Bermuda Pilot Notes
St. George’s to Hamilton
Beacon 29
32 19.3N, 64 48.7W Fl R 4s Red
(see charts on next three pages)
Pilotage: The primary route for most boats
beacon, topmark. STARBOARD (B).
is along the N side of the island. Follow
Town Cut to the Narrows to South Chan- Great Sound
nel to Great Sound. Rrespect all buoyage as Pilotage: Numerous shallow coral heads
coral shoals abut the channel where buoys border this channel entering Great Sound. If
are located. bound for Hamilton, do not transit outside
An inside passage through Ferry Reach on the channel prior to Buoy 40 without local
the W end of St. George’s Harbour provides knowledge.
a shortcut for transiting from St. George’s Anchorage: The E side of Great Sound is
to Hamilton. Some charts show as many as marked by numerous small islands separat-
three bridges blocking this area, but only ing Granaway Deep from Hamilton Harbour.
one, a swing bridge with timed openings, re- Many of these islands are uninhabited but
mains. The bridge at Stocks Point is gone, but privately owned. Sheltered anchorage can be
the pilings remain. The swing bridge opens found amongst these islands, but beware of
at XX15 and XX45 from 0745 AST until 1845 underground cables (noted on charts) ser-
AST between April 1 and Sept. 31. From vicing houses on the islands. Small daymarks
Oct. 1 through March 31, the last opening is indicating particularly hazardous rocks
1645. The bridge is unmanned at night and are scattered throughout this region, but
no openings are possible. At the SW end of may not be accurately charted. Use caution
Ferry Reach, a channel passes between Co- transiting this area and do so only in good
ney Island and Ferry Point. Here too, some visibility.
charts still show a bridge, but only the pilings Pilotage: The entrance from Great Sound
remain from the old railway bridge. A buoy into Hamilton Harbour is through a 300-foot
marks the S side of the channel through the wide passage called Two Rocks on charts, but
bridge pilings. also known locally as the Sisters. Be aware
Waypoints
that it is common for commercial traffic,
Beacon 20
including cruise ships, to be transiting this
passage. After clearing the Sisters stay on a
32 21.0N, 64 44.4W Fl G 2.5s Green
course of 120°m to clear the north side of
PORT (B).
World’s End Shoal.
Beacon 26
Waypoint
32 18.7N, 64 47.5W Fl G 2.5s Green
Buoy 40
PORT (B).
V Q (9) W 15s Yellow/black
West cardinal mark.
238