Delaware Bay & Delmarva Pilot Notes
Elbow of Crossledge Light Ship John Shoal Light, on shoal
39 10.9N, 75 16.1W Iso W 6s 39 18.3N, 75 22.6W Fl W 5s
(R sector) W 14M R 11M. R skeleton tower, (R sector) W 16M R 12M. Brown octagon. 50ft.
small W house. 61ft. R 155°–325° R 138°–321.5° covers shoals on E channel.
covers shoals on E side of channel. 2 horns every 20s. Sronger beam down Miah Maull Range.
1 horn every 15s. RACON O (• • •)
Delaware Bay
with the tide. Range lights mark the center
channel. All facilities are located E of the
Tides p. 402, Differences p. 524
inlet along the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal.
Currents p. 606, Differences p. 703
Waypoint
Jetty Light 1R
Lewes, DE
38 47.63N, 75 09.37W Fl G 4s 5M
Pilotage: Lewes is located behind Cape
Henlopen on the SW side of the entrance to
Skeleton tower on piles. 21ft.
Delaware Bay. There are three large break- Coast Guard: Station inside the inlet.
waters forming anchorage areas near Lewes. Dockage: Available in town.
The outermost, the Harbor of Refuge, is Anchorage: There is no anchorage within the
used by large commercial ships. Breakwater inner harbor. Secure anchorage in all but NW
Harbor is a good yacht anchorage. The ferry weather is available in Breakwater Harbor.
to Cape May uses a dock near the innermost Fuel: Gas and diesel.
breakwater; stay out of the ferry lane. Supplies: Most provisions and some ma-
Roosevelt Inlet, 2.5nm N, enters a small in- rine supplies are available here.
ner harbor and the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal. Services: Some repair facilities.
The inlet is marked by jetties that are awash
Chesapeake and
The system of marking the channel with
nav aids starts at each entrance and reverses
Delaware Canal
at Chesapeake City, near the Delaware-
Maryland line. Between Reedy Point on the
Tides p. 405, Differences p. 524
Delaware side and Chesapeake City, even
Currents p. 612, Differences p. 703
numbers and red lights are on the N side
of the Canal. From Chesapeake City to the
Chesapeake Bay even numbers and red lights
Pilotage: The Chesapeake and Delaware
are on the S side of the Canal. Each bend
(C&D) Canal connects the Delaware Bay
along the canal is marked by an amber light.
with the Chesapeake Bay. There are no locks.
Street-type lights line the N and S banks of
The canal is owned and managed by the U. S.
the Canal, 25ft high and spaced 500ft apart.
Army Corps of Engineers.
Traffic Control: Canal traffic is controlled
On the Delaware side, the entrance to the
by dispatchers at both ends and the entire
canal is at Reedy Point, about 51nm above
length is monitored on closed circuit TV.
the Delaware Bay mouth at the Atlantic
Traffic Control lights are located south of
Ocean, and about 35nm S of Philadelphia
Welch Point, at Old Town Point Wharf in
on the Delaware River. On the Maryland
the Elk River, and at Reedy Point. The traffic
side, the entrance to the canal is at Old Town
dispatcher at Chesapeake City continually
Point Wharf on the Elk River, and then
monitors VHF 16/13. Closures due to fog or
through Back Creek. This is about 62nm
any other condition are announced on VHF
above Baltimore and about 187nm above
16. Monitor VHF 13 for news on commercial
the Virginia Capes. From Reedy Point on
shipping movement.
the Delaware Side to Back Creek and the
Regulations: Boats are required to travel at a
Elk River on the Maryland side, the canal is
safe speed through the canal and its approach-
19nm long. The canal and its approaches are,
es to avoid damage by suction or wave wash to
at a minimum, 450ft wide and 35ft deep.
shore structures, other vessels and people.
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