Bahamas navigation documents

[Bob 04 H260]

Hey Sum !
I read that up until just after this incident the NV charts showed this as a navigable entrance to the harbour. It does on our Raymarine MFD using the NV charts, we purchased the chip in 2012.

Apparently right after this incident it was changed quickly on the charts on the NV web site.

My understanding was the vessel was approaching the reef in bright sunlight, the waves were clearly breaking on the reef. He probably thought there was a channel to get through and it never appeared. As you know some of these cuts can be narrow and are not a straight shot.
All charts have errors, especially in the Bahamas.

Bob

 

[Delezynski]

Sure does make a case for using proper navigation rules. Like do not count on ONE (1) source and do not try to enter a harbor, or in this case a pass, after dark!

Perhaps a paper chart would have been MUCH better? You would have had to study it carefully, and not count on it a "GPS to a foot accurate" source of information.

Just sayen......

Greg

 

[Bob 04 H260]

This is what the chart looked like at the time of the incident.

 

[Bob 04 H260]

Here is what the captain of the grounded cat had to say....

Tuesday, 29 January 2013
Next Life aground - this is what happened...
So, we ran aground going through a cut between Guana Cay and Fowl Cay just outside of Georgetown in the Great Exuma Islands.

You might be wondering how this happened to us. And I even go as far as saying "...to us of all people", meaning that we both are very cautious people and were very well aware of the danger of reefs in this area.

The problem was that we had travelled with the Navionics Chart Software happily and safely for months and for more than 10,000 Nautical Miles. We had also travelled to Alaska and back with the Navionics software without ever running into any problems. We trusted the software, not blindly, mind you, we would still have our guards up. But we trusted it enough to make our passage planning based on the information it provided. For the route we took, Navionics did not only show the depth of the cut as being sufficient, it even showed it as the recommended route to take.

At the same time, the angle of the sun was such that we could never have seen the reef before it was too late. Local people who helped us said that there would have been no chance. And on top of that, the tide was such that the water didn't break in front of the reef, so there were no waves to indicate that reef either.

So the charts said it was okay to go and it looked like it was okay to go and that's when we ran aground.

 

[Sumner]

Well I was under the impression from what I've read that NV and Navionics were one and the same but I guess they aren't...

http://us.nvcharts.com/

and...

http://www.navionics.com/en/customers

I was using NV charts since it is the only one that works with OpenCPN in the Bahamas so sorry for the confusion. I wondered how the chart Bob posted could look so different than the one I posted.

So does anyone have the Garmin chart of the same area to compare to the NV that I posted?

Also to muddy the waters some more it seems like I've read, maybe even in the Explorer Charts I bought, that Garmin isn't using Explorer information exclusively in the Bahamas.

I believe that the new Standard Horizon chart-plotter I bought has C-Map charts for the Bahamas pre-loaded. I haven't wired it up yet but will be checking when I do and will also be using OpenCPN with the NV charts to compare passages with on the next trip over there along with the Explored paper charts I took but I wouldn't of wanted to of been going some of the places I did just trying to use the paper charts. Too many twists and turns in a short distance,

Sumner

===================================

1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac

Endeavour 37 Mods...

MacGregor 26-S Mods...

Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida, Bahamas

 

[BJV]

I have a friend who just got back from cruising in the Bahamas and used Navionics charts with no issues. With all the updates they push, sonarcharts, satellite overlays, and community edits it seems like the charts are pretty accurate. Is there a specific area that you know of that is incorrect in the Bahamas area?

Two places I know of, south end of Elizabeth Harbour Exuma and cut at south west entrance into Spanish Wells.

 

[gettinthere]

Two places I know of, south end of Elizabeth Harbour Exuma and cut at south west entrance into Spanish Wells.

Those are 2 major passes. How could they mess them up and get away with it for more than a minute?

 

[JTulls]

This is what the chart looked like at the time of the incident.

...it looks like that chart shows 3ft in the area. Even with a cat, you should be on high alert in 3ft of water.

But more importantly, I just want to throw this out there that the amount of updates made since that vessel ran aground (not just in that area, but also others) is enormous -- especially with their sonarcharts and community edits now. Check out the screen shot of that same area now...

 

[JTulls]

Those are 2 major passes. How could they mess them up and get away with it for more than a minute?

I was just playing around on the app and unless I'm looking in a different area, the SonarCharts for those areas shows some detailed contouring and edits warn of places of issue (but having not sailed through that area, I can't directly comment on accuracy) but if there's an area you know for sure is wrong, I would get in touch with Navionics -- they'll work to sort out and correct errors

 

[gettinthere]

I was just playing around on the app and unless I'm looking in a different area, the SonarCharts for those areas shows some detailed contouring and edits warn of places of issue (but having not sailed through that area, I can't directly comment on accuracy) but if there's an area you know for sure is wrong, I would get in touch with Navionics -- they'll work to sort out and correct errors

I was responding to the comment by BJV a few posts back. I don't use Navionics.

 

[Capt Thomas]

In the Bahamas there is no reason to be moving without good visual reference. In other words look where you are going no matter what the electronic or hard copy reference says

 

[slooop]

You can go to www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/staff/BookletChart to get the charts you need. Free. The govt. stopped printing paper charts couple years ago but they are avail on line.

 

[Delezynski]

You can go to www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/staff/BookletChart to get the charts you need. Free. The govt. stopped printing paper charts couple years ago but they are avail on line.

Slooop,

I have downloaded many charts from NOAA, including the booklet charts. I have also downloaded the full charts and had them printed at the office store at 16 by 24 to fit my chart table. BUT, the charts for outside of the US are not detailed. Just not good enough for actual use aboard, just for planning.

Greg