Wiggins Pass - Click for Chartview

Even with the dredging done in March of this year, we have a Navigation Alert (http://cruisersnet.net/?p=92652) posted for Wiggins Pass, one of the most shoal prone inlets on the Western Florida coastline which cuts the coast between Gordon Pass and Fort Myers Beach. This channel is often dredged, but by the time the dredge disappears over the horizon, the sand is silting back in once again. However, dredging is always welcomed in this busy pass. And to be safe, we strongly recommend calling Pelican Isle Yacht Club at 239-566-1606 for up-to-date depth information BEFORE attempting entry.

FLORIDA-FORT MYERS TO CHARLOTTE HARBOR AND WIGGINS PASS: Hydraulic Dredging.
Orion Marine Construction Inc. will commence hydraulic dredging operations on or about May 24 2013. Operations will occur in Wiggins Pass, Naples. Orion Marine Construction will be performing preliminary construction in Wiggins Pass using a barge for equipment and other vessels. All Barges/Dredges/Tugs/Crew Boats will operate and monitor on working Channel 78 and VHF Channel 16. Hydraulic operations areas and explanations are listed below;
Dredge JERI–B will be dredging in New Pass, Beach operations on Big Hickory Island and Orion Marine Group personnel will be performing crew transfers at Weeks fish Camping in Estero Bay. While dredging, the vessels will be displaying lights and dayboards as required, and may temporally impede the flow of traffic through the channel.
The dredge “JERI-B” will work on Channel 78 and monitor VHF Channel 16. The “JERI-B” will operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A submerged pipeline will be utilized from the dredge to the overboard dredge material discharge area. The path of the pipeline will be properly marked IAW USCG 33 CFR 88.15. Buoys with “Caution Submerged Pipeline” will mark the submerged line. For further information contact the Project Manager Mr. Jared Rackley 904-868-9498, Mr. David Folsom Safety Officer (904) 210-2175 and/or the Project Engineer Mr. Patrick Link 813-508-1631.
Mariners are urged to use extreme caution in the area, transit at their slowest speed to minimize wake, and proceed with caution after passing arrangements have been made. Chart 11427

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Wiggins Pass

Doctors Pass - Click for Chartview

Cruisers’ Net has had a Navigation Alert posted since January of this year for Doctors Pass. This pass leads to shallow bays that do not connect to Naples Bay. Used mostly by smaller boats, Doctors Pass experiences regular shoaling, as earlier reports have shown, and has to be dredged every few years. Gordon Pass, further south, is the primary inlet serving the Naples, Florida region.

FLORIDA-LOSTMANS RIVER TO WIGGINS PASS-DOCTORS PASS: Shoaling
The Coast Guard has received a report of severe shoaling in two locations in Doctors Pass. The first shoal is located in approximate position 26 – 10’ – 24”N, 081 – 48’ – 48”W on the south side of the channel near Private Aid Doctors Pass Daybeacon 4 (LLNR 17730). The shoal extends approximately 20 feet into the channel. Depths of less than 3 feet have been reported during low tide. The second shoal is located in approximate position 26 – 10’ – 36”N, 081 – 48’ – 42”W on the east side of the channel near Private Aid Doctors Pass Daybeacon 14 (LLNR 17765). This shoal extends approximately 4 feet into the channel with reported depths of less than 2 feet during low tide. A temporary “Danger Shoal” buoy has been established in each location of the reported shoaling. Mariners are reminded that these temporary buoys are not charted and the positions may not be reliable due to changing conditions. Mariners are advised to exercise extreme caution while transiting Doctors Pass. Chart 11430

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Doctors Pass

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Gordon Pass

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To A “Navigation Alert” Position at Doctors Pass

The Coast Guard will enforce 15 temporary security zones around certain bridges on the waters of Pinellas County and Tampa Bay during the 2012 Republican National Convention. The security zones will be in effect from Sat. Aug. 25 at 12:01 p.m. until Fri. Aug.31 at 1:00 a.m. All vessels and boaters are prohibited from loitering, anchoring, stopping, or mooring on waters within 50 yards of the designated bridges, during the times and dates listed below. Please note the security zones will be enforced 24-hours daily for the Gandy Bridge, Howard Franklin Bridge, and Courtney
Campbell Causeway. However, expeditious transit through the security zones will be authorized.

