NOTICE TO MARINERS

ST SAMPSON'S MARINA

The new St Sampson's Marina will be partially operational from January 2005. (The exact date will be announced in due course.) Work on the installation of pontoons and services will be on going and mariners and marina users are advised to use the facilities with extreme caution. More detailed information and larger scale charts are available at the Harbour Office.

The following information is issued to assist mariners using the Marina:

Impounded level: The sill and gate impound the water in the Marina at 4.5M above Chart Datum.

Depths: The marina is dredged to the following depths in relation to the impounded level. (Caution: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the survey but mariners are advised to navigate with extreme caution and allow suitable under keel clearance.)

Inner Marina 1.0M
Outer Marina - North of Fairway 1.8M
Outer Marina - South of Fairway 1.4M
Fairway - Gate to Le Crocq Pier 1.8M
Fairway - Le Crocq Pier Westward 1.0M

Tidal Gate: The gate is a single 17M wide tidally operated steel gate. It drops 1.0M as the tide reaches approximately 4.7M above Chart Datum. When the gate is down the height is 3.5M above Chart Datum. As the tide falls the gate will come up at approximately 4.7M.

Gate Signals: The position of the gate is sensed by micro switches and the traffic light signals displayed on Abraham's Bosom indicate the following:

Green Light Steady Gate in the down position
Orange Light Flashing Gate about to operate do not enter/leave
Red Light Steady Gate not fully down do not enter/leave

Gate depth Gauge: The fixed depth gauge indicates the depth of water when the gate is up. A steady green light indicates that the gate is in the down position. When the red or orange light is illuminated or flashing the gate is not fully down or about to move and mariners must assume that the gate is up.

Gate Navigation Marks: The inner edges of the concrete gate towers are marked with Port hand and Starboard hand posts. Care should be taken to avoid the corners of the gate towers.

Marina Approach: The approach in line with the Marina gate is dredged to a height of no more than 3.5M, ie the height of the gate in the down position.

Main Harbour: Leisure craft must not impede the passage of commercial vessels entering and leaving St Sampson's main harbour or in the approaches.

Main Harbour Light Signals: A fixed red light beamed landward with an all round flashing red strobe light above situated at the main entrance south pier head, indicates the movement of a large commercial vessel and prohibits entry or exit of all vessels without the permission of Port Control. (NB there are no exempted vessels in St Sampson's harbour). The flashing orange light which previously indicated that a commercial vessel is expected within the next 24 hours has been discontinued.

Commercial berths: No vessels are allowed to berth on any commercial berths without permission from Port Control.

Fuelling: There is a diesel only fuelling berth on the east side of Abraham's Bosom for over the wall refuelling. This is by prior booking with either Shell or Esso. Petrol refuelling is available in St Peter Port. No vessels are to be left on the refuelling pontoon berth.

HAZARDS

Revetments. There is a rubble revetment around the edge of the Marina at the foot of the harbour walls and at the toe of Le Crocq Beach. It is under the pontoons on the north and south side of the outer Marina. It is a hazard to navigation in the following areas:

Inner Marina south side extending to 12.0M
Inner Marina west side extending to 10.0M
North of Le Crocq Pier extending to 4.5M
West of Abraham's Bosom extending to 6.5M
Le Crocq Beach extending to 6.5M
East end of Le Crocq Pier extending to 6.5M
South of Marine and General Slipway extending to 4.5M
South of Marine and General Yard extending to 6.0M

Marine and General Shipyard. The Shipyard slipway extends below the impounded water level to the dredged depth of 3.5M above Chart Datum to the north side of Le Crocq Pier.

The Shipyard has laid foundations for a boat hoist to the south west side of the main slipway. These foundations rise to 4.7M above Chart Datum and are marked by a South Cardinal Mark at the outer extremity and a line of bobbers to the west.

Drying area. To the south of the land reclamation area and on the north side of the fairway into the inner Marina is a drying area that extends 7.0M before sloping down to dredged level. It is at 5.2M above Chart Datum. There is a water discharge vent 20M from the west end at about 1.0M above the drying area.

Le Crocq slipway. This slipway extends below the impounded water level. The slope increases at the impounded water level and reaches dredged level by the line of the north side of Le Crocq Pier.

GUERNSEY HARBOUR MASTER

10 December 2004