navigable for several miles, but is entered only by an occasional truck boat. DELAWARE RIVER BELOW CHRISTIANA RIVER [Chart 294] Hope Creek, on the east side, 134 miles southeastward of Stony Point Shoal, has a depth of about 2 feet (0.6 m.) at the mouth and is navigable for several miles, but is little used. Blackbird Creek, on the west side, 3% mile southward of Reedy Island range front light, can be entered with a draft of about 3 feet (0.9 m.) at low water by following the shore from well southward of the entrance, as mentioned in the description of Appoquinimink Creek, and this draft can be carried several miles above the mouth. It is frequented only by small produce boats. The creek is crossed by a drawbridge about 4 miles above the mouth, but is seldom opened. Appoquinimink Creek, marked at the mouth by range lights (white latticed steel posts), is navigable at high water for vessels of 8 feet (2.4 m.) draft to the village of Odessa, 6 miles above the mouth, and for small boats a farther distance of about 2 miles. The channel in Appoquinimink Creek has been improved by dredging and by cut-offs across the bends. In 1928 there was a depth of 3.2 feet (1 m.) from Delaware Bay to the mouth of the creek, thence 7.7 feet (2.3 m.) to Rock Reach, thence 4.6 feet (1.4 m.) to Odessa. A drawbridge crosses Appoquinimink Creek about 3 miles above the mouth. The bridge is a center-pier draw, each opening 39 feet wide, with a headroom of 7.3 feet at high water. There is a drawbridge just above the wharves at Odessa with a single clear opening 44 feet wide and a headroom of 42 feet at high water. Tides. The mean range of the tides is 6 feet at the mouth and 3.3 feet at Odessa. At Odessa high and low water occur about one hour after high and low water at the mouth. The shoalest part of Stony Point Shoal has been surrounded by a bulkhead and raised to above high water by dumping, forming an artificial island about 211⁄2 miles long. A dike, visible at all stages of the tide, connects the south end with Stony Point. The area back of this island has shoaled to a general depth of about 5 feet (1.5 m.). Groups of old vessels are anchored or grounded just south of the south dike. Alloway Creek, eastward of the north end of the artificial island on Stony Point Shoal, is navigable for vessels to the village of Quinton, 7 miles above the mouth, and with some difficulty for small boats at high water for a farther distance of 4 miles to the village of Alloway. A channel 6 feet (1.8 m.) deep and 60 to 75 feet wide has been dredged to Quinton. The controlling depth in 1928 was 3 feet (0.9 m.) to the mouth, thence 4.9 feet (1.5 m.) to Hancocks Bridge, thence 5 feet (1.5 m.) to Upper Hancocks Bridge, thence 3.9 feet (1.2 m.) to Quinton. Two cut-offs have been made across sharp bends, one 14 miles above the entrance and the other above Hancocks Bridge; also two shore dikes have been constructed 212 and 511⁄2 miles above the entrance. A drawbridge crosses the creek at the post village of Hancocks Bridge, 4 miles above the mouth. The bridge has a center pier draw, each opening about 48 feet wide, with the best water in the north opening. Upper Hancocks Bridge crosses the river 512 miles above the entrance; width of opening, 35 feet. There is a drawbridge at Quinton, width of opening, 31 feet. Boats entering Alloway Creek must pass northward of the artificial island on Stony Point Shoal, and should enter the creek on a northeasterly course to avoid shoals off the points on either side. Above the entrance the best water does not always follow midstream, and some local knowledge is required to keep in the best water. Strangers should take it on a rising tide and proceed with caution. Tides. The mean range of tides is 6 feet at the entrance, 4 feet at Quinton, and 2.5 feet at Alloway. Reedy Island, formerly the site of a Federal quarantine station, is now used at times as a detention station. Storm warnings are displayed here and a day reporting station of the Philadelphia Maritime Exchange is operated. A dike extends 211⁄2 miles southward from the south end of the island. It is covered by the red sector of Old Reedy Island Lighthouse. The lower end is submerged at high water. There is no navigation around the south end of the jetty except in small motor boats. Old Reedy Island Lighthouse (flashing white), a white tower on a dwelling, is on the dike 1/4 mile southward of Reedy Island. About midway between the lighthouse and the south end of Reedy Island is an opening in the dike 150 feet wide, with a depth of 5 feet (1.5 m.) at low water, used by boats up to 7-foot (2.1 m.) draft bound to Port Penn. The opening is not marked, but the dike on each side is visible at high water. Port Penn is a village on the west bank westward of Reedy Island. It can be approached from southward, through the opening in the dike at the south end of Reedy Island, and from northward with a depth of about 7 feet (2.1 m.) by passing westward of Reedy Island Bar. The anchorage off the town, known as Reedy Island Harbor, has a depth of about 20 feet (6.6 m.), but is little used except during the fishing