partly by a hyacinth fence on the west side, into the entrance of Taylor Creek. The creek is then followed for about 3 miles to Okeechobee.

St. Lucie River connects with the Indian River and with the Intracoastal Waterway along the Atlantic coast; these waters are described in the Inside Route Pilot, New York to Key West.

8. MATLACHA PASS AND PINE ISLAND SOUND

(Chart 1255)

Matlacha Pass is a shallow body of water, extending northward from San Carlos Bay to Charlotte Harbor, between Pine Island and the mainland. It is navigable for a draft of 2 to 3 feet (0.6 to 0.9 m), but the channel is narrow and crooked, with numerous oyster bars, and is not marked. It is used only by small craft with local knowledge, and strangers should not attempt it. A highway swing drawbridge crosses the pass at Little Pine Island.

Pine Island Sound, west of Pine Island, is the main thoroughfare between San Carlos Bay and Charlotte Harbor, a distance of about 15 miles. It is full of shoals and low islands, through which there is a crooked but well-marked channel, good for a depth of about 7 feet (2.1 m) at high tide. With the aid of the chart, a stranger should have no great difficulty in getting through with a draft of 5 feet (1.5 m), but for a greater draft he should take a pilot.

Wulfert is a store and post office on the northern end of Sanibel Island. There is a small wharf here with 5 feet (1.5 m) of water at the end. The inside channel behind Buck Key passes by this wharf and the steamer making daily trips to and from Fort Myers stops here. Gasoline and some provisions can be obtained.

It

Blind Pass separates Sanibel Island from Captiva Island. is not marked and is only good for a draft of about 2 feet (0.6 m) at low tide. A bridge crosses this pass, having a 16-foot span and about 7-foot vertical clearance.

Captiva is located on Captiva Island, 52 miles south of Captiva Pass. It is a fishing town and winter resort, and has a hotel, store, post office, and large outdoor school. Gasoline, oil, ice, and some general supplies can be obtained. Fresh water can be had in very limited quantities. A daily steamer from Fort Myers stops here, and a boat from Punta Gorda calls three times a week. There are two wharves here, each with 6 feet (1.8 m) of water at the end.

Captiva Pass, leading from the Gulf into Pine Island Sound at a point 6 miles southward of Boca Grande, is used to some extent by yachts and small fishing boats. In 1935 the channel extended rather straight out in a southwesterly direction from the center of the pass, with shoals on either side for about a mile offshore. There was a depth of about 6 feet (1.8 m) on the bar at low tide; the channel is not marked.

Anchorage at Captiva Pass.-There is a fair anchorage for small boats in a basin about 200 feet across and from 7 to 8 feet (2.1 to 2.4 m) deep, south of a small point in Pine Island Sound, one-half mile south of Captiva Pass. The holding ground is said to be good and the anchorage is well protected from all directions except east to southeast. This anchorage is reached from Captiva Pass by following

close along shore, inside the point on the south side of the pass. On approaching the point marking the entrance to the anchorage, pass inside the shoals, opposite the point, which are nearly bare at low tide, and between the point and some stakes. At the point, the channel bends sharply westward to the anchorage, which is close to the point and between it and a shoal that uncovers at low tide.

Redfish Pass, about 311⁄2 miles south of Captiva Pass, is a new cut through Captiva Island. This channel is little used as it is winding and difficult, with frequent changes in depth and position.

Useppa Island is a winter resort. There is a large seasonal hotel here, several houses and a golf course. On the northwest side of the island, there is a natural small boat basin between the island and a small islet extending off the northwest point. There are two wharves on the eastern side of the island and a prominent tank on the north point, near the hotel. During the winter season there is boat service to Bokeelia. A depth of about 6 feet (1.8 m) can be taken to the two wharves on the eastern side of the island.

Horn Passage is a channel westward of Buck Key, good for about 4 feet (1.2 m) at high tide. The southern approach is through Wulfert Channel, good for about 4 feet (1.2 m) at high tide and the northern approach is through Captiva Channel, good for 5 feet (1.5 m) at low tide. The passage and channels are all well marked by beacons and stakes, and are easy to follow during daylight. This route leads past the towns of Wulfert and Captiva and is well protected in all weather.

Punta Blanca is a small settlement 3 miles south of Boca Grande. It is on the south point of the island along the east side of Pelican Bay. There is a small wharf here with 9 feet (2.7 m) of water at the end. Gasoline and some other supplies in very limited quantities are available at a small store. The boat shop, storage shed, and slipways were closed in 1935.

Pelican Bay anchorage is in Pelican Bay on the northeast side of Lacosta Island. It is a well-protected anchorage in 6 to 7 feet (1.8 to 2.1 m) of water. The entrance is about a mile south of the north end of Lacosta Island and is reported to be good for about 4 feet (1.2 m) at low tide.

