1. Session 2 NAUTICAL ALMANACS

2. Objectives To become familiar with: 1. Nautical Catalog Number 1.
2. Dates and Latest Editions.
3. Light List.
4. Coast Pilot.
5. LNM—Local Notice to Mariners.
6. Tide Tables.
7. Tidal Current Tables.
8. Tidal Current Charts.
9. Nautical Chart No. 1.

3. Introduction to NAUTICAL ALMANACS
There are various catalogs and almanacs published by the Coast Guard, other Federal agencies, and the private sector which provide information important to the small boater.
Each publication fills a distinct purpose.

4. Nautical Chart Catalog 1 - Purpose
Provides the answer to the question, “What nautical charts should I use in this area?”
You will find a copy of this document in every good chart dealer’s store.
A sample document is being passed around for review.

5. Nautical Chart Catalog No. 1
Nautical Chart Catalog available from NOAA at no charge

6. 2. Dates of Latest Editions Nautical Charts & Misc. Maps
Published quarterly.
Shows you the Edition Number and Date for each nautical chart.
Insures that you are buying the most up-to-date chart.
Sample document is being passed around for review.
Available on the internet:

7. Dates of Latest Editions Nautical Charts & Misc. Maps
This publication lists each chart by:
Chart Number,
Chart Scale,
Price,
Edition Number,
Edition Date, and
Printing Revision Date.

8. 3. LIGHT LIST Purpose
Available on the internet:
Provides more and complete data about each Aid to Navigation – lighted and unlighted.
Shows data that cannot be printed on a nautical chart.
Two Major Sections:
Offshore Buoys—found in front of Light List.
Coastal Buoys

9. LIGHT LIST - Purpose
To provide mariners with more complete details about Aids to Navigation—ATONs.
A catalog of:
All Aids to Navigation—ATONs.
Lights.
Sound Signals.
Color.
Type
Radio Beacons and signals.
Structure.
Latitude and longitude – good for use as waypoints in your GPS.
Ownership – private or federal.

10. LIGHT LIST Publications
Printed in Seven Volumes:
ME to NJ
NJ to SC
SC to FL
FL to TX
Mississippi River System
Pacific Coast
Great Lakes

11. The Coast Guard Light Lists are published in
seven volumes covering the U.S. Coasts, the
Great Lakes, and the Mississippi River System.
These are complete listings of all lights, buoys,
daybeacons, ranges, fog signals, radiobeacons,
and radar beacons (RACONS); detailed
information is given on each aid including
position (where necessary), shape, color, and
characteristics. In addition, each Light List
volume contains introductory pages with general
information on aids to navigation and their use,
and the GPS, DGPS, and LORAN- C
radionavigation systems. Each volume is
republished annually, but during the year should
be kept continuously corrected from the Local
Notice to Mariners.

12. LIGHT LIST - Typical Page
Light List Number
Each ATON is assigned a specific number.
Number is changed periodically.
ATONs Name
Each ATON has a unique name which includes the name of the body of water in which the aid is located.
Geographic Position – LAT/LON
Light characteristic
Height above water

13. Height above water explained
Floating Aid – The height is measured from the water line to the level of the light bulb—focal plane.
Fixed Aid – The height is measured from Mean High Water (MHW) level to the height of the light bulb—focal plane.

14. LIGHT LIST - Typical Page
Nominal Range of Light
Maximum distance at which a light can be seen in clear weather.
Distance is expressed in nautical miles.
Structural Characteristics
Special construction features or material is indicated.

15. Structure Year Height Remarks Location Seacoast California No. Name
Light List
Light List numbers are assigned to all aids to
navigation in order to facilitate reference in the
Light List and to resolve ambiguity when
referencing aids. Aids are tabulated in the same
sequence as lights are numbered - basically,
clockwise around the U.S. Coasts from Maine to
Florida to Texas, California to Washington, east
to west on the Great Lakes, and upriver in the
Mississippi River System; seacoast aids are listed
first in the applicable volumes, followed by
harbor and river aids, and then Intracoastal
Waterways aids, if applicable.
Structure
Year
Height
Remarks
Location
Seacoast
California
No.
Name
Range

16. LIGHT LIST - Typical Page
General Remarks
Data on signal characteristics.
Light sectors—arcs of visibility.
RADAR reflectors.
Emergency back-up lights.
Seasonal ATON deployment.
Data about Private Aids.

