# Written practice and answer keys

Study practice, not an official USCG marking scheme. Use your own wording; check the critical facts and units. The ten main answers below are taken directly from the shared brief/audio curriculum.

## 1. Geography and landmarks

**Prompt:** Give the essential local knowledge for geography and landmarks.

**Answer:** Kachemak Bay opens into eastern Cook Inlet between **Anchor Point, north**, and **Seldovia Point, south**. Homer Spit is low gravel and shingle, **4.5 miles long and 100-500 yards wide**. **Coal Point** is its outer end, marked by Homer Spit Light 3. Coal Bay lies northeast of the Spit. Bluff Point rises to **750 ft**. Homer airport lights operate when needed by aircraft; the Deep Water Dock loading tower and eight harbor light towers are prominent. The research reserve lies east of the **Anchor Point-Point Pogibshi** line.

## 2. Approaches

**Prompt:** Give the essential local knowledge for approaches.

**Answer:** From the south, pass **2-5 NM west of Point Adam and Flat Island**, then **1.5-3 NM off Point Pogibshi**. For Homer berths or anchorage, the Coast Pilot gives an approach about **1 NM south of Homer Spit Light 3**. From the north, keep **3 NM off Bluff Point and 5 NM off Anchor Point**. Allow for current and weather. Give **Archimandritof Shoals west of Homer Spit** a wide berth; use the largest-scale chart and do not steer toward town or harbor lights as an approach guide.

## 3. Traffic and broadcasts

**Prompt:** Give the essential local knowledge for traffic and broadcasts.

**Answer:** Large ships and tug/barge traffic operate year-round. Ferries, fishing vessels and tour boats also use the bay; small-craft traffic increases in summer. Large ships and tugs with barges make **Securite broadcasts abeam Flat Island and Anchor Point**, and when leaving an anchorage, berth or pilot station. Give **name, speed, course, destination and position** on **VHF 16**, within 60 seconds; monitor **13** bridge-to-bridge and **10** for tugs.

## 4. Tides and currents

**Prompt:** Give the essential local knowledge for tides and currents.

**Answer:** Homer has a large tidal range: roughly **16 ft mean and 18 ft great diurnal**. Allow for changing depth and swinging room. Flood sets **NE at 1-2 knots**; ebb sets **SW-W**. Currents up to **4 knots** are reported. Set at the bay mouth is uncertain. Eddies occur east of Homer Spit on both flood and ebb.

## 5. Weather and ice

**Prompt:** Give the essential local knowledge for weather and ice.

**Answer:** **NE winds** prevail from late fall to early spring; **SW winds** prevail otherwise. Winds are strongest in late summer/early fall; winter storms can quickly raise **6-8 ft seas**. Anchor Point is especially exposed. Summer fog may persist over open water after harbors clear; SW winds hold fog against the eastern shore. **January-March**, strong NE winds drive ice from the bay head onto Homer facilities. Slush and pan ice may extend **500 yards offshore**; severe cold can clog the harbor entrance and form **4-6 inches of ice**.

## 6. Pilotage and port services

**Prompt:** Give the essential local knowledge for pilotage and port services.

**Answer:** Pilotage is compulsory except for exempt vessels. **SWAPA: 36 hours' notice; dispatch 90 minutes before the pilot station; pilot boat 30 minutes out on VHF 10 or 16.** The pilotage section places the station **1 NM south of Homer Spit**. Paragraph 1399 describes a **0.75 NM track south of Light 3, 8-10 knots, starboard ladder 1 m above water**. Paragraph 1349 separately gives **0.5 NM for pickup**, versus **1 NM for berths/anchorage**. Agree the boarding track with the pilot boat; these are distinct descriptions. Arrange tugs in advance. Port Director/harbormaster: **VHF 16 and 10**. Customs and immigration are arranged through Anchorage.

## 7. Anchorages

**Prompt:** Give the essential local knowledge for anchorages.

**Answer:** Medium/large vessels: **at least 1 NM NE of Homer Spit Light 3, 10-23 fathoms, soft bottom**. Large-vessel reference anchorage: **Sixty Foot Rock in line with Coal Point, 1 NM NNE of Coal Point, 22 fathoms**. Smaller vessels: **2-10 fathoms**, mud, northeast of the Spit. Keep clear of shoal water, the Coal Bay wreck and charted cable areas.

## 8. Anchor watch and heavy weather

**Prompt:** Give the essential local knowledge for anchor watch and heavy weather.

**Answer:** Maintain a **24-hour bridge watch by an English-speaking deck officer**. Report dragging promptly to **Sector Anchorage or MSD Homer**. For the Coast Pilot gale trigger, **forecast/actual winds exceeding 34 knots**, have propulsion immediately available, check position and under-keel clearance **at least every 15 minutes**, and ready the second anchor. For its storm trigger, **exceeding 48 knots**, also discuss more scope, suitable standby tugs, a pilot and possible departure to sea with the Coast Guard, SWAPA and agent.

