a depth of about 2 feet (0.6) at Richmond, a distance of 3/4 mile. The northerly branch is shoal, but barges of 5 feet (1.5 m) draft are towed by launches at high water to the head of the creek at Travisville, a distance of about 111⁄2 miles.

Rahway River enters Arthur Kill from westward 1/2 mile southward of Pralls Island, and extends westward about 412 miles to the town of Rahway. It is frequented only by motor boats and other small craft. The mouth of the river has been dredged along the south side from deep water in Arthur Kill to the railroad bridge. The channel is 500 feet wide at the upper end and has depths of 16 to 25 feet (4.9 to 7.6 m). A draft of 5 feet (1.5 m) can be taken to Rahway at high water, and this is about the deepest draft of boats that go above the first bridge. Drawbridges cross the river at the following distances above the entrance: Railroad bridge, 0.1 mile, openings 50 feet wide; railroad bridge, 1.7 miles, bascule with openings 65 feet wide, overhead cable 125 feet (38 m) above high water; railroad bridge, 1.8 miles, bascule bridge with opening 65 feet wide; Lawrence Street Bridge at Rahway, 3.8 miles, openings 59.8 feet wide; Milton Avenue Bridge at Rahway, 4.2 miles, openings 43.6 feet wide. There is also a fixed bridge, the State highway bridge, 3.9 miles, opening 55 feet wide and 22 feet (6.7 m) above mean high water. The mean rise and fall of tides is about 5 feet at the entrance and 4 feet at Rahway.

Pralls Creek, on the east side of Pralls Island, is occupied with United States Shipping Board vessels that have been laid up.

The Goethals bridge and the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad bridge cross Arthur Kill just southward of Elizabethport. The former is a fixed arch bridge with a vertical clearance of 135 feet (41 m) above mean high water. The railroad bridge is a center pier draw, with least opening (east) 202 feet wide and a vertical clearance of 31 feet (9.4 m) above mean high water when closed.

Elizabethport, the eastern part of the city of Elizabeth, is at the northern end of Arthur Kill at its junction with Newark Bay. There are several shipyards with dry docks and marine railways. There is communication by ferry across Arthur Kill, thence by railroad to St. George, and thence by ferry to the Battery. Coal, water, gasoline, and supplies of all kinds are obtainable.

Elizabeth River enters Arthur Kill at Elizabethport. The project for improving this river provides for a channel 6 feet (1.8 m) deep from the mouth to the Central Railroad of New Jersey bridge. In June, 1932, the controlling depth was 6 feet (1.8 m) to within 700 feet below First Street Bridge, thence 412 feet (1.3 m) to within 500 feet above First Street Bridge and thence 212 feet (0.7 m) to the Central Railroad of New Jersey bridge. The last mile of the river, from the head of navigation, 23 miles above the entrance, is nearly bare at low water. The mean rise and fall of tides is 5 feet at the entrance and about 32 feet at Bridge Street.

PERTH AMBOY, DIRECTIONS

The following are the bridges crossing the Elizabeth River:

Bridges across Elizabeth River

Name or location

Distance

Clearances

Vertical

309

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Meters

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NOTE. The vertical clearances are given at mean high water and when the drawbridges are closed. The bridge signal is 3 blasts of the whistle.

For general information relating to Arthur Kill see Raritan Bay. Tides.-The mean rise and fall of the tides in Arthur Kill is about 5 feet.

Currents. Throughout Arthur Kill the flood current sets from Raritan Bay to Newark Bay and the ebb the reverse. Slack water occurs at Perth Amboy, at the south end of Arthur Kill, about 1 hour earlier than the corresponding slack at the Narrows (about 45 minutes after low and high water at the Battery). Proceeding northward the slack water occurs later. At Linoleumville slack waters occur about 14 hour earlier than the corresponding slack at the Narrows (about 12 hours after low and high water at the Battery), while at Elizabeth slacks occur about 1/4 hour later than at the Narrows (approximately 24 hours after low and high water at the Battery).

The mean velocity of the current at strength is about 1 knot.

DIRECTIONS, RARITAN BAY

The approach to the entrance of the dredged channel in Raritan Bay is easy of access in the daytime with the aid of the chart, and anchorage can be selected below the dredged channel. The anchorage limits are given in the appendix. Local knowledge is required to follow the best water in the dredged channels to South Amboy, Perth Amboy, and through Arthur Kill, and vessels of a greater draft than about 15 feet (4.6 m) should take a pilot. The sides of the dredged channel are marked by lights and numerous buoys, several of which are lighted.

