[ { "id": "great-loop", "name": "America's Great Loop", "group": "North America", "kind": "loop", "inland": true, "blurb": "A 6,000-mile circuit of eastern North America, linking the Atlantic coast, Great Lakes, Canadian canals, inland rivers and the Gulf of Mexico.", "description": "The Great Loop is a continuous circumnavigation of eastern North America by water. It strings together the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, Chesapeake Bay, the Hudson River and New York canals, Ontario's Trent-Severn Waterway, Georgian Bay and the Great Lakes, the Illinois and Mississippi/Ohio rivers, the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, and the Gulf Coast back to Florida.\n\nMost boaters ('Loopers') go counter-clockwise from Chicago or Florida and take about a year, following the seasons: Gulf and Florida in winter, the ICW and Chesapeake in spring, Canada and the Great Lakes in summer, and the rivers in autumn. The route has no official start, and boats range from trawlers to sailboats that un-step the mast. Completers switch from a white to a gold burgee, and AGLCA supports the community.\n\nThe Loop is hard in a practical way rather than a wild one. You need about 19 ft 1 in of air draft for the fixed bridge near Chicago, you share rivers with commercial tows, and you have to plan around the Gulf crossing, Great Lakes weather, lock closures and high-water events.", "facts": [ { "label": "Length", "value": "about 6,000 statute miles (AGLCA)", "short": "about 6,000 miles" }, { "label": "Typical duration", "value": "about one year; faster or slower is common (fastest reported times under three weeks, unofficial)" }, { "label": "Locks", "value": "100+", "short": "100+" }, { "label": "Air draft limit", "value": "19 ft 1 in fixed bridge south of Chicago (mast-down or powerboat route)", "short": "19 ft 1 in" }, { "label": "Direction and start", "value": "Usually counter-clockwise; any start, Chicago is the common reference point" }, { "label": "Seasons", "value": "Summer Great Lakes/Canada, autumn rivers, winter Gulf/Florida, spring Atlantic ICW" } ], "highlights": [ "Chicago skyline and lock", "Trent-Severn and Georgian Bay's 30,000 Islands", "Hudson River and Erie Canal", "Tennessee-Tombigbee and Mobile Bay", "Florida Gulf Coast and Okeechobee Waterway" ], "watch_out": [ "19 ft 1 in fixed bridge near Chicago", "Commercial tows, current and debris on the Mississippi and Illinois rivers", "Gulf of Mexico crossing needs a good weather window", "Hurricane season and late-autumn Great Lakes storms" ], "waypoints": [ [ -87.6, 41.88 ], [ -89.59, 40.69 ], [ -90.43, 38.97 ], [ -89.17, 37 ], [ -88.2, 35 ], [ -87.83, 32.52 ], [ -88.04, 30.69 ], [ -87.2, 30.4 ], [ -84.66, 29.85 ], [ -82.8, 28.15 ], [ -81.87, 26.64 ], [ -80.2, 27.17 ], [ -81.28, 29.9 ], [ -79.92, 32.77 ], [ -76.66, 34.72 ], [ -76.3, 36.85 ], [ -76.47, 38.97 ], [ -75.75, 39.53 ], [ -74.9, 38.93 ], [ -74.03, 40.65 ], [ -73.75, 42.65 ], [ -76.5, 43.46 ], [ -77.58, 44.1 ], [ -79.72, 44.8 ], [ -81.4, 45.97 ], [ -84.73, 45.85 ], [ -85.26, 45.32 ], [ -86.45, 43.96 ], [ -86.49, 42.11 ], [ -87.6, 41.88 ] ], "label_at": [ -84, 44 ], "keywords": [ "great loop", "americas great loop", "america's great loop", "looper", "loopers", "aglca", "gold burgee", "doing the loop" ], "sources": [ { "title": "AGLCA - America's Great Loop Cruisers' Association", "url": "https://www.greatloop.org/" }, { "title": "Great Loop (Wikipedia)", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Loop" }, { "title": "Waterway Guide - Thinking About a Great Loop Adventure?", "url": "https://www.waterwayguide.com/knowledge-center/news-post/11814/thinking-about-a-great-loop-adventure-heres-what-you-need-to-know" } ] }, { "id": "icw", "name": "Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (Norfolk to Florida)", "group": "North America", "kind": "route", "inland": true, "blurb": "About 1,090 statute miles of protected canals, sounds and rivers from Norfolk to Miami, the snowbird highway of the US East Coast.", "description": "The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AICW) is a chain of natural rivers, sounds, bays and dredged cuts maintained by the US Army Corps of Engineers. It begins at Mile 0 in Norfolk, Virginia and runs south through North Carolina's sounds, the South Carolina and Georgia marshes and Florida's coast to Miami, with extensions to Key West. The Gulf ICW continues west from Florida toward Texas.\n\nSnowbirds travel south in October and November and return north in April and May. Most cruisers take 3 to 6 weeks, in daylight, anchoring or using marinas. You can choose between the Virginia Cut and the Dismal Swamp Canal near Norfolk, and you can go outside in the ocean at inlets when weather allows. No tolls are charged.\n\nThe authorized depth is 12 ft from Norfolk to Fort Pierce and 10 ft from there to Miami, but funding limits mean shoaling is common. Tidal currents are strong, and Georgia and the Carolinas have many known trouble spots. Sailors must also handle numerous opening bridges and fixed bridges, with a standard of 65 ft.", "facts": [ { "label": "Length", "value": "about 1,090 statute miles Norfolk (Mile 0) to Miami", "short": "about 1,090 miles" }, { "label": "Typical duration", "value": "3-6 weeks one way" }, { "label": "Authorized depth", "value": "12 ft Norfolk to Fort Pierce, 10 ft from there to Miami; many shoal spots are shallower; Dismal Swamp route about 6 ft" }, { "label": "Fixed bridge clearance", "value": "65 ft standard; lowest fixed span 56 ft (Julia Tuttle Causeway, Miami)", "short": "65 ft" }, { "label": "Season", "value": "Year-round; snowbird traffic south in autumn, north in spring", "short": "Year-round" }, { "label": "Tolls", "value": "None" } ], "highlights": [ "Dismal Swamp Canal", "Albemarle Sound and the Outer Banks", "Charleston and Savannah", "Georgia's Golden Isles marshes", "Florida's Indian River and Palm Beach" ], "watch_out": [ "Shoaling and strong currents in the Carolinas and Georgia", "Bridge openings on schedules, plus fixed bridges at 65 ft or less", "Hurricane season (June to November)", "Wakes and commercial barge traffic in narrow cuts" ], "waypoints": [ [ -76.3, 36.85 ], [ -76.24, 36.72 ], [ -75.95, 36.36 ], [ -76, 36.05 ], [ -76, 35.75 ], [ -76.25, 35.6 ], [ -76.62, 35.54 ], [ -76.65, 35.05 ], [ -76.66, 34.72 ], [ -77.12, 34.69 ], [ -77.8, 34.2 ], [ -78.02, 33.92 ], [ -78.85, 33.7 ], [ -79.28, 33.37 ], [ -79.93, 32.78 ], [ -80.68, 32.43 ], [ -81, 32 ], [ -81.4, 31.1 ], [ -81.45, 30.68 ], [ -81.3, 29.9 ], [ -81, 29.2 ], [ -80.8, 28.6 ], [ -80.37, 27.65 ], [ -80.2, 27.2 ], [ -80.05, 26.75 ], [ -80.1, 26.1 ], [ -80.17, 25.78 ] ], "label_at": [ -77.12, 34.69 ], "keywords": [ "intracoastal waterway", "intracoastal", "icw", "aicw", "dismal swamp" ], "sources": [ { "title": "Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (Wikipedia)", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_Intracoastal_Waterway" }, { "title": "Intracoastal Waterway (Wikipedia)", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intracoastal_Waterway" }, { "title": "NOAA Coast Pilot 4, Chapter 12", "url": "https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/publications/coast-pilot/files/cp4/CPB4_C12_WEB.pdf" } ] }, { "id": "erie-canal", "name": "Erie Canal & NY State Canals", "group": "North America", "kind": "route", "inland": true, "blurb": "From the Hudson at Waterford, 35 locks climb through the Mohawk Valley to Lake Erie at Buffalo, the historic link to the Great Lakes.", "description": "The Erie Canal connects the Hudson River near Albany with the Niagara River near Buffalo, and forms the spine of the NY State Canal System. The system also includes the Champlain Canal (Hudson to Lake Champlain), the Oswego Canal (Erie to Lake Ontario) and the Cayuga-Seneca Canal, and totals about 524 miles. The modern canal opened as the Barge Canal in 1918.\n\nBoaters usually enter from the Hudson and climb the Waterford Flight, five locks raising boats about 169 ft, then transit west. Mast-up sailboats usually stop at Waterford or Troy to un-step, then re-step in Oswego or Buffalo. Transit takes about a week or more, with marina stops and lock delays. The NYS Canal Corporation runs the locks.\n\nThe main constraints are overhead clearance (about 20-21 ft from Waterford to Three Rivers, on the route to Oswego, but only about 15.5 ft west of Three Rivers to Buffalo), the 12 ft maximum draft, and the navigation season, roughly mid-May to mid-October (check NYS Canal notices). The canal crosses historic towns, farmland and locks that operate by gravity.", "facts": [ { "label": "Erie Canal length", "value": "351 statute miles (565 km), Hudson to Buffalo; 35 locks", "short": "351 miles, 35 locks" }, { "label": "NY State Canal System", "value": "about 524-525 miles, 57 locks" }, { "label": "Depth and size", "value": "12 ft maximum draft; locks 328 ft x 45 ft" }, { "label": "Fixed bridge clearance", "value": "about 20-21 ft from Waterford to Three Rivers (Oswego route); about 15.5 ft west of Three Rivers to Buffalo; less after high water", "short": "15.5-21 ft" }, { "label": "Season", "value": "roughly mid-May to mid-October; check NYS Canal notices", "short": "mid-May to mid-October" }, { "label": "Typical duration", "value": "about 1-2 weeks through the Erie Canal, depending on stops" } ], "highlights": [ "Waterford Flight", "Mohawk Valley towns", "Oneida Lake", "Lockport flight", "Oswego Canal spur to Lake Ontario" ], "watch_out": [ "Mast must come down (about 20 ft clearance, only about 15.5 ft west of Three Rivers)", "Floating debris and high water after storms", "Open lock hours and closures", "Low-clearance bridges when water is high" ], "waypoints": [ [ -74.02, 40.7 ], [ -73.9, 41.07 ], [ -73.94, 41.7 ], [ -73.87, 42.22 ], [ -73.75, 42.65 ], [ -73.7, 42.79 ], [ -73.94, 42.82 ], [ -74.19, 42.94 ], [ -74.86, 43.04 ], [ -75.23, 43.1 ], [ -75.45, 43.21 ], [ -75.9, 43.2 ], [ -76.14, 43.23 ], [ -76.87, 43.08 ], [ -77.52, 43.09 ], [ -78.39, 43.22 ], [ -78.69, 43.17 ], [ -78.88, 43.02 ], [ -78.9, 42.89 ] ], "label_at": [ -75.23, 43.1 ], "keywords": [ "erie canal", "nys canal", "new york state canal", "waterford flight", "champlain canal", "oswego canal" ], "sources": [ { "title": "Erie Canal (Wikipedia)", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erie_Canal" }, { "title": "New York State Canal System (Wikipedia)", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_State_Canal_System" }, { "title": "NYS Canal Corporation", "url": "https://www.canals.ny.gov/" } ] }, { "id": "trent-severn", "name": "Trent-Severn Waterway", "group": "North America", "kind": "route", "inland": true, "blurb": "A 386 km Ontario canal of 44 locks, including the Peterborough Lift Lock and Big Chute railway, linking Lake Ontario to Georgian Bay.", "description": "The Trent-Severn Waterway crosses central Ontario from Trenton on Lake Ontario to Port Severn on Georgian Bay, linking the Kawartha Lakes, Lake Simcoe and Couchiching. Parks Canada operates it as a National Historic Site. The waterway was completed in 1920 and climbs to 256 m (841 ft) at Balsam Lake.\n\nBoats book no passage slot. You buy a lockage pass, then follow operating hours, lock by lock. Most people take 5-7 days one way, though summer traffic and stops often make it longer. Sailboats generally pass with the mast down or cranked down, and they should check draft before they go.