Cape Henry Lighthouse is an octagonal pyramidal tower, upper and lower half of each face alternately black and white. The light is group flashing white (group of 3 flashes every 20 seconds), with a red sector between 154° true (S. by E. 34 E., mag.) and 233° true (SW. by W. 14 W. mag.), 157 feet (47.8 m.) above the water, and visible 19 miles. The fog signal is a siren, blast 4 seconds, silent 41 seconds. A radiobeacon described on page 16 is operated.

Lynnhaven Roads, an open bight extending from 2 to 5 miles westward from Cape Henry Lighthouse, is sometimes used as an anchorage and is protected from southerly winds. It has depths of 20 to 28 feet (6.1 to 8.5 m.). The shoaling is abrupt eastward of Lynnhaven Inlet, and the 18-foot (5.5 m.) curve lies nowhere more than 3% mile from shore. Westward of the inlet the shoaling is

gradual, and depths of 18 feet (5.5 m.) can be found 34 mile from shore.

Lynnhaven Inlet, on the south side of Lynnhaven Roads, forms the approach to Lynnhaven Bay and several other shoal bays. It had a depth by the last survey of 212 feet (0.7 m.) across the bar, but is subject to frequent change, and local knowledge is required to enter. A bridge with a draw opening 30 feet wide crosses the inlet just inside the entrance. The depths in the bays inside are 2 to 10 feet (0.6 to 3 m.) and they are frequented by many small craft engaged in oystering and fishing.

Eight miles west of Cape Henry Lighthouse there is a water terminal of the Pennsylvania Railroad Co. for car ferries operating to Cape Charles. The entrance is between parallel jetties, marked

on their ends by lights. A fog bell is located on the eastern one near the light. A bell buoy lies off the entrance. In October, 1929, the controlling depth in the channel between the jetties and to the ferry slips was 17 feet (5.1 m.). There are railway connections with Norfolk.

HAMPTON ROADS AND ADJACENT PORTS

[Charts 1222, 400, and 451]

Hampton Roads, at the south end of Chesapeake Bay, 16 miles westward of Cape Henry, is the approach to Norfolk, Portsmouth, Newport News, and points on the James River to Richmond, and is also one of the important anchorages on the east coast of the United States. A well-marked deep-water channel leads into Hampton Roads where there is secure anchorage for vessels of any draft.

The ports adjacent to Hampton Roads carry on a large business in coal, tobacco, grain, cotton, and other commodities, and have excellent terminal and railroad facilities. Shipbuilding and repair plants are available for all classes of ship construction and repair work.

Prominent objects. In approaching Hampton Roads the most prominent objects are: Thimble Shoal Lighthouse (red conical tower on pier); Old Point Comfort Lighthouse (white tower); the Chamberlain-Vanderbilt Hotel at Old Point Comfort (twin towers on colonial brick building); a low gray structure on the south side of the entrance abreast Old Point Comfort; and a large group of buildings at Ocean View, a summer resort on the beach, 4 miles southeastward of Old Point Comfort.

From inside the entrance may be seen: A tower, the high dome of the Soldiers' Home, and several chimneys at Hampton; a grain elevator at Newport News; Newport News Middle Ground Lighthouse (brown conical tower on pier); the piers and buildings of the naval base on the east side of the channel to Norfolk; the Virginian Railway coal piers; and a large grain elevator southward.

Channels.-The approach from eastward is through Thimble Shoal Channel, which has a depth of 40 feet (12.2 m.) and a width of 750 feet, and is marked by flashing red gas buoys on the north side and black (flashing white) gas buoys on the south side. The least depths outside of and near the dredged channels are 28 to 35 feet (8.5 to 10.6 m.).

The following regulations prescribed by the Government restrict the use of this channel:

1. The use of Thimble Shoal Channel is hereby restricted to navigation by vessels of greater draft than 25 feet or by towboats with tows drawing more than 25 feet. Vessels, either sailing or power, and all tows drawing less than 25 feet are not permitted to use this channel.

2. Vessels permitted to use Thimble Shoal Channel under section 1 of these regulations must proceed through channel at a reasonable speed such as not to endanger other vessels and not to interfere with any other work which may become necessary in maintaining, surveying, or buoying the channel; and they must not anchor in the channel, except in cases of emergency, such as fog or accident, which would render progress unsafe or impossible.

3. These regulations are not to be construed as prohibiting any necessary use of the channel by any Government boats while on Government duty, nor in emergencies by pilot boats, whether steam or sail, nor by police boats.

