Maps in the News: Nautical Charts

 

Nautical Charts in the News:  Giglio Island, Italy and Nome, Alaska

The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library includes a large collection of nautical charts covering coastlines around the world available for research and learning.  Nautical charts are maps of the surface of the sea that include known hazards and aids to navigation.  

The top nautical chart (click to enlarge) shows the location of Giglio Island (Isola del Giglio), Italy, where a cruise ship ran aground on Friday.  The depth of the water near the ship was about 100 meters.  The coast of Italy is shaded gray.

The second nautical chart is a map of Nome, Alaska.  Crews began transferring millions of gallons of fuel Monday from a Russian tanker to the iced-in city.  The locations of fuel tanks in Nome can be viewed on the nautical chart.

Nautical charts from the GRMC can be circulated for two weeks or longer.  The charts, however, should not be used for navigation.

For more information about these maps, please contact the GRMC Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00.