MDK 448 License Prep Local Knowledge - Lake Huron Annointed

What is the length of the steamer track on Lake Huron from De Tour Passage to Fort Gratiot?

A) 247 miles

B) 223 miles

C) 750 miles

D) 206 miles

223 miles, (3)

What is the length of the steamer track on Lake Huron from the Straits of Mackinac to Fort Gratiot?

A) 223 miles

B) 96 miles

C) 247 miles

D) 206 miles

247 miles, (3)

What is the maximum recorded depth of Lake Huron?

A) 577.5 feet

B) 247 feet

C) 176.0 meters

D) 750 feet

750 feet, (3)

What is the water surface area of Lake Huron within the United States?

A) 9,100 sq mi

B) 13,900 sq mi

C) 25,300 sq mi

D) 49,400 sq mi

9,100 sq mi, (3)

What is the water surface area of Lake Huron within Canada?

A) 9,100 sq mi

B) 49,400 sq mi

C) 25,300 sq mi

D) 13,900 sq mi

13,900 sq. mi, (3)

Which of the following are the three large bays extending from Lake Huron?

A) Thunder Bay, Georgian Bay, Tawas Bay

B) Saginaw Bay, North Channel, Georgian Bay

C) Saginaw Bay, Misery Bay, St. Martin Bay

D) North Channel, Saginaw Bay, Thunder Bay

Saginaw Bay, North Channel, Georgian Bay, (5)

Lake Huron receives the waters of Lake Michigan through what passage?

A) De Tour Passage

B) St. Clair River

C) The Straits of Mackinac

D) North Channel

The Straits of Mackinac, (5)

Lake Huron receives the waters of Lake Superior from what river?

A) St. Clair River

B) Detroit River

C) Saginaw River

D) St. Marys River

St. Marys River, (5)

Lake Huron discharges its waters at its south end into the St. Clair River at what location?

A) De Tour Passage

B) Fort Gratiot

C) Sarnia

D) Rimouski, QC

Fort Gratiot, (5)

The draft of vessels navigating Lake Huron to and from Lakes Superior and Erie is governed by the depth of water in which three rivers?

A) Saginaw, St. Marys, Detroit

B) St. Marys, St. Clair, Detroit

C) Cheboygan, St. Clair, St. Marys

D) Black, St. Clair, Detroit

St. Marys, St. Clair, Detroit, (5)

Who operates the Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) in the Canadian waters of Lake Huron?

A) U.S. Coast Guard

B) Lake Carriers' Association

C) The Canadian Coast Guard

D) Western Great Lakes Pilots Association

The Canadian Coast Guard, (7)

The Canadian VTS on Lake Huron operates from Long Point in Lake Erie to what location in Lake Huron?

A) Straits of Mackinac

B) De Tour Reef Light

C) North Channel

D) Georgian Bay

De Tour Reef Light, (7)

During which season do the lowest stages of Lake Huron's water level typically prevail?

A) Spring

B) Summer

C) Autumn

D) Winter

Winter, (13)

What can produce water level oscillations on Lake Huron that last from a few minutes to a few hours?

A) Seasonal rise and fall

B) Lower return currents

C) Winds and barometric pressure changes that accompany squalls

D) Normal tidal action

Winds and barometric pressure changes that accompany squalls, (14)

At the mouth of which river is the effect of wind-driven water level fluctuations described as "very pronounced"?

A) St. Marys River

B) Cheboygan River

C) Au Sable River

D) Saginaw River

Saginaw River, (14)

Lake Huron Weather & Ice Conditions

In which season are gales most frequent on Lake Huron? A) Spring B) Summer C) Autumn D) Winter

C

During November and December on Lake Huron, gales are blowing what percentage of the time?

A) 1 to 3 percent

B) 23 percent

C) 5 to 10 percent

D) Less than 1 percent

5 to 10 percent, (16)

What was the strongest measured wind speed on Lake Huron's open waters?

A) 43 knots

B) 53 knots

C) 28 knots

D) 95 knots

95 knots, (16)

In what month and year did the 95-knot wind occur on Lake Huron?

A) August 1965

B) November 1975

C) December 1980

D) August 1995

August 1965, (16)

What weather phenomena can produce violent, short-period winds from spring through fall on Lake Huron?

