ST JOHN
Saint John New BrunswickSaint John Harbor (45°16'N., 66°03'E.) Saint John Harbor, at the mouth of the Saint John River, is open to shipping all year. It is important as a winter port when the St. Lawrence River is obstructed by ice. Saint John is the most important commercial center in New Brunswick and carries on a considerable trade with all parts of the world. A sugar refinery, oil refinery, pulp and paper mills, and other industries are situated in the Saint John area. The area consists of four sections: Saint John, on the peninsula Courtenay Bay from the Saint John River; East Saint John, E of Courtenay Bay; West Saint John, W of the harbor entrance; and Lancaster, W of West Saint John.
The Saint John River is the largest river flowing through the Province of New Brunswick, and is navigable for small craft as far as Fredericton, the capital of the province.
Winds—Weather-During the winter months, the prevailing winds are from the NW. From April through August, winds are usually from the SE, S, and SW. Gales occur in winter and early spring.
Fogs are rather frequent, particularly in the early part of the day, from the middle of June to the end of August. November and December have the least fog. Ice
Due to the large tidal range in Saint John Harbor, it is stated that the formation of ice in the harbor is almost impossible and that field ice never drifts into the entrance of the harbor from the Bay of Fundy.
Saint John Harbor—Coast Guard Wharf (foreground) and Pugsley Wharf from NThe ice which does form in the Saint John River terminates 3 miles above Reversing Falls (45°15.7'N., 66°05.3'W.), at the head of harbor, and is prevented by them from escaping into the harbor. When the ice does break up in the spring, it is rotten and completely pulverized when coming down over the falls.
Tides—Currents - Saint John Harbor is noted for extremely high tides, strong tidal currents, and significant currents caused by the outflow from the Saint John River through the harbor and its approach channels, especially during the spring freshet in April and May. At spring tides the range is about 8.8m.
There is a conflict between the strong tidal currents and the river current; when the river is high, the current is stronger and lasts longer against a flood tidal current. The river normally rises 24 hours after a heavy rain, and it is at its highest during the spring freshet. East winds reduce the effect of ebb tidal currents and increase the amount of salt water entering the harbor during the flood current.
During the spring freshet, the great volume of water discharging from the river causes a constant outgoing surface flow to a considerable depth, which at times attains a velocity of 5 knots in the main harbor. When these conditions prevail, vessels entering or
departing from Coutenay Bay may be restricted to a maximum draft of 8.5m and daylight movements only.
Even with normal conditions, because of the outflow from the river, the surface flow may be misleading with a rising tide. After half tide, rising, an outward surface flow may still be very evident, while underneath but coming nearer the surface as the tide continues to rise, a strong inward current may exist. From approximately half tide, falling, the whole movement of the water is outward.
The following conditions were observed in the channel opposite Negro Point (45°15'N., 66°04'W.), in the month of August with tides of average range: At a depth of 6.1m, the flood tidal current began 3 hours after LW, and the ebb current about 2 hours 30 minutes after HW. On the surface, the ebb rate rose to 2.5 knots, and the flood rate to 1.75 knots; at a depth of 3m, the rates were 1.5 knots and 1 knot, respectively.
Saint John Harbor—Forest Products Terminal
Density current.—The hydraulic conditions in Saint John Harbor can best be described as a wedge of salt water that advances and recedes beneath the river water under the influence of the tide. There is a clearly defined layering of water throughout the area, forming an interface between the two bodies of water. With the difference in the relative density of each layer, mixing between them will occur. As the deeper and denser salt water mixes upward into a fresher layer, it is carried outward and the water thus lost is replaced by more inflowing deep water. This is known as a density current, an undercurrent that has been recorded to be as high as 1.8 knots.
At HW the entire movement is inflowing. While at half tide falling, after the change in flow at Reversing Falls, the entire water movement is outward.
Mixing of salt and fresh water occurs in the main harbor and carries on upstream through the Reversing Falls. At the entrance to Courtenay Bay (45°15'N., 66°03'W.), a complex circular motion of water exists. There is a minimal flow of fresh water into the bay, and as a result the density current is not as strong as in the main harbor. These conditions vary somewhat during the freshet.
Salinity.—The salinity of the water in the harbor varies with the state of the tide. During the spring freshet, the water in the main harbor is almost all fresh.
Depths—Limitations — The channel into the main section of Saint John Harbor is 180m wide and dredged to a depth of 8.4m along the range line. Maximum tidal range in the channel is 9.1m. The channel leading into Courtenay Bay lies to the W of the breakwater and has a dredged depth of 5.3m along the range line. Lesser depths occur along the sides of both channels. The channel to Courtney Bay has a minimum width of 152m.
