occurs about 2 hours before the time of low water at Key West. The mean velocity of the current at strength is 34 knot. DIRECTIONS, SAN CARLOS BAY Directions to San Carlos Bay from Key West are given on page 92. Coastwise Courses and Distances to San Carlos Bay are given on page 93. To enter San Carlos Bay from southward keep at least 12 miles off the coast southward of Sanibel Island Lighthouse_until_up to Caloosa Lighted Bell Buoy 2 or until on the Punta Rasa Range. Then steer 317° true (NW. mag.), keeping Punta Rasa Range lights in line ahead, which lead along the axis of the dredged cut. The cut is also marked by beacons. The bank on the northeast side of the channel is about 3 feet above high water and at Beacon 10 is grass covered. To go to Caloosahatchee River.-Hold Punta Rasa Range until abeam of Beacon 12. From this point, courses and distances to Fort Myers are given on page 100. To enter the anchorage north of Fishermans Key.-Bring the lower wharf at Punta Rasa to bear about southeast by south over the stern and steer midway between the cluster of keys on the west side of the channel north of Punta Rasa and the small round key northwest of these. Go slowly after leaving the channel, and look out for a long sand spit that extends northeast from the end of Fishermans Key. When past this spit, follow the north side of Fishermans Key at a distance of 100 yards and anchor off the middle of the key in a depth of 6 feet (1.8 m), mud bottom. To go to Pine Island Sound.-Leave Punta Rasa Range at red Beacon 6 and steer about 263° true (W. % S. mag.) to clear the north shore of Point Ybel (east end of Sanibel Island, on which is the lighthouse of that name) about 225 yards. Then see directions for Pine Island Sound on page 109. CALOOSAHATCHEE RIVER (Chart 473) Caloosahatchee River rises in Lake Okeechobee and flows 73 miles in a westerly direction, emptying into San Carlos Bay near Punta Rasa. For a distance of 17 miles from the mouth the river has an average width of about 1 mile, but above that point it is a narrow, crooked stream, only 50 to 100 feet wide in many places during the dry season. From the mouth of the river, a channel 100 feet wide and 10 feet (3.0 m) deep has been dredged to a turning basin at Fort Myers, a distance of 14 miles. The channel is subject to change and is redredged from time to time. In 1935, there was a least depth of 111⁄2 feet (3.5 m) into San Carlos Bay and 912 feet (2.9 m) to Fort Myers. Above Fort Myers, a depth of about 5 feet (1.5 m) can be carried to the boat yard on Orange River and a depth of about 4 feet (1.2 m) to La Belle. Along the upper portion of the river, the depth varies greatly with the seasons. At the close of the dry season, usually in March, but sometimes as late as May, the river has a depth of but 1 foot (0.3 m) at the shoalest point in its upper reaches. There is a project for the improvement of the river above Fort Myers to provide a channel with a navigable depth of at least 6 feet (1.8 m) between Fort Myers and Lake Okeechobee. Refer to inside route across south Florida, page 103. The Caloosahatchee River is tidal as far as La Belle. The tide which has a mean range of about 1.7 feet at its mouth gradually diminishes as it ascends the river. Freshets, lasting usually about 2 weeks, occur during the summer and early fall months and raise the river from 4 to 18 feet (1.2 to 5.5 m), depending upon the locality. Strong currents are prevalent in the upper reaches, especially during high river stages. Below Fort Myers there are strong ebb currents in the cuts at Shell and Mangrove Points, 2 and 212 miles, respectively, above Punta Rasa. The river is raised by southerly and lowered by northerly winds, the largest fluctuations being caused by hurricanes. During a severe hurricane in 1910 the river at Fort Myers was lowered from 6 to 8 feet and then raised about 2 feet above normal. Fort Myers, on the south bank of the Caloosahatchee River, 14 miles above its mouth, is the commercial center for the country east and south of Charlotte Harbor, as far east as Lake Okeechobee and south to Cape Sable. It is on the Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line Railroads and on the Tamiami Trail connecting Tampa and Miami. Other State highways lead to West Palm Beach (following the Caloosahatchee River and south shore of Lake Okeechobee) and to Punta Rasa where an automobile ferry connects with Sanibel Island. There is daily boat service with Punta Rasa and small settlements on Pine Island Sound. With navigation open in the upper reaches of the Caloosahatchee River into Lake Okeechobee there is water communication with the Atlantic coast by way of St. Lucie Canal. Fort Myers is the distributing point for several oil companies, and a