Charts for navigating thru the Exumas?

[phiggins]

try here;

https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ahv3fXEZ5SzkjRTcnfNuiHWgtQKa

[dmw0214]

Phiggins posted some awesome info on how I can get some great Bahamian charts on my computer - for free! - and start doing some real planning!

Does anybody know what the unit of depth is? (It's kinda, ya know, important).

[ka4wja]

dmw,
Don't forget your eyes, your compass, and your depth sounder!!!

You've gotten good advice and recommendations for "The Explorer's Charts", and yes, they are quite good (I have them, but also have US NGA charts of the Bahamas)....but, I hope I can also point out a few other very important things....

FYI, the US NGA does still have charts for the Bahamas....and except for some based on old surveys (where the island positions, etc. don't match up with GPS coordinates), they are quite good charts!!!
{I've got 27040 and 26255 (Ragged Islands) charts sitting right here next to me, at this very moment... along with the Explorer's charts...}


1) First off, if you were unable to find "nautical charts" for the Bahamas, you may need some links to help...(forget Amazon)

Just about any chart, book, guide, etc., you could ever need is here (including US NGA charts):
Blue Water Books and Charts
Cruising guides, Navigational Charts and other supplies - Bluewater Books & Charts?
(I've been doing business with them for decades! Great folks!)


And, this link will take you directly to the NGA charts...
Cruising guides, Navigational Charts and other supplies - Bluewater Books & Charts


Explorer's Charts
Welcome to Explorer Chartbooks


I highly recommend this guide book!!!
Yachtsman's Guide to the Bahamas
Welcome to Explorer Chartbooks
2017 Yachtsmans Guide to the Bahamas, Yachtsmans Guide



2) Secondly, is some unsolicited advice....forgive me, but I did my first cruising in the Bahamas as a kid in 1965, been sailing/cruising the Bahamas, Carib, N. Atl, and Med since then, on/off for 50 years now....and still sail the Bahamas today...
Having good charts is good...but, remember that except for some more recent soundings, the main advantage of "modern charts" (such as the Explorer's Charts) is that the surveying / cartography is done by GPS...and that allows you to compare your visual position / depth-sounding position, with your electronic position....

For anyone new to sailing the Bahamas, I always give the same basic advice:
a) use your eyes, look at the water, use your ability to "read" the water, and you'll be almost certain to not have any major troubles....(polarized sunglasses are good here!)

b) check and calibrate your depth sounder....and make sure it shows/reads the depth of the water from the surface (not how much room you have under your keel), because you will want to compare the soundings you show with the soundings on the chart....(a chart, your eyes, and good compass, is all you need to safely navigate the Bahamas!!)

c) check your main steering compass and have it deviated if needed (or at least verify your deviation card), as you will need to use your compass...
[unless you blindly follow routes, GPS waypoints, etc., already laid-out for you on some chart....navigating the Bahamas isn't about GPS, it's about water depth, DR, coastal piloting, range and bearing, etc., so having a good compass is very important...]



3) Here are some specifics to your posting...

Originally Posted by dmw0214

Hello,

I am planning a trip thru the Bahamas, starting at Nassau,
I love the Bahamas, but hate Nassau....and I highly recommend skipping Nassau!! (I can give you details if you like, but please consider anywhere else but Nassau!!)

and sailing down the Exumas chain.
The Exumas are great....you'll love 'em!!


But there does not appear to be good nautical charts for this area. NOAA does not cover the Bahamas, and the NGA charts seem to have a "hole" there.
I have a whole suite of NGA charts of the Bahamas, as well as the Explorer's Charts, and some older BA charts as well...