Small vessels and small craft proceeding beyond the head of the harbor and farther up the Saint John River will encounter a road bridge, with a vertical clearance of 23m, close W of Navy Island Terminal and a road and rail bridge at Reversing Falls, with a vertical clearance of 24m.
The largest drydock has a length of 427m, a width of 38m, and a depth of 13m over the sill. When needed, this drydock can be lengthened.
Note.—Due to continuous silting in the harbor, the dredged depths are subject to change. The main harbor channel has required little dredging in the past; however, silting is a more serious problem in Courtenay Bay, where maintenance dredging is usually done annually. With the exception of the dredged portions, Courtenay Bay is entirely occupied by drying sand and mud flats.
The bridge across the Saint John River, above the main harbor, has a clearance of 23m. Fixed white lights are fitted on the two bridge piers, one on each side of the channel, visible from both directions.
Aspect—
Inner approaches to Saint John.—Partridge Island (45°14'N., 66°03'W.), about 2 miles ENE of Sheldon Point, is 24m high and surrounded by reefs and shoals extending to about 275m NE of the island. A light is shown from the highest part of the island and a monument is conspicuous about 0.1 mile SSW of the light. Negro Point (Negrotown Point) (45°15'N., 66°04'W.), the SE point of West Saint John, lies about 0.5 mile NNW of Partridge Island, to which it is connected by a breakwater.
Between Negro Point and Sheldon Point, about 2 miles SW, a coastal bank, with depths of less than 5.5m, extends about 0.8
mile from the shore. Shag Rocks, one of which is 1.2m high, lie on this bank, about 1 mile W of Partridge Island.
The entrance channel to Saint John Harbor lies E of Partridge Island and is buoyed. Range lights, in line bearing 333.5°, lead into Saint John Harbor.
Courtenay Bay (45°15'N., 66°03'W.) lies between Red Head and the Saint John Peninsula. A breakwater extends about 1 mile SSW from the NE side of the bay, about 1.3 miles NNW of Red Head. The dredged channel into Courtenay Bay lies W of the breakwater and is marked by buoys; a directional light marks the outer portion of the dredged channel. Courtney Bay range lights, in line bearing 021°, are shown from the E side of the bay. Each light is shown from a skeleton tower with a fluorescent red daymark having a black vertical stripe.
Three conspicuous chimneys, each 110m high, painted in red and white horizontal bands, are situated about 1.3 miles NE of the head of Courtenay Bay Breakwater. There are two conspicuous red cranes in the dry dock area to the W of these chimneys.
An Atlantic Sugar Refineries plant is conspicuous about 0.7 mile NW of the latter breakwater head. The Armories are situated about 275m NW of the sugar refinery building.
In West Saint John, the Canadian Pacific Railway elevator, 64m high, is conspicuous about 0.8 mile W of the same breakwater head. The National Harbour Board grain elevator is conspicuous about 0.3 mile farther NW.
In Courtenay Bay, a number of deep water berths are located around the edge of an irregularly-shaped dredged area in the bay; in other palaces, the bay is occupied by drying sands and mud flats. Major installations include a bulk potash terminal, with conspicious storage sheds, at Barrack Point; a number of tanker berths and oil depots; and a large shipyard with a graving dock.
Pilotage—Pilotage is compulsory. The pilot boarding station is in position 45°10.8'N, 66°03.7'W, about 3.5 miles S of Partridge Island. The pilot vessel (black hull with white band and white deckhouse, 19m long) is equipped with radar, VHF radiotelephone, and radiotelegraph; VHF channel 12 is guarded when underway. Also available is Halifax Marine Radio Station (call sign VCS) and Coast Guard Traffic Center on VHF channels 12, 14, and 16.
Pilots should be obtained from the Atlantic Pilotage Authority 12 hours before arrival at the pilot boarding station. The time used must be GMT. The ETA must be confirmed or corrected 4 hours before arrival at the pilot boarding station.
The master of a vessel that is to depart or move within the compulsory pilotage area must request a pilot from the Atlantic Pilotage Authority 4 hours before the ETD. Local time should be used. If GMT is used it must be expressly stated.
A large fleet of tugs operate within the port. The use of tugs is compulsory for berthing and and unberthing at Canaport Oil Terminal. The use of one or more is recommended when berthing and unberthing in other parts of the harbor.
Canaport Oil Terminal (45°12'N., 65°59'W.), a deep-water oil terminal operated by Irving Oil Company, is situated 0.6 mile S of Mispec Point (45°12'N., 65°59'W.). The largest tanker berth, in the E approach to Saint John Harbor can accommodate ULCCs up to 400,000 dwt in a depth of 37m; vessels are moored during during daylight hours only in favorable weather conditions. Generally, the berths at the commercial terminals have 12.2m depth.
