Errors with Canadian Current Stations on Garmin

[Captainbruce]

I was out last week (14 Dec.) with a client who had just purchased a Garmin 5212 display with a g2 version 12.0 cartridge. We were planning on going through Active Pass and when we looked at the current data it only showed flood currents. The value of the rate was correct, the ebb currents were shown as flood.

When we returned to Sidney, we visited the local dealer and tried the cartridge in two other units. We also tried a number of other cartridges, g2 version 11.5, g2 Vision, one was the 2007 edition and they all had the same error.

After returning to the boat, I went through all the Canadian current stations I could find. Only Discovery Island and Trial Islands were correct. The American stations which I looked at were correct.

The following current stations were incorrect:
Active Pass
Porlier Pass
First Narrows
Second Narrows
Race Passage
Sechelt Rapids
Dodd Narrows
Gabriola Passage
Seymour Narows
Beazley Passage
Hole in the Wall
Nakwakto Rapids
Arran Rapids
Gillard Passage
Scott Channel

My client has contacted Garmin and and they have their marine developer investigating.

Until this situation is resolved, I would advise everyone to check the Official CHS Current tables.

If you compare Discovery Island and Trial Islands, which are correct, with any of the other Canadian current stations the differences are quite clear.

Discovery & Trial
Default view
Graph shows flood & ebb
Flood is Blue, Ebb is Red

All other stations
Show only flood currents Wrong
Only shows Blue Wrong

Discovery & Trial
Report view
Shows slack in Black, no direction
Flood maximum in Blue, positive value
Ebb maximum in Red, negative value

All other Stations
Shows slack in Red, with a direction, no Black print Wrong
Flood maximum in Blue, positive value which is correct
Ebb maximum in Blue, positive value Wrong

In a response from Garmin (22 Dec.), the two currents stations which are displayed correctly are based on NOAA data, which is the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The stations which are incorrect are based on Canadian Hydrographic Service data.

Yesterday (29 Dec.) I received an email from the Marine Map Technology manager for Garmin.

He has his team working on the problem and they have attempted to contact Canadian Hydrographic Service. Unfortunately some members of his team and some staff from CHS are away on holiday so answers will not be available until January.

If anyone else has observed this problem, please let me know.