Passing through highway drawbridge and to the north of West Rigolets Light at West entrance to Rigolets.

16. Rigolets Entrance Buoy 2, off point at western entrance to Rigolets.

Direct (Lighted Range ahead)

Reverse (Lighted Range astern)

Through North Shore Channel (dredged

cut), marked by black spar buoys
along southwest side.

17. North Shore Channel Buoy 29:

Direct (Lighted range astern).

Reverse (Lighted range ahead).

Through North Shore Channel (dredged
cut), marked by black spar buoys
along south side of cut.

18. Draws, highway and R. R. bridges:

Direct..

Reverse

19. Industrial Canal Light:

Direct_

Reverse

Passing north and west of light.
From the light, it is 54 miles through
the canal to the Mississippi River.
There are 5 drawbridges across the
canal and locks near the southern
end. See pages 217 and 228 for
further information.
The entrance to New Canal (see page
207) is 4 miles to the westward from
the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal,

Chandeleur and Breton Sounds lie southward of Mississippi Sound and northward of the Mississippi River Delta-Chandeleur Sound to northward and Breton Sound to southward-with no clearly defined line of demarcation between them. Chandeleur Islands form the eastern boundary of Chandeleur Sound. They are a narrow, crescent-shaped chain of low islands, beginning 10 miles southward of Ship Island and extending in a general south by west direction for a distance of 23 miles. Southwestward from these islands are Errol Island, at a distance of 2 miles, and Breton Island, 812 miles beyond Errol Island. These mark the eastern limit of Breton Sound. Vessels of less than 10 feet (3.0 m) draft bound from Mississippi Sound to Mississippi River can pass through these sounds and have smoother water than by passing eastward of the islands. Chandeleur Lighthouse (Lat. 30°02.'9; Long. 88°52.'3) at the northerly end of the Chandeleur Islands, is a pyramidal, skeleton structure, painted black and brown. The light is flashing white (light

0.5 second, eclipse 9.5 seconds), 99 feet (30 m) above the water, and visible 16 miles.

North, Freemason, Old Harbor, and New Harbor Islands are located on the eastern side of Chandeleur Sound. There are no houses on these islands and they are frequented only by fishermen and trappers. Several unmarked channels good for a draft of 8 feet (2.4 m) or more, lie between them. Good protected anchorage for small boats in stormy weather can be found in Shoalwater Bay, Smack Channel, and in some of the other passages.

The western shore of both sounds is a network of marshy islands separated by shallow bayous and bays. The land is all low and is submerged on extremely high tides, in some places nearly to the banks of the Mississippi River. Several shallow canals lead from the southern part of Breton Sound to the river bank, but only one of them, Ostrica Canal, leads into the river. These canals are used by the large fleet of oyster boats operating in the sound to deliver their catch to canneries and packing houses on the river bank, or to highways for truck transportation to New Orleans.

A depth of about 4 feet (1.2 m) can be carried from Chandeleur Sound to Lake Borgne through Bayou La Loutre by entering the bayou through Lake Eloi and Bayou Eloi and passing into Lake Borgne through Bayou St. Malo. There is a highway along the upper portion of Bayou La Loutre. Shallow draft boats can ascend Bayou Terre aux Boeufs to Delacroix, a small settlement about 8 miles south of Lake Borgne. A highway extends from Delacroix to Poydras on the Mississippi River and thence to New Orleans. The marsh lands about Black Bay are used extensively for hunting. The western side of the sounds is marked by three lights, one off Door Point, one at east end of the shoal off Mitchell Key and one off Point Chico. Door Point Beacon, 111⁄2 miles east of Door Point Light, should be left to the eastward when proceeding from Chandeleur Sound to Mississippi Sound by way of Oyster Bay and Grand Pass. This route is used by the fishermen who bring in their catch from Louisiana waters. A checking station is maintained in Oyster Bay by the Conservation Commission of the State of Louisiana to check the catch taken from Louisiana waters to Mississippi. Grand Pass connects Oyster Bay with Mississippi Sound; it is marked by Grand Pass Oyster Bay Light.

Ostrica Canal is a privately-owned canal leading into the Mississippi River at the village of Ostrica, 211⁄2 miles above the Head of the Passes. At high water a draft of 3 to 4 feet (0.9 to 1.2 m) can be taken from Breton Sound, through Quarantine Bay, Bayou Tortillon, and this canal, to the river, but on account of numerous oyster bars in these waters, local knowledge is essential. The canal has one lock in the levee of the river which will accommodate a vessel 60 feet long, 18 feet wide, and 4 feet (1.2 m) draft at low water. Toll charges for the canal range from $3 to $6 (approximately).

Ostrica is a small settlement opposite Buras.

Directions. The following Courses and Distances lead from northwestward of Chandeleur Lighthouse to South Pass. The route is good for a depth of 9 to 10 feet (2.7 to 3.0 m) and the distance is 75 miles. The Inland Rules apply as far as Pass a Loutre Lighted Whistle Buoy 2, thence the International Rules to South Pass Lighted Whistle Buoy.

The Mississippi River empties into the north central part of the Gulf of Mexico through several mouths or passes, which form what is known as the delta of the Mississippi. The delta is, roughly, of a bird-foot form, having four toe-like extensions (the passes), which consist of narrow-banked deposits of sand and clay brought down by the river current. Between the passes are bays of considerable extent, which are being slowly filled by wave and tidal action from the Gulf, carrying in the bar sands, and by sedimentation from river overflow from above. The upper half of Garden Island Bay has been filled in this manner and is now a marsh. The delta is being built seaward at an estimated average rate of about 300 feet a year. The passes begin to diverge at a point called Head of the Passes 12 and 17 miles above the mouths of South and Southwest Passes, respectively. The angle of greatest divergence is about 127°. The perimeter of the delta between the most widely divergent passes is about 35 miles.

Air photo compilations are available for the coastal area between Mississippi Sound and the Mississippi River. (See page 2.)