CHARTS

NAVIGATION CHART NOTES

SCALES & SOURCES

Large Scale	the fraction is larger (ie: 1/100,000); a closer view
Small Scale	the fraction is smaller (ie: 1/500,000); shows more area
Chart Sources:
NOS	Great Lakes and coastal waters of US
DMAHTC	high seas and foreign water
CofE	major inland rivers, canals, lakes

COLOR

Gold land areas on NOS charts

White water

Blue shallow water areas

Green submerged water areas that uncover (tidal)

Magenta lighted buoys, red buoys, caution and danger symbols, compass roses

Black most symbols and printed information

Gray land areas on DMAHTC charts

LETTERING

Vertical objects dry at high water, not affected by movement of water
Leaning/Slanting features in water, underwater, or floating; not depth figures

CHART DATUM

Mean Lower Low Water average of all lowest water levels for 19 years---blue tint out to depth contour that is considered a danger contour for majority of marine traffic expected to use the chart
Mean High Water Line shoreline---datum used for vertical clearances of bridges
Low Water Line single row of dots, other contours represented by a series of dots or dots and dashes (see Chart No. 1)
Range Lines solid over navigated portion, dashed where it should not be followed

CHART TYPES

Sailing smallest scale, long stretches of coastline, open ocean between ports
General more limited area of coast, coastwise navigation, within sight of land
Coast Chart close-in coastwise navigation, entering and leaving harbors
Harbor largest scale, most detailed, navigation within harbors
Small-craft Chart compact, small-size, folded, public marine facilities available

Gold	land areas on NOS charts
White	water
Blue	shallow water areas
Green	submerged water areas that uncover (tidal)
Magenta	lighted buoys, red buoys, caution and danger symbols, compass roses
Black	most symbols and printed information
Gray	land areas on DMAHTC charts

Vertical	objects dry at high water, not affected by movement of water
Leaning/Slanting	features in water, underwater, or floating; not depth figures

Mean Lower Low Water	average of all lowest water levels for 19 years---blue tint out to depth contour that is considered a danger contour for majority of marine traffic expected to use the chart
Mean High Water Line	shoreline---datum used for vertical clearances of bridges
Low Water Line	single row of dots, other contours represented by a series of dots or dots and dashes (see Chart No. 1)
Range Lines	solid over navigated portion, dashed where it should not be followed

Sailing	smallest scale, long stretches of coastline, open ocean between ports
General	more limited area of coast, coastwise navigation, within sight of land
Coast Chart	close-in coastwise navigation, entering and leaving harbors
Harbor	largest scale, most detailed, navigation within harbors
Small-craft Chart	compact, small-size, folded, public marine facilities available