Destinations: Pick Your Crossing to Haida Gwaii
Here's our latest destinations installment courtesy of SalishSeaPilot.com's Jim Burgoyne about choosing a window to transit Hecate Strait toward Haida Gwaii.
WDFW Seeks Public Input on Rules for Vessels Operating Near Southern Resident Killer Whales
Washington Department of of Fish and Wildlife invites public participation in an online survey about rules for vessels operating near Southern Resident killer whales. The survey, available through Sept. 30, 2022, will…
Beacon Background: Point Wilson Lighthouse
The Point Wilson Lighthouse in 1960. Photo courtesy…
How We Prepped for the Pacific NW Offshore Race
The Pacific Northwest Offshore (formerly the Oregon Offshore) is a 193-mile race that starts at the mouth of the Columbia River and normally finishes in Victoria, BC. However, in 2021 and 2022, the race finished in Port…
At the…
Beacon Background: Alki Point Lighthouse
Explore the history of the iconic lighthouse that has been guiding mariners through Puget Sound for more than 100 years. The following article originally appeared in the May 2022 issue of 48° North. Seattle is a city best…
Introduction to Polar Diagrams and Optimum VMC
A polar diagram is a graphic presentation of a sailboat's sailing performance in various wind conditions. But how do you interpret it? The same information is also often presented in the form of a table or spreadsheet, which…
A Closer Look at Diesel Fuel
This article was originally published in the April 2022 issue of 48° North. In my last column (February 2022), we talked about oil’s function and filtration in a marine diesel engine, and noted that it is one of several…
Beacon Background: The Heceta Head Lighthouse
If you see one lighthouse in Oregon, let it be the beacon at Heceta Head. For more than a century, mariners have relied on its light for safe passage along Oregon’s central coast. This is a seascape dotted with rocky islands…
How to Print NOAA Custom Charts
Traditional paper charts are in the process of being replaced with electronic navigational charts (ENC) and a new form of paper chart called NOAA Custom Chart (NCC), based on these ENC. In this new system, the user designs…