NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION
18480(US3WA01E) - APPROACHES TO STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA

INDEX:
AIDS TO NAVIGATION
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
DEPTHS
HEIGHTS
CAUTION - TEMPORARY
POLLUTION REPORTS
CAUTION - SUBMARINE PIPELINES AND CABLES
CAUTION - LIMITATIONS
NOAA VHF-FM WEATHER BROADCASTS
COLREGS, 80.1385 (see note A)
PUGET SOUND HARBOR SAFETY PLAN
VESSEL TRANSITING
NOTE A
AUTHORITIES
WARNING - PRUDENT MARINER
TIDAL INFORMATION
TRAFFIC SEPARATION SCHEME
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

NOTES:
AIDS TO NAVIGATION
Consult U.S. Coast Guard Light List for supplemental information concerning aids to navigation. See Canadian List of Lights, Buoys and Fog Signals for information not included in the U.S. Coast Guard Light List.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Consult U.S. Coast Pilot 7 for important supplemental information.

DEPTHS
At lowest normal tides in Canadian Territory.

HEIGHTS
Heights expressed in feet above Higher High Water, Larger Tides, in Canadian Territory.

CAUTION - TEMPORARY
Temporary changes or defects in aids to navigation are not indicated. See local Notice to Mariners.

POLLUTION REPORTS
Report all spills of oil and hazardous substances to the National Response Center via 1-800-424-8802 (toll free), or to the nearest U.S. Coast Guard facility if telephone communication is impossible (33 CFR 153).

CAUTION - SUBMARINE PIPELINES AND CABLES
Additional uncharted submarine pipelines and submarine cables may exist within the area of this chart. Not all submarine pipelines and submarine cables are required to be buried, and those that were originally buried may have become exposed. Mariners should use extreme caution when operating vessels in depths of water comparable to their draft in areas where pipelines and cables may exist, and when anchoring, dragging, or trawling. Covered wells may be marked by lighted or unlighted buoys.

CAUTION - LIMITATIONS
Limitations on the use of radio signals as aids to marine navigation can be found in the U.S. Coast Guard Light Lists and National Geospatial and Intelligence Agency Publication 117. Radio direction-finder bearings to commercial broadcasting stations are subject to error and should be used with caution.

NOAA VHF-FM WEATHER BROADCASTS
The National Weather Service station listed below provides continuous marine weather broadcasts. The range of reception is variable, but for most stations is usually 20 to 40 miles from the antenna site.

Neah Bay, WA	 KIH-36		162.55MHz
Forks, WA	 KXI-27		162.425 MHz

COLREGS, 80.1385 (see note A)
The Inland Navigational Rules Act of 1980 is in effect for vessels transiting this area. The seaward boundaries of this area are the COLREGS demarcation lines. In the area seaward of the COLREGS demarcation lines, vessels are governed by COLREGS: International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972. The entire area of this chart falls seaward of the COLREGS Demarcation Line except Quillayute River Entrance (COLREGS, 80.1380).

PUGET SOUND HARBOR SAFETY PLAN
The US Coast Guard and the Puget Sound Harbor Safety Committee have developed and adopted a Harbor Safety Plan that formally established a set of Standards of Care for Puget Sound and surrounding waters.  These Standards of Care are intended to supplement existing regulations by documenting good marine practices for a variety of operations including tug escorts, pilotage, anchoring, lightering, and provides additional information on required charts, Aids to Navigation and Emergency Response.  If your vessel does not already have a copy of the Puget Sound Harbor Safety Plan, log on to http://www.marineexchangesea.com or contact the Seattle Marine Exchange at (206) 443-3830.

VESSEL TRANSITING
The U.S. Coast Guard and the Pacific States/British Columbia Oil Spill Task Force endorse a system of voluntary measures and minimum distances from shore for certain commercial vessels transiting along the coast anywhere between Cook Inlet, Alaska and San Diego, California. See U.S. Coast Pilot 7 or 8, Chapter 3 for details.

NOTE A
Navigation regulations are published in Chapter 2, U.S. Coast Pilot 7. Additions or revisions to Chapter 2 are published in the Notice to Mariners. Information concerning the regulations may be obtained at the Office of the Commander, 13th Coast Guard District in Seattle, Washington or at the Office of the District Engineer, Corps of Engineers in Seattle, Washington. Refer to charted regulation section numbers.

