SECTION 1- SPECIAL NOTES

This section contains information of special concern to the Mariner.

 

CAUTION TO BE USED IN RELIANCE UPON AIDS TO NAVIGATION

The aids to navigation depicted on charts comprise a system of fixed and floating aids with varying degrees of reliability. Therefore, prudent mariners will not rely solely on any single aid to navigation, particularly a floating aid. With respect to buoys, the buoy symbol is used to indicate the approximate position of the buoy body and the sinker, which secures the buoy to the seabed. The approximate position is used because of practical limitations in positioning and maintaining buoys and their sinkers in precise geographical locations. These limitations include, but are not limited to, inherent imprecision’s in position fixing methods, prevailing atmospheric and sea conditions, the slope of and the material making up the seabed, the fact that buoys are moored to sinkers by varying lengths of chain, and the fact that buoy body and/or sinker positions are not under continuous surveillance but are normally checked only during periodic maintenance visits which often occur more than a year apart. The position of the buoy body can be expected to shift inside and outside the charting symbol due to the forces of nature. The mariner is also cautioned that buoys are liable to be carried away, shifted, capsized, sunk, etc. Lighted buoys may be extinguished or sound signals may not function as the result of ice, running ice or other natural causes, collisions, or other accidents. For the foregoing reasons, a prudent mariner must not rely completely upon the position or operation of floating aids to navigation, but will also utilize bearings from fixed objects and aids to navigation on shore. Further, a vessel attempting to pass close aboard always risks collision with a yawing buoy or with the obstruction the buoy marks.

 

U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY – PUBLIC EDUCATION CLASSES – FIND BY ZIPCODE

The National Public Education Calendar Database provides a sing, unified national database that holds and displays all public education courses taught by our various flotillas nationwide. In addition, a Zip Code search permits members of the general public to enter a Zip Code of interest and find all public education courses being taught within a selected distance from that Zip Code. cgaux.org/boatinged/class_finder/index.php

 

CANCELLATION OF NOAA PAPER AND RASTER NAUTICAL CHARTS***

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is undertaking a multi-year program to end production and maintenance of its suite of over 1,000 traditional paper nautical charts and all associated raster char products and services, including: Print-On-Demand (POD) paper charts, Full-size chart PDF files, BookletChart PDF files, NOAA raster navigational charts (NOAA RNC), the NOAA RNC tile service, and the online RNC viewer.

Six months notice of the intent to cancel a specific chart is provided in a “Last Edition” notice. The final cancellation of a chart is made in a “Canceled” notice. Both types of notices will appear in the LNM Section IV, “Chart Correction.” A comprehensive list of all canceled NOAA charts is available at” charts.noaa.gov/MCD/Dole, shtml.

Traditional paper nautical chart production is ending to enable the creation and maintenance of larger scale, more up-to-date, higher quality coverage or NOAA’s electronic navigational chart (NOAA ENC) product. This will significantly enhance the amount of charted detail available to mariners. More information about NOAA’s program to sunset traditional paper charter is on the NOAA Coast Survey website at: nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/charts/farewell-to-traditional-nautical.html

An online NOAA Custom Chart application at devgis.chartrools.noaa.gov/pod is available to create chart images from ENC data, which may then be printed. Notices to Mariners will not be issued for NOAA Custom Charts.

SAFETY NOTICE – NAVIGATIONAL RANGE AND SECTOR LIGHTS ON ELECTRONIC CHARTS

 

The U.S. Coast Guard has become aware that the Range and Sector Light Characteristic labels are not displayed on Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC) when used in an Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) due to limitations of the S-52 ECDIS display specification. Mariners may query the ENC data directly within ECDIS or refer to the Light List for complete information on Range and Sector Light Characteristics.

 

 

SECTION II – DISCREPANCIES

This section lists all reported and corrected discrepancies related to Aids to Navigation in this edition. A discrepancy is a change in the status of an aid to navigation that differs from what is published or charted.

