Title 33

SECTION 110.140

110.140 Buzzards Bay, Nantucket Sound, and adjacent waters, Mass.

§ 110.140 Buzzards Bay, Nantucket Sound, and adjacent waters, Mass.

(a) New Bedford Outer Harbor - (1) Anchorage A. West of Sconticut Neck, and shoreward of a line described as follows: Beginning at a point 100 yards southwest of Fort Phoenix Point; thence 154° along a line which passes 100 yards east of New Bedford Channel Buoys 8, 6, and 4, to a point bearing approximately 130°, 225 yards, from New Bedford Channel Buoy 4; thence 87°, 340 yards; thence 156° along a line approximately one mile to its intersection with a line ranging 87° from the cupola on Clarks Point; thence 87° to Sconticut Neck.

(2) Anchorage B. All waters bounded by a line beginning at 41°36′42.3″ N, 070°54′24.9″ W; thence to 41°36′55.5″ N, 070°54′06.6″ W; thence to 41°36′13.6″ N, 070°53′40.2″ W; thence to 41°36′11.1″ N, 070°54′07.6″ W; thence along the shoreline to the beginning point.

(b) Buzzards Bay near entrance to approach channel to Cape Cod Canal - (1) Anchorage C. West of a line parallel to and 850 feet westward from the centerline of Cleveland Ledge Channel; north of a line bearing 129° from the tower on Bird Island; east of a line bearing 25°30′ and passing through Bird Island Reef Bell Buoy 13; and south of a line bearing 270° from Wings Neck Light. Each vessel must obtain permission to proceed to Anchorage C from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Cape Cod Canal Control traffic controller.

(2) Anchorage D. Beginning at a point bearing 185°, 1,200 yards, from Hog Island Channel 4 Light; thence 129° to a point bearing 209°, approximately 733 yards, from Wings Neck Light; thence 209° to Southwest Ledge Buoy 10; thence 199° along a line to its intersection with a line bearing 129° from the tower on Bird Island; thence 309° to a point 850 feet easterly, right angle distance, from the centerline of Cleveland Ledge Channel; thence northeasterly along a line parallel to and 850 feet eastward from the centerline of Cleveland Ledge Channel to its intersection with a line bearing 218° 30′ from the point of beginning; thence 38°30′ to the point of beginning. Each vessel must obtain permission to proceed to Anchorage D from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Cape Cod Canal Control traffic controller.

(3) Anchorage L. The area of water bounded by lines connecting the following points: 41°30′11″ N, 070°48′10″ W to 41°30′46″ N, 070°48′45″ W, to 41°32′24″ N, 070°45′50″ W to 41°31′48″ N, 070°45′15″ W and thence to start.

(4) Anchorage M - (west side). The waters bounded by a line connecting the following points: 41-35-35N/70-44-47W to 41-36-24N/70-45-53W to 41-35-00N/70-47-53W to 41-34-12N/70-46-47W and thence to the beginning

(5) Each vessel that anchors in these anchorages must notify the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Cape Cod Canal Control traffic controller when it anchors, and provide the vessel's name, length, draft, cargo, and its position.

(6) Each vessel anchored in these anchorages must notify U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Cape Cod Canal Control traffic controller when it weighs anchor.

(7) No vessel may anchor unless it maintains a bridge watch, guards and answers Channel 16 FM, and maintains an accurate position plot.

(8) No vessel may anchor unless it maintains the capability to get underway within 30 minutes; except with prior approval of the Coast Guard Captain of the Port Southeastern New England.

(9) No vessel may anchor in a “dead ship” status (propulsion or control unavailable for normal operations) without the prior approval of the Coast Guard Captain of the Port Southeastern New England.

(10) No vessel may conduct lightering operations within these anchorages.

(c) Vineyard and Nantucket Sounds - (1) Anchorage E. South of a line beginning at a point bearing 180° about 3.25 miles from Cuttyhunk Light; thence 65° to a point bearing 180°, 0.625 mile from Nashawena Lighted Whistle Buoy; thence 57°30′ passing 600 yards northerly of Middle Ground Lighted Bell Buoy 25A, to a point bearing 145°, 1.25 miles from Nobska Point Light; southwest of a line ranging 113° through West Chop Buoy 25 to East Chop Flats Bell Buoy 23; and west of a line bearing 163° between East Chop Flats Bell Buoy 23 and Lone Rock Buoy 1; and northerly of a line bearing 269° between Lone Rock Buoy 1 and a point on the mainland at Oak Bluffs about 0.30 mile southerly of Oak Bluffs Wharf.

