Charts

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Charts

Paper Charts Versus Electronic Charts

When we left in 1998, we were paper chart purists. We bought a chart for every conceivable destination and passage along the first half of our route (from Florida to Australia). We carried the Maptech electronic charts only as back-up and for planning purposes. When someone told us they relied primarily on electronic charts, we privately questioned their judgment. No -- it was stronger than that. We questioned their seamanship.

All that changed.

In Australia in 2001, we bought a combination radar-chartplotter that used the C-Map NT+ electronic chart cards. They were so accurate and so convenient and so bullet-proof that they changed our entire approach to navigation. For the remainder of the trip we bought only small-scale (large area) paper charts as emergency back-ups and relied on the electronic C-Map cards as our primary charts. Because the cards work on both the chartplotter and the computer, we had built-in redundancy. The only chart-related disaster that could have happened would have been (1) dropping the card overboard! (2) a complete power failure and eventual draining of the laptop battery; or (3) the laptop and chartplotter both failing on passage. In any of those events, we had the back-up large-area paper charts. If we were down to one failsafe (if, for example the power failed and we were on laptop batteries, or if the chartplotter failed and we were down to the laptop alone -- actually, we also carried a spare laptop!), we also would have printed out detail charts from the C-Map card to supplement the paper charts for landfall.

Under the Club C-Map program, we purchased a card for the waters we were currently sailing (each card covers a huge area), plus a card for the very next area. Then when we would depart an area, we could trade the old card in for a new one for the area beyond, leap-frog fashion. We kept two or three aboard, so we wouldn't get caught out if there were no reliable mailing facilities nearby for the exchange. There is a fee for the trades, but it is still a major savings on purchasing every card, and an astronomical savings over purchasing every paper chart for an area.

Below is a list of electronic and paper charts aboard Heartsong III during the circumnavigation. It is updated as of Singapore, and I will try to complete the list at some point.

Electronic Charts

C-Map NT+ Cards: Full coverage from Sydney, Australia, to Florida via the Indian Ocean, Red Sea, Mediterranean, and Caribbean.

Maptech ChartPack 7: The Bahamas

Maptech ChartPack 9: Imray-Iolaire Charts of the Caribbean

Maptech: French Polynesian Islands

New Zealand complete chartpack (NZ charts)

Selected charts of Thailand (Thai government charts)

Maptech ChartPacks 33-37: Europe & North Africa

Indices & Catalogs

British Admiralty Catalog

DMA Catalog Booklets (1-9)

Australian Index Charts (Southern & Northern)

Paper Charts: Caribbean

Here is the list of Caribbean charts aboard Heartsong III for our particular route. They are sorted alphabetically by area.