Although much of the security plan is sensitive law enforcement information and cannot be released, visible measures will include waterside security zones, increased harbor patrols and increased inspections of merchant and recreational boats.

“Our multi-mission capabilities make the Coast Guard uniquely qualified as a leader in maritime homeland security,” said Capt. Sheryl Dickinson, Captain of the Port and commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg. “We will blend our capabilities with our maritime law enforcement partners to create a layered approach to RNC safety and security.”

Coast Guard security boats will work with local, state and federal enforcement partners to enforce permanent and temporary waterside security zones and patrol waterways throughout the Tampa Bay region. Violators are subject to a maximum penalty of six years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
http://coastguardnews.com/

This west coast dredging operation is in Hurricane Bay, east of the Gulf Waterway in Fort Myers. Navigation of the Waterway should not be affected.

FLORIDA-WEST COAST-FORT MYERS TO CHARLOTTE HARBOR AND WIGGINS PASS-HURRICANE BAY: Dredging Operations.
Energy Resources, Inc. will commence dredging operations on or about the week of July 9, 2012. The project is dredging a 40’ wide channel from Port Carlos Mobile Home Park approximately ½ mile to the main channel in Hurricane Bay in south Fort Myers, Florida. This channel is approximately 0.9 mile northeast of the highway 865 bridge at Fort Myers Beach. The operations will be during daylight hours only. The Dredge “NATE” will monitor VHF FM channel 16 and will be supported by a small 24ft tender boat “Lucille”. The only floating pipeline that is in the channel will be directly adjacent to the dredge. The project is expected to be completed in 90 days. For further information contact Energy resources, Inc., Mr. Paul Reinhardt 636-532-9558. Chart 11427

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This grounded sailing vessel is in Tampa Bay south of marker #6 in Gadsen Point Cut.

FLORIDA-WEST COAST-TAMPA BAY-LITTLE MANATEE RIVER: Hazard to Navigation.
The Coast Guard has received a report of a 30ft sailing vessel aground approximately 1 NM north of the Little Manatee River Entrance in position 27-44.339N 082-29.263W. All mariners are advised to transit the area with caution. [Ref: STP BNM 1359-10] Chart 11416

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Grounded Sailing Vessel

Sounds like it might be a good idea to enter and exit the Alafia River channel at no-wake speed until this project is complete.

FLORIDA-WEST COAST-TAMPA BAY-ALAFIA RIVER-SUNKEN ISLAND BANK BIRD SANCTUARY’S WESTERN ISLAND: Installation of Wave Attenuation Devices
Audubon of Florida will be installing concrete Wave Attenuation Devices on the shoreline of Alafia Bank Bird Sanctuary’s western island, south of the Alafia River Entrance Channel. This installation will commence on Monday September 26, 2011 and is expected to occur daily from 7 A.M. to 5 P.M. until approximately October 2, 2011. On scene equipment will consist of two barges and a small tugboat. Mariners are to exercise extreme caution when transiting the area so as not to disrupt the construction process and contact the work crews on VHF Channel 68 or at (813) 727-5476 for further details. Chart 11416

Hernando Beach is a small community with a little used (by visitors anyway) channel, which lies north of Western Florida’s Anclote Key, and south of Homosassa River. I sounded these channels some years ago, and found them so shoally, that I have never recommended them to visiting cruisers. So, the dredging reported below in the Local Notice to Mariners, could hardly be bestowed on waters that need such a project more.

FLORIDA-WEST COAST-ANCLOTE KEYS TO CRYSTAL RIVER-HERNANDO BEACH-HERNANDO BEACH CHANNEL: Dredging Operations (UPDATE September 6, 2012).
B.C. Peabody Construction Services dredging operations ongoing through January 1, 2012 in the Hernando Beach Channel, Hernando Beach, Florida. The mechanical Dredges “800” (orange 800 Hitachi excavator) and “400” (yellow 400 Komatsu excavator) will conduct operations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and will monitor channel VHF 68. Hydraulic Dredge and all associated pipeline has been removed from the channel. Associated workboats are material barges, push boats skiffs and a secondary barge with smaller yellow excavator “200”. Barges will continue to be spudded down in the channel and material barges will be constantly moving material. All watercraft will be lighted and clearly marked. Hernando County Parks & Recreation is working closely with B.C. Peabody. For further information please contact the Project Manager, Mr. Wayne Konga, 941-545-6188. Chart 11409