 

DISCREPANCIES (FEDERAL AIDS)

NONE

 

DISCREPANCIES (PRIVATE AIDS)

Block Island Wind Farm WTG-3 Foghorn Structure Inoperable August 24, 2022

NEBW Daybeacon 8- Structure Destroyed first reported June 23, 2021 Corrected March 2023

Bristol Harbor Daybeacon 6A Daymark Missing first reported October 5, 2022

Bristol Harbor East Channel Buoy 5 Off Station and a Hazard to Navigation first reported           October 5, 2022 Corrected March 2023

Bristol Harbor West Channel Buoy 1 Off Station first reported February 23, 2022

Braga Bridge   Sound Signal Inoperable as of January 11, 2023

Quonset Point Terminal Approach Buoy EB-B Missing first reported July 29, 2022

Pawcatuck River Channel Daybeacon 19 Missing first reported May 19, 2021

 

 

SECTION III – TEMPORARY CHANGES AND TEMPORARY CHANGES CORRECTED

TEMPORARY CHANGES

URI Coastal Monitoring Lighted Research Buoy Discontinued September 23, 2020

Pawcatuck River Channel Daybeacon Buoy 23 Discontinued for Dredging June 3, 2020

 

 

SECTION IV – CHART CORRECTIONS

This section contains corrections to federally and privately maintained Aids to Navigation, as well as NOS corrections. This section contains corrective actions affecting chart(s). Corrections appear numerically by chart number and pertain to that chart only. It is up to the mariner to decide which chart(s) are to be corrected.

 

Chart 13205 Chart Title” Block Island Sound and Approaches

Main Panel 2150 BLOCK ISLSAND SOUND AND APPROACHES

LAST EDITION No new editions of chart 13205 will be published. It will be canceled on August 30, 2023. Comparable or larger scale Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) coverage is available. See “Cancellation of NOAA Paper and Raster Nautical Charts” in Section 1 of this LNM for details.

 

CHART 13209   BLOCK ISLAND SOUND AND GARDINER’S BAY – Chart Title: Block Island Sound and Gardiners Bay; Montauk Harbor

Main Panel 2149 BLOCK ISLAND SOUND AND GARDINERS BAY- Page/Side

LAST EDITION No new editions of chart 13209 will be published. It will be canceled on 05-Jul- 23. Comparable or larger scale Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) coverage is available. See “Cancellation of NOAA Paper and Raster Nautical Charts” in Section 1 of this LNM for details.

 

CHART 13215 BLOCK ISLAND SND– POINT JUDITH TO MONTAUK POINT – Chart Title- BLOCK ISLAND

Main Panel 2141 Block ISL SND – PT JUDITH TO MONTAUK PT

LAST EDITION No new editions of chart 13209 will be published. It will be canceled on 05-Jul- 23. Comparable or larger scale Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) coverage is available. See “Cancellation of NOAA Paper and Raster Nautical Charts” in Section 1 of this LNM for details.

 

CHART 13217 BLOCK ISLAND RI

Chart Title – Main Panel 2140 BLOCK ISLAND RI.

LAST EDITION No new editions of chart 13217 will be published. It will be canceled on 05-Jul- 23. Comparable or larger scale Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) coverage is available. See “Cancellation of NOAA Paper and Raster Nautical Charts” in Section 1 of this LNM for details.

 

CHART 13218 MARTHA’S VINEYARD TO BLOCK ISLAND

Chart title: Main Panel 2139 MARTHA’S VINEYARD TO BLOCK ISLAND

LAST EDITION No new editions of chart 13218 will be published. It will be canceled on 30-AUG- 23. Comparable or larger scale Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) coverage is available. See “Cancellation of NOAA Paper and Raster Nautical Charts” in Section 1 of this LNM for details.

 

CHART 13219 Point Judith Harbor Chart Title Point Judith Harbor

Main Panel 2138 Pt Judith Harbor RI –

 LAST EDITION No new editions of chart 13219 will be published. It will be canceled on 05-Jul- 23. Comparable or larger scale Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) coverage is available. See “Cancellation of NOAA Paper and Raster Nautical Charts” in Section 1 of this LNM for details.