The terminal also consists of an SBM connected to the tank farm at Mispec Piont by submarine pipelines. A restricted area, with a radius of 0.5 mile centered on the SBM, comes into force when tankers approach, discharge, and depart the terminal.
Vessel Traffic Service.—A VTS center at Saint John administers a mandatory system for all vessels 20m in registered length or more. Vessels of less than 20m in length are encouraged to maintain a listening watch on the appropriate VTS channel when navigating in the Fundy Zone.
Regulations—
Traffic Separation Scheme.—For vessels approaching or departing from Saint John Harbor, there is a traffic separation scheme situated about 15 miles SSW of Partridge Island, in use in the approaches to the pilot boarding station. Its use is compulsory for all ships of 20m in length or more, during both day and night, and in all weather conditions. The International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea must be observed at all times while using the Traffic Separation Scheme.
Vessels maneuvering or otherwise underway in Saint John Harbor, and also while at an alongside berth or at anchor, are subject to the Saint John Port Corporation By-Law "Operating Regulations". A copy of these regulations may be obtained from the corporation. The harbor limit extends across the entrance to the harbor, 0.5 mile S of Musquash Head.
These Operating Instructions require that no vessel shall move in a harbor at a rate of speed that may endanger life or property.
The port corporation has wide powers over vessels in its harbors, and may order vessels to move, to use tugs, to berth or anchor in locations which it designates. Certain restrictions on berthing and anchoring are set forth, along with the requirements for vessels to inform the port in advance of their intention to berth or anchor in the harbor.
Vessels are regulated with respect to cargo-handling operations, and the equipment and lighting employed in these operations. Instructions for signalling, action in the event of accidents, cargo or gear lost overboard, and safety requirements are included.
There are specific vessel regulations for the carriage and handling of explosives and dangerous goods, as well as rules to be observed in the prevention of fire.
Due to tidal conditions in the harbor, the average ship’s gangway is not long enough; a longer one may be rented from the port corporation.
Signals—Vessels requesting pilots should show the International Signals required for pilots by day or night. In abnormal weather
such as fog, snow, or heavy rain, the vessel requesting a pilot should, in addition to the regular signals, sound four long blasts, at intervals until the pilot vessel is situated. The pilot vessel will, in addition to the regular signals, sound four short blasts at intervals.
Anchorage—Designated anchorage areas A, B, C, and D are established within the port limits in the approaches to the harbor.
Anchorage A, in the SW approaches, is bounded by lines joining the following positions:
a. 45°13.3'N, 66°04.9'W.
b. 45°13.3'N, 66°03.3'W.
c. 45°11.4'N, 66°04.6'W.
d. 45°11.9'N, 66°05.9'W.
Anchorage B, adjoining the S boundary of Anchorage A, is bounded by lines joining the following positions:
a. 45°11.9'N, 66°05.9'W.
b. 45°11.4'N, 66°04.6'W.
c. 45°08.1'N, 66°06.7'W.
d. 45°08.1'N, 66°11.3'W.
Anchorage C, in the SE approaches, is bounded by lines joining the following positions:
a. 45°11.3'N, 66°02.3'W.
b. 45°11.3'N, 66°01.0'W.
c. 45°10.5'N, 66°00.0'W.
d. 45°10.0'N, 66°00.0'W.
e. 45°10.0'N, 66°00.5'W.
f. 45°10.7'N, 66°02.6'W.
Anchorage D, adjoining the S boundary of Anchorage C, is bounded by lines joining the following positions:
a. 45°10.7'N, 66°02.6'W.
b. 45°10.0'N, 66°00.5'W.
c. 45°10.0'N, 66°00.0'W.
d. 45°08.1'N, 66°00.0'W.
e. 45°08.1'N, 66°04.0'W.
Pilotage is compulsory in Anchorage A and in the N parts of Anchorage B and Anchorage C. A continuous listening watch on VHF channel 12 should be maintained by vessels at anchor, in compliance with the Coast Guard Traffic Center. Vessels should be ready to proceed or maneuver on short notice.
Herring purse seining operations are conducted in Anchorage A from November 1 to April 1. Vessels should exercise caution and avoid fouling nets.
Caution—A line consisting of foam and small bits of debris stretches across the approaches to Saint John Harbor. Its location changes with the state of the tide, but it should be the most visible at half flood tide before SW at Reversing Falls.
On the outside of this line, the seawater is slightly tainted in color with the yellowish green tinge of fine sandy particles held in suspension. The fresher surface water on the inside is deep brown in color.
Dredged channels are subject to constant silting; mariners are advised to contact the port authorities for the latest information.