The following is the text of a press release issued by the U.S. Coast Guard:
(WOODS HOLE, Mass.) – The Coast Guard closed all ports in southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island due to Hurricane Earl, Fri., Sept. 3, 2010.
With sustained gale force winds expecting to make landfall, Capt. Verne Gifford, the captain of the port of Sector Southeastern New England closed all ports in the entire Southeastern New England region, including Narragansett Bay, Mount Hope Bay, Buzzards Bay, Cape Cod Bay, Vineyard Sound, and Nantucket Sound, at 2 a.m., Friday.
All ports in this region are closed to commercial vessel traffic until Hurricane Earl passes and waterways are surveyed and determined suitable for navigation.
No commercial vessels will be permitted to enter, depart, or move within any port in the region without the permission of the captain of the port. Permission may be requested by contacting the Sector Southeastern New England Command Center on VHF Channels 16 or 22 or via telephone at 508-457-3211.
Ferry service is being conducted on case by case bases. The coast Guard recommends the public to check with individual operators to see if a specific ferry is operating.
The Coast Guard recommends that all recreational vessels seek shelter before the storm arrives.
All other ports in New England are currently open.