complete line of petroleum products is available (fuel oil on short notice). Provisions, ice, and some ship chandlery stores can be obtained. Local fresh water is not good for boiler use but a limited quantity of rain water is available, and water good for boiler use can be secured from Lake Okeechobee. Bituminous coal can be secured by arrangement with the railroad but no supply is kept on hand. There are good facilities for making deck and engine repairs to small vessels as well as for storing such craft. Vessels up to 125 feet long and 7 feet (2.1 m) draft can be hauled out. Salvage equipment is available capable of handling vessels up to about 100 feet long. This is the only salvage equipment between Tampa and Key West. There are numerous stores and several machine shops, a municipal airport, a hospital, and both seasonal and year-round hotels. Only coastwise ships enter Fort Myers, the largest vessel making the port regularly in 1935 being an oil tanker drawing 9 feet (2.7 m). Local pilots can be secured before entering by signaling the cable station at Punta Rasa or by radio through Tampa (station WPD). Arrangements can be made for delivering fresh water and fuel oil to vessels at Punta Rasa. The river channel leads to a turning basin off the water front south of Lofton Island, and there are depths of 5 to 12 feet (1.5 to 3.7 m) at the various wharves. The first bridge across the river is the highway bridge just north of the turning basin at Fort Myers. It is a bascule type with a draw having 80 feet horizontal clearance and 9 feet (2.7 m) vertical clearance (when closed) at mean high water. Between this bridge and the Orange River, 5 miles above Fort Myers, there are three additional bridges; all have swing draws with a minimum horizontal clearance of 50 feet. Between the second and third bridges at Fort Myers, there is an aerial power cable having an overhead clearance of 93 feet above mean high water. Orange River empties into the Caloosahatchee River from southeastward at a point about 5 miles above Fort Myers. A draft of 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 m) can be carried at high tide to the boat yard about half a mile above the mouth. The channel from Fort Myers to the mouth of the Orange River is well marked. The yard can haul and repair boats up to about 75 feet long and 5 to 6 feet draft (1.5 to 1.8 m). The Seaboard Air Line Railway crosses the river about 2 miles above the mouth. DIRECTIONS, CALOOSAHATCHEE RIVER TO FORT MYERS The following Courses and Distances lead from San Carlos Bay to Fort Myers: The International Rules apply outside of Caloosa Lighted Bell Buoy. The Inland Rules apply from Caloosa Lighted Bell Buoy to a line extending from the western point at Punta Rasa to Sword Point and the Pilot Rules for Western Rivers apply inside the latter line. Direct (Cut D Lighted Range Reverse (Cut D Lighted Range astern) 204 | SSW... 4. Intersection Cuts D and E Ranges (south .5 of Light 7): Direct (Cut E Range beacons ahead)_ 45 Favor northwest side of range. NE. 4 N 1. 5 S 1.5 12. Caloosahatchee River Beacon 23, 50 yds. east of: Direct-no range Reverse no range_ Passing east of Light 25 and west of Beacon 26: There is a 4-ft. shoal on the north side of the channel between Beacon 23 and Light 25; also an 8-ft. shoal just southwest of Light 25. Vessels should not get too close to the north side of the channel. 13. Caloosahatchee River Beacon 27, 50 ft. east of: Direct (Cut P Lighted Range ahead)Reverse (Cut P Lighted Range astern). Three 6-to 9-foot shoals are just off range on either side in the vicinity of Beacon 27-A. 14. Cut P Front Range Light 28. Position on range 50 yds. southwest of light: Direct-no range-. Reverse-no range_ Passing east of Beacon 29 which marks a 5-ft. shoal. 15. Caloosahatchee River Beacon 30, 30 yds. west of: 218 Direct (Cut Q Lighted Range ahead) _ Reverse (Cut Q Lighted Range astern). Passing to east of Beacons 31 and 31-A. 16. Intersection Cuts Q and R (south of Light 33): Light 35 in front, Beacon in rear. Direct (Cut R Range ahead). Reverse (Cut R Range astern). 17. Intersection Cuts R and S (south of Light 35): Direct (Cut S Range beacons ahead) Reverse (Cut S Range beacons astern) Approach Beacon 37 (front beacon of Cut S Range) on the last course above; pass south of it and steer 58° true (NE. by E. mag.) for 0.8 mile to the turning basin just below the bridge at Fort Myers. Pass close to the ends of the wharves as there is a shoal on the north side of the channel here. The turning basin is 10 feet (3.0 m) deep, except on the north edge where it is 8 feet (2.4 m); it is between Beacons 39, 41, and 43 and the wharves. Outside of this dredged area the depth is 7 ft. (2.1 m) or less. Proceeding down the river, steer 238° |