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(11) ST. PETERSBURG

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basin at the south of the water front. The name "Port of St. Petersburg" is applied to this basin. St. Petersburg is the terminus of two railroads and has rail and highway connections to all parts of the State. The Gandy Bridge, across the south end of Old Tampa Bay, furnishes a short route to Tampa and an automobile ferry from Pinellas Point to the opposite side of Tampa Bay connects with points south. A draft of 25 feet (7.6 m) can be taken from Tampa Bay entrance to a position abreast of St. Petersburg by following the improved channel to Port Tampa as far as Cut J, thence by the natural deep-water area extending to St. Petersburg, For drafts of less than 14 feet (4.3 m), the Point Pinellas Channel can be used, leaving the main ship channel near Tampa Bay Channel Lighted Buoy 5 B in Cut B. The depths to points along the water front are as follows: alongside the municipal pier, 14 feet (4.3 m); alongside the railroad pier, 13 feet (4.0 m); into the three city yacht basins, 9 to 10 feet (2.7 to 3.0 m); in the dredged channel to the Port of St. Petersburg (basin), 19 feet (5.8 m); into Bayboro Harbor, 11 feet (3.3 m). All these depths are subject to shoaling, particularly the entrance into Bayboro Harbor.

Port of St. Petersburg, the most southerly basin along the St. Petersburg water front, is about 500 yards long and 350 yards wide. There are depths of 21 feet (6.4 m) in the basin and 19 feet (5.8 m) through the entrance channel. A concrete wharf, with warehouse, along the north side of the basin provides berthing space for several vessels. This wharf has excellent road connection with the city. Coastwise steamers call at the Port of St. Petersburg.

Bayboro Harbor, immediately inshore from the Port of St. Petersburg ship basin, is another basin for smaller commercial rather than pleasure craft. Numerous fishing boats use this basin. There is a small shipyard here capable of hauling vessels up to 225 tons (length about 118 feet, draft about 10 feet (3.0 m)) and performing hull and machine repairs. From 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 m) can be carried up the creek on the south side of Bayboro Harbor as far as the bridge. There are oil stations and some small commercial landings along the creek.

The new municipal pier is a large concrete structure, with a 2story pavilion on its outer end; the pierhead is marked by two fixed red lights. The principal yacht basin is just south of the municipal pier. There are lights on the moles at either side of the entrance and a lighted range inshore leading through the entrance, the rear light being on top of a hotel. There is also a light on the end of the railroad pier, see subplan of St. Petersburg on chart 587. All these lights are maintained by private interests. The entrance channel to the Port of St. Petersburg basin is marked by Channel Lighted Buoy 1, by several beacons and by Port of St. Petersburg Limited Range.

All the yacht basins are enclosed by sea walls and furnish excellent protection to vessels up to about 100 feet long and about 8 feet draft. Larger vessels can go to the Port of St. Petersburg basin. The yacht basin just south of the municipal pier has slip berths for yachts along the north and west side and a public landing at the west end near the front range light.

57738-36-9

Cruising boats can be chartered, and local guides secured at St. Petersburg. Gasoline, Diesel oil, fresh water, provisions and yacht supplies are obtainable. There are numerous stores and hotels, two hospitals (U. S. Public Health Relief Station at Tampa) and two airports.

Storm warnings are displayed from a tower near the yacht basin. Pilots for the Port of St. Petersburg only go to Tampa Bay entrance by previous arrangement. Vessels can communicate with the pilots by radio or telegram. Pilotage is in accordance with State statutes on page —; the present rates are as follows:

6 feet and under.

6 to 10 feet__

10 to 14 feet_

14 to 20 feet_.

Shifting to Tampa or Port Tampa.
Shifting to main ship channel____

Per foot of draft

$2

3

4

5

25

20

Vessels can arrange for quarantine, customs, and immigration inspection through the harbor master.

Coffeepot Bayou, 1 mile north of the Municipal Pier, makes a good yacht anchorage, in a fast developing residential section of St. Petersburg. A draft of 5 feet (1.5 m) can be carried through a dredged channel leading into this bayou. This channel is narrow but generally staked; it leads toward the north point at the entrance with the draw of the bridge in range. Smack Bayou is best entered by following along the bulkheading from the entrance to Coffeepot Bayou. It is only little used, by fishing vessels. The small basins on the south side of Papy Bayou furnish good protection for small boats during periods of very bad weather. The entrance channel is on line between Cut K Front Range Light and Mermaid Point, the south point at the entrance. The depth is about 212 feet (0.8 m) at low water.

Big Bayou and Little Bayou are small boat harbors to the south of St. Petersburg. The entrance channels are narrow and crooked with depths of but 2 to 3 feet (0.6 to 0.9 m).

