










 
 |
|
|
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
| |
Brewer
Bruce & Johnson's Marina
145 South Montowese Street
Branford, CT 06405
Manager: John McMahon
Phone:(203) 488-8329
Fax: (203) 488-5010
Email: bjm@byy.com
Buoy Ref:
Big Mermaid # "7"
Lat / Long: 41° 15.7' / 72° 48'5" |
 |
|
| DIRECTIONS
BY LAND |
| |
From
New Haven:
Take I-95 north New London - Providence to Exit #54 Cedar Street. At end on the ramp turn right onto Cedar Street. Further directions below:
From New London:
Take I-95 south to Exit #54 Cedar Street. At end of the ramp take a left onto Cedar Street. Further directions below:
From Hartford - Mass:
Take I-91 south to New Haven. Turn onto I-95 north to New London -Providence. Then follow directions from New Haven.
Once
on Cedar Street:
Follow Cedar Street across Route 1 to the end and make a left onto Main Street. At end of the town green turn right at the light onto Montowese Street. Follow Montowese Street for about 2 miles. You will go through one stop sign, under a railroad bridge and over the Branford River, then you will come to a second stop sign. At the second stop sign to road curves left and about ¼ mile take a right hand turn onto Block Island Road. Our sign is at the corner and follow Block Island to the end. WARNING: Low under pass (9'6") at Rail Road Bridge. Oversized
Deliveries (Over 9'):
Take exit #54 Cedar Street. At the end of Cedar Street take a right onto Main Street. At the next traffic light take a left onto Kirkham Street. After stop sign and over the railroad bridge take immediate left onto Indian Neck Ave. Follow Indian Neck Avenue, to the end. At stop sign, go straight onto Montowese Street. About ¼ mile take a right-hand turn onto Block Island Road. Our sign is at the corner and follow Block Island to the end.
|
 |
|
| DIRECTIONS
BY SEA |
| |
Branford Harbor Entrance Buoy, Cow & Calf R "34", Lat. 41° 14.3 N, Long. 72° 50.5 W. Follow marked channel into Branford River, NOAA Chart #12373. Bruce & Johnson's is the first marina on the right (east) bank of the river. Note: Cow & Calf R "34" is NOT a Branford channel marker; leave to port entering Branford River. REFER TO CHART 12373!!
Navigation
Tips
Over
the years I have seen numerous boaters run into problems returning to port during bad visibility or darkness. They usually manage to return to the outer buoys but don't know the course into the harbor. On a clear day, during daylight, this doesn't matter because they can easily see where they want to go. Fog, bad visibility or darkness changes the situation radically, sometimes with dire consequences. Some of these boat owners did not know how to plot the course into the harbor. Others did not have the proper chart, and some were shorthanded, alone or could not leave the helm due to the conditions they were faced with. In any case this was a disaster waiting to happen, and in some cases it did.
An easy way to avoid this is to sit down and plot the courses you might need AHEAD OF TIME!!!!!!! Make up a list of the courses and distances that you may need between the approach buoys. Also make a list of the critical approach buoys, including in the list: color, numbering, light characteristics and timing.
EXAMPLE:
R"34" Cow and Calf TO R"28" Negro Heads 110/290 1.86 miles
EXAMPLE:
R"34" Cow and Calf………..FL
R 2.5 sec
R"28" Negro Heads………...FL
R 4 sec
After making up the list of courses and buoys you think you may need, laminate the list and attach it in a prominent position near your helm. It is much easier to make such a list sitting at the dock than trying to plot a critical course under stress during bad weather or darkness.
Decrease your margin of error: Don't plot a course directly to the harbor entrance from a long distance away. Plot a course to a buoy that is near your destination with safe water all around it. Locate and identify that buoy and plot a course from there to the harbor entrance. A five degree error over twenty miles, due to compass error, steering, current, wind etc. will put you close to two miles off course. A five degree error from two miles away is approximately 1000 ft. It's not too difficult to figure out. In Branford I would make my initial destination - Townshend ledge or Branford Reef ( being careful to stay clear of the reef). Once I located and positively identified the mark, I would head for the harbor entrance.
Identify the buoy, light etc. that you have located. Get close enough to read the numbers/letters on the buoy. Be sure it is the one you are looking for. We've had several severe(expensive) groundings/sinkings where boat owners thought they were at a specific buoy and were actually at a different location. They then proceeded merrily on their way - until disaster struck.
Use your charts and compass. Don't rely entirely on your electronics - use them as a backup/aid which is what they were intended for. This is crucial in bad weather, darkness, and poor visibility. Safe boating is much more enjoyable…..and less expensive.
Beware Your Compass May Be
Wrong!!!
The magnetic compass on your boat may be giving you faulty information.Even a brand new compass, just out of the box, is not going to be accurate. Magnetic compasses must be compensated (adjusted) by a professional compass adjuster before they are used. This involves taking the compass adjuster for a trip on your boat to the outer harbor. He will then "swing" the compass and adjust out the error on all headings. The cost for this is usually between $100 and $200 depending on the type and number of compasses. It is well worth the price.
Compasses should be readjusted whenever anything metallic or electrical is installed or removed in the vicinity of the compass. Anything that is attracted to a magnet will alter the reading of the compass. Radios and speakers are the biggest offenders. Keying the mike on a VHF radio will throw the compass off even more than a radio that is not being used.
After you have had your compass compensated, you should check it occasionally. This can be done by entering a waypoint in your Loran or GPS that is several miles away but easily seen. If you steer toward the waypoint, you can compare the course on the GPS/Loran to the heading on your compass. You should do this for North, South, East, and West.
Don't forget that your compass may be your only means of navigating if your electronics fail.......and they do fail - remember the "Karen E". |
| |
|
|
|
 |
|

Click For Larger Dock Layout

Click For Large Map

Click For Large Chart

|