Canadian Coast Guard
www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca
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Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) Support - Sarnia Traffic Zone
The fundamental objectives of all Vessel Traffic Services world wide are:
- To facilitate the safe and efficient movement of marine traffic;
- To safeguard the environment.
Explanation
The world has high risk areas in which shipping must be extremely careful when transiting. Vessel Traffic Services Centres throughout the world have been established to protect the waters where people live.
Pollution from shipping is a fundamental problem around the world today and the results of a pollution incident could be devastating and have a long-lasting effect on the environment and communities it serves.
Sarnia MCTS has a Vessel Traffic Service which was established to achieve the objectives as mentioned above.
Notmar 25 for vessel traffic services information and regulations. (downloadable version of Notices to Mariners #25)
Application
The St. Clair and Detroit River Navigation Safety Regulations apply to:
- Subject to subsections (2), (3) and (4), these Regulations apply to:
- All ships in the Canadian waters, and
- All Canadian ships in the United States' waters of the lakes and rivers between buoys "1" of the East and West Outer Channels at the Lake Erie entrance to the Detroit River and Lake Huron Cut light buoy "11" and including the Rouge River and Short Cut Canal from Detroit Edison Cell Light "1" to the head of navigation.
- Sections 5, 6 and 7 apply to every ship that is required by the Ship Station Radio Regulations to be fitted with a bridge-to-bridge radiotelephone.
- Section 12 applies to:
- power-driven ships of 55 metres or more in length;
- ships of 20 metres or more in length propelled wholly by sails and not being propelled by mechanical means;
- vessels engaged in towing another vessel astern, alongside or by pushing ahead; and
- floating plants.
- Sections 10, 11, and 12 do not apply to a ship that is:
- owned by or in the service of the government of Canada or the United States and that is engaged in icebreaking, search and rescue or servicing aids to navigation; or
- engaged in river or harbour improvements where other ships have been warned of those operations and where that ship is operated in a safe and prudent manner.
Sarnia Vessel Traffic Services Areas
1.1 Sarnia Vessel Traffic Services Zone is comprised of the waters from Lake Huron Cut light buoy "11" to buoys "1" in the East and West Outer Channels in Lake Erie.
1.2 Sarnia Vessel Traffic Services Areas are comprised of Canadian waters in Lake Huron from Detour Reef light to Lake Huron Cut light buoy "11", and Canadian waters Lake Erie from East and West Outer Channel buoys "1" to Long Point light. Ships in these areas are required to guard the International Distress, Safety and Calling Frequency 156.8 MHz (Channel 16).
1.3 All vessels operating in the area north of the Harbour Beach/Point Clark line will be answered by Thunder Bay MCTS Centre on behalf of Sarnia MCTS. The identifier "Sarnia Traffic" may still be used.
| Sector | Boundaries |
|---|---|
| 1 | The waters of Lake Huron, the St. Clair River and Lake St. Clair from a line running 090 degrees - 270 degrees True through Detour Reef light, 45° 56' 54'' N, 83° 54' 12'' W to a line joining Lake St. Clair light buoy "24", 42° 27' 53'' N, 82° 45' 03'' W. |
| 2 | The waters of Lake St. Clair, the Detroit River and Lake Erie from a line joining Lake St. Clair light, 42° 27' 54'' N, 82° 45' 18'' W and Lake St. Clair light buoy "24", 42° 27' 53'' N, 82° 45' 03'' W to a line running 152 degrees True from Long Point light 42° 32' 55'' N, 80° 02' 57.4'' W in Lake Erie. |
| Sector | Identifier | Channel | Frequency - MHz |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Sarnia Traffic" | 11 | 156.55 |
| 2 | "Sarnia Traffic" | 12 | 156.60 |
| Number | Sector | Name | General Geographic Description | Description and Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A * | 1 | Detour - Cordwood Point | At Detour Reef light for vessels enroute to or from Lake Michigan, a line joining Detour Reef light and Cordwood Point light buoy "1". | For vessels traversing St. Mary's River, a line running 090 degrees - 270 degrees True through 45° 56' 54'' N and 83° 54' 12'' W. For vessels enroute to or from Lake Michigan, a line joining 45° 56' 54'' N, 83° 54' 12'' W and 45° 40' 53'' N, 84° 18' 05'' W. These vessels should specify Cordwood Point. |
