anchored in a channel, turning basin, or in the outer harbor between the jetties, be placed as near the edge of the channel as possible, and so as not to interfere with the free navigation thereof, nor obstruct the approach to any pier. They shall move from such position as soon as the emergency ceases, or when so ordered by the captain of the port. 3. All vessels shall lie at anchor with as short a cable as conditions will permit, and in no case shall the length of cable exceed 990 feet. 4. A vessel upon being notified by the captain of the port to shift its position must get under way at once, or signal for a tug, and must change position as directed with reasonable promptness. 5. When the maritime or commercial interests of the United States so require, the captain of the port is hereby empowered to shift the position of any vessel anchored on the anchorage grounds or outside thereof; or any vessel moored or anchored so as to impede or obstruct vessel movements in any channel or obstruct or interfere with range lights; or of any vessel which, lying at the exterior end of a pier or alongside an open bulkhead, obstructs the passage of vessels to or from adjacent wharf property or impedes the movement of vessels entering or leaving adjacent slips. 6. Vessels in collision in the channel or turning basin, or in the outer harbor between the jetties, must, if still afloat in a condition making anchorage necessary, be immediately removed to the prescribed anchorage in Bolivar Roads, or, if in such condition that beaching is necessary, they shall be temporarily beached on the north side of Pelican Island, southwest of Bolivar Point, and properly secured against movement therefrom. 7. In no case following accidents of fire or collision will a vessel be allowed to remain either anchored or grounded in the channels or turning basin, or beached at any place where it endangers other vessels, while settlement is pending with the underwriters. 8. Permits to anchor in channels may be granted by the district engineer, engineer department at large, in charge of the locality to wrecking plants locally engaged in recovering sunken property. 9. In special cases the captain of the port may grant permission to small craft, barges, etc., awaiting repairs by the facilities on Pelican Spit, to lie at anchor, securely moored at both bow and stern and showing proper lights, within a line parallel to the pile and brush dike and not over 200 feet therefrom, in the shallow water on north side of Galveston Channel. 10. Nothing in the foregoing rules and regulations shall be construed as relieving the owner or person in charge of any vessel from the penalties of the law for obstructing navigation, or for obstructing or interfering with range lights, or for not complying with the navigation laws in regard to lights, fog signals, etc. On account of the amount of traffic Galveston Channel can be used only for temporary anchorage by steamers preparing to haul into berths at the wharves or after leaving the wharves before going to sea. In Galveston Bay small craft can anchor anywhere outside of the dredged channels where the depth is sufficient. The water in the bay may be lowered as much as 3 feet (0.9 m.) by a norther, and vessels should make due allowance for it when selecting anchorage during the winter months. Vessels are prohibited from anchoring in the Houston Ship Channel or turning basin except in cases of great emergency, and under such circumstances shall be placed as near the edge of the channel or turning basin as possible, so as not to interfere with free navigation nor obstruct the approach to any pier. The regulations for the Houston Ship Channel are given under that heading. Lay-by moorings to the north of Morgan Point are also described. Pilotage is compulsory for foreign vessels, for American vessels in foreign trade and for certain classes of coast wise vessels; in regard to the latter see extracts of State of Texas Pilot Regulations on page 8. Pilotage is not compulsory for coastwise vessels having on board a pilot licensed by the United States Steamboat Inspection Service. The pilot boat will be found cruising outside the bar or anchored near the end of the jetties. Pilots for both Galveston and Houston use the same boat. The signal for a pilot to Galveston or Texas City is four long blasts of the whistle; for a Houston pilot, the signal is two long and three short blasts of the whistle. Ships are taken in day or night. The rates of pilotage inward and outward for Galveston and Texas City are: Not over 500 net registered tons--500 to 1,000 net registered tons-- 1,000 to 1,500 net registered tons. Over 1,500 net registered tons- The rates of pilotage for Houston are: All foreign vessels to and from sea-- Per foot draft $3.00 3.50 3.75 4.00 Per foot draft $5.50 2.50 Coastwise vessels from sea to the various terminals on the channel and vice versa_- 3. 25-4.00 There is no additional charge for docking or undocking. The charge for shifting ships in harbor is $20; for shifting between Galveston and Texas City, the charge is $25. Quarantine. The national quarantine station is located at the northeast end of Pelican Island, at the entrance to Galveston Channel. Vessels are boarded by the doctor at the quarantine anchorage in Bolivar Roads. Additional information relative to quarantine is given on page 9. Towboats and seagoing tugs are available in Galveston. Towboats are also stationed at Morgan Point and at Houston. With a fair wind, sailing vessels under the direction of a pilot, usually come in to Bolivar Roads without the aid of a pilot. Towboats are frequently used into Houston but their use is not obligatory. Typical charges for assisting steamers are; Bolivar Roads to Texas City, $80; Bolivar Roads to Houston, $285; Morgan Point to Houston, $200. Docking charges are $40 to $65 and shifting charges are $55 to $75. Storm warnings are displayed at the Quarantine Station, Galveston (day and night), Texas City Company's elevator, Seabrook, Shore Acres (Houston Yacht Club) and Laporte. The United States Coast Guard have a base at the old Immigration Station on Pelican Island, less than a mile to the westward of the Quarantine Station. Tides and Currents.