season. There are depths of 1 to 22 feet (0.3 to 0.8 m.) at the wharves at Port Penn, and 10 feet (3 m.) at the pier, about 1/2 mile southward of the town. Salem River, emptying into Salem Cove, 3 miles southeastward of Pea Patch Island, is the approach to the city of Salem, at the junction of Salem and Little Salem Rivers, 3 miles above the mouth. A cut-off channel, 12 feet (3.6 m.) deep, has been dredged across a neck of land below Salem shortening the distance to Salem by a mile. There is little trade by water, but occasionally tugs of 9-foot (2.7 m.) draft and a few freight vessels use the river. There is 10 feet (3 m.) of water at the city dock, dockage free. Gas, oil, water, and provisions may be obtained. Small motor boats may be repaired here. In 1929 from Delaware Bay through the cut-off to a point 225 feet above Penns Neck Bridge there was a controlling depth of 10.9 feet (3.3 m.), thence 3 feet (0.9 m.) to a fixed highway bridge in Salem. The channel across Salem Cove follows the southeast side and is marked by buoys and by a set of range lights. The front range is a post on a white house with black base, and the back range is a tall white mast above a house. On the northwest side of the entrance channel there are several areas that are bare at low water. To enter Salem River, leave the main channel of Delaware River off Elsinboro Point, steering 38° true (NE. 1% E. mag.) to pass close southeastward of black spar buoy No. 1, until up to the Salem River range, thence along this range on course 28° true (NE. 34 N. mag.) to westward of red spar buoy No. 2, thence through the buoyed channel the cut-off, and mid-channel of the river above to Salem. There is a bascule bridge crossing Salem River just below the mouth of Little Salem River. It has an opening 60 feet wide and headroom of 5 feet (1.5 m.) at high water. Tides. The mean range of tides at the entrance and at Salem is 5.6 feet, the tides occuring at the latter place 25 minutes later than at the former. Salem River was originally navigable to Courses Landing, 15 miles above Salem and 21⁄2 miles below the village of Sharptown. A dam has been placed across the river about 9 miles above Salem, and the river above the dam is connected with Delaware River by Salem Canal. Salem Canal and Salem River above the dam are said to be navigable, with a draft of 4 or 5 feet (1.2 or 1.5 m.) at high water to Courses Landing. They are used only by a few truck boats. The entrance to Salem Canal is marked on the north side at the entrance by Deepwater Point range front light (white house, black vertical stripe on channel face). Pea Patch Island is low and shoals extend for a long distance northward and southward of it. Large warning signs mark the shore ends of a telegraph cable extending from the wharf on this island to a wharf on the east shore of the river. Vessels should not anchor in the vicinity of this cable. Delaware City is on the west bank of Delaware River southwestward of Pea Patch Island. There is 12 feet (3.6 m.) at the docks there, but little marine business is carried on. The main entrance to the new Chesapeake and Delaware Canal is located at Reedy Point about 111⁄2 miles below Delaware City. A branch canal connecting Delaware City with the new canal has a depth of about 3 feet (0.9 m.) The Chesapeake and Delaware Canal is described under Inside Route, New York to Norfolk, on page 248. Bulkhead Shoal Channel, westward of Pea Patch Island and Bulkhead Shoal, is used by vessels bound through the canal. A submerged dike extending from the north end of Pea Patch Island is now being constructed over Bulkhead Shoal. Its northern end will lie near mid-river off the south end of New Castle. A curved jetty extends 5% mile westward from the eastern bank of Delaware River, 2 miles above Pea Patch Island, and is marked on its end by a light (occulting white). New Castle is a town on the west bank of Delaware River, 4 miles below the entrance of Christiana River. It has little trade. The main wharf has a depth of 4 feet (1.2 m.) at its end, and the other wharves are in bad repair. A small harbor, protected from drifting ice by ice breakers, is located at New Castle. On the north side of town there is a ferry slip which is used by ferries running to Pennsville, on the other side of the river. A yacht basin with 4 feet (1.2 m.) is maintained by a club on the water front of New Castle. Pennsville is a village on the east bank, 31⁄2 miles below the entrance to Christiana River. There are depths of 7 to 8 feet (2.1 to 2.4 m.) at the docks. A new dock has been built at River View Beach just on the north side of Pennsville. It is connected with Wilmington and Philadelphia by regular steamers during the summer season. Just south of the Salem Canal some bulkheading has been erected and dredging alongside was underway in the summer of 1929. An electric plant is being built on the filled-in ground back of the bulkhead. There is a railroad wharf, with a depth of 9 feet (2.7 m.) at the end, on the end of Pigeon Point, 1 mile southward of the entrance to Christiana River. It is used as a shipping point