Escanaba (USESC)

Escanaba is a natural harbour with conditions permitting unobstructed use by the largest lake vessels; when the locks at Sault Ste.Marie, Michigan, then opened (usually in March) on Lake Superior and continued until these locks closed in January for the Winter. The port handles dry bulk, general cargo, cruise and passengers.

Escanaba is situated on the West shore of Lake Michigan, on the West side of Little Bay de Noc, 6nm NE of Ford River and 7nm NW of Peninsula Point.

LOA 233.79m, beam 24m, 35,019DWT.

Approx 1,000,000t of cargo handled annually.

Anchorage at Escanaba is available in the portion of the bay constituting the harbour, with natural depths of 9.1-12.1m at a distance of approx 609m from the shore.

Escanaba is on the west side of Little Bay de Noc, 6nm Northeast of Ford River and 7nm Northwest of Peninsula Point. A lighted red brick cylindrical building in the city is prominent. Sand Point, marked by a private light, extends east from shore. Escanaba River flows into the harbour 2.5nm northwest of Sand Point. The harbour has depths of 8.5m to 12.1m (28ft to 40ft) within a 0.4nm of the shoreline and give access to the largest Lakers. A new pier has been built, able to accommodate ocean-going vessels. Vessels Northbound from ports at the S end of Lake Michigan to Escanaba, should set a course no more than 8nm off Wind Point.

BA 4794. Admiralty Pilot NP286(5). US14915. US Coast Pilot 6 (Great Lakes).

A US Coast Guard Station is located at Washington Island, 25nm SE of Escanaba. (Tel: +1 920 847 3104).

The waters of Lake Michigan and Great Lakes are undesignated waters. Registered vessels of the United States and foreign vessels are required to use a United States or Canadian Registered Pilot or other officer qualified for Great Lakes undesignated waters. Registered Pilots for Lake Michigan are supplied by Western Great Lakes Pilots Association. Pilot exchange points are off Port Huron at the head of St. Clair River (approx 43°05'30"N., 82°24'42"W) and at De Tour, Michigan, at the entrance to St. Marys River.

Sand Point: Marked by private light. Extends E from the shoreline at the City. Escanaba Light (45°44'48"N., 87°02'13"W) has a height of 13.5m above the water and is displayed from a white square tower with a green stripe on a crib on the Northeast side of the shoal North of Sand Point. A marine radio activated sound signal at the light is initiated by keying the microphone five times on VHF-FM Ch 83A.

Submerged piling, approx 0.3nm SE of Iron Ore Dock No 6. Magnetic anomolies have been reported in the area, with differences from normal variation of up to 17°.

Unlike ocean shorelines, where the main cause of water level change is from the gravitational forces of the sun and moon, tidal level fluctuations in the Great Lakes are mainly caused by wind and barometric pressure changes. Consequently the Great Lakes are considered to be non-tidal.

Available.

Western Great Lakes Pilots Association: Tel: 715 392 5204 (Office); Fax: 715 392 1666. (Postal Address: P.O. Box 248, 1111 Tower Avenue, Superior, WI 54880-0248).

Escanaba is a Customs Station.

Please see country information for details of documentation requirements.

Should be sent from pilot embarkation point 36 and 24 hours in advance and any subsequent amendments of more than 3 hours. Vessels arriving in first US port: Please see country information.