Area	Title	Type	Number	Notes
ABC Islands	Bonaire and Aruba	Imray	D231
ABC Islands	Curacao	Imray	D232
Caribbean Sea	Caribbean Sea: Central Part	DMA	26001	Incl Colombia, Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, Panama
Caribbean Sea	North Atlantic Ocean and West Indies	DMAInt	400	Florida to Venezuela (1993)
Leeward Islands	Anegada Passage with Adjacent Islands	DMA	25600	BVI, St. Martin, Anguilla, Saba, St. Kitts, St. Barts
Leeward Islands	Lesser Antilles: Puerto Rico to Martinique	Imray	A	Incl index for larger scale charts this area
Leeward Islands	Anguilla to Dominica	Imray	A3
Leeward Islands	Guadeloupe to St. Lucia	Imray	A4	Includes Dominica and Martinique
Leeward Islands	Anguilla, St. Martin and St. Barthelemy	Imray	A24
Leeward Islands	St. Christopher, Statia, Nevis, Montserrat, Saba	Imray	A25	(May 1992)
Leeward Islands	St. Christopher, Statia, Nevis, Montserrat, Saba	Imray	A25	(May 1996)
Leeward Islands	Barbuda	Imray	A26
Leeward Islands	Guadeloupe	Imray	A28	(March 1997)
Leeward Islands	Anchorages in Guadeloupe	Imray	A281
Leeward Islands	St. Martin Area: Yachtsman’s Planning Chart	VIYC	63-18	2 copies
Panama	Cabo Velas to Punta Mala	DMA	21030	Costa Rica, Panama: Pacific coasts (1980)
Panama	Punta Burica to Cabo de San Francisco	DMA	21033	Panama to Ecuador: Pacific coasts
Panama	Approaches to the Panama Canal	DMA	21602	Panama: Caribbean and Pacific coasts (2 copies: 1980)
Panama	Approaches to Balboa	DMA	21603	Panama: Pacific coast (1981)
Panama	The Panama Canal	DMA	21604	Central Panama; incl Gatun Lake (2 copies: 1995, 1981)
Panama	Gulf of Panama: Panama to Bahia Pina	DMA	21605	Includes Las Perlas Islands
Panama	Puerto Cristobal to Cabo Tiburon	DMA	26060	Panama, San Blas, Panama Canal, Bay of Panama
Panama	Approaches to the Panama Canal	DMA	26066	North (Caribbean) coast of Panama
Panama	Caribbean Sea: Southwest Part	DMA	28006	Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama (1992)
Puerto Rico	Bahia de Guanica to Punta Borinquen	Imray	A11	West coast
Puerto Rico	Punta Figuras to Bahia de Guanica	Imray	A12	South coast
Puerto Rico	Cabo San Juan to Culebra Island & Punta Figuras	Imray	A13	Southeast coast
Trinidad	Venezuela & Trinidad: Pt of Spain to Cabo Codera	Imray	D1	W Trinidad, Margarita, N Venezuela, Tortuga, S Grenada
Trinidad	Trinidad to Carupano	Imray	D11	Peninsula de Paria, Testigos, inset Port of Spain
Venezuela	Cabo Codera to Cabo San Roman	Imray	D2	Orchilla, Roques, Aves, Bonaire, Curacao, Aruba, Venezuelan Coast
Venezuela	Carupano to Cumana, and Isla de Margarita	Imray	D12
Venezuela	Islands off the Coast of Venezuela	Imray	D14	Tortuga, Testigos, Blanquilla
Venezuela	Islands off the Coast of Venezuela	Imray	D22	Las Aves, Los Roques
Virgin Islands	Isla de Culebra and Isla de Vieques	Imray	A131	Puerto Rico to Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands	St. Thomas to Virgin Gorda	Imray	A231	A233
Windward Islands	Trinidad to St. Vincent: Grenadine Islands	DMA	25400	(1981)
Windward Islands	Martinique to Trinidad	Imray	B	To E coast Venezuela; incl index Windward Is
Windward Islands	Tobago	Imray	B4	Trinidad & Tobago (May 1997)
Windward Islands	Martinique to Grenada, Tobago & Barbados	Imray	B5	2 copies: Nov 1996, Nov 1992
Windward Islands	Bequia to Carriacou	Imray	B31	Grenadines
Windward Islands	Grenada	Imray	B32	Includes part of Carriacou

Paper Charts: Pacific

Here is the list of Pacific charts aboard Heartsong III for our particular route, which covers New Zealand's North Island only; and in Australia only from Sydney to Darwin.

Area

Title

Type

Number

(C=copy)

