|
A nautical chart is a graphic representation of a maritime area and adjacent coastal regions. Depending on the scale of the chart, it may show depths of water and heights of land (topographic map), natural features of the seabed, details of the coastline, navigational hazards, locations of natural and man-made aids to navigation, information on tides and currents, local details of the Earth's magnetic field, and man-made structures such as harbours, buildings and bridges. Nautical charts are essential tools for marine navigation; many countries require vessels, especially commercial ships, to carry them. Nautical charting may take the form of charts printed on paper or computerised electronic navigational charts. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 765 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1133 × 888 pixel, file size: 1. ...
Image File history File links Size of this preview: 765 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1133 × 888 pixel, file size: 1. ...
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a scientific agency of the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere. ...
This article is about the body of water. ...
For other uses, see Coast (disambiguation). ...
Variable scale to measure distances on maps An important property of a map is the scale. ...
Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ...
// Topographic maps are a variety of maps characterized by large-scale detail and quantitative representation of relief, usually using contour lines in modern mapping, but historically using a variety of methods. ...
Table of geography, hydrography, and navigation, from the 1728 Cyclopaedia. ...
This article is about tides in the Earths oceans. ...
A current is a movement or flow of fluids, especially water in a river or ocean. ...
The magnetosphere shields the surface of the Earth from the charged particles of the solar wind. ...
A harbor (or harbour) or haven is a place where ships may shelter from the weather or are stored. ...
This article is about the edifice (including an index to articles on specific bridge types). ...
Electronic navigational chart (NOAA) An electronic navigational chart (ENC) is a database with standardized content, structure and format created by national hydrographic office for use with an Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS). ...
Locations and bearings Positions of places shown on the chart can be measured from the longitude and latitude scales on the borders of the chart, relative to a map datum such as WGS 84. Longitude is the east-west geographic coordinate measurement most commonly utilized in cartography and global navigation. ...
This article is about the geographical term. ...
Geodetic systems or map datums are used in geodesy, navigation, surveying and the Global Positioning System to indicate the datum or reference point to which a measured position is relative. ...
WGS 84 is the 1984 revision of the World Geodetic System. ...
A bearing is the angle between the line joining the two points of interest and the line from one of the points to the north, such as a ship’s course or a compass reading to a landmark. On nautical charts, the top of the chart is always true north, rather than magnetic north, towards which a magnetic compass points. Most charts include a compass rose depicting the variation between magnetic and true north. Bearing is the following: Often, bearing is the state of having something as a quality, characteristic, or permanent attribute. ...
Compass rose with north highlighted and at top Look up North in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...
A course, in navigation, is the direction of travel. ...
True Pizza is a navigational term referring to the direction of the North Pole relative to the navigators position. ...
This is about the geographic meaning of North Pole. ...
This article is about the navigational tool. ...
A common compass rose as is found on a nautical chart showing both true and magnetic north with magnetic declination A compass rose is a figure displaying the orientation of the cardinal directions, north, south, east and west on a map or nautical chart. ...
Magnetic declination. ...
The Mercator projection is almost universally used in nautical charts. There are however some exceptions for very large or small scales where projections such as the gnomonic projection may be used. Since the Mercator projection is conformal, that is, bearings in the chart are identical to the corresponding angles in nature, bearings may be measured from the chart to be used at sea or plotted on the chart from measurements taken at sea. Mercator world map Nova et Aucta Orbis Terrae Descriptio ad Usum Navigatium Emendate (1569) The Mercator projection is a cylindrical map projection presented by the Flemish geographer and cartographer Gerardus Mercator, in 1569. ...
A scale is either a device used for measurement of weights, or a series of ratios against which different measurements can be compared. ...
Gnomonic projections are used in seismic work because seismic waves tend to travel along great circles. ...
In mathematics, a conformal map is a function which preserves angles. ...
Pilotage information on charts
 Detail of a United States NOAA chart, showing a harbour area The chart uses symbols to provide pilotage information about the nature and position of features useful to navigators, such as sea bed information, seamarks and landmarks. Some symbols describe the sea bed with information such as its depth, depth contours, materials as well as possible hazards such as shipwrecks. Other symbols show the position and characteristics of buoys, lights, lighthouses, coastal and land features and structures that may be useful for position fixing. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 716 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (906 × 759 pixel, file size: 1. ...