 

CHART 13221 – NARRAGANSETT BAY RI-MA Chart title – Narragansett Bay

Main Panel 2137 Narragansett Bay RI-MA

LAST EDITION No new editions of chart 132221 will be published. It will be canceled on 02-Aug- 23. Comparable or larger scale Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) coverage is available. See “Cancellation of NOAA Paper and Raster Nautical Charts” in Section 1 of this LNM for details.

 

CHART 13223 – Chart Title- NARRAGANSETT BAY, INCLUDING NEWPORT HARBOR R

Main Panel 2134 NARRAGANSETT BAY INCL NEWPORT HARBOR RI

LAST EDITION No new editions of chart 13223 will be published. It will be canceled on 30-AUG- 23. Comparable or larger scale Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) coverage is available. See “Cancellation of NOAA Paper and Raster Nautical Charts” in Section 1 of this LNM for details.

 

 

SECTION V – ADVANCE NOTICES – NONE

This section contains advance notice of approved projects, changes to aids to navigation, or upcoming temporary changes such as dredging, etc. Mariners are advised to use caution while transiting those areas.

 

SECTION VI – PROPOSED CHANGES

Periodically, the Coast Guard evaluates its system of aids to navigation to determine whether the conditions for which the aids to navigation were established have changed. When changes occur, the feasibility of improving, relocating, replacing, or discontinuing aids are considered. This section contains notice(s) of non-approved, proposed projects open for comment. SPECIAL NOTICE: Mariners are requested to respond in writing to the District office unless otherwise noted (see banner page for address).

 

PROPOSED WATERWAY PROJECTS OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT

Proposed Projects

NONE

 

Proposed Change Notices

NY-BLOCK ISLAND AND GARDINERS BAY (Chart 13209)

The U.S. Coast Guard is considering making the following changes to Aids to Navigation to facilitate in this waterway.

  • REMOVE the RACON and WHISTLE from Valiant Rock Lighted Whistle Buoy (LLNR 19825), aka Light List Number 19825, and ADD an AIS signal to the aid.

Interested Mariners are strongly encouraged to comment on this proposal in writing, either personally or through their organization. All comments will be carefully considered and are requested prior to 31 March 2023 to complete the process. To most effectively consider your feedback and improve data collection when responding to this proposal, please include size and type of vessel, recreational or commercial, and distance from aid that you start looking for it, and if and how you use the signal. Please do not call the Coast Guard via telephone or other means, only written responses to this proposal will be accepted. Refer to Project No. 01-23-005. Email can be sent to: D01-SMB-DPWPPublicComments@uscg.mil.

 

 RI-SEACOAST-NARRAGANSETT BAY (Chart 13221) – EASTERN APPROACH

The U.S. Coast Guard is considering making the following changes to Aids to Navigation in this waterway.

  • REMOVE the RACON and WHISTLE from Narragansett Bay Entrance Lighted Whistle Buoy NB (LLNR 17675) and ADD an AIS signal to the aid.

Interested Mariners are strongly encouraged to comment on this proposal in writing, either personally or through their organization. All comments will be carefully considered and are requested prior to 31 March 2023 to complete the process. To most effectively consider your feedback and improve data collection when responding to this proposal, please include the size and type of vessel, recreational or commercia, and distance from the aid that you start looking for it, and if and how you use the signal. Please do not call the Coast Guard via telephone or other means, only written responses to this proposal will be accepted. Refer to Project No. 01-23-005. Email can be sent to: D01-SMB-DPWPPublicComments@uscg.mil.

 

SECTION VII – GENERAL NOTICES  

This section contains information of general concern to the Mariners. Mariners are advised to use caution while transiting these areas.

