Side view elevation map of (Caribbean) islands

Dec 29, 2008
805
Treworgy 65' LOA Custom Steel Pilothouse Staysail Ketch St. Croix, Virgin Islands
I have been searching for a source of elevation maps of various islands, to help identify one from another based on their elevation profile as seen from sea level/eye level. Surely there are such profile views available, but I can't find any. Naturally, it will vary by the direction from which one is viewing, Is anyone aware of a source for any such views?
 

colemj

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Jul 13, 2004
120
Dolphin Catamaran Dolphin 460 Mystic, CT
I remember the Doyle guides in the Eastern Caribe always had these profile sketch drawings. We don't have them any more, so I may be incorrect.

Mark
 
Jun 14, 2010
2,096
Robertson & Caine 2017 Leopard 40 CT
I don't understand why you'd need a visual profile picture to identify the island if you know where you are, and have nautical charts. The profile would change from different angles, but the relative bearing from your known position would make it easy to identify the island on a chart.
 
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Gunni

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Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
None of my chart kits have consistent island profiles. They do have them for prominent trade islands and tricky locations...NV Charts does a good job of drawing lighthouses, which I find useful. Chris Doyle's guides are my go to for pre-study, his aerial photos with navigation overlay help me visualize a location before arriving. He does a great job of boiling it down to simplified nav planning.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
I have been searching for a source of elevation maps of various islands, to help identify one from another based on their elevation profile as seen from sea level/eye level.
This is risky stuff to rely on. Surely you would have charts and be able to do a 3-point bearing fix?

The trick with the profile is knowing were were where to know what angle you were looking. And then have that view.

Nobletec's wonderful TimeZero app will show terrain from any perspective/angle, but by then you are looking at an e-chart, and now know where you probably are......

tz.jpg


St Johns, BTW......
 
Last edited:
Feb 11, 2017
8
British Admiralty charts in days of yore had profiles of the islands . . . and the islands themselves were full of topographical detail so you could "picture" them. And the charts didn't need batteries. Finding those charts today might be a bit of a trick.
 
Feb 11, 2017
122
former Tartan 30 New London, CT area
Does the island look like a volcano? If YES, you're likely in the Caribbean. Beyond that, you're getting into the details - how many peaks, how high, is the other land N or S of the peak(s).
 
Dec 29, 2008
805
Treworgy 65' LOA Custom Steel Pilothouse Staysail Ketch St. Croix, Virgin Islands
This is risky stuff to rely on. Surely you would have charts and be able to do a 3-point bearing fix?

Nobletec's wonderful TimeZero app will show terrain from any perspective/angle...

St Johns, BTW......
Jack, not thinking for navigational purposes. We're on St. Croix, and just want to better clarify which of the islands up north we are looking at. Last week, while it was so clear, we could even see the peaks on Puerto Rico. We can distinguish STT and STJ, but the others tend to all run together.

I'll have to try TimeZero. I don't Share your positive opinion of it, though. I loved VNS, and think TimeZero is so less intuitive and easy to use. One purchase I regret. But, I'll drag it out at see how the angles look - if it doesn't keep crashing my PC again. Thanks for the tip!
 
Dec 29, 2008
805
Treworgy 65' LOA Custom Steel Pilothouse Staysail Ketch St. Croix, Virgin Islands
Does the island look like a volcano? If YES, you're likely in the Caribbean. Beyond that, you're getting into the details - how many peaks, how high, is the other land N or S of the peak(s).
Ok, the all look like volcanos - so this must be the Caribbean!