-Near the time when the moon's declination is greatest north or south there is but one high and one low tide daily. When the moon is near the equator however, there are two high and two low waters daily. Predictions of the times and heights of the tide at Galveston for every day in the year are given in the Tide Tables, Atlantic Ocean. Both the times and heights of the tide are considerably affected by the winds. It is not an uncommon occurrence for the wind to blow from the east and southeast for a number of days, banking the water up in this part of the Gulf and filling the bays to from 2 to 4 feet above mean low tide. The wind then suddenly changes to the north and blows steadily and with considerable violence for several days, blowing the water out of the bay and reducing the level of the Gulf and the bay to 2 or 3 feet below mean low water. The currents are also frequently modified by the winds. Easterly or southeasterly winds may cause a continuous flood current between the jetties at the entrance for a period of a day or more, and westerly or northwesterly winds sometimes set up a continuously outgoing current for a similar period. When the moon is near its maximum north or south declination, the tidal current is diurnal, one flood and one ebb occurring each day. At such times, the usual velocity between the jetties at strength of flood or ebb is about 3 knots. For 5 or 6 days after the moon crosses the equator, the current is semidiurnal, two floods and two ebbs occurring each day. During this period the average velocity between the jetties at strength of flood or ebb is about 2 knots. The tidal currents also have considerable velocity on the bar at the entrance, along the wharves, and in the dredged cuts in the bay and tributaries. Winds. The prevailing winds are northerly from November to March, throughout which time "northers" occur frequently. These gales, although occasionally blowing with a velocity of over 40 niles, are not dangerous to vessels anywhere close to the coast, as they blow offshore and the sea is not heavy; the Weather Bureau warning of their approach gives vessels ample time for preparation. From April to October the prevailing winds are southerly, and hurricanes occur occasionally; these are dangerous to shipping near the coast because the wind is onshore. Hurricanes of marked violence at Galveston have occurred as follows: September 1875, September 1877, September 1900, and August 1915. During the hurricane of August 1915 the wind attained a velocity of over 100 miles per hour. DIRECTIONS, GALVESTON BAY Approaching from northeastward, vessels should make High Island and then follow alongshore, taking care to be far enough off to clear the end of the jetty. The bottom is fairly regular and there are no known dangers within 15 miles of the coast. Approaching from southwestward, keep in 5 to 6 fathoms (9 to 11 m) in winter and deeper water in summer, because of the prevailing southerly winds and swell. For prominent features visible upon approaching Galveston Entrance see page 289. The bottom is regular and there are no known dangers. During the winter months when northers are frequent it is well for westbound vessels to keep a little northward of the 295° course from Dry Tortugas to Heald Bank Light Ship, but go southward of the light ship in passing. In either direction verify the ship's position as often as possible, because no sailing directions can be given which will suffice for all of the varying conditions of current encountered. For 300 miles before reaching Heald Bank westbound vessels frequently overrun, especially during the winter months, and eastbound vessels overrun for the last 300 miles before reaching the Tortugas. Depend upon the lead westbound, but upon observations eastbound. The following hints regarding Currents apply to the general conditions which may be looked for, and are based mainly on reports received by the United States Hydrographic Office. During February, March, and April the current runs southeastward with varying strength, and will be directly against a vessel most of the way on the 295° course until within about 100 miles of Heald Bank, when it sets southwestward with considerable strength. During May, June, and July the current runs southward and southeastward for 200 miles west of the Tortugas. Then for 200 miles it often sets slightly northward. For the next 150 miles the current runs northeastward and eastward, and when approaching Heald Bank it sets southwestward. During August, September, and October (the hurricane season) the current is very irregular and uncertain. For the first 200 miles west of the Totugas it runs southward and southeastward with varying velocities, depending much upon the direction and force of the wind in the Atlantic and the Gulf. For the second 200 miles it sets north-northwestward and northward, often with greater velocity than during the preceding 3 months. For the next 150 miles the current runs northeastward and eastward. When approaching Heald Bank, it frequently sets southwestward. During November, December, and January, the season when northers occur most frequently, the current runs southward and southeastward for the first 200 miles west of the Tortugas. For the next 200 miles it runs northwestward and northward, and is said to be strong enough to offset the southerly set of the first 200 miles. For the next 150 miles the current may have a slight northeasterly set; but ordinarily it is not so noticeable as at other seasons. When approaching Heald Bank, it sets southwestward with considerable strength. Entering Galveston Harbor, since the channel is changeable, it is advisable for strangers of deep draft to take a pilot. For vessels of moderate draft the chart and buoys are sufficient guides if followed carefully. Courses and Distances for approaching Galveston Bar Lighted Whistle Buoy are given on page 62, and also under Coastwise Courses (Position No. 25). Galveston Entrance, Galveston Harbor, Bolivar Roads, and Galveston Channel, together with the principal aids and prominent features in the vicinity have been described on pages 288 and 289. Galveston (at the large grain elevator) is 912 miles from the entrance buoy. Texas City is 131⁄2 miles from the entrance buoy. Houston is 50 miles from the entrance buoy and 44 miles from Fort Point at Galveston. The following Course and Distances are for the Houston Ship Channel from near Bolivar Roads Lighted Buoy 4 (1 mile northwest of Fort Point) to Morgan Point. Houston Ship Channel is described on page 296. The Inland Rules apply inside Galveston Bar Lighted Whistle Buoy. 1 Listed as Galveston Bay Channel Entrance Range in Light List. 33. COAST, GALVESTON TO THE RIO GRANDE (Charts 1282 to 1288) From Galveston entrance to the entrance to Matagorda Bay at Pass Cavallo, a distance of 107 miles, the coast trends in a general southwest by west direction. From Pass Cavallo it curves gently to the southward for 100 miles to latitude 27° N., where its trend is north and south, true; thence it curves gently a little east of south for 64 miles to the mouth of the Rio Grande. Throughout the whole distance the coast encloses a chain of shallow bays or lagoons, some of them of considerable size, separated from the Gulf by long, narrow islands and peninsulas, which are generally low and sandy, |