\n\nThe Peterborough Lift Lock raises boats 19.8 m (65 ft), one of the highest hydraulic lift locks. At Big Chute, boats are carried across a hill on a marine railway. The hard parts are draft, varying water levels, swing bridges and lock queues in July and August.", "facts": [ { "label": "Length", "value": "386 km (241 statute miles)", "short": "386 km" }, { "label": "Locks", "value": "44 (conventional, flights, two hydraulic lifts, Big Chute marine railway)", "short": "44" }, { "label": "Depth", "value": "2.4 m (8 ft) locks 1-19; 1.8 m (6 ft) locks 20-45; not guaranteed" }, { "label": "Fixed bridge clearance", "value": "6.1 m (20 ft) minimum" }, { "label": "Season", "value": "mid-May (Victoria Day) to mid-October (Thanksgiving)", "short": "mid-May to mid-October" }, { "label": "Typical transit", "value": "5-7 days one way" } ], "highlights": [ "Peterborough Lift Lock", "Big Chute Marine Railway", "Kirkfield Lift Lock", "Kawartha Lakes", "Georgian Bay 30,000 Islands at the western end" ], "watch_out": [ "Water depths not guaranteed, so check draft", "Crowds and lock queues in July and August", "Mast-down clearance limit of about 20 ft", "Lock size 84 ft x 23 ft at Port Severn" ], "waypoints": [ [ -77.58, 44.1 ], [ -77.6, 44.2 ], [ -77.8, 44.3 ], [ -77.95, 44.31 ], [ -78.25, 44.12 ], [ -78.31, 44.3 ], [ -78.27, 44.43 ], [ -78.55, 44.54 ], [ -78.74, 44.53 ], [ -78.85, 44.6 ], [ -78.99, 44.58 ], [ -79.42, 44.6 ], [ -79.46, 44.75 ], [ -79.63, 44.82 ], [ -79.72, 44.8 ] ], "label_at": [ -78.31, 44.3 ], "keywords": [ "trent severn", "trent-severn", "peterborough lift lock", "big chute", "kawartha lakes" ], "sources": [ { "title": "Parks Canada - Trent-Severn Waterway technical data", "url": "https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/on/trentsevern/visit/navigation/points-retenir-navigation-facts" }, { "title": "Parks Canada - Trent-Severn Waterway", "url": "https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/on/trentsevern" }, { "title": "Trent-Severn Waterway (Wikipedia)", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trent%E2%80%93Severn_Waterway" } ] }, { "id": "rideau-canal", "name": "Rideau Canal", "group": "North America", "kind": "route", "inland": true, "blurb": "A 202 km UNESCO-listed Ontario canal of hand-cranked stone locks between Ottawa and Kingston, North America's oldest continuously operated canal.", "description": "The Rideau Canal connects Ottawa on the Ottawa River with Kingston on Lake Ontario over 202 km (126 statute miles). Built in the 1830s for military reasons, it is the oldest continuously operated canal system in North America and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2007. Parks Canada operates it from mid-May to mid-October.\n\nBoaters pass through a chain of lakes, the Rideau River and historic lockstations with staffed lock gates, and most run it in 3-6 days of comfortable cruising. The eight-lock Ottawa flight lifts boats from the river, and the summit is reached in Rideau Lakes country before locks lower boats to Kingston.\n\nThe limits are practical. Vessels can be up to 27.4 m (90 ft) long and 7.9 m (26 ft) wide, with a maximum draft of 1.5 m (5 ft) and only about 4 ft guaranteed. Air clearance is 6.7 m (22 ft), so sailboats usually lower masts.", "facts": [ { "label": "Length", "value": "202 km (126 statute miles)", "short": "202 km" }, { "label": "Locks", "value": "45-47 (Wikipedia: 47 including Tay Canal; 23-24 lockstations)", "short": "45-47" }, { "label": "Draft", "value": "1.5 m (5 ft) maximum; about 4 ft guaranteed" }, { "label": "Air clearance", "value": "6.7 m (22 ft)" }, { "label": "Season", "value": "mid-May to mid-October", "short": "mid-May to mid-October" }, { "label": "Max boat size", "value": "27.4 m (90 ft) long, 7.9 m (26 ft) beam" } ], "highlights": [ "Ottawa Locks flight", "Hog's Back Falls", "Smiths Falls and Merrickville", "Jones Falls", "Kingston Mills and downtown Kingston" ], "watch_out": [ "Only about 4 ft of depth guaranteed", "22 ft air clearance limit", "Seasonal operation with limited lock hours", "Low-water weeks in late summer" ], "waypoints": [ [ -75.7, 45.425 ], [ -75.7, 45.37 ], [ -75.69, 45.22 ], [ -75.84, 44.91 ], [ -76.02, 44.9 ], [ -76.2, 44.75 ], [ -76.33, 44.63 ], [ -76.23, 44.56 ], [ -76.43, 44.27 ], [ -76.48, 44.23 ] ], "label_at": [ -76.02, 44.9 ], "keywords": [ "rideau canal", "rideau waterway", "rideau" ], "sources": [ { "title": "Rideau Canal (Wikipedia)", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rideau_Canal" }, { "title": "Visit Rideau Canal - Plan your visit", "url": "https://www.visitrideaucanal.com/plan-your-visit" } ] }, { "id": "inside-passage", "name": "Inside Passage (Puget Sound to Alaska)", "group": "North America", "kind": "route", "inland": false, "blurb": "Roughly 1,000 miles of sheltered channels from Puget Sound through British Columbia to Alaska, with whales, glaciers and fierce tidal rapids.", "description": "The Inside Passage threads sheltered straits and fjords from Puget Sound through the San Juan Islands, British Columbia's Strait of Georgia, Johnstone Strait and Queen Charlotte Strait to southeast Alaska, ending around Skagway and Haines. Seattle to Ketchikan is about 650-660 nautical miles, including roughly 520 miles in BC.\n\nCruisers usually go from May to September, taking about a month round trip or several months to explore properly. Most boats plan around tides, using slack water at Dodd Narrows, Active Pass and Seymour Narrows. Anchorages are frequent and often deep, and cruisers clear Canadian and US customs at the border.