FLETANS CHANNEL BAEACHOIS DE ST. PIERRE. 177 



Fletans channel. — Approach with Canon point and St. Pierre 

 leading lighthouses in line 285°, which mark leads between Gelin 

 shoal and les Cailloiix de Terre ; when cape Bawdry, the northeastern 

 extremity of Chien island, is in line with Gros-nez rock, bearing 358°, 

 keep that mark on until within 200 yards of Gros-nez rock; leave 

 that rock 100 yards to the westward, then pass 200 yards eastward of 

 cape Bawdry, and round that cape into the anchorage. 



In foggy weather. — It is extremely hazardous to approach St, 

 Pierre during fog owing to the numerous outlying shoals, and no 

 attempt should ever be made to enter the harbor under such circum-. 

 stances in a sailing vessel. If actually necessary to enter the harbor 

 in moderate weather in a steamer, from a known position off Little 

 Miquelon island, endeavor to sight land on the south coast of that 

 island in the vicinit}' of cape Coupe and then steer for the western 

 side of St. Pierre; proceed northeastward along the coast of that 

 island and pass through Henry channel, close southward of Great 

 Colombier to its eastern end, whence steer 142° for U miles and 237° 

 for 1 mile to the anchorage. The greatest caution is necessary, and 

 even then there is risk. 



Barachois de St. Pierre, or the inner harbor, partly naturally 

 and partly artificially protected by a breakwater, carries 14 feet at 

 low water on the bar at its entrance, where it has been dredged, and 

 is available for vessels drawing 11 feet at high water only. The 

 dredged channel into the harbor is marked by buoys. The holding 

 ground is indifferent, there is little sea, and vessels that ground are 

 rarely damaged. A number of schooners lay up there for the winter. 



Buoys. — Two warping buoj^s are moored between Monies island 

 and Canon point. 



Tides. — It is high water, full and change at St. Pierre at 8h, 33m.; 

 springs rise 6^ feet, neaps, 4J feet. 



Tidal streams and current. — The flood stream runs north- 

 ward through South and Fletans channels, and northeastward through 

 North channel, but this regidarity is only found near the land. At a 

 short distance seaward the current runs almost constantly northward, 

 and is very little influenced by the feeble tidal stream of these lo- 

 calities. In the anchorage the tidal stream is sometimes of sufficient 

 force to swing ships against a strong breeze. The ebb stream runs in 

 the opposite direction to the flood. 



Between St. Pierre and Little Miquelon the flood stream runs north- 

 eastward through the channel and turns 1 to 1| hours after high 

 water, but the stream often continues to run in the same direction at 

 a reduced rate all through the ebb. The currents and tidal streams 

 are, however, very irregular, and no dependence can be placed on any 

 particular direction or rate. 



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