(2) Anchorage F. Southeast of the Elizabeth Islands, north of a line ranging 97°30′ from Cuttyhunk Light toward Nashawena Lighted Whistle Buoy to a point 0.375 mile from that buoy; northwest of a line bearing 57°30′ from the last-named point to a point opposite the entrance to Woods Hole; and southwest of a line from the shore of Nonamesset Island bearing 114° and ranging through West Chop Light and East Chop Light.

(3) Anchorage G. South of a line beginning at a point on the mainland at Oak Bluffs about 0.30 mile southerly of Oak Bluffs Wharf bearing 89° to Lone Rock Buoy 1; thence 113° from Lone Rock Buoy 1 to Outer Flats Bell Buoy 17; thence 86° to Cross Rip Lightship; thence 118°30′ to Tuckernuck Shoal Bell Buoy 7; thence ranging 149° toward Brant Point Light to the breakwater at Brant Point.

(4) Anchorage H. In the vicinity of Squash Meadow shoal, east of a line ranging 163° through Squash Meadow West End Buoy 21; north of lines parallel to and 0.5 mile northerly from lines joining Lone Rock Buoy 1, Outer Flats Bell Buoy 17, and Cross Rip Lightship; and south of a line ranging 97° from East Chop Light toward Cross Rip Lightship.

(5) Anchorage I. Northerly of a line ranging 109° from Nobska Point Light toward Hedge Fence Lighted Horn and Gong Buoy 16, and of a line ranging 97°30′ through Hedge Fence East End Buoy to Halfmoon Shoal Lighted Bell Buoy 12, thence 73° to Handkerchief Shoal Buoy 16, and thence to the westernmost point of Monomoy Island.

(6) Anchorage J. East of a line bearing 329°, parallel to and 0.875 mile northeasterly of a line running from Brant Point Light through Tuckernuck Shoal Bell Buoy 7, from Coatue Beach to a point 1.25 miles southeasterly from a line between Halfmoon Shoal Lighted Bell Buoy 12 and Handkerchief Shoal Buoy 16; thence 73°, parallel to and 1.25 miles southeasterly from a line running from Halfmoon Shoal Lighted Bell Buoy 12 through Handkerchief Shoal Buoy 16, to a point bearing 215° from Stone Horse North End Lighted Bell Buoy 9; thence 35° to Stone Horse North End Lighted Bell Buoy 9; thence 70° to a point bearing 207° from Pollock Rip Lightship; and thence 27° through, and to a point 5.0 miles northeasterly from, Pollock Rip Lightship.

(7) Anchorage K. North of a line tangent to the southeasterly edge of Monomoy Point and extending to Bearse Shoal North End Buoy 2A and west of a line bearing 7° from Bearse Shoal North End Buoy 2A to Chatham Bar Buoy 2.

(d) The regulations. (1) Floats or buoys for marking anchors or moorings in place will be allowed in all areas. Fixed mooring piles or stakes are prohibited.

(2) Except in cases of great emergency, no vessels shall be anchored in New Bedford Outer Harbor, Buzzards Bay near the entrance to the approach channel to Cape Cod Canal, or Vineyard and Nantucket Sounds, outside of the anchorage areas defined in paragraphs (a) to (c) of this section.

(3) Anchors must not be placed outside the anchorage areas, nor shall any vessel be so anchored that any portion of the hull or rigging will at any time extend outside the boundaries of the anchorage area.

(4) Any vessel anchoring under the circumstances of great emergency outside any anchorage area must be placed near the edge of the channel and in such position as not to interfere with the free navigation of the channel, nor obstruct the approach to any pier nor impede the movement of any boat, and shall move away immediately after the emergency ceases or upon notification by an officer of the Coast Guard.

(5) A vessel upon being notified to move into the anchorage limits or to shift its position in anchorage grounds must get under way at once or signal for a tug, and must change position as directed with reasonable promptness.

(6) Whenever the maritime or commercial interests of the United States so require, any officer of the Coast Guard is hereby empowered to shift the position of any vessel anchored within the anchorage areas, of any vessel anchored outside the anchorage areas, and of any vessel which is so moored or anchored as to impede or obstruct vessel movements in any channel.

(7) Nothing in this section shall be construed as relieving the owner or person in charge of any vessel from the penalties of the law for obstructing navigation or for obstructing or interfering with range lights, or for not complying with the navigation laws in regard to lights, fog signals, or for otherwise violating the law.

[CGFR 67-46, 32 FR 17728, Dec. 12, 1967, as amended by CGD1 90-125, 56 FR 22644, May 16, 1991; 56 FR 40360, Aug. 14, 1991; CGD01-04-004, 70 FR 2355, Jan. 13, 2005; USCG-2006-25556, 72 FR 36327, July 2, 2007; USCG-2010-1119, 76 FR 35744, June 20, 2011]