\n\nWildlife and scenery draw boaters to orca, humpback whales, bears and glaciers. The challenges are strong semi-diurnal tides, currents up to about 16 knots at Seymour Narrows, unpredictable weather, fog, deadheads and deep anchorages. The open stretch around Cape Caution adds swell and exposure.", "facts": [ { "label": "Length", "value": "about 1,000 miles Olympia to Skagway/Haines; Seattle to Ketchikan about 650-660 nm", "short": "about 1,000 miles" }, { "label": "Typical duration", "value": "about 1 month round trip Seattle-Ketchikan; most take a season", "short": "about a month" }, { "label": "Season", "value": "May to September", "short": "May to September" }, { "label": "Segments", "value": "Puget Sound, about 520 miles in BC, about 50 miles in SE Alaska to Ketchikan" }, { "label": "Tidal currents", "value": "Seymour Narrows up to about 16 knots" }, { "label": "Border", "value": "Customs clearance into Canada and back into Alaska" } ], "highlights": [ "San Juan Islands", "Desolation Sound", "Johnstone Strait orcas", "Great Bear Rainforest", "Glacier Bay and Juneau region" ], "watch_out": [ "Timing narrows at slack water", "Fog, logs and deadheads", "Exposed open water at Cape Caution and Queen Charlotte Strait", "Deep anchorages and limited safe refuges" ], "waypoints": [ [ -122.9, 47.05 ], [ -122.45, 47.27 ], [ -122.4, 47.62 ], [ -122.6, 48 ], [ -122.76, 48.12 ], [ -123.15, 48.61 ], [ -123.3, 48.87 ], [ -123.82, 49.14 ], [ -123.94, 49.17 ], [ -124.75, 49.8 ], [ -125.25, 50.03 ], [ -125.35, 50.13 ], [ -126.05, 50.45 ], [ -126.93, 50.58 ], [ -127.49, 50.72 ], [ -127.83, 51.17 ], [ -127.85, 51.6 ], [ -128.13, 52.16 ], [ -128.52, 52.59 ], [ -129.25, 53.42 ], [ -130.32, 54.31 ], [ -131.65, 55.34 ], [ -132.38, 56.47 ], [ -132.96, 56.81 ], [ -133.4, 57.2 ], [ -134.42, 58.3 ], [ -135.45, 59.24 ], [ -135.31, 59.45 ] ], "label_at": [ -126.93, 50.58 ], "keywords": [ "inside passage", "seymour narrows", "johnstone strait", "desolation sound", "great bear rainforest", "cape caution", "glacier bay" ], "sources": [ { "title": "Inside Passage (Wikipedia)", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inside_Passage" }, { "title": "Boat Test / Cruising Destinations - Alaska's Inside Passage", "url": "https://boattest.com/article/alaskas-inside-passage" }, { "title": "Discovery Passage (Wikipedia)", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discovery_Passage" } ], "line": [ [ -122.9, 47.05 ], [ -122.91, 47.13 ], [ -122.82, 47.19 ], [ -122.76, 47.16 ], [ -122.55, 47.28 ], [ -122.52, 47.31 ], [ -122.46, 47.28 ], [ -122.45, 47.27 ], [ -122.49, 47.35 ], [ -122.52, 47.38 ], [ -122.52, 47.47 ], [ -122.4, 47.62 ], [ -122.43, 47.64 ], [ -122.49, 47.88 ], [ -122.6, 48 ], [ -122.71, 48.11 ], [ -122.76, 48.12 ], [ -123.19, 48.53 ], [ -123.19, 48.59 ], [ -123.16, 48.62 ], [ -123.15, 48.61 ], [ -123.34, 48.78 ], [ -123.3, 48.87 ], [ -123.41, 48.86 ], [ -123.82, 49.14 ], [ -123.94, 49.17 ], [ -123.98, 49.28 ], [ -124.22, 49.52 ], [ -124.43, 49.61 ], [ -124.76, 49.79 ], [ -124.75, 49.8 ], [ -125.25, 50.03 ], [ -125.27, 50.08 ], [ -125.33, 50.14 ], [ -125.35, 50.13 ], [ -125.4, 50.3 ], [ -125.43, 50.33 ], [ -125.31, 50.42 ], [ -125.34, 50.48 ], [ -125.7, 50.42 ], [ -125.79, 50.48 ], [ -126.05, 50.45 ], [ -126.93, 50.58 ], [ -127.11, 50.63 ], [ -127.32, 50.75 ], [ -127.44, 50.75 ], [ -127.49, 50.72 ], [ -127.48, 50.8 ], [ -127.83, 51.17 ], [ -127.85, 51.6 ], [ -127.9, 51.77 ], [ -127.96, 52.07 ], [ -128.08, 52.07 ], [ -128.14, 52.16 ], [ -128.13, 52.16 ], [ -128.2, 52.24 ], [ -128.41, 52.3 ], [ -128.47, 52.45 ], [ -128.47, 52.57 ], [ -128.52, 52.59 ], [ -128.45, 52.46 ], [ -128.66, 52.28 ], [ -128.69, 52.28 ], [ -128.75, 52.34 ], [ -128.99, 52.7 ], [ -129.05, 52.73 ], [ -129.2, 52.94 ], [ -129.2, 53.03 ], [ -129.11, 53.15 ], [ -129.23, 53.42 ], [ -129.25, 53.42 ], [ -129.34, 53.23 ], [ -129.58, 53.2 ], [ -130.12, 53.56 ], [ -130.33, 53.62 ], [ -130.42, 53.68 ], [ -130.21, 53.98 ], [ -130.36, 54.28 ], [ -130.33, 54.34 ], [ -130.32, 54.31 ], [ -131.65, 55.34 ], [ -131.67, 55.33 ], [ -131.91, 55.48 ], [ -132.15, 55.57 ], [ -132.72, 56.11 ], [ -132.72, 56.2 ], [ -132.42, 56.47 ], [ -132.38, 56.47 ], [ -132.79, 56.82 ], [ -132.94, 56.82 ], [ -132.96, 56.81 ], [ -132.93, 56.86 ], [ -132.96, 56.92 ], [ -133.23, 57.1 ], [ -133.35, 57.1 ], [ -133.41, 57.13 ], [ -133.4, 57.2 ], [ -134.42, 58.3 ], [ -135.45, 59.24 ], [ -135.37, 59.35 ], [ -135.34, 59.44 ], [ -135.31, 59.45 ] ] }, { "id": "thorny-path", "name": "The Thorny Path (Florida to the Caribbean)", "group": "North America", "kind": "route", "inland": false, "blurb": "Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Hispaniola and Puerto Rico: the upwind island-hopping route from Florida to the Eastern Caribbean, mapped by Bruce Van Sant.", "description": "The Thorny Path is the nickname for the near-shore route from Florida through the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico to the Virgin Islands, then down the Leeward and Windward Islands. It is the classic way to go from the US east coast to the Eastern Caribbean, and Bruce Van Sant's book The Gentleman's Guide to Passages South (10th edition, 2012) made it famous.\n\nThe idea is to head east-southeast against the 15-25 knot trade winds, using short hops, night departures and the calmer water under land. Van Sant relies on land-cooled winds and lee effects, and cruisers usually time passages for light winds between fronts. The route is usually done from November to May, outside hurricane season, and takes several weeks to months.