 

RHODE ISLAND GENERAL NOTICES

RI-NARRAGANSETT BAY–MT HOPE BAY–Vessel Testing-Update 10/24/2022 Regent Craft Inc. will be testing a prototype wing-in-ground-effect (WIG) craft in Narragansett Bay and Mt. Hope Bay from July 2022 until May 31, 2023. The testing areas include the waters of Narragansett Bay. East and West of Prudence Island Testing of the prototype will last approximately 2-4 hours, Monday through Friday with occasional tests on weekends and occur during the daylight hours only. All mariners are advised to use caution when transiting through these areas and avoid these areas if possible while testing is ongoing to deconflict traffic conditions. The vessel can be reached on VHF channels 13/16. For more information, please tactthe USCG Sector Southeast New England at 508 457-3211

March 22, 2023

 

SECTION VIII – LIGHT LIST CORRECTIONS

NONE

 

SUMMARY OF SHOALING REPORTED

FIRST COAST GUARD DISTRICT

 

RHODE ISLAND SHOALING

RI-NARRAGANSETT BAY (CHART 13221)-GREENWICH BAY-WARWICK COVE

Shoaling has been observed within the federal navigation channel to a least depth of 3 Feet MLW. Shoaling is encroaching from the west and has impacted the western part of the channel, reducing the authorized project width from approximately 150 feet to approximately 90 feet between Warwick Cove Buoy 3 (LLNR 1936) and Warwick Cove Buoy 7 (LLNR 19375). Chart 13224 first noticed January 2022

 

RI-BLOCK ISLAND SOUND AND APPROACHES (CHART 13205)-POINT JUDITH POND

Shoaling has been observed within the channel to a least depth of 5.5 feet MLW in approximate position 41-22-48N and 071-33-55W between Pt. Judith Pond Channel Buoy 2 (LLNR 19555) and Pt. Judith Channel Buoy 4 (LLNR 19560). Shoaling is encroaching from the East Side of the channel and protruding West. Chart 13219 first reported in February 2022.

 

SUMMARY OF ONGOING DREDGING AND MARINE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

RI – NEWPORT- GOULD ISLAND

Naval Undersea Warfare Center will be conducting continued testing using surface and subsurface devices north and east of Gould Island in the vicinity of the torpedo test range are marked on NOAA Chart 13223 and the Newport Bridge Monday – Friday from January 2023 through December 2023. Mariners are requested to cooperate with participating vessel for safety od all. Any concerned traffic can contact Navy support craft on VHF channels 13 and 16

 

RI- PROVIDENCE RIVER-SEEKONK RIVER- Bridge and Fender Demolition

The United States Army Corp of Engineers, New England District, and the J.F. Brennan Company Inc. are demolishing the remaining structure of the India Point Railroad Bridge over the Seekonk River in East Providence. Work will take place from 2/1/2023 and continue until 5/15/2023. Crane barge, materials barges, vessels & dive operations will be operating IVO the bridge for removal of the fender foundations. Mariners are urged to transit at their slowest safe speed to minimize wake and proceed with extreme caution after passing arrangement have been made. Work Hours are 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Project operations will monitor VHF channels 13 and 16. Questions or concerns may be directed to the Project Manager, Michael McCloy at 608 797-8725. Mariners should use caution when transiting the area.

 

RI- PROVIDENCE RIVER- SEAWALL REPAIRS – The Narragansett Electric Company and JF Brennan Company are performing repairs to the Seawall Bulkhead in Providence: 41-48-00.3N and 071-23-31.3W. Work will take place from March 14, 2022 to April 1, 2023. A Crane Spud Barge, A Materials Barge, Work Floats and Marine Vessels operating in the Work Area, defined below, to perform demolition activities on the existing seawall and install a new sheet pile wall. Work house are from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Project operations will monitor VHF Channels 13 and 16 during work house. Questions or concerns  may be directed to the Project Manager, Kristian Theriault  at 401 378-1876 (kristian.theriault@nationalgrid.com). Mariners should use caution when transiting the area.

