East Coast Alerts
By Mel Neale
February 22, 2007

Italicized text indicates our comment. Plain text is copied from the Notices to Mariners or other sources given.

Bridge Of Lions, St Augustine, FL Mile 777.9 Channel Closure:
We just received the following Notice from the Bridge of Lions Rehabilitation Project: (This involves a shorter closure period than previously announced.)

Channel closures at the Bridge of Lions during the remainder of February 2007 have been revised to the following schedule:

February 27-28, 2007, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Channel closed. An opening will be provided upon request at 12:30 p.m.

*Requests for a bridge opening must be made via marine radio to the Bridge Tender on Channel 9. For questions regarding this notice, please call (904) 825-3647.

It is our understanding that no vessels will be allowed to pass through the channel at these times, due to barges being in position in the center span.

Okeechobee Waterway Lock Restriction and Closure:  

Franklin Lock, Restricted Schedule:
From a Notice to Navigation Interests from the USACE Jacksonville: Due to the continued decline of water levels in Lake Okeechobee and the concern with increasing salinity levels in the Caloosahatchee River…effective February 16, 2007 and until further notice, lockages will conform to the following schedule. Lock operators will utilize the lock chambers capacity for vessels and Lock Supervisor’s discretion as needed. Lock operations outside of the scheduled hours will not be available.

Restricted Locking Schedule:

East bound vessel lockages on even hors commencing at 6:am and concluding at 8:00 pm.

West bound vessel lockages on odd hours commencing at 7:00 am and concluding at 9:00 pm.

Additional information is available at http://www.saj.usace.army.mil and link to the NAVIGATION and/or WATER MANAGEMENT selections from the Menu. Or call 239 229 7295 (Susan Sanders, South Florida Water Management District POC) or 863 983 8101 (USACE Clewiston Operations Office POC).

Ortona Lock, Temporary Closure:

We understand that the dates in the following information are no longer accurate and that the closure will be postponed until a June/July time period. We are giving the information about the purpose of the closure, and will inform you of exact dates when they are available to us.

According to a Notice to Navigation Interests from the USACE, Jacksonville dated February 7, 2007, the Ortona Lock will be closed April 16, 2007 at 0600 Hours and will open again on May 25, 2007 at 0600 Hours. The closure is necessary to affect lock repairs, install a Manatee Protection System and complete all required maintenance. All required inspections will be performed during this period to preclude another closure.

You can read the complete notice at: http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/conops/structures/navbulln_files/OrtonaClosure7Feb07.pdf Phone contact given is 863 983 8101, for updated information, although we were unable to get information at this number.

NY-HUDSON RIVER

The First District LNM 07 announces that the Coast Guard proposes to expand the boundary of a Special Anchorage Area on the Hudson River at Nyack, NY. This proposed action is necessary to facilitate safe navigation in that area and provide safe and secure anchorages for vessels not more than 20 meters in length. This action is intended to increase the safety of life and property on the Hudson River, improve the safety of anchored vessels, and provide for the overall safe and efficient flow of recreational vessel traffic and commerce. The proposed, revised boundary would be that portion of the Hudson River bound by the following points: 41°06-06.8"N, 073°54-55.5"W; thence to 41°06-06.8"N, 073°54-18.0"W; thence to 41°05-00.0"N, 073°54-18.0"W; thence to 41°05-00.0"N. The full rulemaking is available online at: http://homeport.uscg.mil/mycg/portal/ep/portDirectory.do?tabId=1&cotpId=2 in the Waterways Management Advisory Notices section. Comments and related material must reach the Coast Guard on or before April 9, 2007. You may mail comments and related material to Waterways Management Division (CGD01-06-023), Coast Guard Sector New York, 212 Coast Guard Drive, Room 321, Staten Island, New York 10305.

Dredging in Baltimore Area:
From USCG Fifth district LNM 08: The Clamshell DREDGES GREAT LAKES 54 & 55 will be conducting dredging operation in Craighill Entrance Channel, Craighill Channel, Cutoff Angle, Brewerton Eastern Extension Channel, and Swan Point Channel from 01 February until 30 April, 2007. The tugs THOMAS WEEKS, KATHERN WEEKS and ATLANTIC DAWN will be assisting in the movement of scows to and from the Poplar Island spoil site. All vessels may be contacted on VHF-FM Channels 10, 13 & 16.

Coast Guard Increasing Use of LED Lanterns in Aids to Navigation:
For the past year or so we have been reporting changes from traditional lights to LED lanterns on Aids to Navigation throughout the First Coast Guard District. The main effect this has had on navigation is to decrease the Nominal Range, usually from four to three miles. So many are now being replaced that we are no longer going to report these proposals or changes. Even though the Nominal Range is usually decreased, these lights should be longer lasting, require less maintenance, and will improve safety since they will not often be extinguished.