Mullet Key is the site of the former quarantine station. A draft of 16 feet (4.9 m) can be taken alongside the wharf. There is a large pile of rocks with a least depth of 2 feet just to the north and nearly in line with the face of this wharf; it is in a critical position for vessels landing with a strong flood current but is usually marked by a tide rip except at slack water.

Egmont Key is the site of the pilot station and lookout. There are three small piers just inside the north end to which a draft of 12 to 20 feet (3.7 to 6.1 m) can be taken.

Little Manatee River is on the southeast side of Tampa Bay opposite St. Petersburg. The entrance is marked by beacons, two of which are lighted. There is a crooked channel across a bar at the mouth of the river; about 4 feet (1.2 m) can be taken into the river and about 3 feet (0.9 m) to the highway bridge. There is no settlement on the river.

Boca Ciega Bay, on the north side of the lower part of Tampa Bay, is described on page 134.

(11) MANATEE RIVER

MANATEE RIVER

(Chart 586)

125

Manatee River empties into the south end of Tampa Bay, just east of Sarasota Pass. It varies in width from 1/2 to nearly 1 mile for a distance of 10 miles from the mouth and then from 80 to 600 feet for about 8 miles to Rye. It has been improved by dredging and in 1933 the controlling depths were as follows: 1112 feet (3.5 m) to McNeil Point, 10 feet (3.0 m) to Bradenton, 72 feet (2.3 m) to Rocky Bluff, and 3 feet (0.9 m) to Rye, the head of navigation. Through the Terra Ceia cut-off there was 512 feet (1.7 m). The entrance of Manatee River, and also the channel as far as Rocky Bluff, are marked by Manatee River Entrance Buoy 2, and numerous beacons, many of which are lighted. The river is well protected from all directions and forms a good storm anchorage for small boats.

The largest towns on Manatee River are situated as follows: Bradenton, on the south bank, 42 miles above the mouth; Palmetto, on the north bank opposite Bradenton; Manatee, on the south bank, 51⁄2 miles above the mouth; and Ellenton, on the north bank, 8 miles above the mouth. There is both rail and highway connection to all parts of the State and occasionally steamboat service to Tampa. Manatee County is an important center for the raising of citrus fruit and vegetables.

Bradenton (population 5,986 by the 1930 census), the county seat and a winter resort, is the largest town on the river. There is a commodious city pier to which a draft of about 10 feet (3.0 m) can be carried. There is berthing space for larger vessels along the end of the pier and numerous berths for smaller craft inside the pierhead. The large building at the end of the pier has a concrete warehouse and a large auditorium. There are numerous stores, several hotels, two hospitals (one at Manatee), and a municipal landing field. Provisions and small boat supplies can be obtained and local guides are available.

The principal oil station on the river is at Palmetto opposite Bradenton. The old city pier at Palmetto is in disuse. There are only small landings at Manatee and Ellenton.

Storm warnings are displayed at the foot of the main street in Palmetto.

At McKay Point there is a shipyard with two marine railways capable of hauling vessels up to 125 feet long and 10 feet draft, and good facilities for hull and machine repairs. This yard has covered storage accommodations, in fresh water, for vessels up to 125 feet long and 8 feet (2.4 m) draft. Fresh water and gasoline are available and any deck or engine-room supplies can be secured. A paved highway connects with Palmetto. Off the yard, there is good anchorage in 15 feet (4.6 m) soft bottom.

The Manatee River channel is well marked and about the only directions necessary are to follow the navigation aids as found. There are four dredged cuts through the shallow area at the river mouth; cuts A, C, and D have range lights and cut B has lights at either end of the cut. Opposite Palmetto, the channel crosses the river on the lighted Bradenton Cut Range. One highway and two railroad

bridges cross the river immediately above Bradenton. The first is a bascule type and the others are swing draws; the controlling horizontal clearance is 57 feet at the second railroad bridge.

The Pilot Rules for Western Rivers are to be followed in the Manatee River inside Manatee River Entrance Buoy 2.

Terra Ceia Bay is on the southeastern side of Tampa Bay, just north of Manatee River. The entrance from Tampa Bay is between McGill and Snead Islands and is marked by two beacons. This channel is narrow and somewhat crooked; it is good for about 512 feet (1.7 m) and is marked by several beacons. There is a dredged cut into the bay from the Manatee River just east of McKay Point; beacons mark both ends and the depth is about 512 feet (1.7 m). There are no towns on the bay.

OLD TAMPA BAY

Old Tampa Bay is the northwest arm of Tampa Bay; it is about 12 miles long and 6 miles wide, except at the junction of the two bays, where it is 212 miles wide. About three-fourths of the area of the bay has a depth ranging from 1 to 211⁄2 fathoms (1.8 to 42 m) and the remainder, along the shores, depths under 1 fathom (1.8 m). The entrance is partly closed by shoals, through which there is a dredged channel 300 feet wide and 30 feet (9.1 m) deep from Tampa Bay to a deep anchorage of small area off the wharves at Port Tampa. A highway bridge, known as the Gandy Bridge, crosses the bay about 11⁄2 miles above Port Tampa. It is partly fill and partly concrete construction, and the draw, 2,333 yards from the eastern shore of the bay along the center line of the bridge, has a width of 75 feet. There is a second causeway, mostly fill, about 5 miles above the Gandy Bridge. The draw, a bascule span, is about 3 miles west of Rocky Point and has a horizontal clearance of 60 feet. Both bridges have a vertical clearance (when closed) of 15 feet (4.6 m) above mean low water.