## 9. Docks

**Prompt:** Give the essential local knowledge for docks.

**Answer:** **Pioneer:** 469-ft outer face, dolphins accommodating ships to **750 ft**; **40 ft reported alongside**, 32-ft deck. Eddy sets **east on flood and ebb, stronger on ebb**. **Deep Water:** 324-ft face plus 450 ft of mooring facilities; **40 ft reported alongside**, 28-ft deck. **Flood sets on; ebb sets off, more strongly.** Portside-to is recommended on the outer face except for certain large-vessel loading operations. **Fish Dock:** 383-ft face; **20 ft reported alongside**, 31-ft deck.

## 10. Hazards and chart cautions

**Prompt:** Give the essential local knowledge for hazards and chart cautions.

**Answer:** **Coal Bay is shoal and contains a wreck covered 3 ft**. Archimandritof Shoals extend west from the Spit; depths in part were reported in 1996 as **2 fathoms less than charted**, not 2 fathoms deep. Expect irregular depths and detached boulders inside the north-shore **10-fathom curve**, dense fishing traffic/fixed gear, and charted cable areas. Use the chart's specific caution notes alongside this narrative.

## Three area practice sets

### Seldovia

**Seldovia Bay: anchorage essentials?**

0.8 NM south of Light 3; 9–10 fathoms; sticky bottom; exposed to strong south winds.

Source: Reviewed written brief; Coast Pilot 9, 13 September 2026

**Seldovia: entrance and current?**

Shoals under 3 fathoms; channel about 100 yards; Red Bluff rock uncovers 4 ft; current 2-3 knots.

Source: Coast Pilot 9, 13 Sept 2026, paragraphs 1322-1335

### Port Graham

**Port Graham: entrance preference and anchorage?**

North of Passage Island; 10–17 fathoms inside; avoid cables.

Source: Reviewed written brief; Coast Pilot 9, 13 September 2026

**Port Graham: which entrance and what to avoid?**

North of Passage Island preferred. South route unsuitable for strangers. Entrance reefs and heavy rips; avoid cable area.

Source: Coast Pilot 9, 13 Sept 2026, paragraphs 1302-1314

### Other bays and passages

**Kasitsna: anchorage and wind warning?**

12-15 fathoms; southeast williwaws.

Source: Coast Pilot 9, 13 Sept 2026, paragraphs 1361-1368

**Jakolof: entrance caution and cable?**

Restricted rocky entrance; local knowledge. Overhead cable clearance 51 ft.

Source: Coast Pilot 9, 13 Sept 2026, paragraphs 1361-1368

**Yukon-Hesketh versus Yukon-Cohen?**

Yukon-Hesketh not recommended: midchannel shoal 2.5 fathoms. Yukon-Cohen midchannel 9 fathoms.

Source: Coast Pilot 9, 13 Sept 2026, paragraphs 1369

**Eldred Passage: northern entrance?**

Bar 10.5-12 fathoms; Anisom Point shoal projects west.

Source: Coast Pilot 9, 13 Sept 2026, paragraphs 1369

**Tutka: entrance, anchorage and cable?**

Pinnacles and shoals; no desirable large-vessel anchorage. Cable clearance 78 ft.

Source: Coast Pilot 9, 13 Sept 2026, paragraphs 1370

**Sadie: entrance and cable?**

Foul ground off entrance points. Cable clearance 170 ft.

Source: Coast Pilot 9, 13 Sept 2026, paragraphs 1372

**China Poot: tide, chop and cable?**

Nearly dries; strong currents. Ebb with SW wind makes chop. Cable clearance 152 ft.

Source: Coast Pilot 9, 13 Sept 2026, paragraphs 1374

**Peterson Bay: west channel depth?**

Controlling depth 1 fathom.

Source: Coast Pilot 9, 13 Sept 2026, paragraphs 1375

**Halibut Cove: anchorage and shoals?**

Anchorage 23 fathoms. Shoals 4 and 4.75 fathoms due east of light. Inner western entrance foul.

Source: Coast Pilot 9, 13 Sept 2026, paragraphs 1428

**Halibut Lagoon entrance at low water?**

Swift shallow stream. Do not confuse lagoon entrance with the outer cove.

Source: Coast Pilot 9, 13 Sept 2026, paragraphs 1429

**Bear Cove: depth and limitations?**

12 fathoms; violent williwaws; restricted swinging room; rock awash about 0.4 NM from head.

Source: Coast Pilot 9, 13 Sept 2026, paragraphs 1430