New York & New Jersey Pilot Notes
Planning
Customs Ports of Entry:
New York City; Albany • Perth Amboy.
NOAA Coastal Charts (1:80,000 scale)
Northern New Jersey is serviced by New York City.
12326 Approaches To New York
Southern New Jersey is serviced by Philadelphia.
12363 Long Island Sound, Western Part
12318 Little Egg Inlet Hereford Inlet
12327 New York Harbor 1:40,000
12323 Sea Girt To Little Egg Inlet N.J.
12316 Intracoastal Waterway, Little Egg Harbor
12326 Fire Is. Lt To Sea Girt
to Cape May incl Atlantic City 1:40,000
Harbor & cruising charts
12317 Cape May Harbor 1:10,000
12335 Hudson & E Rivers; Governors Island
U.S. Coast Guard:
to 67th Street 1:10,000
Call for assistance on VHF 16 or 2182 kHz.
12339 East River: Tallman Island to
Station:
Queensboro Bridge 1:10,000
Fort Totten, east side of Little Bay • New York City
12366 Long Island Sound and East River:
Sandy Hook • Shark River Inlet • Manasquan Inlet
Hempsead Harbor to Tallman Island, 1:20,000
Barnegat • Beach Haven • Atlantic City • Great Egg
Townsend Inlet • Cape May
East River and Approaches
Stay tuned to VHF 13 for reports from
commercial traffic passing through the Gate.
Due to the nature of the current, vessels will
Tides p. 393, Differences p. 523
occasionally pass starboard-to-starboard
Currents p. 594, Differences p. 701 rather than the usual port-to-port.
Caution: The ends of the runways for La-
Pilotage: East River begins at Throgs Neck Guardia Airport are at the entrance and head
and joins the Upper Bay at the southern tip of Flushing Bay. Backwash from jets flying
of Manhattan. This is a busy industrial wa- low over the bay and East River can create
terway, with extensive commercial traffic. sudden gusts and wind swirls on the water.
Numerous tugs are barges are often moored Boats under sail should use caution.
between the Throgs Neck and Bronx-Whit-
Waypoints
estone bridges, waiting for a favorable cur-
rent to pass through Hell Gate. In the East
Middle Ground Buoy1M
River, the flood current sets eastward and the 40 53.93N, 73 45.52W Green
ebb sets westward. This is the direct opposite
can.
of conditions in Long Island Sound where
the flood is generally W and the ebb E.
Prospect Point Lighted Gong Buoy 23,
marks northerly end of shoal
Boats waiting for a favorable current to enter
the East River can anchor in Little Bay at Wil-
40 52.9N 073 42.98W Fl G 4s 4M Green
lets Point, or on the N side of Throgs Neck.
Execution Rocks Light
Hell Gate
40 52.7N, 73 44.3W Fl W 10s 15M White/Brown
Hazard: At Hell Gate, the East River meets
tower 62ft. 1 horn every 15s. Racon X (– • • – )
the Harlem River, generating tidal currents
Sands Point Reef Lighted Buoy 25,
up to 7kts. The currents carry around a sharp
marks NW edge of shoal off point
turn in the river, causing fierce boils and
swirls, making maneuvering difficult, par-
40 52.1N, 73 44.3W Fl G 2.5s 3M Green
ticularly in a low-powered vessel.
Elm Point Buoy 2, marks S end of Stepping Stones Shoal
Do not attempt to pass through Hell Gate
at max ebb or flood.. Slack water lasts only a
40 49.1N, 73 45.9W Red
few minutes in the Gate. Time your passage nun.
at the beginning or toward the end of a fa-
vorable current, being sure to leave yourself
enough time to clear the turn before slack or
max current.
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