Image File history File links Size of this preview: 716 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (906 × 759 pixel, file size: 1. ...
Pilotage is the use of fixed visual references on the ground or sea to guide oneself to a destination. ...
For the group sometimes known as Landmark, see Landmark Education Originally, a landmark literally meant a geographic feature, used by explorers and others to find their way back through an area on a return trip. ...
For other uses, see Shipwreck (disambiguation). ...
A sea lion on navigational buoy #14 in San Diego Harbor Green can #11 near the mouth of the Saugatuck river. ...
A light characteristic is a coded description displayed on a nautical chart under the chart symbol for a lighthouse, lightvessel or sea mark with a light on it, to indicate how that light is recognised visually and audibally. ...
Eddystone Lighthouse, one of the first wavewashed lighthouses For other uses, see Lighthouse (disambiguation). ...
Position fixing is the branch of navigation concerned with the use of a variety of visual and electronic methods to determine the position of a ship, aircraft or person on the surface of the Earth. ...
Colour may be used to distinguish between man-made features, dry land, sea bed that dries with the tide and seabed that is permanently underwater and to indicate water depth. An underwater scene just beneath the surface. ...
Depths
 Use of colour in British Admiralty charts Depths which have been measured are indicated by the numbers shown on the chart. Depths on charts published in most parts of the world use metres. Older charts, as well as those published by the United States government, may use feet or fathoms. Depth contour lines show the underwater topography. Coloured areas of the sea emphasise shallow water and dangerous underwater obstructions. Image File history File links British_Admiraly_chart_colours. ...
Image File history File links British_Admiraly_chart_colours. ...
This article is about the unit of length. ...
A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ...
A fathom is the name of a unit of length in the Imperial system (and the derived U.S. customary units). ...
The Comet Nucleus Tour (CONTOUR) was a Discovery-class space mission. ...
For discussion of land surfaces themselves, see Terrain. ...
Tidal information Tidal races and other strong currents have special chart symbols. Tidal flow information may be shown on charts using tidal diamonds, indicating the speed and bearing of the tidal flow during each hour of the tidal cycle. Tidal race occurs when the movement of water due to the tide is particularly fast in a location. ...
A tidal diamond table Tidal diamonds are symbols on British admiralty charts that indicate the direction and speed of tidal streams. ...
Sources and publication of nautical charts Nautical charts are based on hydrographic surveys. As surveying is laborious and time-consuming, hydrographic data for many areas of sea may be dated and not always reliable. Depths are measured in a variety of ways. Historically the sounding line was used. In modern times, echo sounding is used for measuring the seabed in the open sea. When measuring the safe depth of water over an entire obstruction, such as a shipwreck, the minimum depth is checked by sweeping the area with a length of horizontal wire. This ensures that difficult to find projections, such as masts, do not present a danger to vessels navigating over the obstruction. NOAA Survey Ship Private Survey Ship Neptune DTM - Digital Terrain Model Hydrographic survey in its strictest sense is the process of gathering information about navigable waters for the purposes of safe navigation of vessels. ...
A sounding line or lead line is a length of thin rope with a weight, generally of lead at its end. ...
Illustration of echo sounding. ...
For other uses, see Shipwreck (disambiguation). ...
A wire is a single, usually cylindrical, elongated strand of drawn metal. ...
mizzen mast, mainmast and foremast Grand Turk The mast of a sailing ship is a tall vertical pole which supports the sails. ...
Nautical charts are issued by the national hydrographic offices in many countries. These charts are considered "official" in contrast to those made by commercial publishers. Many hydrographic offices provide regular, sometimes weekly, manual updates of their charts through their sales agents. A hydrographic office is an organisation which is devoted to acquiring and publishing hydrographic information. ...
Individual hydrographic offices produce national chart series and international chart series. Coordinated by the International Hydrographic Organization, the international chart series is a worldwide system of charts ("INT" chart series), which is being developed with the goal of unifying as many chart systems as possible. A hydrographic office is an organisation which is devoted to acquiring and publishing hydrographic information. ...
The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) is an intergovernmental international organization established in 1921. ...
Electronic and paper charts Conventional nautical charts are printed on large sheets of paper at a variety of scales. Mariners will generally carry many charts to provide sufficient detail for the areas they might need to visit. Electronic navigational charts, which use computer software and electronic databases to provide navigation information, can augment or in some cases replace paper charts, though most mariners carry paper charts as a back up in case the electronic charting system fails. Image File history File links This image was produced from ENC S-57 data supplied by the US NOAA Office of Coast Survey, chart US1BS03M, and is free from copyright. ...