A) Lake effect snow

B) Squall lines and thunderstorms

C) Sustained northeasterlies

D) Barometric pressure changes alone

Squall lines and thunderstorms, (16)

Drifting patches of thin ice may be present in the central part of Lake Huron from early February until when?

A) Mid-April

B) Late January

C) Mid-March

D) Early May

Mid-March, (22)

Where does an ice bridge typically form on Lake Huron?

A) Across the Straits of Mackinac

B) Across the head of the St. Clair River

C) In the North Channel

D) At the entrance to Saginaw Bay

Across the head of the St. Clair River, (22)

Ice accumulates to what depth above the ice bridge at the head of the St. Clair River?

A) 4 to 6 inches

B) 25 to 30 inches

C) 12 to 18 inches

D) 30 feet

12 to 18 inches, (22)

In the North Channel, fast ice forms in mid-January and reaches what thickness by mid-March? A) 12 to 18 inches B) 17 inches C) 25 to 30 inches D) 4 to 6 feet

C

What is the average and average maximum ice thickness attained in the Straits of Mackinac?

A) 12 and 18 inches

B) 17 and 25 inches

C) 25 and 30 inches

D) 10 and 15 inches

17 and 25 inches, (24)

Prevailing west winds in the Straits of Mackinac commonly cause windrows of what height?

A) 1 to 2 feet

B) 12 to 18 feet

C) 4- to 6- foot

D) 30 feet

4- to 6- foot, (24)

What is a primary danger for a vessel that becomes beset in drift ice in the Straits of Mackinac? A) Engine failure due to cold B) Loss of communication C) Vulnerability to grounding on shoals and reefs D) Damage from high winds

C

Where are the Coast Guard icebreakers assigned to the Straits of Mackinac based?

A) Alpena and Port Huron

B) Detroit and Sault Ste. Marie

C) St. Ignace and Cheboygan

D) Mackinaw City and St. Ignace

St. Ignance and Cheboygan, (31)

Are the waters of Lake Huron in the approach to the St. Clair River, south of 43°05'30"N, considered designated or undesignated for pilotage? A) Undesignated waters B) Designated waters C) Regulated Navigation Area only D) Unregulated waters

B

What are the names of the three pilot boats stationed at Port Huron?

A) LINDA JEAN, HURON BELLE, HURON MAID

B) HURON BELLE, HURON MAID, HURON LADY

C) GREGORY J. BUSCH, HURON MAID, HURON LADY

D) HURON LADY, LINDA JEAN, HURON BELLE

HURON BELLE, HURON MAID, HURON LADY, (33)

Which are the three principal ports on Lake Huron listed in the text?

A) Alpena, Harbor Beach, Port Huron

B) Bay City, Saginaw, Cheboygan

C) Mackinaw City, Rogers City, Alpena

D) Calcite, Port Dolomite, Stoneport

Bay City, Saginaw, Cheboygan, (35)

Which of the following lists contains three locations with private docks for deep-draft vessels on Lake Huron?

A) Lexington, Port Sanilac, Harrisville

B) Tawas City, Oscoda, Cheboygan

C) Alabaster, Port Gypsum, Rockport

D) St. Ignace, Mackinaw City, Port Austin

Alabaster, Port Gypsum, Rockport, (35)

What is the federal project depth of the dredged channel leading to the head of the St. Clair River?

A) 24 feet

B) 30 feet

C) 27 feet

D) 18 feet

30 feet, (37)

What aid to navigation marks the entrance to the St. Clair River channel from Lake Huron?

A) Fort Gratiot Light

B) Point Edward Range

C) Lake Huron Cut Lighted Buoy 12

D) Lake Huron Cut Light 7

Lake Huron Cut Lighted Buoy 12, (38)

What is the height of Fort Gratiot Light above the water?

A) 69 feet

B) 82 feet

C) 93 feet

D) 52 feet

82 feet, (39)

What is the prominent feature of Lexington when viewed from the lake?

A) A 300-foot stack

B) An elevated white water tank

C) Two church spires

D) A white octagonal tower

An elevated white water tank, (44)

A wreck, covered 13 feet, is located 0.6 mile east-southeast of which harbor entrance?

