2008 REED’s East Coast Edition - Pilot Notes
on the convergence of the 2 sea channels with Waypoints
Thimble Shoal and Chesapeake Channels, and
Thimble Shoal Light
where Lighted Whistle Buoy CH is located.
Mariners are advised to exercise extreme care
37 00.92N, 76 14.38W Fl W 10s 20M Red
in navigating within this area. conical tower on brown cylindrical pier. 55ft.
Landmarks: Coming from the S, look for 1 horn blast every 30s.
Cape Henry Light, a 164ft lighthouse with a
Lighted Bell Buoy 1TS
light visible 17nm. Note the red sector on the t
chart covering shoals outside Cape Charles
36 57.0N, 76 01.4W Fl G 2.5s 4M Green
ilo
and inside bay at Middle Ground.
P
Coming from the NE, look for Cape
Chesapeake Channel
Charles Light, a 184ft skeleton tower light
Pilotage: The Chesapeake Channel leads to
visible 24nm.
points N. Leave CH to port to enter this mid-
Waypoints dle channel. Lighted Buoy 3 is followed by a
Lighted Whistle Buoy CB
series of red and green lighted buoys num-
bered 4 through 95 for more than 100nm
a
y
36 49.0N, 75 45.6W Mo (A) W 6M Red/White
to the William P. Lane Jr. (Chesapeake Bay)
e B
stripes with red spherical topmark. Racon K ( – • –)
Bridge. Junction Buoy CY is the division
Lighted Whistle Buoy CH
buoy for the York River entrance and where
e
ak
the channel continues N as the York Spit
36 56.16N, 75 57.42W Mo (A) W 7M Red/White
Channel. Channel buoys N of the Bridge-
stripes with red spherical topmark
Tunnel are located 75ft outside the channel.
Chesapeake Light
Bridges: Buoys 13 and 14 mark the loca-
Chesap
tion of the channel where the Chesapeake
36 54 .28N, 75 42.77W Fl (2) W 15s 19M Blue
Bay Bridge-Tunnel crosses the tunnel. See
tower, CHESAPEAKE on sides. 117ft. Racon N ( – • ).
Hazard notes under “Approaches.”
1 horn every 30s.
Waypoints
Cape Henry Lighted Bell Buoy 2C
Thimble Shoal Channel
Pilotage: Thimble Shoal Channel leads to
36 57.3N, 75 58.4W Fl R 2.5s 4M Red
Hampton Roads (Newport News, Hamp-
Lighted Buoy 3
ton, Portsmouth and Norfolk). Leave CH
to starboard and proceed to 1 TS (Thimble
36 57.7N, 75 59.6W G Fl 4s
Shoal 1). Bell Buoys 7 and 8 mark the loca-
tion of the tunnel under Thimble Shoal
North Channel
Channel. Vessels drawing less than 25ft are
Pilotage: The North Channel is the north-
not permitted to use this channel. Auxiliary
ernmost of the three entrance channels
channels N and S of the main channel are for
and follows the contour of the S tip of Cape
small and recreational craft.
Charles and Fishermans Island. This is pri-
Hazards: Military helicopters routinely
marily for small boat traffic but is deep and
conduct airborne mine countermeasures
well-marked with a bridge restriction of 75ft.
exercises at low altitudes over Willoughby
Hazards: Nautilus Shoal extends south
Bay, Thimble Shoals Channel, and open
from Cape Charles.
bay waters from the Naval Station Norfolk
Landmarks: Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel,
piers to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.
Fishermans Island and Cape Charles Light
Propwash and submerged tows from these
helicopters can be particularly dangerous to
Waypoint
sailboats and other small craft.
Middle Ground South End Lighted Bell Buoy 4A
37 00.3N, 75 55.8W Fl R 4s 4M Red
117