Quote:
Originally Posted by djstone
We are planning a vacation to Topsail, NC in September and are thinking of hauling the kayaks down to paddle the intracoastal waterways. I have been searching for different charts/maps and I haven't found exactly what I want. I'm looking to gather as much info as I can as this is uncharted (tee-hee)) territory for us and I'm not sure how tides and currents will affect our paddle plan. Some sort of map I can take along would help allay fears of being lost or stranded in unfamiliar territory.
Darla
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The National Ocean Service (NOS), part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), produces
nautical charts for commercial shipping and recreational boating and predicts tides and currents in coastal waters nationwide. However, I believe that paper copies of the charts are no longer available for purchase directly from NOS. The charts are available electronically, but I believe you will probably have to print them. On the page where the link above takes you, go to the links for Custom Chart, Booklet Charts, Tide Predictions, and Current Predictions. There will be a learning curve to figure out how to get the chart for the area you are interested in. Contact NOAA/NOS if you need help with the process. Alternatively, it might be easier to contact a place that rents kayaks in the area to find out if they have their own nautical chart(s) or a marine supply store in the area. Hope this helps you get started.
JP
PS: I just found a
page on the NOS website that lists agents that will print the digital version of a nautical chart. It may be useful to contact one of them to find out if they can customize a chart for the specific area where you will be kayaking.