The channel to Port Tampa is well lighted by buoys, lights, and lighted ranges and leads to a turning basin off the wharves 2,000 feet long by 550 feet wide. In the spoil areas to the east of Cut K, there are islands 5 to 10 feet (1.5 to 3.0 m) high.

Port Tampa is an important shipping port on the easterly shore of Old Tampa Bay just inside the entrance. The long docks, phosphate elevators, and oil tanks are conspicuous marks from Tampa Bay. A railroad and electric-car line connect Port Tampa with Tampa. A highway leads down to the passenger-line wharf from which there are semiweekly sailings to Habana via Key West.

Harbor Facilities.-See Tampa.

Port Tampa Swash Channel is a marked channel, about 1 mile off shore, leading around the southwest point of Interbay Peninsula ; it has a depth of 7 to 8 feet (2.1 to 2.4 m).

Port Tampa Beach is less than half a mile north of the docks. There is a small yacht basin here and pleasure craft up to about 35 feet long and 3 to 4 feet (0.9 to 1.2 m) draft can be hauled, repaired, or stored. The dredged cut to the basin parallels the Port Tampa docks and has a depth of about 5 feet (1.5 m). There is generally a privately maintained lighted range marking this cut.

(11) HILLSBORO BAY AND TAMPA

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There is relatively deep water inshore eastward along the south side of the Gandy Bridge as far as the toll gate where small pleasure boats can be hauled out.

Sunset Park and Beach Park (on Cutbert Bayou) are residential sections, 4 and 5 miles, respectively, north of Port Tampa. No supplies can be had and only small boats can enter the basins.

Tampashores (formerly Oldsmar) is a small town on the north and cast shore of De Soto Bayou. A draft of about 6 feet (1.8 m) can be carried from Old Tampa Bay through a channel usually marked by stakes to a municipal landing. Gasoline, ice, water, and some general supplies can be obtained; there is railroad, telegraph, and telephone communications.

Safety Harbor is a health resort on the western shore of Old Tampa Bay, 1 mile north of Cooper Point. A depth of about 8 feet (2.4 m) can be carried to within about half a mile of the wharf. A prominent tank 219 feet (67 m) high is located here, and is a good landmark for vessels navigating the bay. Gasoline, ice, water, and some supplies can be had here, and there is railroad, telegraph, and telephone communication with Tampa and St. Petersburg. A small basin has been dredged on the south side of the large fill to accommodate small boats up to about 4 feet draft. Only about 3 feet (0.9 m) can be taken in at low water.

Directions, Old Tampa Bay above Port Tampa. From the docks at Port Tampa, a course 3° true (N. mag.) for 1.6 miles will lead to the draw in Gandy Bridge. Beyond the draw, a course 321° true (NW. 3 N. mag.) for 6.2 miles will lead to the draw in the Davis Causeway. Beyond this second draw, a course 288° true (WNW. 5% W. mag.) for 2.9 miles will lead to a position half a mile off the landing at Safety Harbor and from this point a course 18° true (N. by E. 3 E. mag.) for 1.3 miles leads into the entrance to De Soto Bayou. A depth of about 8 feet (2.4 m) can be carried to off the Safety Harbor landing and about 6 feet (1.8 m) to Tampa Shores on De Soto Bayou.

HILLSBORO BAY AND TAMPA.

The northeastern arm of Tampa Bay is 8 miles long and 4 to 5 miles wide. It is full of shoals, but a channel 300 feet wide and 30 feet (9.1 m) deep has been dredged from the deep waters of Tampa Bay to Tampa at the head of Hillsboro Bay. The channel is well marked by buoys, lights, and lighted ranges.

The channel leads into Tampa along the east side of Davis Island. Off the south end of Seddon Island the channel divides, Seddon Channel continuing northwestward to a turning basin at the mouth of Hillsboro River and Sparkman Channel leading northward to another turning basin at the south end of Ybor Channel. Garrison Channel along the north side of Seddon Island connects the two turning basins. All of these channels are being dredged to a width of 300 feet and a depth of 30 feet (9.1 m), except the Hillsboro River Channel.

Excepting the Hillsboro River bridges, there is but one bridge crossing these ship channels. This is the bascule bridge of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad, crossing Garrison Channel to the Seaboard Air Line terminals on Seddon Channel; it has a horizontal clear

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