Supplies and Repairs.-Provisions and some boat supplies can be obtained at most any of the settlements described above. Generally, only rain water is available and this in very limited quantities. Ice can be obtained at the settlements and at the fish houses located in the open sound. Fort Myers, Boca Grande, and Punta Gorda are the only places in the vicinity where repairs can be made.

DIRECTIONS, PINE ISLAND SOUND

The Inland Rules apply throughout these directions.

From the southward, Pine Island Sound is entered through San Carlos Bay. The distance from Caloosa Lighted Bell Buoy 2 to Charlotte Harbor entrance via Jug Creek Shoal cut is 33 miles.

From Caloosa Lighted Bell Buoy 2, San Carlos Bay is entered on the Punta Rasa Lighted Range, course 317° true (NW. mag.) To enter Pine Island Sound, leave the Punta Rasa Range at Bn. 6, 5.1 miles above the lighted buoy and steer 263° true (W. 7% S. mag.) for 1.2 miles to a position 225 yards north of Point Ybel at the west

side of the entrance to San Carlos Bay. Then steer 270° true (W. 14 S. mag.), heading for Matthews Wharf.

Bn. 2.-Pass about 150 yards south of.

Bn. 1.-Pass east and north of, close to.
Bn. 4.-Pass south of, close to.

From Bn. 4, a straight course can he laid to the Sanibel Wharf.

Bn. 3.-Pass close-to.

Bn. 5.-Pass 50 yards to east and about 300 yards to northwest. From Bn. 5, a straight course can be laid to the wharf at St. James City.

Pine Island Sound Light 4 and Bn. 2.-Pass close-to.

Bns. 4A and 6.-Pass about 100-200 yards to southwest.

Bn. 1.-Pass about 50 yards to northeast.

Pine Island Sound Light 8.-Pass about 100 yards to south and west.

The channel forks here, one fork leading westward and northward through Wulfert Channel, Horn Passage, and Captiva Channel and the other leading northward through the central part of the sound. To go through Horn Passage.

Bn. 1.-Pass close-to, to the northward

Follow the Wulfert Channel entrance range (Bn. 2 in line with a rear beacon) until near Bn. 2, passing north of a wreck lying about 150 yards southeastward of Bn. 2.

Bn. 2.-Pass close-to, to the southward.

Bns. 3-5-7-Pass close-to, to the northward.

The channel is both narrow and shallow past these beacons. In 1935, the depth was but 22 feet (0.7 m) at low tide (4 feet at high tide), between Beacons 2 and 3; the bottom is very soft mud.

The Wulfert wharf is about one-third mile west of Bn. 7.

Continue following beacons as found. As far as Bn. 6, off the southwest side of Buck Key, the channel is particularly narrow and shallow. Between Beacons 3 and 2A, the channel turns from southwestward to the northward, passing west of several small keys south of Buck Key.

Bns. 2A to 6.-Follow west side of channel. Depths of 3 feet (0.9 m), soft-mud bottom in 1935.

Bns. 6 to 5.-Pass to east side of channel, along west shore Buck Key, passing between sand bars.

Bns. 8 and 10.-Pass to westward.

Continue along shore of Captiva Island and to wharves at Captiva. Captiva Range Front Bn.-Pass close-to, southeastward.

Continue on Captiva Range, passing close-to Bns. 6 and 4 and about 300 yards to southeastward of Captiva Light 2.

To go northward through the main channel:

Pine Island Sound Light 8.-Pass 100 yards to westward.

Bn. 10.-Pass close-to, to westward.

Bn. 12 and Pine Island Sound Light 14.-Pass close-to, to southwestward.

There is a dredged cut between this beacon and light.

There is a second dredged cut 350 yards to the northwestward to Light 14. The direction of the cut is 6° true (N. % E. mag.), and it extends about half a mile north of Light 14.

Bn. 16.-Pass about 400 yards southwestward.

(9) CHARLOTTE HARBOR

111

Continue till Pine Island Sound Light 3 and Bn. 5 are in range.
Pine Island Sound Light 3.-Pass close-to, to eastward.
Bn. 5.-Do not approach closer than one-fourth mile.

Bn. 7.-Pass about 250 yards to eastward.

A depth of 6 feet (1.8 m) can be carried to the wharf on the eastern side of Useppa Island. Two passages lead from here to Charlotte Harbor, one along the shore of Lacosta Island to Boca Grande and the other through a dredged channel north of Pine Island. The former is more convenient if bound for Punta Blanca or out to the Gulf, and the latter if bound up the harbor; both are good for about 7 feet (2.1 m) at mean low tide.

To leave by the western passage.-With Mondongo Island showing between Pine Island Sound Light 9 and Bn. 11 W. head for it, passing about 200 yards to westward of Light 9 and close to eastward of Bn. 11 W.