The waters west of Hernanco Beach are extremely shallow and Hernanco Beach Channel leads westward to depths of less than 3 feet. The daybeacons mentioned below do not show on Chart 11409. Dredging is in progress in this area until September 2, 2011

FLORIDA-WEST COAST-ANCLOTE KEYS TO CRYSTAL RIVER-HERNANCO BEACH CHANNEL: Hazard to Navigation.
The Coast Guard received a report of a sunken 25ft S/V with 2 masts showing above the waterline in approximate position 28-29.9N 082-40.1W in the channel between Hernando Beach Channel DBN 64 (LLNR 27770) and Hernando Beach Channel DBN 66 (LLNR 27780). [Ref: STP BNM 877-11] Chart 11409

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Hernanco Beach Channel

LOCAL NOTICE TO MARINERS: Week 43/11 This alert refers to an area of shallow water west of the Gulf Waterway near statute mile 90.

FLORIDA-GULF INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY-ANNA MARIECHANNEL: Hazard to Navigation
The Coast Guard has received a report of a unmarked piling in approximate position 27-30-39.066N, 082-42-35.070W. All mariners are advised to transit this area with extreme caution. Chart 11425

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To A “Navigation Alert” Position at Anna Marie Channel

We have plotted the position of the grounded sailcraft reported in the Local Notice to Mariners extract below, and it lies fairly close to the Caloosahatchee River’s western shoreline, north of Paradise Yacht Club. Considering its position, this derelict will probably affect most cruising craft, absent a rather gross navigational error. Nevertheless, all navigators operating on the waters of the Caloosahatchee River near Paradise Yacht Club, should take extra caution.

FLORIDA-WEST COAST-FORT MYERS-CALOOSAHATCHEE RIVER: Hazard to Navigation
There is an aground 27FT white sailing vessel anchored and lit in the Caloosahatchee River in approximate position 26-37.8N 081-54.7W. All
mariners are advised to use caution when transiting the area. Chart 11427

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the General Location of the Grounded Vessel Reported Above

Well, this work couldn’t come too soon, as there have been some aids in these waters for years that didn’t mark any channel at all. Even the main Suwannee River Channel can only be relied upon to carry 4 1/2 feet at MLW.
Once over the entrance bar, however, the Suwannee is one of the Big Bend region’s most delightful streams, with beautiful scenery and multiple anchorage possibilities. So, if new markers can really help captains make better use of this delightful river, so much the better for the cruising community.

FLORIDA-WEST COAST-SUWANNEE RIVER AND SALT CREEK: Repair & Replacement of Aids and Information Signs
Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission has contracted for the repair and replacement of the Aids to Navigation (ATON) and Information Signs at Salt Creek, West Pass/Alligator Pass and McGriff Channel (Wadley Pass) at the entrance to the Suwannee River and Salt Creek. This includes the replacement of the channel entrance marine aids to navigation lanterns at GPS: N 29° 14.58222 ‘ W 083° 11.78629′ (entrance to Alligator Pass Channel) and McGriff Channel (Wadley Pass) N 29° 18.57992 ‘ W 083° 12.01615′. The project started on May 18, 2011 and is expected to be completed by mid June 2011.
Any questions, please contact FWC Captain Richard Moore or Dawn Griffin at (850) 488-5600.
Chart 11408

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of A Portion of the Suwannee River Entrance Channel

Cedar Key, for those of you who have never transited Florida’s waterwayless Big Bend region, is a port of call between the Suwannee and Withlacoochee Rivers. There is an astounding “S” turn in this passage as one begins the approach to the village of Cedar Key, that has brought many mariners to grief.
We have charted the reported position of the sunken vessel noted below, and it seems to lie well outside the Cedar Key Main Ship Channel, which many locals refer to as the “Seahorse Key Channel.” Thus, this derelict will hopefully be of little concern to cruising mariners.

FLORIDA-WEST COAST-CRYSTAL RIVER TO HORSEHOE POINT- CEDAR KEYS MAIN CHANNEL: Hazard to Navigation
The Coast Guard received a report of a 27FT BLUE derelict sport vessel submerged 1320 yards NW of Cedar Keys Main Channel Light 7 (LLNR 29765) with 15FT of its mast above the waterline in approximate position 29-05.45N 083-04.51W. All mariners are advised to exercise caution while transiting the area. Chart 11408

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of the Cedar Key Main Ship Channel Near the Site of the Derelict Noted Above