Enter the bay on courses as given under the description of Main Ship-Bayside-Gedney Channel (p. 282) and proceed to a position 125 yards south of lighted gong buoy No. 18. Then steer 286° true (NW. by W. 5% W. mag.), with Seguine Point ahead, through the dredged channel. Pass 25 yards south of beacon No. 1 (flashing

white light) and 4 red bell buoys, and 200 yards northeast of beacon No. 2 (flashing green light). When north of beacon No. 2, steer 267° true (W. 34 N. mag.) with an unused lighthouse tower, upon which there is an 8-foot (2.4 m) statue, a little on the port bow, passing 50 yards south of red, lighted bell buoy No. 14A and 125 yards off Seguine Point, to a position 275 yards north of beacon No. 3 (flashing white light) and 50 yards south of red, lighted bell buoy No. 16.

Then steer 225° true (SW. by W. mag.), passing 200 yards westward of beacon No. 3, 150 yards eastward of beacon No. 4 (flashing red light), and 100 yards westward of green, lighted bell buoy No. 11A. When abeam of beacon No. 5 (flashing white light), haul westward on an easy port helm (right rudder) and head for Great Beds Lighthouse on course 285° true (NW. by W. 34 W. mag.).

To Perth Amboy.-Pass about 100 yards southward and westward of red, lighted bell buoy No. 28, steer 333° true (N. by W. % W. mag.), and pass 100 yards westward of beacon No. 5A (flashing red light) and Ward Point, and on approaching the horizontally striped buoy off Perth Amboy haul northward a little so as to pass about 150 yards eastward of it. Anchor on the western side of the channel, northward of this buoy.

To South Amboy.-Steer through the first section of the dredged channel with the Catholic Church tower (square brick tower with four minarets, one at each corner) in South Amboy in range with the end of a wharf on the east side of the town and pass 200 yards southward of Great Beds Lighthouse. When beacon No. 1 (flashing white light) is abeam, distant 50 yards, steer 305° true (NW. N. mag.), heading for the south end of the draw span in the railroad bridge. Anchorage can be had on the north side of the channel about 150 yards from the wharves, below the bridge.

Small vessels of less than 9-foot (2.7 m) draft can use the direct channel over the shoals in Raritan Bay. Passing close to the black bell buoy lying 34 mile northward of West Bank Lighthouse, steer 232° true (SW. by W. 5% W. mag.), which will lead northward of Old Orchard Shoal Lighthouse; then bring this lighthouse astern on a 246° true (WSW. % W. mag.) course and pass northward of the lighted buoy off Conaskonk Point. Continue the course past the buoy until Great Beds Lighthouse bears 276° true (WNW. 1⁄2 W. mag.), and then steer this course for the lighthouse until up with the buoys marking the channels southward of Ward Point.

For the channel leading from Fort Wadsworth westward of West Bank, see the description of Staten Island Flats, preceding.

KILL VAN KULL AND NEWARK BAY

KILL VAN KULL (CHART 285)

Kill van Kull connects New York Upper Bay with Newark Bay and Arthur Kill and separates the southern shore of Bergen Neck (city of Bayonne) from Staten Island. There is an extensive through traffic and there are large manufactories on its shores. The Kill is about 32 miles long, 300 to 500 yards wide, and has general depths of 5 to 7 fathoms (9 to 13 m). The least depth is about 21 feet (6.4 m), which is found on spots on Baxters Ledge, at

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the eastern entrance; also near the ferry landing at Port Richmond and about 3⁄4 mile eastward of same.

The navigation through Kill van Kull and Arthur Kill is not difficult for vessels of less than about 15-foot (4.6 m) draft with the aid of the charts, and it is used by vessels of deeper draft, with local knowledge.

The main channel from Kill van Kull to Arthur Kill leads southward of Shooters Island, and then in a northwesterly and westerly direction to Arthur Kill, at Elizabethport. It is marked by buoys between Bergen Point and Elizabethport and is easily followed. Improvements are authorized to dredge this channel 400 feet wide and 30 feet (9.1 m) deep in connection with the improvement of Arthur Kill and Raritan Bay. (See description of New York and New Jersey Channels on p. 301.) In 1932 this channel had a depth of 30 feet (9.1 m). The channel north of Shooters Island had a depth of 20 feet (6.1 m) in the northerly half and 18 feet (5.5 m) in the southerly half, and is protected on its north side by a dike. There is an abandoned shipyard on Shooters Island.

Bayonne Bridge crosses Kill van Kull at a point just east of Bergen Point. It is a steel arch bridge and has a vertical clearance of 150 feet (45.7 m) above mean high water.