for coal and other freight, principally in car floats and barges. Coal and water are obtainable. There is a railroad wharf and car ferry slip at Deepwater Point, which is the site of large factories. There is 26 feet (7.9 m.) off the wharf. CHRISTIANA RIVER [Chart 294] on the west side of Delaware River about 64 miles above Cape Henlopen and 26 miles below Philadelphia, is the approach to the city of Wilmington, 21⁄2 miles above the mouth, and the villages of Newport and Christiana. Wilmington has large manufacturing interests and considerable trade by water. The city is connected with Chester and Philadelphia by passenger and freight steamers and with Penns Grove by ferry. Two parallel jetties have been constructed at the entrance. The north jetty is visible at all stages of the tide and has a flashing red light (post on white house) and fog bell on the end. The south jetty is marked on its outer end by a white tower carrying a flashing white light. The Bellevue range rear light (fixed white) is near the inner end of the north jetty, and is on a prominent black skeleton tower. Just inside the mouth of the Christiana River on the south bank are the ferry slips of the Penns Grove-Wilmington ferries. Above that is the modern Wilmington marine terminal, with its bulkheaded water front, freight sheds, mechanical freight-handling equipment, and rail and highway connections. Channels. These have been dredged in the river, and in 1929 the following depths existed: From Delaware Bay to the marine terminal 25 feet (7.5 m.), thence 16.2 feet (4.9 m.) to the pulp works, thence 10 feet (3 m.) to Philadelphia, Baltimore & Washington Railroad bridge No. 4, thence 7 feet (2.1 m.) to a point 900 feet above the highway bridge at Newport. The depths in the channel at the entrance are constantly changing. Strangers should not attempt to enter without obtaining local information. Lobdell Canal is on the south side of the river just above the marine terminal. It is used by towboats and barges, Brandywine Creek, emptying into Christiana River 114 miles above the entrance, is good for a depth of about 4 feet (1.2 m.) at low water to the railroad bridge 1 mile above the mouth, and a draft of about 6 feet (1.8 m.) at high water can be taken a farther distance of about 3/4 mile to a fixed bridge at the head of navigation. There is considerable traffic, mostly in barges of 4 to 6 feet (1.2 to 1.8 m.) draft. The channel is rocky above the railroad bridge. Christiana River is lined with docks on both banks in the city of Wilmington. The municipal dock is located just above the second bridge (highway) on the north bank. It is open to the public. Water may be obtained from a connection on the dock. Above this dock is the plant of a shipbuilding firm. Christiana is a village at the head of navigation on Christiana River, about 12 miles above the entrance. A draft of 2 feet (0.6 m.) at low water and about 5 feet (1.5 m.) at high water can be taken to the town. There is some trade in motor boats and barges up to 4 feet (1.2 m.) draft. Bridges. The following are the drawbridges crossing Christiana River, the distance in nautical miles above the outer ends of the jetties at the entrance, the least width of the draw openings, and the clear height above high water, when closed: Pennsylvania Railroad (lower), 1.2 miles, 90 feet, 7 feet. Pennsylvania Railroad (middle), 3.6 miles, 67 feet (east), 62 feet (west), 6.4 feet. Philadelphia & Reading Railroad, 3.7 miles, 66.5 feet (east), 57.3 feet (west), 3.2 feet. Pennsylvania Railroad (upper), 4.8 miles, 48 feet, 2.4 feet. Churchmans (highway), 10.3 miles, 27 feet, 7.5 feet. Four bridges cross Brandywine Creek between the mouth and the head of navigation, and all have draw openings. Bridge regulations prescribed for the highway bridges crossing Christiana River and Brandywine Creek require that the draws shall be opened immediately at all times of the day or night upon a signal of three blasts of a whistle or horn if no person or vehicle passing over the bridge is then in the way. The answer from the bridge is three blasts of a whistle or horn if the bridge can be opened immediately, and two blasts if the bridge can not be opened immediately. Regulations prescribed for the railroad bridges crossing Christiana River and Brandywine Creek require that the draws shall be opened immediately at all times of the day or night upon a signal of three blasts of a whistle or horn, unless a train is due to arrive within 5 minutes of the time of giving the signal. But in no case shall there be a delay of more than 10 minutes in opening the draws. The signal shall be answered from the bridge by three blasts of a whistle or horn if the bridge can be opened immediately, and two blasts if the bridge can not be opened immediately. Channel regulations.-(1) Vessels over 20 tons propelled by machinery shall not proceed at any time within the limits of these waters at a greater speed than 8 statute miles per hour. (2) Vessels over 15 tons propelled by machinery passing any plant employed in the improvement of said waters shall not proceed at a speed greater |