Chart 13225 First reported March 2022

 

 

MARINE EVENTS WEEK OF MAR 15-22,2023

SECTOR RHODE ISLAND

NONE

 

OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY/ONGOING WORK

Updated 3/22/2023

New information highlighted below

BLOCK ISLAND WIND FARM

U.S. Naval Undersea Warfare Center will be conducting a four-month scientific study south of the Block Island Wind Farm from March 2023 to July 2023. Three passive hydrophones will be deployed and attached to 150 lb. pyramid anchors and spherical, orange surface floats, 24 hours a day seven days a week, see chart below. Mariners are advised to use caution when transiting the area.

March 22, 2023

 

LOCAL NOTICE TO MARINERS

BRIDGE SECTION

RHODE ISLAND – SEEKONK RIVER – HENDERSON BRIDGE – Bridge ConstructionRhode Island DOT is constructing the new Henderson Bridge over the Seekonk River between Providence and East Providence. From March 20,2023 to April 14, 2023, multiple crane mounted barges and support vessels will block the main navigation channel 24 hours per day. Span 5 to the east of the main navigation channel will also be blocked. Span 3 to the west of the main of the main navigation channel will be open for transits with water depths less than those in the navigation span. The alternate channel through Span 3 will be marked by lighted temporary buoys. Construction barges will be marker with white lights at night. A Providence police boat will be on- scent during the working hours to assist in passage. Michael Swift at 401 265-5281 or the Barletta Project Team at 339 237-2933 or 617 908-5521. Vessel operators should exercise caution and proceed at slow speed.

Chart 13224 LNM March 22, 2023 (CGD1)

 

MARINE EVENTS WEEK OF MARCH 22-29,2023

SECTOR SOUTHEAST NEW ENGLAND

No Events to Report

 

REPORTED UNEXPLODED ORDANCE (UXO)

The Coast Guard advertises this information through local, Sector Broadcast Notice to Mariners (BNMs) and through the weekly, First Coast Guard District LNM. BNMs are additionally available directly to mariners by email sign-up at the CG Navigation Center Web Site (Subscribe to Our RSS Feeds | Navigation Center (uscg.gov). Once identified NOAA will then chart the UXO location so they are available on electronic navigation chart updates. Information on proper reporting and safety procedures for UXOs can be found at the following link: Home – DENIX (osd.mil)

RI- NARRANGANSETT BAY – WEST PASSAGE – UNEXPLODED ORDNANCE- UPDATE 9/2/2022

Sixteen (16) unexploded ordnances have been located via survey in Narragansett Bay – West Passage in positions:

(1.) 41-27-7.68N 071-24-35.64W; (2.) 41-27-25.74N 071-24-38.94W; (3.) 41-27-33.60N 071-24-38.34W

(4.) 41-24-49.80N 071-22-58.14W (5.) 41-26-40.32N 071-24-42.54W (6.) 41-26-34.44N 071-24-8.22W; (7.) 41-26-00.18N 071-24-30.48W; (8.) 41-28-00.96N 071-24-28.68W; (9.) 41-24-43.74N 071-214.44W; (10.) 41-24-56.52N 071-21-59.64W; (11.) 41-24-52.62N 071-23-43.62W; (12.) 41-27-38.880N 071-24-6.978W; (13.) 41-26-4.324N 071-24-30.591W; (14.) 41-27-36.236N 071-24-37.026N; (15.)41-26-44.709N 071-24-38.974W; (16.) 41-24-45.927N 071-21-39.508W. Mariners are urged to avoid the ordnances and transit the area with caution.

March 22, 2023

 

ATLANTIC OCEAN- 22 MILES SOUTHEST OF BLOCK ISLAND – UNEXPLODED ORDINANCE

An unexploded ordinance has been located via survey in 22 miles southeast of Block Island, position 41.58.32.182N and 071.11.13.534W, in approximately depth of 54 meters (see chartlet). Mariners are urged to avoid the ordinance and transit the area with caution.

March 22, 2023

 

For additional information call
U.S. Army Technical Center for Explosives Safety at (918) 420-8919

or see

the US Army’s UXO Safety Education website www.denix.osd.mil/uxo 

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