\n\nIt stays close to harbors, but it is not easy. The route is about 1,200 miles, mostly upwind, with shoals in the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos, and strong, unpredictable currents in the Mona Passage.", "facts": [ { "label": "Length", "value": "about 1,200 miles, mostly upwind (source estimate)", "short": "about 1,200 miles" }, { "label": "Route", "value": "Florida, Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, then Leeward/Windward Islands" }, { "label": "Season", "value": "November to May (outside hurricane season)", "short": "November to May" }, { "label": "Typical duration", "value": "several weeks to a few months" }, { "label": "Wind", "value": "Easterly trades, 15-25 knots", "short": "E trades, 15-25 kn" }, { "label": "Reference guide", "value": "The Gentleman's Guide to Passages South, B. Van Sant (10th ed. 2012)" } ], "highlights": [ "Exuma Cays and Georgetown, Bahamas", "Turks and Caicos", "Luperon, Dominican Republic", "Samana Bay", "Culebra and the Virgin Islands" ], "watch_out": [ "Upwind sailing in the trade winds with foul current", "Shoals and coral heads on the Bahama Banks and Turks and Caicos", "Mona Passage currents", "Hurricane season and limited weather windows" ], "waypoints": [ [ -80.1, 26.1 ], [ -79.3, 25.73 ], [ -77.9, 25.4 ], [ -77.35, 25.08 ], [ -76.82, 24.72 ], [ -76.43, 24.17 ], [ -75.78, 23.5 ], [ -74.97, 23.1 ], [ -73.9, 22.25 ], [ -72.95, 22.37 ], [ -72.3, 21.75 ], [ -71.14, 21.46 ], [ -70.96, 19.9 ], [ -69.3, 19.2 ], [ -68.32, 18.6 ], [ -67.7, 18.3 ], [ -67.17, 18 ], [ -66.3, 17.95 ], [ -65.4, 18.1 ], [ -65.27, 18.3 ], [ -64.93, 18.34 ], [ -63.05, 18.06 ], [ -61.75, 17 ], [ -61.5, 16.2 ], [ -61, 14.6 ], [ -61, 13.85 ], [ -61.75, 12.05 ] ], "label_at": [ -70.96, 19.9 ], "keywords": [ "thorny path", "van sant", "passages south", "mona passage", "luperon" ], "sources": [ { "title": "Noonsite - The Gentleman's Guide to Passages South", "url": "https://www.noonsite.com/book/the-gentlemans-guide-to-passages-south/" }, { "title": "Improve Sailing - Sailing Route from Florida to the Virgin Islands", "url": "https://improvesailing.com/destinations/sailing-route-from-florida-to-the-virgin-islands-with-map" }, { "title": "MD Nautical - The Gentleman's Guide to Passages South", "url": "https://mdnautical.com/caribbean-cruising-guides/19535-the-gentleman-s-guide-to-passages-south-10th-edition-2012.html" } ], "line": [ [ -80.1, 26.1 ], [ -79.3, 25.73 ], [ -77.9, 25.4 ], [ -77.35, 25.08 ], [ -77.18, 25.07 ], [ -76.82, 24.72 ], [ -76.43, 24.17 ], [ -75.78, 23.52 ], [ -75.78, 23.5 ], [ -75.34, 23.39 ], [ -75.1, 23.15 ], [ -75.01, 23.15 ], [ -74.97, 23.1 ], [ -74.86, 23.05 ], [ -74.08, 22.3 ], [ -73.9, 22.25 ], [ -73.04, 22.33 ], [ -72.95, 22.37 ], [ -72.3, 21.75 ], [ -71.23, 21.51 ], [ -71.14, 21.46 ], [ -70.96, 19.9 ], [ -70.79, 19.94 ], [ -69.35, 19.49 ], [ -69.14, 19.28 ], [ -69.23, 19.16 ], [ -69.3, 19.2 ], [ -69.22, 19.16 ], [ -68.62, 18.92 ], [ -68.32, 18.62 ], [ -68.32, 18.6 ], [ -67.7, 18.3 ], [ -67.17, 18 ], [ -67.18, 18.03 ], [ -67.24, 17.97 ], [ -67.18, 17.94 ], [ -66.94, 17.91 ], [ -66.3, 17.95 ], [ -66.16, 17.91 ], [ -65.4, 18.1 ], [ -65.29, 18.12 ], [ -65.27, 18.3 ], [ -64.92, 18.32 ], [ -64.93, 18.34 ], [ -64.91, 18.29 ], [ -63.05, 18.02 ], [ -63.05, 18.06 ], [ -63, 18.07 ], [ -62.67, 17.8 ], [ -61.86, 16.99 ], [ -61.75, 17 ], [ -61.19, 16.28 ], [ -61.22, 16.25 ], [ -61.49, 16.19 ], [ -61.5, 16.2 ], [ -61.24, 15.43 ], [ -61.24, 14.8 ], [ -61.15, 14.65 ], [ -61.06, 14.59 ], [ -61, 14.6 ], [ -61.1, 14.53 ], [ -61.1, 13.81 ], [ -61.07, 13.78 ], [ -61, 13.85 ], [ -61.07, 13.78 ], [ -61.76, 12.1 ], [ -61.75, 12.05 ] ] }, { "id": "atlantic-crossing", "name": "Atlantic crossing: Canaries to the Caribbean", "group": "Ocean crossings", "kind": "route", "inland": false, "blurb": "Las Palmas to Saint Lucia, about 2,700 miles of steady trade-wind sailing, the most popular first ocean crossing for cruisers.", "description": "The classic tradewind crossing runs from the Canary Islands (or Cape Verde) to the Eastern Caribbean. Its best-known form is the ARC rally, run by World Cruising Club since 1986. Around 150 boats leave Las Palmas de Gran Canaria each November for Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia. The fleet ranges from 27 to over 100 feet and includes monohulls, catamarans and motor boats. The ARC course record (2016) is 8 days 6 hours, set by the maxi Rambler 88.\n\nMost cruisers leave in November, after hurricane season ends and as the NE trades fill in. They sail south-west to pick up the trades, then run west on a long downwind leg. A typical cruising yacht takes roughly 18-21 days. Many boats stop at Mindelo in Cape Verde first, or start there to shorten the crossing.\n\nIt is the most popular ocean crossing for first-time bluewater sailors, and it is mostly steady, warm, downwind sailing. The challenges are sustained rolling in the swell, gear wear from weeks of downwind sailing, squalls, and the isolation of a fleet that spreads out over 2,700 nm.", "facts": [ { "label": "Distance", "value": "about 2,700 nautical miles (Las Palmas to Rodney Bay)", "short": "about 2,700 nm" }, { "label": "Typical duration", "value": "about 18-21 days for a cruising yacht; ARC course record (2016) 8 days 6 hours", "short": "18-21 days" }, { "label": "Season / best months", "value": "November to January; ARC starts mid to late November", "short": "November to January" }, { "label": "Prevailing winds", "value": "NE trade winds, then E to ENE; generally downwind" }, { "label": "Start / finish", "value": "Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain to Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia" }, { "label": "Fleet size", "value": "about 150 boats per ARC; more than 8,000 boats since 1986" } ], "highlights": [ "Downwind trade-wind sailing for weeks", "Rally starts with a big fleet send-off in Las Palmas", "Optional Cape Verde stop at Mindelo", "Landfall and finish-line party at Rodney Bay" ], "watch_out": [ "Leave before November and you risk the tail end of hurricane season", "Constant rolling causes chafe and gear failure", "Squalls and calms near the Cape Verde region", "Fleet spreads out so help can be far away" ], "waypoints": [ [ -15.6, 