A) Port Sanilac

B) Harbor Beach

C) Lexington

D) Port Hope

Lexington, (47)

What is the prominent landmark just north of the harbor in Port Sanilac?

A) An elevated white-water tank

B) A freestanding stone chimney

C) Two church spires

D) An elevated blue tank

An elevated blue tank, (51)

What is the height of Port Sanilac Light above the water?

A) 82 feet

B) 93 feet

C) 69 feet

D) 20 feet

69 feet, (52)

What prominent feature is located in the north part of Harbor Beach?

A) A hospital

B) A 300-foot stack at the power plant

C) An elevated blue tank

D) A white conical tower

A 300-foot stack at the power plant, (61)

What is the height of Harbor Beach Light "2" above the water?

A) 69 feet

B) 93 feet

C) 82 feet

D) 20 feet

20 feet, (62)

How is the mariner radio-activated sound signal at Harbor Beach Light "2" initiated?

A) By keying the microphone three times on VHF-FM channel 16

B) It is activated automatically by fog

C) By keying the microphone five times on VHF-FM channel 83A

D) It sounds continuously during the navigation season

By keying the microphone five times on VHF-FM channel 83A, (62)

What is the height of Point aux Barques Light above the water?

A) 123 feet

B) 69 feet

C) 93 feet

D) 82 feet

93 feet, (78)

A dangerous reef extends how far east from Point aux Barques Light?

A) 0.8 mile

B) 1.5 miles

C) 2 miles

D) 3 miles

2 miles, (79)

What is the depth of water over Orion Rock? A) It uncovers at low water B) 3 feet C) 6 feet D) 11 feet

B

Port Austin Reef extends 1.7 miles northwest from which point?

A) Point aux Barques Light

B) Burnt Cabin Point

C) Flat Rock Point

D) Pointe aux Barques

Pointe aux Barques, (83)

Why should Port Austin Reef Light not be passed close aboard? A) The light is privately maintained and unreliable B) Strong currents exist around the light C) Because of riprap and other obstructions that extend out 900 feet from its base D) It is located in a special use airspace

C

What is the width of Saginaw Bay at its entrance between Pointe aux Barques and Au Sable Point? A) 13 miles B) 22 miles C) 26 miles D) 52 miles

C

The bay extends about 52 miles southwest to its head at the mouth of what river?

A) Tittabawassee River

B) Saginaw River

C) Au Gres River

D) Kawkawlin River

Saginaw River, (92)

A northeast gale can raise the water level at the mouth of the Saginaw River by how much?

A) 1 to 2 feet

B) 3 to 4 feet

C) 5 to 6 feet

D) Over 8 feet

3 to 4 feet, (94)

What warning is given for vessels crossing the mouth of Saginaw Bay in heavy weather? A) The course is well-sheltered B) Expect strong southerly currents C) The course is dangerous D) Pilotage is mandatory

C

Besides weather, what other numerous hazards are noted in Saginaw Bay?

A) Heavy vessel traffic

B) Unreliable chart data

C) Submerged logs and snags

D) Charted and uncharted fish net stakes and structures

Charted and uncharted fish net stakes and structures, (95)

Approximately how far northwest of Sand Point are Little Charity and Charity Islands?

A) 1 and 2 miles

B) 3 and 5 miles

C) 7 and 8 miles

D) 13 and 14 miles

7 and 8 miles, (98)

What structure marks the northwest end of Charity Island?

A) A lighted buoy

B) A large white church

C) An abandoned lighthouse

D) A prominent TV mast

An abandoned lighthouse, (98)

What aid to navigation marks the shoals off Point Lookout at the narrowest point of the deepwater channel into Saginaw Bay?

A) A lighted bell buoy

B) Gravelly Shoal Light

C) A lighted range

D) A racon

Gravelly Shoal Light, (190)

The Saginaw River is formed by the confluence of which two rivers?

A) Cass and Flint Rivers

B) Tittabawassee and Shiawassee Rivers

C) Bad and Shiawassee Rivers

D) Kawkawlin and Tittabawassee Rivers

B) Tittabawassee and Shiawassee Rivers

What are the prominent features on the east side of the Saginaw River mouth?

A) Two 500-foot stacks at the power plants

B) A large grain elevator

C) A white conical lighthouse

D) The I-75 bridge

Two 500-foot stacks at the power plants, (119)

A dredged federal project channel extends upstream in the Saginaw River for about how many miles?