From the western end of Thimble Shoal Channel to the eastern end of Newport News Middle Ground the channel has ample width and depth and is marked by Thimble Shoal and Old Point Comfort Lighthouses and by several buoys, some of which are lighted.

Two channels have been dredged around Newport News Middle Ground to Newport News. The straight channel northward of the Middle Ground had a depth of 35 feet (10.6 m.) in June, 1928, and is being dredged to a project depth of 40 feet (12.2 m.). It is marked by red gas buoys (flashing red) on the north side and black gas buoys (occulting white) on the south side. The currents do not always set fair with the channel, especially with strong winds, and some trouble has been experienced at times by deep-draft vessels in keeping in the channel. The least depths outside of and near the dredged channel are 21 to 24 feet (6.4 to 7.3 m.).

The curved channel southward of Newport News Middle Ground was dredged to a depth of 30 feet (9.1 m.) and width of 500 feet, but shoaling has occurred and the channel will not be redredged. The area southward of the Middle Ground is now considered as anchorage ground, and the old channel is not marked.

The dredged channel leading to Norfolk and Portsmouth had depths in June, 1929, as follows:

Hampton Roads to 620 feet downstream from the Belt Line Railroad bridge, 37 feet (11.2 m.); thence 34 feet (10.3 m.) to the Belt Line bridge; thence 30 feet (9.1 m.) to the Virginian Railway bridge; thence 25 feet (7.6 m.) to the Norfolk and Western Railway bridge. In the Eastern Branch, between the mouth and the Norfolk and Berkley highway bridge, 25 feet (7.6 m.); thence 20.4 feet (6.1 m.) to the Norfolk and Western Railway bridge; thence 25 feet (7.6 m. to the Virginian Railway bridge. In Western Branch, between the mouth and the first bridge, 18 feet (5.5 m.).

Anchorages. The anchorage areas, prescribed by the War Department and enforced by the captain of the port of Hampton Roads (office in Norfolk), are described in the appendix. They are also shown in red on chart 400.

Quarantine. All vessels subject to quarantine are inspected by the officers of the United States Public Health Service off Old Point Comfort. A quarantine anchorage there is shown on chart 400 and is described in the appendix to this volume.

Hospitals.-There are many public and private hospitals at the larger cities. The most prominent of the public hospitals are as follows:

Norfolk, Va.—United States Marine Hospital, No. 82, Tanners Creek; Hospital of St. Vincent De Paul, corner of Church and Wood Streets; Norfolk Protestant Hospital, corner Raleigh and Colley Avenues.

Portsmouth, Va.-The King's Daughters' Hospital, corner Chestnut and Leckie Streets.

Newport News, Va.-Elizabeth Burton Hospital, on boulevard overlooking Hampton Roads; the Wittaker Memorial Hospital, corner of Twenty-ninth and Orcult Avenues; the Riverside Hospital.

Hampton, Va.-The Dixie Hospital.

Supplies of all kinds are obtainable at Newport News and Norfolk, and in limited quantities at Hampton and sometimes at Old Point Comfort. Water can be obtained at the wharves and from water boats. Bituminous coal can be had, through chutes, from the

coal wharves at Newport News and the coal piers at Sewall Point and Lambert Point. Anthracite and bituminous coal can be obtained at the wharves in Norfolk or from lighters at the anchorage. Water, provisions, and ship chandlery will be delivered by boat to vessels in Hampton Roads.

Regulations for passing dredges.-The following regulations apply to Norfolk; Hampton Roads; Nansemond, Pagan, and Appomattox Rivers; harbors at Cape Charles City, Va.; waterways from Norfolk Harbor, Va., to Albemarle Sound, N. C., via both Albemarle & Chesapeake and Dismal Swamp Canals; Edenton Bay; and Roanoke River, N. C:

Vessels propelled by machinery and passing within 4 mile of plant, employed in the improvement of said waters, shall not proceed at a speed greater than 4 miles per hour. In case it is necessary for any reason to pass said plant at a less distance than 4 mile the propelling machinery of passing vessels must be stopped while said vessels are abreast of said plant. When it is necessary for a vessel to pass between any such plant and the buoys indicating the position of the mooring anchors of said plant, such vessel shall give as a signal to said plant to lower the mooring lines four short blasts of a whistle or horn in quick succession, given when said vessel is about 2 mile away from the plant. Vessels, when their draft permits, must go outside of the buoys indicating the position of the mooring anchors of all such plants.

No vessel shall anchor in such a place as to obstruct the view of the front or rear range or other marks erected for the guidance of any plant engaged in improving the above-mentioned waters. No vessel or raft shall pass over or so near to any buoys, piles, or other marks placed in connection with the above-mentioned improvements as to destroy, move, or injure them.