17. Pt. Loma Light
Height Above Water = 88 ft.
from the Light List

18. Pt. Loma Light
Nominal Range = 23 n m
from the Light List

19. Meteorological Visibility
Luminous Range
15 n m
Meteorological Visibility
5 n m
Luminous Range - nautical miles
Nominal Range
23 n m
Nominal Range - nautical miles

20. Observer’s Height of Eye = 16 feet
Visible Distance to the Horizon
Observer’s Height of Eye = 16 feet
D = H
Visible Distance = 5 n m

21. You may see a minor light
or buoy at half again
its nominal range.

22. Lighthouse Height Above Water = 88 feet
Visible Distance to the Horizon
Lighthouse Height Above Water = 88 feet
D = H
Visible Distance = 11 n m

23. Be sure to maintain
your night vision
at all times.

24. COAST PILOT Purpose http://CHARTMAKER.NCD.NOAA.GOV/NSD/ COASTPILOT.htm
Available on the internet:
COASTPILOT.htm
Supplements information shown on Nautical Charts.
Shows data that can’t be coded or abbreviated on a Nautical Chart.
A sample document is being passed around for your review.

25. YOU! COAST PILOT Updates Received from: NOAA Field Inspections.
LNM Information.
Hydrographic Vessels.
Other Government Agencies.
State and local Governments.
Maritime and Pilotage Associations. Port Authorities.
YOU!

26. Coast pilots provide detailed information to supplement nautical
charts. Similar in many ways to cruising guides, coast pilots
include the location of fuel docks, repair and haul-out facilities,
local navigation regulations (such as drawbridge operating
hours), descriptions of natural and cultural shore-line features,
tide and tidal current information, local weather conditions, and
navigational hazards.
Experienced navigators swear by coast pilots, and many
commercial vessels are required by law to have them on board.

27. COAST PILOT Published in 9 Volumes
ME to Cape Cod.
Cape Code to Sandy Hook.
Sandy Hook to Cape Henry.
Cape Henry to Key West.
Gulf of Mexico, PR, Virgin Islands.
Great Lakes.
West Coast, Hawaii.
Alaska (2 volumes).

28. COAST PILOT - Contains Channel descriptions. Anchorages.
Bridge and cable clearances.
Currents.
Tide and water levels.
Prominent features.
Pilotage

29. COAST PILOT Six Major Sections
1. General Information.
2. Navigational Regulations.
3. General information about the area.
4. Specific information about the area.
5. Appendix.
6. Tables.

30. COAST PILOT Contains more information:
Towage.
Weather.
Ice conditions.
Dangers.
Routes.
Traffic Separation Schemes.
Federal Regulations for area.
Locks and Dam regulations and signals.

31. COAST PILOT Tables Climatological Tables. Meteorological Tables.
Mean surface water temperature and densities.
National Weather Service coastal warning displays.
Nautical miles between points.

32. COAST PILOT More Tables
Radio bearing conversion table.
Distance of visibility of objects at sea.
Conversion table—degrees to points and vice versa.
Conversion tables.
Table for estimating time of transit.
Index

33. COAST PILOT Corrections
Corrections are published in the Local Notice to Mariners—LNM.

34. LNM Local Notice to Mariners
Available on the internet:
Issued weekly, at no cost to the user, by the United States Coast Guard.

35. LNM Sections II Discrepancies.
I Special Notices.
II Discrepancies.
III Temporary changes - Temporary changes corrected.
IV Chart corrections.
V Advance Notices
VI Proposed changes to ATONs.
VII General
VIII Light List corrections.
Marine Events.
Coast Pilot Updates.

36. http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/lnm/default.htm 9/19/2018
Each Coast Guard District is responsible for
developing and issuing a LNM. LNM's are
developed from information received from Coast
Guard field units, the General Public, Army Corps
of Engineers, U.S. Merchant Fleet, National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
National Ocean Service (NOS), and other sources,
concerning the establishment of, changes to, and
deficiencies in aids to navigation and any other
information pertaining to the safety of the
waterways within each Coast Guard District. This
information includes: Reports of channel
conditions, obstructions, hazards to navigation,
dangers, anchorage's, restricted areas, regattas,
information on bridges such as proposed
construction or modification, the establishment
or removal of drill rigs and vessels, and similar
items.
9/19/2018