Now we have a similar change in the Fifth Coast Guard District. The big difference is that they are going to place LED lanterns in specific Aids for a year for testing purposes. And some of these will have increased Nominal Range. You can help with the test by reporting observations to the address given in the following announcement from the Fifth District LNM 08:

FIELD TESTING OF LIGHT EMITTING DIODE (LED) LANTERNS

The Coast Guard will be conducting a one-year field test using self contained Light Emitting Diode (LED) Lanterns. The LED lanterns will replace standard lighting equipment on the following aids to navigation:

Chesapeake Channel Lighted Buoy 23 (LLNR 7150)
Chesapeake Channel Lighted Buoy 33 (LNRL 7200)
Chesapeake Channel Lighted Buoy 34 (LLNR 7205)
Chesapeake Channel Lighted Buoy 86 (LLNR 7755)
Chesapeake Channel Lighted Wreck Buoy WR 87 (LLNR 7765)
Fort McHenry Channel Lighted Buoy 18 (LLNR 8310)
Thimble Shoal Channel Lighted Bell Buoy 9 (LLNR 9255)
Thimble Shoal Channel Lighted Buoy 15 (LLNR 9285)
Elizabeth River Channel Lighted Bell Buoy 3 (LLNR 9465)
Norfolk International Terminal North Lighted Buoy 2N (LLNR 9551.5)
Elizabeth River Channel Lighted Buoy 18 (LLNR 9600)
Elizabeth River Channel Lighted Buoy 29 (LLNR 9715)
Elizabeth River Channel Lighted Buoy 33 (LLNR 9850)
Newport News Channel Lighted Buoy 2 (LLNR 10840)
Newport News Channel Lighted Buoy 14 (LLNR 10890)
York River Entrance Channel Lighted Gong Buoy 2 (LLNR 13400)
York River Lighted Buoy 18 (LLNR 13495)
Perrin River Junction Lighted Buoy PR (LLNR 13510)
York River Lighted Buoy 21 (LLNR 13560)
Curtis Bay Entrance Channel Lighted Buoy 1 CB (LLNR 20860)
Curtis Bay Channel Lighted Buoy 2 (LLNR 20865)
Curtis Bay Channel Lighted Buoy 9 (LLNR 20910)
Curtis Bay Channel Lighted Buoy 13 (LLNR 20935)
Dundalk Terminal East Channel Lighted Buoy 4 (LLNR 21025)
Dundalk Terminal East Channel Lighted Buoy 7 (LLNR 21027)
Ferry Bar Channel Lighted Buoy 2 (LLNR 21210)
Hatteras Inlet Channel LT 11 (LLNR 28730)
Hatteras Inlet Channel LT 24 (LLNR 28785), nominal range will increase to 4NM
Oregon Inlet Channel LT 55 (LLNR 28195), nominal range will increase to 4NM
Roanoke Sound Channel LT 4 (LLNR 28375), nominal range will increase to 4NM
Roanoke Sound Channel LT 22 (LLNR 28485), nominal range will increase to 4NM
Walter Slough Channel LT 5 (LLNR 28320)

Comments on the visibility of these new LED lanterns under all atmospheric and background lighting conditions are encouraged.

Please send comments to:
Commander (dpw)
5th Coast Guard District
431 Crawford Street , Rm.100
Portsmouth , VA. 23704-5004
Attn:Mr. Tom Fylnn

Or email to: Thomas.W.Flynn@uscg.mil

CHESAPEAKE BAY - INTERFERENCE TO THE GPS NAVIGATION SIGNAL 25NM FROM THE PATUXENT RIVER NAVAL AIRSTATION

A reminder from the USCG fifth District LNM 08:

THE GPS NAVIGATION SIGNAL MAY BE UNRELIABLE DUE TO INTERFERENCE TESTING ON THE FREQUENCIES OF M1575 AND M1227 USED IN SHIPBOARD NAVIGATION AND HANDHELD SYSTEMS. GPS SYSTEMS THAT RELY ON GPS, SUCH AS E-911, AIS AND DSC, MAY BE AFFECTED WITHIN A 25NM RADIUS OF POSITION 38-15N 076-26W AT SEA LEVEL. INTERFERENCE TESTING WILL BE CONDUCTED ON THE FOLLOWING DATES:

A. 04 DEC 06 THRU 31 MAR 07 0300-1100Z (MONDAY-FRIDAY ONLY)

MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT THE COAST GUARD NAVIGATION CENTER WEB SITE WWW.NAVCEN.USCG.GOV AND THE MIRROR SITE WWW.NAVCENTER.ORG . GPS USERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY GPS SERVICE OUTAGES THAT THEY MAY BE EXPERIENCING

DURING THIS TESTING VIA THE NAVIGATION INFORMATION SERVICE ( NIS) BY CALLING (703)313-5900 OR BY USING THE NAVCEN'S WEB SITE'S GPS REPORT A PROBLEM WORKSHEET.

Dredging in the Cape Fear River, NC:
From USCG Fifth District LNM 08: The DREDGE ILLINOIS will be conducting dredging operations in the Cape Fear River from Smith Island Channel to Bald Head Channel from 19 Feb to 30 Apr, 2007. Dredge material will be pumped through a combination of floating and submerged pipeline to the Bald Head Island beach. The dredge will be assisted by a crane barge and the tugs ATLANTIC RAIDER, JEROME; assist vessels CAVALIER STATE and the survey vessel Cooper River. The dredge may be contacted on VHF-FM Channels 13, 16 and 8.

This information is not to be used for navigation. Consult the latest charts and Local Notices to Mariners and use prudent seamanship. Conditions may change. Any person or entity that uses this information in any way, as a condition of that use, agrees to waive and does waive and also hold authors harmless from any and all claims which may arise from or be related to that use.

Copyright 2004-2008 Tom Neale