Scale

Lat -S to N

Long E to -W

Notes

Australia	Coral Sea: Islands&Reefs	?	?				Willis, Saumarez, Cato, Wreck
Australia	Plans in the Nern Territory	Aus	15-O	plans	plans	plans	Cadell St, Cumberland St, Jensen Bay, Gove Harbour, Gugari Rip
Australia	Approaches to Millingimbi Inlet	Aus	16-O	82,000&plan	-12-10 135-06	-11-43 134-44	Incl inlet plan
Australia	Port Essington	Aus	18-O	75,000	-11-25 132-18	-11-00 131-58
Australia	Clarence Strait	Aus	20-O	50,000	-12-11 131-19.5	-11-54.5 130-53
Australia	Approaches to Port Darwin	Aus	26-O				2002
Australia	Plans in Port Darwin	Aus	28-O	10,000&plans	-12-29.5 130-51.5	-12-26 130-48	2002
Australia	Approaches to Bynoe Harbour&Port Patterson	Aus	29-O	50,000	-12-46 130-40	-12-18 130-22
Australia	Approaches to Port Jackson	Aus	197-O	75,000	-34-05 151-39	-33-25 151-09	2001. Port Hacking(Botany Bay) to the Skillion
Australia	Port Jackson	Aus	200-O	20,000	-33-53.5 151-19.5	-33-47 151-06.5	2001. Plan Parramatta River
Australia	Port Jackson (Eern Sheet)	Aus	201-O	7,500	-33-52.3 151-17.8	-33-48 151-14.7	2001.
Australia	Port Jackson (Central Sheet)	Aus	202-O	7,500	-33-52.5 151-15	-33-50 151-09.7	2001.
Australia	Broken Bay	Aus	204-O	40,000	-33-40 151-31	-33-26 151-05	2001.
Australia	Plans in the SW Pacific	Aus	213-O		-31-55 159-20	-31-20 158º55
Australia	Moreton Bay	Aus	236-O	75,000	-27-39 153-32	-26-58 153-04	Brisbane. Plan of Manly Harbour
Australia	Approaches to Hay Point&Mackay	Aus	249-O	75,000	-21-26 149-55	-20-59 149-10
Australia	Cumberland Islands&Whitsunday Passage	Aus	252-O	100,000	-21-00 149-18	-20-02 148-42
Australia	Whitsunday Passage	Aus	253-O	37,500	-20-25 149-04	-20-12 148-41
Australia	Plans in the Whitsundays	Aus	254-O	plans	plans	plans	Hook, Hayman, Hamilton, Dent, Hook Rf, Lindeman, Shaw, Fitzalan Passage
Australia	Approaches to Cairns	Aus	262-O		-17-00 145-44	-16-49 145-51	Incl plan Pt of Cairns
Australia	Plans in N Queensland	Aus	280-O	varies	-14-19 144-20	-13-43 143-40.5	Incl Magpie Reed, Eden Reef, Flinders Group
Australia	Adolphus Channel to Prince of Wales Channel	Aus	292-O	75,000	-10-50 142-49	-10-25 142-08
Australia	Prince of Wales Channel	Aus	293-O	37,500	-10-36.5 142-27.5	-10-23.5 142-07
Australia	Endeavor Strait	Aus	294-O	75,000	-11-02 142-26	-10-37 141-45
Australia	Goods Island to Proudfoot Shoal	Aus	296-O	75,000	-10-47 142-09	-10-22 141-28	Goods Island to Proudfoot Shoal
Australia	Approaches to Thursday Island	Aus	299-O	12,500	-10-36.5 142-15.5	-10-32.5 142-09	Incl anchs Hammond, Goods, Friday
Australia	Golburn Islands to Melville Island	Aus	308-C				Torres. S Arafura Sea, Croker, Melville, Van Diemen
Australia	Cape Moreton to Sandy Cape	Aus	365-O	300,000	-27-00 154-36	-24-23 152-43	Mooloolaba
Australia	N Reef to Pine Peak Island	Aus	367-O	300,000	-23-15 152-50	-21-25 149-30	Capricorn Channel
Australia	Palm Isles to Frankland Islands	Aus	372-C		-18-45 148-40	-17-00 145-45	1993. Incl Flinders Reefs, Hinchinbrook Island
Australia	Frankland Islands to Lizard Island	Aus	373-C		-17-15 146-50	-14-25 145-00	1993. Incl Cairnes.
Australia	Lizard Island to Cape Sidmouth	Aus	374-C	300,000	-14-50 146-10	-13-00 143-35	1993. Incl Princess Charlotte Bay
Australia	Cape Sidmouth to Cape York	Aus	375-C	300,000	-13-29 144-20	-10-38 142-30	1993.
Australia	Torres Strait	Aus	376-C				Torres.
Australia	Bligh Entrance to Eern Fields	Aus	377-C				Torres. Incl Coral Sea, Ashmore Reef, Great NE Ch