37. Broadcast Notice to Mariners United States Coast Guard
On VHF-FM Channel 22A
Braodcast Notice to Mariners (BNMs) are issued by the Coast Guard in order to disseminate important marine information to the marine community. BNMs will alwaysbe issued for the establishment, discontinuance, changes or discrepancies in Aids to Navigation. Marine obstructions, temporary changes in bridge clearance, interruptions in normal drawbridge operations, dredging, shoaling or changes in channel widths, hazardous military operations, and other hazards to navigation will be broadcast as necessary for safe navigation.
The Coast Guard broadcasts marine safety information on VHF-FM Channel 22A (157.1 MHz) and on 2670 kHz single side band (SSB). These safety broadcasts contain information such as Notices to Mariners, storm warnings, distrss warnings, and other information vital to safe navigation.
Following a preliminary call on VHF-FM Channel 16 and/or 2182 khz, mariners will be instructed to shift to VHF-FM Channel 22A or to 2670 kHz (SSB) respectively.
The schedule of Marine Information including Broadcast to Mariners and Weather is promulgated by each USCG Group and will be published in the Special Notice to Mariners published once each year by every Coast Guard District

39. TIDE TABLES Purpose
To provide a means of predicting the height of tide for each day of the year.
Provide other astronomical date and tables to the mariner.

40. TIDE TABLES - Contents Table 1 – Daily Tide Predictions.
Table 2 – Tidal Differences and other constants.
Table 3 – Height of Tide at any time.
Table 4 – Local Mean Time of Sunrise and Sunset.
Table 5 – Reduction of Local Mean Time to Standard Time.

41. Much of this information and data is available on new GPS sets.
TIDE TABLES - Contents
Much of this information and data is available on new GPS sets.
Table 6 – Moonrise and Moonset
Table 7 – Conversion of feet to meters.
Table 8 – Tide Prediction Accuracy
Glossary of Terms
Index to Stations
Astronomical data

42. TIDAL CURRENT TABLES Purpose
To provide a means to predict the set and drift of the current for every day of the year.
To provide additional tables to help the mariner convert current set and drift.

43. TIDAL CURRENT TABLES Contents
Table 1 – Daily Current Predictions.
Table 2 – Current Differences and other Constants and Rotary Tidal Currents.
Table 3 – Speed of Current at any Time.
Table 4 – Duration of Slack.
Table 5 – Rotary Tidal Currents.
The Gulf Stream

44. TIDAL CURRENT TABLES Contents
Wind-driven currents.
The Combination of Currents.
Current Diagrams.
Publications relating to Tide and Tidal Currents.
Glossary of Terms.
Index to Stations.

45. Tide & current tables
Originally published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, the NOAA tables are now privately published in
exactly the same format as the originals. The British Admiralty
tables are still printed by the government of the United
Kingdom.

46. CHART No 1 – Nautical Chart Symbols Abbreviations and Terms
Contains every abbreviation and symbol used of a Nautical Chart.
A must for every serious navigator.

47. "Chart No.1" is the name that most nations give to the publication that explains the symbols and terminology use by their respective hydrographic offices in the preparation of nautical charts. This is an unusual name in that these publications are paper booklets, not large single-sheet charts in the conventional sense. Nevertheless, this is a consistent convention, even in languages other than English.

49. How do you know when a nautical chart or a almanac is changed?
ANY QUESTIONS?
The Local Notice to Mariners! LNM
How do you know when a nautical chart or a almanac is changed?

51. Colregs Demarcation Lines

53. Reed's Nautical Almanac,
North America West Coast
2000
edited by Catherine Degnon
Tides and currents (corrected for daylight time
Weather, GPS waypoints, celestial navigation tables
Coastal pilot information, communications, and much more
This addition to the respected and popular Reed’s almanac
series covers all Alaskan waters (including the Southeast,
Aleutian Islands and Bering Sea), British Columbia, Washington
(including Puget Sound), Oregon, California, Hawaii, and Mexico
(including the Sea of Cortez and Baja), in 650 pages. Accepted
by the U.S. Coast Guard. Annual, available in November. PB.

54. Any questions on: AV Task 1-1 Use of Chart No. 1 – see page 116.
AV Task 1-2 Basic parts, symbols and abbreviations found on a nautical chart – see page 116.
AV Task 1-4 Knowledge of the Coast Pilot – see page 117.

55. Complete Task 3-1
Demonstrate the use of the Light List. Identify three private aids.
You have five minutes.
See pages 123 and 124 of the “D1 (P)ATON Study Guide.”