Storm warnings are displayed at Cape Henry, Old Point Comfort, Newport News, and Norfolk.

Tides. The mean range of tides in Hampton Roads is 2.5 feet. Currents. In the center of the channel southward of Old Point Comfort the slack water and strengths of flood and ebb current occur about 14 hours before the time of the corresponding slack waters and strengths at Chesapeake Bay entrance. The slack water before flood occurs about 22 hours after the time of low water at Old Point Comfort and the slack water before ebb occurs about 11⁄2 hours after high water at Old Point Comfort. The average velocity of the current at strength of flood is about 13⁄44 knots and at strength of ebb about 2 knots; the currents, however, are influenced considerably by the wind and at times attain a velocity much in excess of these mean values. Along the wharves at Old Point Comfort the currents change about 1 hour earlier than in the center of the channel. In the center of the channel off the shipyard at Newport News the slack waters and the strengths of flood and ebb currents occur approximately 14 hour before the times of the corresponding slack waters and strengths at Chesapeake Bay entrance. The slack water before flood occurs about 3 hours before the time of high water at Old Point Comfort, and the slack water before ebb occurs about 212 hours after the time of high water at Old Point Comfort. The average velocity of the current at strength of flood is about 1/4 knots and at strength of ebb about 134 knots.

Ice seldom interferes with navigation in Hampton Roads for fullpowered vessels, even in severe weather.

Horseshoe is described under the heading Hampton Roads to York River. Thimble Shoal, with depths of 9 to 12 feet (2.7 to 3.6 m.), forms the southern edge of the Horseshoe and the north

side of the channel into Hampton Roads between Thimble Shoal Lighthouse and Old Point Comfort.

Old Point Comfort is a town and summer resort on the north side at the entrance to Hampton Roads. It has communication by railroad and electric road with Hampton and Newport News, with Norfolk by steamer, and with the west end of Willoughby Spit by ferry. Most of the steamers plying from Norfolk to points on Chesapeake Bay and tributaries land at Old Point Comfort. Gasoline, provisions, and water in small quantities are obtainable. Landing at the wharf is often rendered difficult by the strong tidal currents. The first of the ebb tide sets southeastward from the wharf and the last of the ebb sets directly on the wharf and northward through the opening eastward of Hampton Bar. The direction of the flood current is approximately west-southwestward.

Mother Hawkins Hole is an anchorage, with depths of 9 to 12 feet (2.7 to 3.6 m.), much used by small local craft, on the west side of Old Point Comfort and north of the easterly end of Hampton Bar. The entrance is between the wharf at Old Point Comfort and the horizontally striped buoy close westward of it and has a depth of 18 feet (5.5 m.). Leading westward from the west end of Old Point Comfort is a buoyed channel with depths of 8 to 20 feet (2.4 to 6 m.), which affords good anchorage for boats.

Mill Creek, inside of Old Point Comfort, has large areas bare at low water and several narrow channels. It is crossed by two fixed bridges at the mouth, under which small boats can pass. The creek is little used.

Hampton Bar, with 1 to 5 feet (0.3 to 1.5 m.) over it, extends from 100 yards to 2 miles west-southwestward from Old Point Comfort; it is marked by red buoys on the south side and horizontally striped buoys at each end.

Hampton Creek, 114 miles west-northwestward of Old Point Comfort, is the approach to the town of Hampton. There is a depth of 8 feet (2.4 m.) across Hampton Flats, from both eastward and southwestward, to the entrance and in the channel in the creek. Steamers from Norfolk make regular trips to several wharves in the creek. It is the headquarters of a large number of boats engaged in oystering and fishing and has some trade by schooners and barges, the deepest draft being 10 feet (3 m.). The part of the river between the public wharf and the lower bridge, a distance of 1/4 mile, is used as an anchorage for boats. The river is crossed by several fixed bridges, and there is no navigation above them except in small motor boats without houses. Gasoline, provisions, and coal and water are obtainable, and there is a shipyard and railway capable of hauling out vessels of 125 tons, 125 feet length, 9 feet (2.7 m.) draft aft, and 6 feet (1.8 m.) forward.

Hampton Creek is usually approached from eastward, northward of Hampton Bar. Pass 300 yards southward and 175 yards westward of Hampton Creek Light, off the entrance, and 150 feet westward of the red buoy near the entrance; then head midway between the wharves at the entrance, and follow the wharves on the west side at a distance of about 100 feet.

Jones Creek, between the National Soldiers' Home and Hampton Institute, has depths of 10 feet (3 m.) in the channel and serves