Australia	Orangerie Bay to Jomard Entrance	Aus	381-C	300,000	-11-35 152-25	-09-50 149-45	Incl SE Papua New Guinea, N Coral Sea
Australia	Louisiade Archipelago	Aus	382-C	300,000	-12-00 154-50	-10-17 151-55	Incl SE Papua New Guinea
Australia	Booby Island to Cape Wessel	Aus	410-C	1 mil	-17-45 142-00	-07-40 135-30	1985. Incl Gulf of Carpenteria
Australia	Cape Arnhem to Cape Fourcroy	Aus	411-C	1 mil	-14-10 138-00	-08-00 128-30	1996
Australia	Rowley Shoals to Lombok Strait	Aus	414-O	1 mil	-17-30 120-30	-08-05 114-30
Australia	Fraser Island to Cumberland Islands	Aus	426-O	1 mil	-26-00 158-00	-20-30 148-30
Australia	Cape Don to Cape Wessel	Aus	442-O	500,000	-12-20 136-40	--09-30 131-50
Australia	Louisade Arch., Jomard Entr. to Manuga Rfs	Aus	568-C	130,000	-11-22 153-20	-10-39 152-00	Incl Misima, Deboyne, Reynard&S Papua N Guinea
Australia	Plans Coral Sea, Sheet 2	Aus	611-O	75,000			Kenn, Wreck, Cato, Mellish
Australia	Plans Coral Sea, Sheet 1	Aus	612-O	100,000			Saumarez, Frederick
Australia	Marion Reef	Aus	613-O	150,000	-19-38 152-38	-18-43 151-55
Australia	Diamond Passage	Aus	614-O	150,000	-17-52 152-15	-17-00 150-48	Incl plans E Diamond Islet, Turtle Islet
Australia	Plans in Coral Sea, Sheet 3: Flora&Holmes Reefs	Aus	615-O	varies	-18-00 148-40	-16-20 147-40
Australia	Plans in the Coral Sea 4: Osprey, Shrk, Bougainville	Aus	616-)	varies
Australia	Plans in Coral Sea, Sheet 5: SW Islet to Magdelaine Cays	Aus	617-O	150,000	-17-15 150-25	-15-40 149-27
Australia	China Strait & Approaches	Aus	625-C	25,000	-10-39 150-47.5	-10-30.5 150-34	Sariba, Sideia, Samarai Island&S Papua New Guinea
Australia	Cape Arnhem to Cape Wessel	Aus	715-C	150,000	-12-23 137-13	-10-52 136-15	1995.
Australia	Gugari Rip to Cadell Strait	Aus	716-O	150,000	-12-30 136-24	-10-58 135-26	Incl Arnhem Bay
Australia	Port Essington to Cape Hotham	Aus	720-O	150,000	-12-17 132-10	-10-48 131-18	2002
Australia	Port Essington to Snake Bay	Aus	721-O	150,000	-11-40 132-10	-10-45 130-40
Australia	Beagle Gulf & Clarence Strait	Aus	722-O	150,000	-12-37 131-25	-11-40 129-51	2002. Torres. Incl Melville Island, Van Diemen Gulf
Australia	Port Jackson to Port Stephens	Aus	809-O	150,000	-33.53 152.14	-32.36 151.15	Plans Catharine Hill, Lame McQuarie
Australia	Port Stephens to Crowdy Head	Aus	810-O	150,000	-33-13 153-07	-31-44 152-07	2001. Plans Broughton Isl, Sugarloaf Anch, Cape Hawke Harbour
Australia	Crowdy Head to Smoky Cape	Aus	811-O	150,000	-31-53 153-40	-30-49 152-40	2001. Plan Camden Haven
Australia	Smoky Cape to Clarence River	Aus	812-O	150,000	-30-55 153-50	-29-26 152-52	2001.
Australia	Clarence River to Danger Point	Aus	813-O	150,000	-29-36 153-11	-28-09 153-12	2001.
Australia	Point Danger to Cape Moreton	Aus	814-O	150,000	-28-10 154-00	-26-50 153-02	2002
Australia	Sandy Cape to Bustard Head	Aus	818-O	150,000	-24-46 153-17	-23-53 151-45	Bundaberg
Australia	Bustard Head to N Reef	Aus	819-O	150,000	-24-03 152-26	-23-10 150-45	Great Keppel I; Gladstone
Australia	N Reef to Port Clinton	Aus	820-O	150,000	-23-18 152-12	-22-24 150-40	Keppel Isles
Australia	Hydrographers Passage	Aus	821-O	150,000	-21-00 150-34	-19-35 149-36
Australia	Port Clinton to Percy Isles	Aus	822-O	150,000	-22-32 150-58	-21-38 149-25
Australia	Percy Isles to Mackay	Aus	823-O	150,000	-21-40 150-40	-20-52 149-10
Australia	Bailey Islet to Whitsunday Island	Aus	824-O	150,000	-21-00 150-10	-20-10 148-38