Constable Point and Port Johnson, on the north shore of the Kill, are parts of the city of Bayonne, and are commercialy important for the shipment of mineral oil and other products in foreign vessels. A dredged channel, 200 feet wide and 35 feet (10.7 m) deep, marked by buoys and private range targets, leads from southward of Baxters Ledge to the wharf on the north side of Constable Point.

New Brighton, Factoryville, Port Richmond, and Mariners Harbor are on the south shore of Kill van Kull. Several shipyards and floating dry docks are located on this shore. (See descriptions on p. 5.) There is railroad communication from these to other parts of Staten Island, and ferry communication with Bayonne, and with New York City from St. George at the eastern end of New Brighton.

Currents.-In Kill van Kull the flood current sets westward and ebb eastward, and slack water occurs about 14 hours earlier than the corresponding slack at the Narrows (about 30 minutes after high and low water at Governors Island). The mean velocity at strength of the currents is about 2 knots.

The direct currents favor the Bergen Point side of the channel between West New Brighton and Port Richmond; between these points, in the bight on the south shore of the Kill, there is more or less of an eddy when the current is at strength.

NEWARK BAY (CHARTS 369, 285 AND 287)

has a length of about 4 miles from Kill van Kull to the junction of the two channels leading to Passaic and Hackensack Rivers. The greater part of the bay is very shoal, but a channel, obtained by dredging, leads through the bay to the rivers. (See descriptions of Passaic and Hackensack Rivers following.)

Newark Bay Channel has a project depth of 30 feet (9.1 m) for a width of 1,800 feet at the entrance, including the removal to a

depth of 30 feet (9.1 m) of part of the rock area at Bergen Point, decreasing to a width of 400 feet at the Central Railroad bridge, and continuing with the same width to the junction of the Passaic and Hackensack River Channels. In June, 1932, this channel had a controlling depth of 30 feet (9.1 m) to the junction of the river channels. The channel is well marked by lights and buoys, and strangers in small vessels should have no difficulty when using the chart as a guide. Deep-draft vessels should employ a pilot.

Port Newark terminal is located on the western side of Newark Bay, just southward of the second drawbridge. A channel 30 feet (9.1 m) deep and 400 feet wide leads from a widened section of the Newark Bay Channel to a turning basin of the same depth at the upper end of the terminal wharf. In June, 1932, the channel had its project depth. A lighted beacon marks the entrance to the channel, and should be left 175 yards to the northward in entering.

Storm warning displays are made at Port Newark.

Bridges. Two vertical lift railroad bridges, with vertical clearances of 35 feet (10.7 m) when down and 135 feet (41.1 m) when raised, cross the bay. The flood current sets in a northeasterly and the ebb in a southwesterly direction diagonally through the openings in the southern bridge. The Central Railroad of New Jersey bridge, the southernmost, has an opening 134 feet wide on the east side and 216 feet wide on the west side. The width of opening at the Lehigh Valley Railroad bridge, 3.8 miles above the mouth of the river, is 300 feet. The signal for these bridges is 3 blasts of the whistle. See bridge regulations following Hackensack River. For anchorage limits see the appendix.

For pilotage see New York Harbor.

Ice sometimes closes navigation during a part of January and February.

Tides. The mean rise and fall of tides is about 434 feet.

PASSAIC RIVER (CHART 287)

is under improvement to secure a channel 300 feet wide and 30 feet (9.1 m) deep from the upper end of Newark Bay Channel to about 1/2 mile above the Lincoln Highway Bridge; thence 20 feet (6.1 m) deep and 300 feet wide for about 4 miles to Nairn Linoleum Works; thence 200 feet wide and 16 feet (4.9 m) deep a distance of 1 mile to the Erie Railroad (Montclair and Greenwood Lake) bridge at Arlington; and thence a channel about 150 feet wide and 10 feet (3 m) deep a distance of 6.4 miles to Eighth Street Bridge, Passaic. In June, 1932, there was a controlling depth of 30 feet (9.1 m) to 3,000 feet above the Lincoln Highway Bridge, 200 feet wide, on the westerly side of the channel; thence 16 feet (4.9 m) to the Erie Railroad bridge (Newark Branch); thence 14 feet (4.3 m) to the Nairn Linoleum Works; thence 8 to 10 feet (2.4 to 3 m) to the Montclair and Greenwood Lake Railroad bridge; thence 10 feet (3 m) to the upper end of the project at Eighth Street, Passaic, excepting six scattered rock shoals. There is some commerce up to Wall Street, about 3/4 mile above Eighth Street. Above the Wall Street Bridge the river is obstructed by bowlders partly showing above water. Dundee Dam, the first one above Passaic, is 1.5 miles above Wall Street Bridge.

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