water inside for about 6 miles to a fork. The northern branch is called Transquaking River and the eastern branch Chicacomico River; both are said to be navigable for several miles and are frequented by small vessels carrying produce. KEDGES STRAITS [Chart 1224] connecting Tangier Sound and Chesapeake Bay between Smith Island and South Marsh, has a least depth of 10 feet (3 m.), and is used by many vessels of 6 to 9 feet (1.8 to 2.7 m.) draft bound from northward to points on Tangier Sound southward of Manokin River. It is marked by Holland Island Bar Lighthouse (white house on piles), South Marsh Spit Light (black slatted pile structure), and Solomons Lump Lighthouse (white house on pier), and by buoys, and is easy of navigation by day with the aid of the chart. The islands adjacent to it are low and present no prominent marks. The mean range of tides is 1.7 feet, but the range is considerably affected by winds, easterly winds raising the water, and northwesterly winds lowering it sometimes as much as 2 feet (0.6 m.) below the normal. Floating ice in the winter makes the navigation of the straits dangerous, tugs from Baltimore being often employed to tow local vessels through the ice. HOOPER STRAIT the most northerly entrance to Tangier Sound, leads between Hooper Island and Bishop Head on the north and Bloodworth Island on the south. It is used by all of the vessels from northward to the tributaries in the north end of Tangier Sound. It has a depth of 12 feet (3.6 m.) in a narrow, crooked channel, but there are shoals with little depth close to it, and it is seldom used by vessels of a greater draft than 9 feet (2.7 m.), the deepest draft usually passing through at high water. It is marked by Hooper Strait and Sharkfin Shoal Lighthouses, Bishop Head Shoal Light, and by buoys, and strangers should be able to enter in the daytime by following the directions closely. The mean range of tides is 1.7 feet at Hooper Strait Lighthouse and 2.2 feet at Sharkfin Shoal Lighthouse. The tidal currents have considerable velocity, and in winter sailing vessels are in danger from running ice. In Tangier Sound the general direction of the tidal currents is north and south, following the channel and diverging slightly off the entrances of the tributaries and straits. The velocity is greatly influenced by the force and direction of the wind. In the fall and winter long-continued northerly winds may lower the water as much as 2 feet (0.6 m.) below the normal and this is important to vessels passing through Kedges and Hooper Straits and into Crisfield Harbor. 4. To 0.5 mile beyond buoy No. 11, Porpoise Point Light (Fl.) ahead. 5. To 2.8 miles, 53° true, from Solomons Lump Light (F.), passing 0.4 mile southwestward of buoy No. 6. 6. To 1.5 miles from Sharkfin Shoal Light (F.), Haines Point Light (F. R.), bearing 101° true, Sharkfin Shoal Light ahead, passing westward of gas and bell buoy No. 8. 7. To 1.2 miles from Clay Island Shoal Light (F.), Sharkfin Shoal Light bearing 267° true, Clay Island Shoal Light ahead. 8. To 0.6 mile east of Clay Island Light, 300 yards west of buoy 2. 9. To 0.4 mile from Roaring Point Light (Fl.), true west from the wharf on the south side of the point, light ahead. 10. To midway between Gravelly Point and the horizontally striped buoy off it. 11. To 0.2 mile west of buoy No. 8. 13. To 0.4 mile westward of buoy No. 10... If bound for Crisfield, leave course No. 3 above when the channel bell buoy in the mouth of Little Annemessex River bears 55° true and follow the courses below: la. To 250 yards from Great Point Light (F.), channel buoy and light on range. 2a. Round the light at a distance of 250 yards to north of it. 52 If bound up the Wicomico River leave course No. 7 when west of buoy No. 10 and follow directions on page 212. To enter Fishing Bay, put buoy No. 10 astern and steer 333° true (N. by W 34 W. mag.) into the bay. See page 215. If going through Kedges Strait, leave course 5 above when Solomons Lump Light (F.) and Holland Bar Light (F.) are in range and steer 293° true (NW. by W. % W. mag.) until north of buoy No. 2, then westerly to Chesapeake Bay, passing southward of Holland Island Bar Light. See page 216. If going through Hooper Strait, leave course 333° true, leading into Fishing Bay, when northeastward of horizontally striped buoy Sharkfin Shoal and follow the courses given below: off 1c. To 0.3 mile beyond buoy No. 8. passing close northward of it. 280 WNW. 1⁄2 W. 1. 