AUTHORITIES
Hydrography and topography by the National Ocean Service, Coast Survey with additional data from the Corps of Engineers, U.S. Coast Guard, and surveys by the Canadian Hydrographic Service.

WARNING - PRUDENT MARINER
The prudent mariner will not rely solely on any single aid to navigation, particularly on floating aids. See U.S. Coast Guard Light List and U.S. Coast Pilot for details.

TIDAL INFORMATION
For tidal information see the NOS Tide Table publication or go to http://co-ops.nos.noaa.gov.

TRAFFIC SEPARATION SCHEME
One-way traffic lanes are RECOMMENDED for use by all vessels traveling between the points involved. They have been designated to aid in the prevention of collisions in the Strait of Juan De Fuca waters, but are not intended in any way to supersede or alter the applicable Rules of the Road. Separation zones are intended to separate inbound and outbound traffic and to be free of ship traffic. Separation Zones should not be used except for crossing purposes. When crossing traffic lanes and separation zones, use extreme caution. Precautionary Areas have been established where major lanes merge and cross the traffic separation scheme. It is recommended that vessels proceed with caution in these areas. Wherever practical, vessels entering or leaving the system should do so at these precautionary areas. For more information regarding Traffic Separation Scheme procedures and regulations, see 33 CFR 167 and/or chapter 2 of the US Coast Pilot. For information 
governing the VESSEL TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AND INFORMATION SYSTEM for the coastal waters of southern British Columbia, see National Imagery and Mapping Agency Publication 154, Sailing Directions (enroute) for British Columbia, and the Sailing Directions British Columbia Coast (South Portion) Volume 1, published by the Canadian Hydrographic Service.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Additional information can be obtained at www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov.

US000778 - National Marine Sanctuaries are protected areas, administered by NOAA which contain abundant and diverse natural resources such as marine mammals, seabirds, fishes, and tidepool invertebrates.  These areas are particularly sensitive to environmental damage such as spills of oil and other hazardous materials, discharges, and groundings.  Exercise particular caution and follow applicable Sanctuary regulations when transiting these areas to avoid environmental impacts.  A full description of Sanctuary regulations may be found in 15 CFR Part 922 and in the Coast Pilot.

US002088 - The recommended two-way route south of the traffic separation scheme (TSS) formalizes traffic patterns where slower vessels such as tug and barge traffic and fishing vessels pass starboard to starboard.  Slower moving traffic transiting eastbound should follow the route established south of the TSS and north of the recommended two-way route line depicted.  Slower moving traffic transiting westbound should follow the route established south of the recommended two-way route line.

USEFX40E - A Cooperative Vessel Traffic Service (CVTS) has been established by the United States and Canada within the adjoining water in the Juan de Fuca Region.  The appropriate Vessel Traffic Center (VTC) (Prince Rupert Traffic, Seattle Traffic, Victoria Traffic) administers the rules issued by both nations, however, it will enforce only its own set of rules within its jurisdiction.

USEGX40E - The U.S. Coast Guard operates a mandatory Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) system in U.S. waters covered by this chart.  Vessel operating procedures and designated radiotelephone frequencies are published in 33 CFR 161, the U.S. Coast Pilot, and/or the VTS User's Manual.

USEHX40E - In order to reduce the risk of a marine casualty and resulting pollution and damage to the environment of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, all ships and barges carrying cargoes of oil or hazardous materials, and all ships 1,600 gross tons and above solely in transit should avoid the area.

USEJX40E - Additional uncharted submarine pipelines and submarine cables may exist within the area of this chart.  Not all submarine pipelines and submarine cables are required to be buried, and those that were originally buried may have become exposed.  Mariners should use extreme caution when operating vessels in depths of water comparable to their draft in areas where pipelines and cables may exist, and when anchoring, dragging, or trawling.  Covered wells may be marked by lighted or unlighted buoys.

 His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, 2024. Published by the Canadian Hydrographic Service.  A licence is required from the Canadian Hydrographic Service (www.charts.gc.ca) to reproduce or distribute this work.