Image File history File links This image was produced from ENC S-57 data supplied by the US NOAA Office of Coast Survey, chart US1BS03M, and is free from copyright. ...
Satellite photo of the Bering Strait Photo across the Bering Strait Nautical chart of the Bering Strait The Bering Strait (Russian: ) is a sea strait between Cape Dezhnev, Russia, the easternmost point (169°43 W) of the Asian continent and Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska, the westernmost point (168°05...
Variable scale to measure distances on maps An important property of a map is the scale. ...
Electronic navigational chart (NOAA) An electronic navigational chart (ENC) is a database with standardized content, structure and format created by national hydrographic office for use with an Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS). ...
Chart correction The nature of a waterway depicted by a chart changes regularly, and a mariner navigating on an old or uncorrected chart is courting disaster. Every producer of nautical charts also provides a system to inform mariners of changes that effect the chart. In the United States, chart corrections and notifications of new editions are provided by various governmental agencies by way of Notice to Mariners, Local Notice to Mariners, Summary of Corrections, and Broadcast Notice to Mariners. Radio broadcasts give advance notice of urgent corrections. Notice to Mariners is an American navigation publication made available weekly by the Defense Mapping Agency Hydrographic Topographic Center (DMAHTC), prepared jointly with the National Ocean Service (NOS) and the U.S. Coast Guard. ...
A Local Notice to Mariners is a navigation publication in the United States issued by each U.S. Coast Guard District to disseminate important information affecting navigational safety within that District. ...
Notice to Mariners is an American navigation publication made available weekly by the Defense Mapping Agency Hydrographic Topographic Center (DMAHTC), prepared jointly with the National Ocean Service (NOS) and the U.S. Coast Guard. ...
A convenient way to keep track of corrections is with a Chart and Publication Correction Record Card system. Using this system, the navigator does not immediately update every chart in the portfolio when a new Notice to Mariners arrives, instead creating a card for every chart and noting the correction on this card. When the time comes to use the chart, he pulls the chart and chart's card, and makes the indicated corrections on the chart. This system ensures that every chart is properly corrected prior to use.
Various and diverse methods exist for the correction of electronic navigational charts.
See also Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...
An aeronautical chart is a map designed to assist in navigation of aircraft, much as nautical charts do for watercraft, or a roadmap for drivers. ...
Nautical publications is a technical term used in maritime circles describing a set of publications, generally published by national governments, for use in safe navigation of ships, boats, and similar vessels. ...
The American Practical Navigator , written by Nathaniel Bowditch, is an encyclopedia of navigation, a valuable handbook on oceanography and meteorology, and contains useful tables and a maritime glossary. ...
United States Coast Pilots is a nine-volume American navigation publication distributed yearly by the National Ocean Service. ...
The United States Coast Guard Light List is an American navigation publication in 7 volumes made available yearly by the U.S. Coast Guard which gives information on lighted navigation aids, unlighted buoys, radiobeacons, radio direction finder calibration stations, daybeacons, racons, and LORAN stations. ...
The List of Lights, Radio Aids, and Fog Signals is a navigation publication produced by the United States Defense Mapping Agency Hydrographic/Topographic Center. ...
A Local Notice to Mariners is a navigation publication in the United States issued by each U.S. Coast Guard District to disseminate important information affecting navigational safety within that District. ...
Notice to Mariners is an American navigation publication made available weekly by the Defense Mapping Agency Hydrographic Topographic Center (DMAHTC), prepared jointly with the National Ocean Service (NOS) and the U.S. Coast Guard. ...
Sailing Directions is a 47-volume American navigation publication published by the Defense Mapping Agency Hydrographic/Topographic Center. ...
The World Port Index (PUB 150) contains a tabular listing of thousands of ports throughout the world, describing their location, characteristics, known facilities, and available services. ...
Distances Between Ports (PUB 151) is a publication that lists the distances between major ports. ...
External links - Online version of Chart No.1 with "Symbols, Abbreviations and Terms" used in nautical charts
- Nautical Charts - chapter from the online edition of Nathaniel Bowditch's American Practical Navigator
|
Feeds |
Contact