| B * | 1 | Great Duck Island | A line joining Great Duck Island light and Presque Isle light. | A line running from 45° 38' 30'' N, 82° 57' 48'' W to 45° 21' 24'' N, 83° 29' 30'' W. |
| C * | 1 | Cove Island | At Cove Island light for vessels enroute to or from Georgian Bay. | A line running 000 degrees True from 45° 19' 37'' N, 81° 44' 07'' W. |
| D * | 1 | Harbour Beach/ Point Clark |
At Harbour Beach light or Point Clark light. Mariners should specify Point Clark when following Georgian Bay courses and Harbour Beach at all other times. | A line joining Harbour Beach light and Point Clark light from 43° 50' 42'' N, 82° 37' 54'' W to 44° 04' 22.1'' N, 81° 45' 25.6'' W |
| 1 | 1 | 30 minutes north of Lake Huron Cut light buoy "11" | 30 minutes north of Lake Huron Cut light buoy "11" and "12" (downbound only) | |
| E | 1 | Lake Huron Cut light buoy "11" | At Lake Huron Cut light buoy "11" |
A line running 090 degrees - 270 degrees True through 43° 03' 36'' N, 82° 25' 06'' W |
| 2 | 1 | Lake Huron Cut light buoy "7" | At Lake Huron Cut light buoy "7" (downbound only) | A line running 090 degrees - 270 degrees True through 43° 03' 36'' N, 82° 25' 06'' W |
| 3 | 1 | Lake Huron Cut light buoy "1" | At Lake Huron Cut light buoy "1" (upbound only) | A line running 090 degrees - 270 degrees True through 43° 00' 37'' N, 82° 24' 53'' W |
| 4 | 1 | Black River | At St. Clair/Black River junction light. | On north shore of river entrance. 42° 58' 24'' N, 82° 25' 12'' W |
| 5 | 1 | Stag Island upper light | At Stag Island upper light (upbound only) | A line running 090 degrees True from 42° 54' 25'' N, 82° 27' 57.5'' W |
| 6 | 1 | Salt Dock | At Marine City Salt Dock light |
A line running 110 degrees True from 42° 41' 16.8'' N, 82° 30' 20.5'' W |
| 7 | 1 | Light 23 | At Grande Pointe light "23" (downbound only) | A line joining 42° 35' 07'' N, 82° 33' 23.5'' W and 42° 35' 04'' N, 82° 33' 10'' W |
| 8 | 1 | Light 2 | A line joining St. Clair Flats Canal light "2" and St. Clair Cutoff pier light "X32/1" (upbound only) | A line running from 42° 31' 06'' N, 82° 41' 12'' W to 42° 30' 54'' N, 82° 41' 08'' W |
| 9 | 1 | Lake St. Clair light | At Lake St. Clair light | A line running from Lake St. Clair light, 42° 27' 54'' N, 82° 45' 18'' W to Lake St. Clair light buoy "24", 42° 27' 53'' N, 82° 45' 03'' W |
| 10 | 2 | Station Belle Isle | At Belle Isle light (downbound only) | A line running 150 degrees True from 42° 20' 24'' N, 82° 57' 36'' W |
| 10A | 2 | Rouge River | 20 minutes before entering or leaving the Rouge River or Short Cut Canal | |
| 10B | 2 | Rouge River | Immediately before entering or leaving the Rouge River or Short Cut Canal | A line running from 42° 16' 26'' N, 83° 06' 36'' W to 42° 16' 31'' N, 83° 06' 33.5'' W |
| 11 | 2 | Grassy Island light | At Grassy Island | A line running 090 degrees - 270 degrees True through 42° 13' 30'' N, 83° 08' 00'' W |
| 12 | 2 | Detroit River light | At Detroit River light | A line running 090 degrees - 270 degrees True through 42° 00' 01'' N, 83° 08' 30'' W |
| F | 2 | Southeast Shoal | At Southeast Shoal light | A line from 41° 54' 33'' N, 82° 30' 36'' W to Southeast Shoal light 41° 49' 35'' N, 82° 27' 47'' W then to Marblehead light, 41° 32' 12'' N, 82° 42' 42'' W. |
| G | 2 | Long Point | A line joining Long Point light to the south shore of Lake Erie. | A line running 152 degrees True from 42° 32' 55'' N, 80° 02' 58'' W to 42° 14' 35'' N, 79° 49' 44'' W |
| * Calls directed to Sarnia Traffic in northern Lake Huron will be answered by Thunder Bay MCTS Centre. |
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Alphabetical C-I-P's identify voluntary calling-in-points in the Sarnia VTS Areas.
Numerical C-I-P's identify mandatory calling-in-points under the St. Clair and Detroit River Navigation Safety Regulations.
All times shall be given in Eastern Standard time or Eastern Daylight Saving time, whichever is in effect.
Mariners should refer to the St. Clair and Detroit River Navigation Safety Regulations for details regarding the mandatory section of the Sarnia VTS Zone.
