2008 REED’s East Coast Edition - Pilot Notes
Bermuda Pilot Notes
Coastal Summary 231
Customs Clearance 232
St. George’s to Hamilton 238
Great Sound 238
Approaches to Bermuda 233
Hamilton 244
St. George’s 233
Bermuda Marine Services 244
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The Dockyard 236
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Coastal Summary
Bermuda is surrounded by a large ring of
Bermuda is located about 600nm off the reefs that can be particularly hazardous to
U.S. coast at about the latitude of South Car- unwary vessels. The barrier reef extends up
olina. Transiting from the U.S. coastline to to 12nm off the shore along the N and W
Bermuda, the most significant consideration sides of the island. The primary approach
is crossing the Gulf Stream, the ocean cur- to the island from offshore is via the Mills
uda
rent that runs northward between the island Breaker Channel on the E side of the island,
m
and the U.S. coast. It is crucial to account for allowing access to nearshore channels cir- e
r
the set and drift of this current when plotting cling the island inside the reefs. A series of
B
a course. Often compared to a large river in fixed lights marks the reef.
the ocean, the Gulf Stream is prone to shift- The main approach also leads directly into
ing location and spinning off eddies and St. George’s Harbor, which is the island’s cus-
backcurrents. For more information on the toms and immigration port of entry.
Gulf Stream, see the Weather chapter. The other major harbor is Hamilton, the
Most hurricanes pass W of Bermuda, with island’s capital, located in Great Sound at
the peak season being August 15 to October the W end of the island. An inshore channel
15. leads from St. Georges to Hamilton along the
N shore.
Planning
British Admiralty Charts 26344 Great Sound including Dockyard
332 Grassy Bay & Great Sound including North & South Basins (1:10,000)
Little Sound (and Ireland Island, 26345 Hamilton Harbour (1:6,050)
North & South Basins) (1:12,500) Also considered valuable is Imray Iolaire’s chart:
334 North Atlantic Ocean - Bermuda (1:75,000) E5-Bermuda Islands, Plans & Approaches.
360 North Atlantic Ocean -
Approaches to Bermuda (1:300,000) Time Zone
867 North and South Channels Atlantic Standard (UTC+4).
to the Great Sound (1:17,500)
868 Eastern & Western Approaches Currency
to the Narrows, including Murray’s Bermuda dollar, on par with U.S.
Anchorage (1:17,500) U.S. currency accepted everywhere.
1073 Dundonald Channel Numerous ATMs
to Hamilton Harbour (1:6,000)
1315 Five Fathom Hole, the Narrows Telephones
and St. George’s Harbour (1:7,500) Area code: 441 local numbers, seven digits.
U.S. NIMA (now NGA) Charts: Sewage and Garbage
26340 Approaches to Bermuda Islands (1:200,000) Holding tanks or type 1 or 2 MSDs required. Use onshore
26341 Bermuda Islands (1:50,000) facilities whenever possible. No discharge in St. George’s
26342 The Narrows to Grassy Bay (1:17,500) , Hamilton and the Dockyard. Trash pickup arranged
26343 The Narrows and through St. George’s 297-1532, Hamilton 292-1234, or
St. George’s Harbour (1:5,000) through the marina or club where berthed.
231