Bn. 13 W. (Lighted Jan. 1 to June 1).-Pass about 150-200 yards northeastward.

Wharves at Punta Blanca.-Pass about 150 yards off.

Bn. 18 W.-Pass about 100 yards to westward.

Old Quarantine Wharf.-Pass about 200 yards to eastward.

To leave by the eastern passage:

Pine Island Sound Light 9.-Pass about 100 yards to southeast. Bn. 18.-Pass about 100 yards to northwest.

Bn. 11.-Pass close-to to eastward.

Bns. 20 and 13 and Pine Island Sound Light 15 mark the cut through Jug Creek Shoal. Pass close-to.

From Pine Island Sound Light 15, a course can be laid northeastward toward Bn. 10 or northwestward toward Bn. 8. From any point more than three-fourths mile from the light toward Bn. 8, a course can be laid through Charlotte Harbor entrance.

From the northern end of the western passage, a course can be laid to clear the south side of the entrance of Charlotte Harbor by 300 yards or more.

Direction for Charlotte Harbor are given on page 115.

9. CHARLOTTE HARBOR

(Charts 474 and 1255)

Charlotte Harbor lies 126 miles 349° true (N. by W. 1% W. mag.) from Key West Northwest Channel and 63 miles 152° true (SSE. 34 E. mag.) from Tampa Bay. It is the approach to the towns of South Boca Grande, Boca Grande, Punta Gorda, Cleveland, and numerous smaller settlements, and to Miakka and Peace Rivers. On the south side it opens into Pine Island Sound and Matlacha Pass, either of which affords an inside route for light-draft vessels to San Carlos Bay. On the north side it opens into Gasparilla Sound.

Charlotte Harbor is entered from the Gulf by Boca Grande Channel, which has been improved by dredging a cut 300 feet wide and 27 feet (8.2 m) deep, and vessels of about 27 feet draft have been taken out. In 1935 there was a 26-foot channel with an effectivewidth of 300 feet,

A channel has been dredged across the shoals in Charlotte Harbor to Punta Gorda, near the mouth of Peace River. The channel is subject to change, and in 1933 had a depth of 912 feet (2.9 m) for a width of 100 feet.

Prominent features.-In approaching the entrance to Charlotte Harbor from the southward or southwestward a water tank, 136 feet (41.6 m) high, and a yellow chimney, 125 feet (38.1 m) high, threeeighths mile north of the entrance, will be the first objects sighted in the daytime. At night the entrance lighted buoy and Gasparilla Island Lighthouse will be recognized first. Coming from northward a vessel will first sight a high water tank (103 feet (31.4 m)), 134 miles north of the entrance.

Boca Grande Rear Light is a white pyramidal skeleton tower, enclosing a stair cylinder, near the outside coast about half mile south of the town of Boca Grande. The light is fixed red, showing only on entrance range; it is 105 (45.7 m) feet above the water and visible 16 miles.

Gasparilla Island Lighthouse (Lat. 26°43'.0; Long. 83°15'.7) is a white frame dwelling on the south end of the island. The light is flashing white (flash 0.5 second, eclipse 9.5 seconds), 41 feet (12.5 m) above the water, and visible 12 miles.

Anchorage. The best anchorage for large vessels is in deep water at the inner end of the entrance channel, in from 3 to 7 fathoms (5.5 to 12.8 m), with good holding bottom. There is a cable crossing at the narrowest part of the entrance. This is the anchorage used by vessels while waiting for a loading berth at the phosphate elevators. It affords excellent shelter from all winds, and is also used as a harbor of refuge by coasters and other vessels. Small vessels can anchor almost anywhere in Charlotte Harbor that suitable depth can be found. Good depths for small craft close inshore can be found anywhere within 12 miles northward of the entrance and one-half mile off the east side of Gasparilla Island. Small craft can also use the lagoon at Boca Grande.

South Boca Grande, on the south end of Gasparilla Island inside the entrance, is a phosphate shipping port of considerable importance. Phosophate rock can be loaded aboard vessels at about 700 tons per hour by means of power conveyors. There is a T-shaped pier having a dredged depth of 30 feet (9.1 m) or more along the face. A second pier to the northward has been removed. These facilities are the property of the Seaboard Airline Railroad, which brings the rock from the interior of the State by rail; the port agent acts as harbor master. A small wharf about 75 feet north of the phosphate dock affords safe berthing for small craft. This wharf has 14 feet (4.2 m) at its end. Caution should be observed when mooring to these docks, for at times there is a current setting across them.

Pilotage is compulsory except in the case of American vessels whose masters or mates are licensed as pilots by the Federal Government. Further requirements in accordance with the laws of Florida relative to pilotage are given on page 8. Pilots board vessels just outside the entrance buoy on signal or by previous arrangement, using a small motor tender; they will take vessels in at night. The following pilotage rates are in effect: