East Coast Alerts
By Mel Neale
January 10, 2008

Weeks of Day-Long Closure at George C. Musson Bridge, ICW Mile 845:
On January 7, 2008, frantic boaters were reporting that the George C. Musson Bridge (a.k.a. Coronado Beach Bridge) at ICW Mile 845 was closed all day and would continue to be closed during the day for an unknown period. The bridge tender reportedly said that he would open at 4:50 each afternoon. There had been no published information of this new closure. We called and exchanged emails with the USCG 7th District Bridge Branch in Miami and learned the details that had only been announced in the Broadcast Notice to Mariners by Sector Jacksonville that very day. This information would ordinarily have been announced on VHF Channel 16 from Sector Jacksonville and broadcast on VHF Channel 22A, usually twice a day.

The bridge is currently being sandblasted and painted. During this work on the moveable span, the bridge will be closed all day to vessel traffic, from 5:00 a.m. till 5:00 p.m., starting on January 7 and continuing through January 24, 2008. The channel is closed for one half of the width of the span under the bridge while work is in progress. Tugs and tows and public vessels of the United States may request an opening and/or clearance of the entire width of the channel with a two hour notice to the bridge tender on VHF Channel 09.* ALL MARINE TRAFFIC SHOULD TAKE CAUTION WHEN PASSING THROUGH THIS PORTION OF THE INDIAN RIVER. There is a notice to this effect in the USCG 7 th District LNM 02, published on January 8, 2008.

It has been our observation that with other bridges during work such as this, periodical openings are allowed during the day for maritime traffic. See below for Figure Eight Island Bridge.

*Italicized text above and below indicates our comment or paraphrase. Plain text is copied from the Notices to Mariners or other sources given.

Bahamas Hazards to Navigation:
From Chris Parker, Marine Weather and Communications, (http://www.mwxc.com/, chris@mwxc.com), update of January 6, 2008:

NOAA's weather buoy #41046 is adrift in the Bahamas area. Today it lies near 23-55N / 73-57W, or about 30 mi E of the S tip of San Salvador. Buoy has been drifting about 10 mi per day, toward the W...it has covered about 10 mi W and 1 mi S each day for the past 2 days.  Given the wind forecast, it may come ashore on San Salvador, but currents could keep it clear of the Island. Vessels in the San Salvador / Rum Cay / Conception / Cat Island areas should keep a lookout for this buoy.
Here's a description of the buoy:
6-meter NOMAD / ARES 4.4.  It looks very much like a rectangular power vessel 20' long, yellow in color, with (2) 20' masts for the instruments.  I have no idea if it's lit at night...it's heavy & doesn't look like it would be very fun to hit!
On January 9 Chris reports: Buoy #41046:
23-49N / 74-24W (about 10mi bearing 140-deg from SE point of
San Salvador...since yesterday moved 3mi N & 7mi W, for an overall motion
of WNW at 8mi/day).

From http://www.explorercharts.com/news.html :

There has been a report of a downed airplane near Chub Cay. It is at
location 25* 33.815N by 078* 18.720W in 10'-15' of water. It sticks out at low tide but isn't visible at high tide. Heard it was 2 missionaries who ditched the plane and were rescued by sail boat named Impetuous.

Also earlier this season a 60' power boat was stolen from Nassau and
sunk 4.1 miles from Porgee at 25* 00.84N by 077* 12.81W in 25' of water.

Upper Chesapeake Bay Dredging:
From the USCG 5 th District LNM 02: The Langenfelder Marine, Inc Bucket DREDGE DB-2400 will be conducting dredging operations at the Constellation Energy Crane Station Entrance Channel in Seneca Creek from 09 January until 15 February, 2008. Dredge spoil will be transported by hopper barge to the Hartt-Miller Island Disposal Area. Mariners are cautioned to stay clear of dredge, booster, floating (pontoon) and submerged pipelines, barges, derricks and operating wires associated with dredging and marine construction operations.

Ocean City Bridge Closed to Navigation:
The USCG 5 th District LNM 02 advises mariners that the US 50 Bridge, at mile 0.5, across Isle of Wight Bay ( Sinepuxent Bay) at Ocean City, MD will be closed to navigation beginning 8 a.m. on January 7, 2008 until and including 5 p.m. on February 21, 2008, to facilitate extensive mechanical repairs. Mariners should adjust their transits accordingly.

Another Creek off Chesapeake Bay Not Navigable, Markers to be Removed:
This is in an area we have watched become shallower each summer. Workboats that rely on going out daily have been forced to vacate the marina in this creek. Waterfront home owners are limited as to when they can use their boats. There is a dangerous submerged jetty along one side of the channel entrance. And now, the markers will be removed. From the USCG 5 th District LNM 02: Due to continued shoaling in the Queens Creek Federal Navigation Project, least depth 1.7 ft, the Coast Guard can no longer safely maintain aids to navigation to mark this waterway. On or about February 5, 2008 the Coast Guard will replace the following lateral aids to navigations with non-lateral WARNING DAYBEACONS worded "DANGER CHANNEL SHOALED":

Queens Creek Channel Daybeacon 1

Queens Creek Channel Daybeacon 4

Queens Creek Channel Daybeacon 6

Queens Creek Channel Daybeacon 7

Queens Creek Channel Daybeacon 9

Queens Creek Channel Daybeacon 11

Queens Creek Channel Daybeacon 12

Queens Creek Channel Light 2

Queens Creek Channel Light 5

Queens Creek Channel Light 8

Queens Creek Channel Buoy 2A and Queens Creek Buoy 6 will be discontinued.

If water depths increase or dredging is completed the Coast Guard will consider re-establishing the lateral aids to navigation. Comments on this proposal must be submitted by 04 February, 2008.

Send comments to: Commander (dpw), 5th Coast Guard District, 431 Crawford Street, Rm. 100, Portsmouth, VA. 23704-5004, Attn.: Albert Grimes or email to: Albert.L.Grimes@uscg.mil

Hampton Roads Underwater Utility Repair:
From LNM 02, 5 th District: PRECON MARINE, INC will be conducting repairs to the City of Norfolk waterline in the vicinity of the Midtown Tunnel (psn Lat. 36 deg. 51.583 min and Log. 76 deg. 18.782 min) until January 25, 2008. Although these repairs are not expected to impact the navigable channel, mariners are advised to use caution when transiting this area and may contact PRECON MARINE, INC at (757) 545-4400 for further information.

Norfolk Railroad Bridge Closed to Navigation (NOT on the ICW):
Also from LNM 02, 5 th District: Mariners are advised that the Norfolk Southern (NS# V2.8) Bridge, at mile 2.7, across the Elizabeth River - Eastern Branch at Norfolk, VA, will be closed to vessels…from 7 a.m. on Monday, on January 21, 2008, until and including 6 p.m. on Sunday, February 3, 2008, to facilitate rehabilitation to the operating machinery of the swing span. At all other times, the drawbridge will operate in accordance with the operating drawbridge regulations set out in Title 33 Code of Federal Regulations Part 117.1007(a). Mariners should adjust their transits accordingly.

Chesapeake Bay Bridge Repair:
From the USCG 5 th District LNM 02: PRECON MARINE, INC will be conducting pile repairs to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in the vicinity of Fisherman Island Inlet from January 15, 2008 through March 15, 2008. The bridge repair project will supported from the water by a barge as scaffolding is installed to the existing pile caps. Mariners are advised to use caution when transiting the area and may contact PRECON MARINE, INC at (757) 545-4400 for further information.

 Safety Zone in New Bern, NC:
Bridge construction continues on the Trent River. The 5 th District LNM 02 states that the Coast Guard will establish a SAFETY ZONE on the waters of the Trent River between New Bern and James City in the vicinity of the U.S. Route 70 Bridge extending from the Norfolk and Southern Railroad Bridge to the U.S. Route 17 Highway Bridge at 35-05.8N, 077-02.2W. This SAFETY ZONE is established for the movement of bridge construction equipment within the construction site. Entry into or movement within this zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port. This SAFETY ZONE will be enforced from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. each Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 08 January until 24 January, 2008.

 Figure Eight Island Swing Bridge Schedule Changes:
The following information was contained in the 5 th District LNM 02:

Revised schedule for the opening of this bridge through January (Changes are in bold): Mariners are advised that the Figure Eight Swing Bridge, at AICW mile 278.1, at Scotts Hill, NC, will remain in the closed position to vessel traffic from 6:30 p.m. to 6 a.m., 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. from November 1, to January 31, 2007, with openings on the hour and half hour at all other times. Scheduled night opening for commercial vessels are allowed with a 2 hour advance notice by calling the bridge at (910)686-7747 or by UHF radio channel 13. Coast Guard and emergency vessels will pass on demand.

New extended closure period during February: Mariners are advised that the Figure Eight Swing Bridge, at AIWW mile 278.1, at Scotts Hill, NC, will be closed again to vessels each day from February 1, 2008, until February 29, 2008, from 6 p.m. to 9:30 a.m., from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., to complete sandblasting and painting operations. In addition, commercial vessel openings will be provided at night if at least three hours notice is given by calling (910) 686-0635 or via marine radio on Channel 13. (This is an extension of the earlier operating restrictions to the drawbridge that was scheduled to end on January 31, 2008.) At all other times, the drawbridge will operate in accordance with the regulations set out in Title 33 Code of Federal Regulations Part 117.821(a) (3). The available vertical clearance in the closed-to-navigation position is approximately 20 feet, above MHW. Also, the vertical clearance in this location is limited to 85 feet, above MHW, by the overhead power line. Mariners able to pass under the closed span may do so and should adjust their transits accordingly.

More Delays at New ICW Bridge, Mile 316.6:
The 5 th District LNM 02 announces another period of probable 30 minute delays at this new bridge construction site: Mariners are advised to take caution and proceed slowly when approaching the construction site of a new highway bridge ( Middleton Avenue) to Oak Island, over the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, Mile 316.6, in Brunswick County, NC. Barges will continue operating a boom/concrete pump at the edge of the navigable channel from January 7, 2008 through January 31, 2008, from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The waterway shall remain open, but moving the barge and boom may delay navigation approximately 30 minutes.

 Lake Okeechobee Shallower, but Passable for Some:
The 7 th District LNMs continue to carry the same warning: Due to extremely restricted channel depths in Lake Okeechobee, mariners are strongly advised that the following should be taken in consideration whether transiting the Lake or stopping for recreational activities such as fishing.

We checked http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/conops/structures/navbulln.htm for the latest figures:

As of January 8, 2008: Lake level is reported at 10.13 feet.

Route 1: Navigational depths: reported at 4.07 feet.

Route 2 (the Rim Canal) is closed with navigation depths reported at 1.47 feet.

This is down .14 feet (or 1.68 inches) since our last report on December 25, 2007. We have read reports by several vessels that have successfully, but very carefully, transited the Okeechobee Waterway recently. The vessels were of shallow enough draft to have done this safely. Depths reported were consistent with the above. Remember that depths can change.

 Parts of Tampa Bay Reduced Depth for Mitigation:
The notice doesn’t report what the “mitigation” is for, but boulders will reduce the depth in parts of Tampa Bay from around 11 ft to 7 feet. From the USCG 7 th District LNM 02: All mariners are advised that three (3) mitigation sites haves been established/constructed within 2.83 acres in Tampa Bay. The mitigation habitat was created by installing limestone boulders on the sea floor with a diameter of 1.5-2.0 feet (0.45-0.61 meters).The charted water depths at these sites/locations has changed from 10-12 feet (average 11 feet) to 7 feet.

The corner coordinates are listed below:

Site #1

NE Corner 27 deg 44.215-N 082 deg 33.454-W

NW Corner 27 deg 44.215-N 082 deg 33.492-W

SE Corner 27 deg 44.182-N 082 deg 33.454-W

SW Corner 27 deg 44.182-N 082 deg 33.492-W

Site #2

NE Corner 27 deg 44.214-N 082 deg 33.410-W

NW Corner 27 deg 44.214-N 082 deg 33.447-W

SE Corner 27 deg 44.181-N 082 deg 33.410-W

SW Corner 27 deg 44.181-N 082 deg 33.447-W

Site #3

NE Corner 27 deg 44.162-N 082 deg 33.498-W

NW Corner 27 deg 44.162-N 082 deg 33.535-W

SE Corner 27 deg 44.128-N 082 deg 33.498-W

SW Corner 27 deg 44.128-N 082 deg 33.535-W

All mariners are urged to transit these areas with caution and general knowledge. For further information please contact Mr. Ed Watkins at (941)

723-7107 (work) or (813) 546-1043 (cell).

 More Bird Stakes for More Bird S---!
They already did this in parts of the Everglades National Park, a “No Discharge Zone.” Now it seems that the Biscayne National Park needs some birds to come sit on stakes in its waters too. And we all know what birds do when they sit for a while on stakes. The purpose again is to supply “natural fertilizer” to the water so seagrass can grow better. Go figure. From the 7 th District LNM 02: Biscayne National Park, Miami-Dade County, Florida is commencing a Seagrass restoration project that includes the temporary installation of bird stakes. Bird stakes will be placed in restoration areas to encourage roosting of waterfowl and provide natural fertilizer to the Seagrass beds. Bird stakes are constructed of ¾ inch PVC poles and 4 inch X 4 inch X 2 inch treated wood blocks attached to the poles. Bird stakes will be placed just inside the immediate edge of injuries and throughout the interior of the injury area at 6.6 feet intervals.

To aid in detection by passing mariners -No Boating/Restoration Area- signs will be posted at the restored areas.

The sites are listed below:

HD1 Middle Featherbed 25 deg 31.178-W 080 deg 13.660'W

HC1 East Featherbed 25 deg 30.614-W 080 deg 13.364'W

HC2 East Featherbed 25 deg 30.576-W 080 deg 13.397'W

HC5 East Featherbed 25 deg 30.508-W 080 deg 13.202'W

HC6 East Featherbed 25 deg 30.484-W 080 deg 13.205'W

For further information please contact Amanda Bourque at (305) 230-1144 ext 3081.

Four Bridges Closed During Miami Marathon:
The Miami Marathon will be held on Sunday, January 27, 2008. The USCG 7 th District LNM 02 announces the closure periods for the following four bridges:

East Venetian Causeway: 6:00 till 9:00 am.

West Venetian Causeway (across the ICW): 6:10 till 9:35 a.m.

Miami Avenue (across the Miami River): 6:25 till 10:20 am.

Brickell Avenue (across the Miami River): 7:10 a.m. till 12:30 p.m.

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.