2 Honga River, on the eastern side of Chesapeake Bay, north of the western end of Hooper Strait, has a depth of 18 feet (5.5 m.) in a narrow crooked channel, marked by lights and buoys, for 11 miles above the mouth, above which it shoals rapidly to a depth of 2 to 4 feet (0.6 to 1.2 m.) at the head. Light-draft vessels may navigate as follows: From midway between Wroten Island and Long Point a northeasterly course leads, in 20 feet (6.1 m.), to post light No. 7. From this point about 3 feet (0.9 m.) at low water can be carried northwesterly to post light No. 5, and about the same depth from here southwesterly to Fishing Creek drawbridge. Honga River is frequented by regular steamers in the lower end and local oyster and produce boats in the upper end. The mean range of tide is 1.6 feet. Fox Creek, on the eastern side of Honga River, 3 miles above the mouth, has a depth of 8 feet (2.4 m.) to Wingate Point Wharf, at which steamers from Baltimore land. The channel is marked by a light at the entrance, a day beacon with prismatic reflector on the point of shoal off Paul Point, and sometimes by bush stakes maintained by the steamboat company. Wingate is a post village 1 mile from the wharf. Hooper Island consists of a row of three low islands separating Honga River from Chesapeake Bay. The islands are connected with the mainland and with each other by highway bridges, the two northern ones having draw openings, and the southern one being fixed. Steamers from Baltimore stop at the wharf at Hoopersville, where there is a depth of 12 feet (3.6 m.) at mean low water. There are three villages on the islands, with a total population of about 1,500. The towns are Applegarth on the southern end, Hoopersville on the middle island, and Fishing Creek on the northern island. This is one of the most important sea-food shipping centers on Chesapeake Bay, hundreds of boats being engaged in the trade. There are several packing plants, general stores, churches, schools, three boat yards, and one marine railway. The latter is located on Back Creek, a small estuary of Honga River, which can be entered with local knowledge. Gasoline, oil, provisions, and some ship chandlery may be obtained on the island. Barren Island Gaps Channel has 4 feet (1.2 m.) depth at mean low water. Enter on a 90° true (E. 5% S. mag.) course to close northward of Barren Island Light (fixed red), red pile structure, then steer to pass close southward of Tar Bay Light (fixed white), black structure, then southeasterly for 200 yards. From this point a gradual turn should be made to close southward of Tar Bay Light No. 3, passing through a narrow, shallow channel when near the light. From light No. 3 to light No. 4 (fixed red) a straight course leads in 6 to 9 feet (1.8 to 2.7 m.) depths. Pass just north of light No. 4, and be guided by the bush stakes, which should be held close on the starboard hand, until up to Fishing Creek drawbridge. Local pilots can be obtained at Fishing Creek. Fishing Creek is connected with Cambridge (on the railroad) by a good road. Golden Hill is a post village at the northern end of Honga River, and can be reached by boats of 2 feet (0.6 m.) draft at low water. A draft of 3 or 4 feet (0.9 to 1.2 m.) at high water can be carried from the northern end of Honga River through Great Marsh Creek, Lower Keene Broad, and Upper Keene Broad into Slaughter Creek, a tributary of Little Choptank River, but the passage should not be attempted by strangers. It is crossed by two fixed bridges having a headroom of about 4 feet (1.2 m.) at high water. This thoroughfare can be entered from Chesapeake Bay through a narrow thoroughfare about 3 miles northward of the northern end of Tar Bay; the entrance has a depth of about 3 feet (0.9 m.) at high water and is crossed by a fixed bridge having a headroom of about 4 feet (1.2 m.) at high water. LITTLE CHOPTANK RIVER on the eastern side of Chesapeake Bay, 42 miles southward of Sharps Island, is frequented by local boats, the deepest draft being 9 feet (2.7 m.). The river is obstructed by shoals, but has a depth of 14 feet (4.2 m.) in a narrow, crooked channel for 8 miles above the mouth and 6 feet (1.8 m.) for a considerable distance into most of the tributaries. Some of the shoals are marked by buoys, but strangers may have trouble in taking a greater draft than 6 feet (1.8 m.) above the mouth of Slaughter Creek. The channels in the principal tributaries are usually marked by bush stakes, but are narrow and crooked and difficult without local knowledge. |