Coastal Knowledge
A Northerly Wind Comes From the North
Read named wind directions as the direction the wind comes from, then check how a chart or forecast represents that information before interpreting its arrows.
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Category: Coastal Knowledge
Explanations for curious readers observing the coast.
Coastal Knowledge
An Unfamiliar Chart Symbol Deserves a Reference, Not a Guess
Build a useful chart-symbol study card by retaining the symbol, surrounding context and official explanation instead of relying on resemblance.
Coastal Knowledge
A Depth Number Needs Its Units and Its Surroundings
Read chart soundings with their units and surrounding information, using a desk exercise that keeps a bare number from becoming a false conclusion.
Coastal Knowledge
Forecast Time: Issued at Noon Does Not Mean Valid Only at Noon
Separate issue time from the period a marine forecast covers, and keep date and time-zone labels attached to the information you save.
Coastal Knowledge
The Forecast Area Matters as Much as the Forecast Number
Check the geographic coverage of a marine forecast before comparing numbers, and make a clear note when a named area remains unfamiliar.
Coastal Knowledge
Before You Read a Tide Table, Check These Five Labels
A tide table starts with its labels: station, date, time zone, units and vertical reference. Learn why each belongs beside the numbers.
Coastal Knowledge
Tides and currents: two different things to notice at the coast
Understand the difference between tidal water levels and moving currents, and why high water alone does not tell you when the current will stop.