Would you start a long cross-country automobile trip without
first consulting a road map? On the highway there are many
signs to help you stay on the right road and warn of known hazards.
But on the water there are few defined roads and signposts.
On open water you may think you have endless options as
to where you can go. The problem is that hazards you cannot see
often lurk just beneath the surface. Coastline features often lack
crisp definition to help determine your location. On the water
you need the marine equivalent of highway road maps. These
are called charts. You should not leave port without the correct,
up-to-date charts of the area in which you intend to boat. The
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
is the Nation’s chartmaker. NOAA’s nautical charts are easy to
find, on-line at www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/staff/charts.htm
or in authorized sales agents in many U.S. ports and in some
foreign ports. Some products are free and downloadable from
NOAA websites. NOAA Charts are grouped into 5 regions to
facilitate easy selection of nautical charts needed for your area of
operations.
Inside this Chapter:
Charts and Maps 10
Piloting 10
Electronic
Navigation 10
Anchoring
Equipment 107
Anchoring
Techniques 111
Emergencies 114
Adverse Conditions 128
Radio vs. Telephone 133
VHF Radio 133
Boating Decision 146b
Making
Review 147
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2
Chapter 3
Section 9: Finding Your Way
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