NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: Pilot Chart Anomaly
From: Philip Ouvry
Date: 2002 Feb 9, 20:11 +0100
From: Philip Ouvry
Date: 2002 Feb 9, 20:11 +0100
Steven has made an interesting observation. However going back 200 years or so one has to remember that gathering reliable navigational data was very sketchy. For instance much of the data on UK charts is based on surveys conducted in the late 19th century. The UK Hydrographic Office is very loathe to accept up-to-date surveys from local yacht clubs, sub-aqua clubs or fishing fraternities. A hundred years ago ocean charts consisted of lines of soundings which indicated that another vessel has passed that way without harm. Modern electronic sophistication has enabled charts to be much more realistic; but that has not prevented several cruise liners from crunching their keels! Pilot charts showing weather and current predictions were very inexact particularly in areas where there was little or no shipping. Philip Ouvry