You can find the NGA charts here:
https://msi.nga.mil/NGAPortal/MSI.portal;jsessionid=QNf9ZK3LqyxkvPQ43cybkbBQlyWC TxWHTLcyyGQhy7fv1mtLlMF2!309406807!NONE?_nfpb=true &_st=&_pageLabel=msi_portal_page_68&catCode=01
http://www.bluewaterweb.com/showcategory.aspx?CategoryID=211&AreaID=4&pagesize =20&view=grid&pagenum=3&sortby=0

And, you can find Explorer's Charts here:
Welcome to Explorer Chartbooks


Can anyone recommend a good solution? I see lots and lots of Cruising Guides at Amazon.com,
Stop looking at Amazon....and look here:
Yachtsmans Guide
2017 Yachtsmans Guide to the Bahamas, Yachtsmans Guide
The venerable "Yachtsman's Guide" has a reputation of being a bit old fashioned, without lots of colored charts, but many old sketch chartlets (which is true), but these are actually very accurate and exactly what you need in the Bahamas!!
(btw, I've used the Yachtsman's Guide for decades now....and yes, I've also bought other guide books...some have more color photos, more up-to-date info on shoreside accommodations, etc., but none are as good as the old standard for getting you safely thru the 700+ islands, in a fun and happy way!!)


but maps in cruising guides typically have the disclaimer: "Not to be used for navigation!"
Yep, a legal disclaimer....and whether in a book or on a chartplotter, the lawyers (and woefully unprepared sailors) have made that disclaimer necessary these days....
Just use the NGA charts, and/or Explorer's charts, your eyes, your compass, and your depth sounder....as well as "The Yachtsman's Guide", and you be fine!!


I've also seen ads for the Explorer Chartbook for the Exumas, which from the description, sounds like it might be a viable option. Has anyone out there used this publication?
Explorer's charts are fine....as are NGA charts of the Bahamas (just that some are based on older/non-gps surveys, so your exact position on the chart sometimes isn't the same as your exact gps position....usually not an issue....and if you know how to navigate, it's really a non-issue...)
How good is it, for navigational purposes?

dmw, to sum up...
--- NGA charts are available...
--- Explorer charts are good...
--- Use your depth sounder more than your GPS....
--- Read the water with your eyes...
--- Use your compass more than your GPS...
--- Avoid Nassau at all costs...



I hope this helps...

Fair winds...

John

[phiggins]

Originally Posted by dmw0214

Phiggins posted some awesome info on how I can get some great Bahamian charts on my computer - for free! - and start doing some real planning!

Does anybody know what the unit of depth is? (It's kinda, ya know, important).

The depth units are meters

[ka4wja]

dmw,
1) I cannot get get Phiggins' link to open, so I cannot see his charts...but...
But, all nautical charts will show the soundings scale...
("soundings in meters" or "soundings in fathoms")
If they don't show that, I'd be a bit suspect....
And, I'd make a guess that the soundings on his charts are in meters....but hopefully he'll clarify...

2) FYI, Explorer's Charts and my NGA charts of the Bahamas have soundings in meters....
(But again, I don't know what the soundings scale is for the charts that Phigins linked to)

3) But most importantly here...
If you're looking to do some "planning", my advice is to not do it on the computer, but rather spend a few dollars (maybe up to $100) and buy "The Yachtsman's Guide and a couple paper charts....
Nothing will give you an instant view of the situation, and a sense of scale, like a nice paper chart laying out on your chart table (or kitchen table, at home)....
BTW, I'm not anti-tech, I make my living in high-tech....just recommending that you not start out looking at the computer, it will not give you the sense of what you're looking at...

Originally Posted by dmw0214

Phiggins posted some awesome info on how I can get some great Bahamian charts on my computer - for free! - and start doing some real planning!

Does anybody know what the unit of depth is? (It's kinda, ya know, important).

Fair winds...

John

[hpeer]

Welcome : Pilothouse Nautical Books & Charts

A couple f years ago I needed some odd European charts and these folks were very helpful. They used to have a nice store, lots of nautical books. They have moved to a smaller location. But the proprietor is the same and very helpful and you can actually walk in and talk to someone. How odd, a face, a knowledgeable face to talk to.

[phiggins]

dmw,
Those charts were created by GE2KAP from Sasplanet. They were created before GE2KAP automatically set the depth units for meters from SasPlanet's Navionics charts which the newest version of GE2KAP does.
Would suggest you install SasPlanet it provides many sources for charts and at a variety of zoom levels including planning down to harbor scale. GE2KAP can create charts from all of these sources.

[sailing_gal]

The Explorer Charts are the gold standard for navigating the Bahamas. That said, be aware that with the storms that have been through there this summer, I would still proceed with great caution because things have undoubtedly shifted. The chart book explains about how to "read the water" and you will need to use that skill.