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30 NON-REVERSE COURSES AGAIN. Editor Marine Review :--Have care- . fully gone over the courses recom- mended by the Auxiliary Committee on Aids to Navigation of the Lake Car- riers' Association, as published in the Marine Review of April 18 I have several objections to make to these courses. On Lake Superior their pro- posed course runs in one with that of the usual course for some 30 miles in the vicinity of Keweenaw Pt., and inter- sects with the usual chart course 12 miles north of Eagle Harbor. ~ Now, if the object is to take a course that will clear the usual cotirse run by boats, why should this outer course be made to intersect with the usual course in a case where it is not necessary to do so, as in this case? You will readily observe this by drawing a line on a chart from a point 8 miles north of Devils Island to .a point 14 miles north of Copper Har- bor. Their course intersects at the turning point of the usual 'course fol- lowed by boats from Whitefish Pt. to Devils Island. Upbound boats from Whitefish Pt. steer WNW to-a point 12 miles north of Eagle» thick weather and also with NEly. and NWly. winds. It-would seem to me that it would be all fallacy to steer so far north of Devils Island from Duluth and then on the run to round Kewee- naw Pt. to steer in the direct path of -upbound boats towards the end of the run. In my judgment the worst fea- ture of their proposed course is its in- "tersection with the turning point of the usual course. Also, when a vessel makes the turn 12 miles north 'of Eagle Harbor bound up, for an hour or more sire is in the direct path of the proposed outer course and for 50 miles from the turning point she would not have .to cartry much northerly from her course to be in one with the pro- posed course from a point 14 miles north of Copper Harbor to Whitefish Pt. Vessels from Whitefish Pt. to Ke- weenaw Pt. would not have to be much out of their course for the first 50 miles to be in the direct path of boats pursuing the proposed course. Now, I would suggest that they steer a course outside of the one proposed by this committee. Supposing two _ courses were made on this lake instead of three as proposed. by the committee. While somewhat longer than the com- mittee's track it would nevertheless answer fully the object to be sought. Its other advantages would be these: But two courses would be made, one of 210 miles and the other 157 miles, against three in both the usual and proposed tracks. This outside course Harbor in. THE Marine REVIEW would have one less artificial aid than either of the other routes. It would have Devils Island, Isle Royal and Caribou Island, while the others get Devils Island, Eagle Harbor, Copper Harbor and Manitou Island. The committee's course has the advantage © of one more light and fog signal, but since all these lights are in close prox- imity to one another they are not much better than if there were only one such light and fog signal. Another advantage of this outside course is that the navigator has an opportunity of veri- fying his position within 50 miles of Whitefish Pt. from the run from Devil's island by the aid of Caribou island light or fog signal, while with the committee's course Whitefish Pt. is made after a run of about: 120 miles. Another advantage of this outside course is that it leads 4 miles north of the usual turn- ing point at Whitefish Pt. and clears by 2 miles the turning point at White- fish for upbound boats, provided they turned at 4 miles as proposed. The course from 6 miles north of Whitefish Pi. to Parisian Island leads 'clear of the course of vessels bound up White- fish Bay. You will' notice that ~ this makes a straight course by Caribou . Island and passes the Island at a dis- tance of nine miles when abreast of it, which is plenty close; 10 miles would be better, but that would bring closer to. Whitefish Pt. than is desired.- Car- ibou Island has an efficient light with a visibility of 17%4 miles under ordin- ary conditions. 'The same fault "exists on Lake Huron with the proposed route of the Lake Superior, From Port Sanilac to Port Huron lightship their. course is the same as that given on the chart and usually followed by large boats. . I would suggest a course outside of this one; it would answer the purpose since it would be outside of all routes taken by upbound boats. same advantage of the lights and fog signals of the committee's route. From Port. Sanilac down by following a course midway between the usual course along the west shore of Lake Huron and the course from Port Huron light- ship to the entrance to Georgian Bay insures perfect safety on either hand. This outside course still has all the ad- vantages of the aids to navigation the same as the other, routes. Following-is a summary of the three tracks: The usual or chart 'distances on Lake Superior: Duluth to: Devil's: asland: .. 32... 68 mites, Devil's Island to Eagle Harbor... 126 & Eagle Harbor to Whitefish Pt.... 161% '" Total Jo004 7 * Carriers' committee as on Lake . It likewise has the Distances on Lake Superior as_ per courses proposed by the Lake Car- riers' committee: Duluth: to, Devil's ~ Island'. 3... 7: 70 ~--s miles. Devil's Island to a _ point 14 miles N. of Copper Harbor.... 138 a From a point 14 miles N. of Copper Harbor to Whitefish Pt.'.149 ARO Ni Maa Se eR ia rn ee 357 Ms Difference between usual and the proposed tracks 1% miles. Distances by a two course route on Lake Superior: Duluth to a point 29 -miles .SE Y% E from Passage Island light- house' ...:.. tas ea eee viene 210 miles. From the above point to a point . ; 6 miles riorth of Whitefish Pt. » lighthouse 2 ssa i272 208i. i573 157 Total bi tea ere ta seta ange t BOL : os The distance {by this route is 10 miles greater than the route proposed by the Lake Carriers' Association and 11% miles greater than the usual chart track: Artificial aids to navigation .on Blue route, Lake Superior: Devil's Island light . visible 18% miles; steam fog whistle; 7 miles from course. Isle Royal light visible 16 miles; dis- tant 15 miles from course. Caribou Island light. visible 17% miles; steam fog horn; distant 9 miles from course. Artificial aids to navigation on the route as proposed by the Lake Car- riers' committee, Lake Superior: Devil's Island light, 8 miles from course. ce Eagle Harbor light visible 15 miles; steam fog whistle; 12 miles from course. Copper -Harbor light visible 1534 miles; 14 miles from course. Manitou Island light visible 17 miles; steam fog whistle; 12 miles from course. Note.--Caribou Island light affords a better means of verifying thé course to Whitefish Pt. (on a two course route). and as .a point of departure for the same point (that is, to White- fish Pt.) than does Manitou Island light on the committee's route _ for the reasons already given. The same' thing may be said in regard to its fog whistle. True and correct. magnetic courses on Lake Superior according to the proposed route described by the Lake Carriers' Committee: Duluth to a point 8 miles north of Devil's Island, true NE by EE; cor. mag. NE by EYE. : Devil's Island to a point 14 miles north of Copper Harbor, true ENE3% E (E by N'Y%N); correct magnetic ENEXE (E by NSN). From a point 14 miles 'north' of Copper Harbor to 2 miles north of Whitefish Pt., true SE by EXE; cor- rect magnetic SE by EXE.