§ 334.1190 Hood Canal and Dabob Bay, Wash.; naval non-explosive torpedo testing area.

(a) Hood Canal in vicinity of Bangor —

(1) The area. All waters of Hood Canal between latitude 47°46′00″ and latitude 47°42′00″, exclusive of navigation lanes one-fourth nautical mile wide along the west shore and along the east shore south from the town of Bangor (latitude 47°43′28″).

(2) The regulations.

(i) The area will be used intermittently by the Navy for non-explosive torpedo ranging. Launching will be conducted only between 8:00 a.m., and sunset on days other than Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. At no time will the navigation lanes generally paralleling the shore be closed to navigation.

(ii) Navigation will be permitted within the area at all times except when naval exercises are in progress. No vessel shall enter or remain in the area when such exercises are in progress. Prior to commencement of an exercise, the Navy will make an aerial or surface reconnaissance of the area. Vessels under way and laying a course through the area will not be interfered with, but they shall not delay their progress. Vessels anchored or cruising in the area and vessels unobserved by the Navy reconnaissance which enter or are about to enter the area while a torpedo is in the water will be contacted by a Navy patrol boat and advised to steer clear. Torpedos will be tested only when all vessels or other craft have cleared the area.

(iii) When operations are in progress, use of the area will be indicated by the presence of Naval vessels flying a “Baker” (red) flag.

(iv) Notices of temporary suspension and revival of operations will be published in local newspapers and in Notice to Mariners published by the U.S. Coast Guard.

(b) Dabob Bay in the vicinity of Quilcene —

(1) The area. All waters of Dabob Bay beginning at latitude 47°39′27″, longitude 122°52′22″; thence northeasterly to latitude 47°40′19″, longitude 122°50′10″; thence northeasterly to a point on the mean high water line at Takutsko Pt.; thence northerly along the mean high water line to latitude 47°48′00″; thence west on latitude 47°48′00″ to the mean high water line on the Bolton Peninsula; thence southwesterly along the mean high water line of the Bolton Peninsula to a point on longitude 122°51′06″; thence south on longitude 122°51′06″ to the mean high water line at Whitney Pt.; thence along the mean water line to a point on longitude 122°51′15″; thence southwesterly to the point of beginning.

(2) The regulations.

(i) Propeller-driven or other noise-generating craft shall not work their screws or otherwise generate other than incidental noise in the area during periods of actual testing, which will be indicated by flashing red beacons at strategic locations, and all craft shall keep well clear of vessels engaged in such testing.

(ii) No vessel shall trawl or drag in the area.

(iii) No vessel shall anchor in the area except between the shore and the 10-fathom depth line.

(iv) Operations will normally be confined to the period from about 9:30 a.m., to 2:30 p.m., on Mondays through Fridays, and will normally consist of intermittent tests of less than 30 minutes duration, with boat passage permitted between tests. Transits of log-tows and other slow-moving traffic will be arranged on a mutually satisfactory individual basis as appropriate. Emergencies or high-priority projects may occasionally cause operations outside the periods specified above. No operations will be conducted on Sundays.

(c) The regulations in this section shall be enforced by the Commandant, Thirteenth Naval District, and such agencies as he may designate.

[26 FR 6515, July 20, 1961. Redesignated at 50 FR 42696, Oct. 22, 1985]