28 ], [ -17, 25.5 ], [ -20, 21 ], [ -22, 19.5 ], [ -26, 18.5 ], [ -32, 17 ], [ -40, 16 ], [ -48, 15 ], [ -55, 14.6 ], [ -60.3, 14.4 ], [ -61.06, 14.08 ] ], "label_at": [ -40, 16 ], "keywords": [ "atlantic crossing", "crossing the atlantic", "transatlantic", "arc rally", "arc+", "atlantic rally for cruisers", "canaries to the caribbean", "canary islands to the caribbean", "cape verde to the caribbean", "las palmas to" ], "sources": [ { "title": "World Cruising Club: ARC Atlantic Rally for Cruisers", "url": "https://www.worldcruising.com/arc" } ], "line": [ [ -15.6, 28 ], [ -15.72, 28.07 ], [ -15.84, 27.98 ], [ -17, 25.5 ], [ -20, 21 ], [ -22, 19.5 ], [ -26, 18.5 ], [ -32, 17 ], [ -40, 16 ], [ -48, 15 ], [ -55, 14.6 ], [ -60.3, 14.4 ], [ -61.06, 14.08 ] ] }, { "id": "pacific-puddle-jump", "name": "Pacific Puddle Jump", "group": "Ocean crossings", "kind": "route", "inland": false, "blurb": "Around 3,000 miles from Mexico or Panama to the Marquesas, crossing the doldrums into steady trade winds and the first tropical South Pacific landfall.", "description": "The Pacific Puddle Jump is the annual migration of cruising boats from the Americas to French Polynesia. It is informal, not a race or a rally, and Latitude 38 magazine has tracked it since the 1990s. Most boats start from Banderas Bay in Mexico. Others leave from Panama (about 4,000 nm to the Marquesas) or the Galápagos (about 3,000 nm). The usual first landfall is Hiva Oa or Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas.\n\nBoats typically leave between February and April and take 18-25 days, arriving March to May. They pick their way out of Mexico in light airs, cross the equatorial convergence zone with its squalls and calms, then finish with about two weeks of SE trade winds of 15-25 knots.\n\nThis is one of the longest non-stop passages most cruisers make. The appeal is a clean break between continents and cultures. The difficulty is route choice through the ITCZ, weeks offshore, and being far from any shelter or help.", "facts": [ { "label": "Distance", "value": "about 2,700-3,000 nm from Mexico; about 3,000-3,100 nm from Galápagos (sources differ); about 4,000 nm from Panama", "short": "2,700-4,000 nm" }, { "label": "Typical duration", "value": "about 18-25 days at sea from Mexico", "short": "18-25 days" }, { "label": "Season / best months", "value": "Depart Feb-April (mostly March); arrivals March-May", "short": "February to April" }, { "label": "Prevailing winds", "value": "Light winds off Mexico, unsettled ITCZ near the equator, then SE trades 15-25 kt" }, { "label": "Start / finish", "value": "Banderas Bay (Mexico), Panama or Galápagos to Hiva Oa / Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia" }, { "label": "Fleet size", "value": "more than 100 boats in a typical year (2018 migration reported over 100 boatloads)" } ], "highlights": [ "Equator crossing under sail", "Landfall at the Marquesas: Hiva Oa or Nuku Hiva", "Community send-offs in Puerto Vallarta and Panama", "Gateway to five French Polynesian archipelagos" ], "watch_out": [ "Doldrums and squalls in the ITCZ can cost days", "Leaving too late risks entering the tropical cyclone period", "Weeks with no chance of a stop or rescue", "French Polynesia entry formalities vary by nationality: check before departure" ], "waypoints": [ [ -105.6, 20.6 ], [ -108, 16 ], [ -111, 11 ], [ -115, 6 ], [ -120, 2 ], [ -125, -1 ], [ -130, -4 ], [ -135, -7 ], [ -138, -8.8 ], [ -138.5, -9.85 ] ], "label_at": [ -120, 2 ], "keywords": [ "puddle jump", "pacific crossing", "crossing the pacific", "galapagos to the marquesas", "galapagos to marquesas", "mexico to french polynesia", "panama to the marquesas", "to the marquesas" ], "sources": [ { "title": "Latitude 38: Puddle Jumpers Prepare to Pounce", "url": "https://www.latitude38.com/lectronic/puddle-jumpers-prepare-to-pounce/" }, { "title": "KeelIndex: Pacific Puddle Jump", "url": "https://keelindex.com/passages/pacific-puddle-jump" }, { "title": "Sail-World: Cruising the Pacific, the Coconut Milk Run", "url": "https://www.sail-world.com/-37671" } ], "line": [ [ -105.6, 20.6 ], [ -108, 16 ], [ -111, 11 ], [ -115, 6 ], [ -120, 2 ], [ -125, -1 ], [ -130, -4 ], [ -135, -7 ], [ -138, -8.8 ], [ -138.5, -9.85 ] ] }, { "id": "coconut-milk-run", "name": "The Coconut Milk Run", "group": "Ocean crossings", "kind": "route", "inland": false, "blurb": "Island-hopping west from French Polynesia through the Cooks, Niue and Tonga to Fiji, New Zealand or Australia: about 4,000 nm of tradewind cruising to Australia (about 8,000 nm if you count from Panama).", "description": "The Coconut Milk Run is the traditional cruising route across the South Pacific, from French Polynesia westward through the Cook Islands, Niue, Tonga and Fiji. From there boats head to New Zealand or on to Vanuatu and Australia. It is about 4,000 nm from French Polynesia to Australia (about 8,000 nm if you count from Panama), a little less to New Zealand. Sources estimate around 400 sailing vessels a year. The route avoids the worst of the ITCZ and the SPCZ by not venturing far north in the western Pacific.\n\nMost cruisers do not do it in a single season. They arrive from the Marquesas in the southern winter, then leave the tropics before the South Pacific cyclone season (1 November to 30 April). Many head south from Tonga or Fiji to New Zealand for refit and rest, then return the next year.