A) 13.5 miles

B) 18 miles

C) 20 miles

D) 22 miles

20 miles, (121)

What is the vertical clearance of the overhead power cables at mile 0.93 on the Saginaw River?

A) 181 feet

B) 120 feet

C) 135 feet

D) 142 feet

120 feet, (124)

What type of bridge is the Independence bridge at mile 3.88, and what is its vertical clearance at the center?

A) Fixed, 30 feet

B) Swing, 22 feet

C) Bascule, 30 feet

D) Bascule, 22 feet

Bascule, 30 feet

What is the horizontal clearance of the Veterans Memorial bridge at mile 5.60?

A) 150 feet

B) 100 feet

C) 146 feet

D) 300 feet

146 feet, (124)

What is the vertical clearance of the fixed I-75 bridge at mile 14.61?

A) 130 feet

B) 34 feet

C) 121 feet

D) 25 feet

121 feet, (124)

Is the CSX Railroad bridge at mile 18.00 on the Saginaw River normally maintained in the open or closed position?

A) Maintained in open position

B) Maintained in closed position

C) Opens on signal only

D) Closed during winter months

Maintained in closed position, (124)

What is the enforced speed limit on the Saginaw River?

A) 5 knots

B) 10 knots

C) A slow-no wake speed

D) No posted limit

A slow-no wake speed, (122)

What is the normal annual fluctuation in water level in the Saginaw River? A) About 1 foot B) About 3 feet C) About 7 feet D) About 14 feet

B

During spring floods, an abnormal rise of as much as how many feet can occur in the river at Saginaw?

A) 3 feet

B) 8 feet

C) 14 feet

D) 20 feet

14 feet, (131)

What is the name of the 4,000 hp tug available for towage at Bay City?

A) LINDA JEAN

B) HURON BELLE

C) GREGORY J. BUSCH

D) None is available

GREGORY J. BUSCH, (133)

When arranging towage from the Great Lakes Towing Co. docks in Detroit, how much advance notice is requested?

A) 2 hours

B) 12 hours

C) 24 hours

D) At least 30 hours

At least 30 hours, (133)

Where is the Saginaw River Coast Guard Station located?

A) At the river mouth on the west side

B) 1.7 miles above the mouth on the east side

C) In Bay City near the Independence Bridge

D) In Saginaw near the I-675 bridge

1.7 miles above the mouth on the east side, (139)

The bottom is quite shallow and rocky to what distance off around Point Au Gres?

A) 0.25 mile

B) 0.5 mile

C) 1 mile

D) 2 miles

1 mile, (185)

A shoal with depths of 5 to 18 feet extends how far southeast from Point Lookout?

A) 1 mile

B) 2 miles

C) 3 miles

D) 5 miles

3 miles, (190)

What is the height of Gravelly Shoal Light above the water?

A) 46 feet

B) 66 feet

C) 75 feet

D) 123 feet

75 feet, (190)

At Port Gypsum, a conveyor system connects the shore to an offshore wharf. What is the length of this system? A) 1,078-foot B) 650-foot C) 80-foot D) 6,800-foot

A

What was the reported depth alongside the gypsum-loading wharf at Port Gypsum in May 2000?

A) 18 feet

B) 20 feet

C) 22 feet

D) 24 feet

22 feet, (193)

Tawas Bay provides secure anchorage from all but which wind direction?

A) Northeast

B) Northwest

C) Southeast

D) Southwest

Southwest, (95)

What is the height of Tawas Light above the water?

A) 46 feet

B) 75 feet

C) 82 feet

D) 63 feet

46 feet, (195)

How is the mariner radio-activated sound signal at Tawas Light initiated?

A) Keying the microphone three times on VHF-FM channel 16

B) Keying the microphone five times on VHF-FM channel 83A

C) It is automatic

D) Keying the microphone five times on VHF-FM channel 16

Keying the microphone five times on VHF-FM channel 83A, (195)

A submerged object was reported 2.1 miles southwest of Tawas Light. How far below the surface was it?

A) On the bottom

B) About 2 feet

C) 5 feet

D) 10 feet

About 2 feet

What prominent feature is visible in Tawas City?

A) A black water tank

B) A church spire

C) A silver water tank

D) A water tank

A water tank, (199)

What is the speed limit on the Tawas River?

A) 5 mph

B) 10 mph

C) A slow-no wake speed

D) No posted limit

A slow-no wake speed, (199)

From Tawas Point to Au Sable Point, shoals and submerged net stakes extend how far offshore?

A) About 0.5 mile

B) About 1.3 miles

C) About 2.1 miles

D) About 2.7 miles

About 1.3 miles, (204)

What prominent, lighted feature is 1.2 miles northwest of the Au Sable River mouth?

A) A church spire

B) A silver water tank

C) A prominent black water tank

D) The U.S. Route 23 Bridge

A prominent black water tank, (206)

What is the enforced speed limit on the Au Sable River?

A) 5 knots

B) A slow-no wake speed

C) 10 knots

D) No limit

A slow-no wake speed, (210)

When transiting the area from the mouth of the Au Sable River to Sturgeon Point, deep-draft vessels should give the shore a berth of how many miles?

A) 1 mile

B) 2 miles

C) 3 miles

D) 5 miles

3 miles, (214)

What is the depth over the outermost dangerous boulder located 10.5 miles north-northeast of the Au Sable River mouth?

A) 12 feet

B) 16 feet

C) 20 feet

D) 9 feet

16 feet, (214)

What activity is the special use airspace between Au Sable and Alpena used for?

A) Air to sea rescue training

B) Low-level flight maneuvers

C) Air to air gunnery practice

D) Drone testing

Air to air gunery practice, (220)

What is the controlling agency for this special use airspace?

A) U.S. Coast Guard Sector Sault Ste. Marie

B) Selfridge Air National Guard Base

C) Minneapolis ARTC Center, Federal Aviation Administration

D) Phelps-Collins ANGB, Alpena, MI

Minneapolis ARTC Center, Federal Aviation Administration, (220)

A shoal with a depth of 8 feet near its outer end extends how far northeast from Sturgeon Point?

A) 0.5 mile

B) 1.5 miles

C) 2.5 miles

D) 3.8 miles

1.5 miles, (225)

Thunder Bay is 10 miles wide at its mouth, between which two points?

A) South Point and Partridge Point

B) North Point and South Point

C) North Point and Isaacson Bay

D) South Point and Scarecrow Island

North Point and South Point, (227)

Approximately how many shipwrecks are protected within the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary?

A) 48

B) 100

C) 160

D) 448

160, (229)

What are the main commercial commodities handled at Alpena Harbor?

A) Limestone, grain, and iron ore

B) Salt, coal, gasoline, and bulk cement

C) Potash, sand, and general cargo

D) Lumber, fish, and petroleum products

Salt, coal, gasoline, and bulk cement, (233)

What is the height of Alpena Light above the water?

A) 63 feet

B) 78 feet

C) 44 feet

D) 55 feet

44 feet, (234)

Why should Alpena Light not be passed close aboard?

A) Because of strong currents

B) It is in a shallow, dredged channel

C) Because of protective riprap

D) The sound signal is very loud

Because of protective riprap, (234)

A privately dredged channel in Alpena extends 1.3 miles northwest to a basin at which corporation?

A) Louisiana-Pacific Corp.

B) Alpena Oil Co.

C) Lafarge Corp.

D) Consumers Energy Co.

Lafarge Corp., (237)

What is the clearance of the Second Avenue Highway Bridge (a bascule span) in Alpena?

A) 8.5 feet

B) 12 feet

C) 23 feet

D) 29 feet

12 feet, (239)

What is the annual range of water level fluctuation in the Thunder Bay River?

A) About 1 foot

B) About 3.5 feet

C) About 5 feet

D) Less than 1 foot

About 3.5 feet, (241)

What is the highest temperature on record for Alpena?

A) 90°F

B) 95°F

C) 103°F

D) 108°F

103°F, (243)

What is the average annual precipitation for Alpena?

A) 28.75 inches

B) 32.5 inches

C) 86 inches

D) 22.4 inches

28.75 inches

What is the average annual snowfall for Alpena?

A) 30 inches

B) 55 inches

C) 86 inches

D) 116 inches

86 inches, (244)