\n\nPassages between islands are short, from a few days to two weeks, but the route is not easy. Reef anchorages, coral heads, poorly charted atolls, and the final jump to New Zealand in unsettled weather are the serious parts.", "facts": [ { "label": "Distance", "value": "about 4,000 nm from French Polynesia to Australia (about 8,000 nm if you count from Panama); slightly less to New Zealand", "short": "about 4,000 nm" }, { "label": "Typical duration", "value": "a full season (roughly May to October) of island-hopping; individual legs from a few days to about two weeks", "short": "a whole season" }, { "label": "Season / best months", "value": "Roughly May to October; leave the tropics before the cyclone season (1 Nov to 30 Apr)", "short": "May to October" }, { "label": "Prevailing winds", "value": "SE to E trade winds; route avoids ITCZ and SPCZ" }, { "label": "Start / finish", "value": "French Polynesia to Cook Islands, Niue, Tonga, Fiji; onward to New Zealand or Australia" }, { "label": "Fleet size", "value": "about 400 sailing vessels a year (estimate)" } ], "highlights": [ "Tuamotu atolls and the Society Islands", "Rarotonga and Niue as calm, friendly stops", "Vava'u, Tonga as a top cruising ground", "Fiji's anchorages and Yasawa Islands" ], "watch_out": [ "Cyclone season: plan your exit from the tropics", "Poorly charted reefs and atolls", "The passage to New Zealand needs a careful weather window", "Clearance and quarantine rules vary by country" ], "waypoints": [ [ -140.6, -8.8 ], [ -143, -13 ], [ -144, -17.8 ], [ -146.5, -18 ], [ -149.3, -18.2 ], [ -150.5, -17.9 ], [ -152, -16.9 ], [ -153.5, -17.6 ], [ -156.5, -19 ], [ -158.5, -19.9 ], [ -159.8, -20.9 ], [ -164.5, -20 ], [ -168, -19.3 ], [ -170.2, -19.3 ], [ -174.4, -18.6 ] ], "label_at": [ -156.5, -19 ], "keywords": [ "coconut milk run", "tahiti to tonga", "french polynesia to tonga", "tonga to new zealand", "fiji to new zealand", "cook islands", "rarotonga", "aitutaki", "niue", "suwarrow", "vavau", "vava'u" ], "sources": [ { "title": "Sail-World: Cruising the Pacific, the Coconut Milk Run", "url": "https://www.sail-world.com/-37671" }, { "title": "KeelIndex: Pacific Puddle Jump", "url": "https://keelindex.com/passages/pacific-puddle-jump" } ], "line": [ [ -140.6, -8.8 ], [ -143, -13 ], [ -144, -17.8 ], [ -146.5, -18 ], [ -149.3, -18.2 ], [ -150.5, -17.9 ], [ -152, -16.9 ], [ -153.5, -17.6 ], [ -156.5, -19 ], [ -158.5, -19.9 ], [ -159.8, -20.9 ], [ -164.5, -20 ], [ -168, -19.3 ], [ -170.2, -19.3 ], [ -174.37, -18.64 ], [ -174.4, -18.6 ] ] }, { "id": "northwest-passage", "name": "Northwest Passage", "group": "Ocean crossings", "kind": "route", "inland": false, "blurb": "Through Canada's Arctic archipelago between Atlantic and Pacific: about 2,300 miles, a four-to-six-week ice window, and only a handful of yachts each year.", "description": "The Northwest Passage threads the Canadian Arctic between the Atlantic and Pacific. The usual sailing route goes east to west: Baffin Bay, Lancaster Sound, Peel Sound, Franklin Strait and Queen Maud Gulf, then Coronation Gulf, Amundsen Gulf, the Beaufort Sea and the Bering Strait. Roald Amundsen made the first complete ship transit in Gjoa between 1903 and 1906, taking three years.\n\nThe passage is only navigable for about four to six weeks from roughly the second week of August, in a good year. Yachts generally arrive in the second half of July, wait at Nuuk or in Baffin Bay for the ice to clear, then go west. Sea ice usually retreats west to east, so the eastern end clears last.\n\nDistance is about 2,300 nm depending on route. The real challenge is ice, poor charting (only a small part of the Arctic is charted to modern standards), fog, and dozens of permits and permissions. An ice pilot is widely recommended. Only a handful of yachts make it through each year.", "facts": [ { "label": "Distance", "value": "about 2,300 nautical miles (varies with route and ice)", "short": "about 2,300 nm" }, { "label": "Typical duration", "value": "commonly several weeks under way; historic transits took years", "short": "several weeks" }, { "label": "Season / best months", "value": "Window opens around second week of August for 4-6 weeks; July to September access overall", "short": "August to September" }, { "label": "Prevailing winds", "value": "Variable; frequent fog and cold; ice drift matters more than wind" }, { "label": "Start / finish", "value": "Baffin Bay / Lancaster Sound (east) to Bering Strait (west), or reverse" }, { "label": "Permits", "value": "Roughly 30-40 licences and permissions per person (communal, regional, federal); Canadian Arctic vessel reporting (NORDREG) is voluntary but recommended for yachts under 300 GT" } ], "highlights": [ "Wake of Franklin, Amundsen and McClintock", "Polar bears, narwhals and belugas", "Remote Inuit communities such as Pond Inlet, Gjoa Haven and Cambridge Bay", "Sailing the full width of the Canadian Arctic" ], "watch_out": [ "Drifting ice can close straits without warning", "Charting is sparse and depths shallow in places", "Needs fuel, redundancy and usually an ice pilot", "Permit and paperwork load is heavy" ], "waypoints": [ [ -56.5, 69 ], [ -64, 72.5 ], [ -78, 74 ], [ -86, 74.3 ], [ -92.5, 74.25 ], [ -96.2, 73.3 ], [ -96.1, 72.2 ], [ -96.6, 71.4 ], [ -96.3, 70 ], [ -95.9, 68.9 ], [ -97.6, 68.55 ], [ -100.5, 68.3 ], [ -104, 68.6 ], [ -107.5, 68.85 ], [ -110.5, 68.2 ], [ -114.5, 68.8 ], [ -117, 69.3 ], [ -121, 70 ], [ -126, 70.9 ], [ -133, 70.6 ], [ -141, 70.6 ], [ -150, 71.1 ], [ -156.2, 71.7 ], [ -164, 70.5 ], [ -167.5, 68.5 ], [ -168.7, 66.3 ], [ -165.6, 64.4 ] ], "label_at": [ -100.5, 68.3 ], "keywords": [ "northwest passage", "north west passage", "nw passage" ], "sources": [ { "title": "Wikipedia: Northwest Passage", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwest_Passage" }, { "title": "Boat International: Northwest Passage by boat guide", "url": "https://www.boatinternational.com/destinations/northwest-passage-by-boat-guide" }, { "title": "Cruising World: Strategy for an east to west transit of the Northwest Passage", "url": "https://www.cruisingworld.com/?p=40768" } ], "line": [ [ -56.5, 69.5 ], [ -80, 74.2 ], [ -114.58, 74.2 ], [ -115.36, 73.42 ], [ -119.14, 72.52 ], [ -119.38, 72.28 ], [ -120.64, 71.44 ], [ -122.8, 71.08 ], [ -126, 71 ], [ -157.04, 71.42 ], [ -165.56, 69.56 ], [ -167.36, 67.7 ], [ -168.7, 66 ] ], "anchors": [ [ -56.5, 69.5 ], [ -80, 74.2 ], [ -126, 71 ], [ -168.7, 66 ] ] }, { "id": "drake-passage", "name": "Drake Passage to Antarctica", "group": "Ocean crossings", "kind": "route", "inland": false, "blurb": "From Cape Horn across the Southern Ocean's roughest stretch to Antarctica: about 430 nm (800 km) to the South Shetlands, through circumpolar wind and swell.", "description": "The Drake Passage separates Cape Horn and Tierra del Fuego from the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula. About 430 nm (800 km) wide from Cape Horn to the South Shetlands, it is the shortest crossing from Antarctica to another landmass. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current flows through it with no land in the way, which produces some of the most feared seas in the world. Waves over 12 m (40 ft) are reported.\n\nYachts typically leave from Ushuaia or Puerto Williams, in Chile, after clearing out and waiting for a weather window. The usual heading is about 140-150 degrees true, often towards Cape Shirreff on the northern South Shetlands; from Ushuaia or Puerto Williams to the Antarctic Peninsula is about 600-650 nm. Expedition ships take about two days each way; small yachts commonly take longer. The season is roughly November to March.\n\nThe passage itself is the challenge: fast-moving low-pressure systems, big seas and cold. Every Antarctic yacht expedition must be authorised by the skipper's flag state. Advance notification should start at least six months ahead, and a post-visit report is required.", "facts": [ { "label": "Distance", "value": "about 430 nm (800 km) Cape Horn to South Shetlands; about 600-650 nm from Ushuaia or Puerto Williams to the Antarctic Peninsula", "short": "430-650 nm" }, { "label": "Typical duration", "value": "about 2 days for expedition ships; yachts commonly several days each way depending on weather", "short": "a few days" }, { "label": "Season / best months", "value": "December to March is best; season roughly November to March", "short": "December to March" }, { "label": "Prevailing winds", "value": "Westerlies (Roaring Forties / Furious Fifties) and Antarctic Circumpolar Current; frequent gales" }, { "label": "Start / finish", "value": "Ushuaia or Puerto Williams via Cape Horn to South Shetland Islands / Antarctic Peninsula" }, { "label": "Permits", "value": "Flag-state authorisation under the Antarctic Treaty; advance notification at least 6 months ahead; post-visit report within 3 months" } ], "highlights": [ "Rounding or passing Cape Horn", "Crossing the Antarctic Convergence", "Albatross, whales and penguins", "Landfall among icebergs at the Antarctic Peninsula" ], "watch_out": [ "Waves over 12 m (40 ft) are reported", "Weather windows are short; leaving in the wrong window can be dangerous", "Ice and poor charting near the Peninsula", "Authorisation rules are strict; rescue is very distant" ], "waypoints": [ [ -68.2, -54.88 ], [ -67.6, -54.88 ], [ -66.6, -54.92 ], [ -66, -55 ], [ -66, -55.8 ], [ -66.2, -56.3 ], [ -65.3, -57.5 ], [ -64.5, -60 ], [ -63.5, -61.3 ], [ -63.5, -62 ], [ -64.3, -63.2 ], [ -62.4, -63.6 ] ], "label_at": [ -64.5, -60 ], "keywords": [ "drake passage", "antarctica", "antarctic peninsula", "south shetland" ], "sources": [ { "title": "Wikipedia: Drake Passage", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drake_Passage" } ], "line": [ [ -68.2, -54.88 ], [ -67.6, -54.88 ], [ -66.68, -55.02 ], [ -66.6, -54.92 ], [ -66.61, -55.04 ], [ -66.43, -55.07 ], [ -66, -55 ], [ -66, -55.8 ], [ -66.2, -56.3 ], [ -65.3, -57.5 ], [ -64.5, -60 ], [ -63.5, -61.3 ], [ -63.5, -62 ], [ -64.3, -63.2 ], [ -62.4, -63.6 ] ] }, { "id": "panama-canal", "name": "Panama Canal", "group": "Canals and short cuts", "kind": "canal", "inland": true, "blurb": "Six locks lift you 26 metres over the Americas, through Gatun Lake and the Culebra Cut, between the Caribbean and the Pacific.", "description": "The Panama Canal links the Caribbean and Pacific across about 82 km of isthmus. The French failed to build it in the 1880s, and the Americans finished it in 1914. Panama has run it through the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) since 31 December 1999.\n\nSmall yachts, defined by the ACP as up to 125 ft (38.1 m), go through with a Canal transit advisor on board, four compulsory line handlers besides the skipper, and four heavy canal-spec lines (about 125 ft each) plus large fenders or tyres. Boats are admeasured first, then tolls and a refundable buffer are paid and a date is booked. Many cruisers use an agent. Waits for a slot vary with season and traffic, from a few days to a few weeks.\n\nMost yachts take one or two days, often rafted up in the locks, with a night on a mooring buoy in Gatun Lake if split. You pass the jungle shores of Gatun Lake and the Culebra Cut, ending under the Bridge of the Americas. For many sailors it is the big round-the-world milestone.", "facts": [ { "label": "Length", "value": "82 km (51 mi)", "short": "82 km" }, { "label": "Locks", "value": "6 chambers on the original route (3 Gatun, 1 Pedro Miguel, 2 Miraflores), lifting vessels about 26 m (85 ft) to Gatun Lake", "short": "6 chambers" }, { "label": "Opened", "value": "15 August 1914" }, { "label": "Transit time", "value": "1-2 days for yachts (night on Gatun Lake buoy if split); about 8-12 hours of moving time", "short": "1-2 days" }, { "label": "Small craft rules", "value": "Up to 125 ft (38.1 m) LOA counts as small craft; transit advisor, 4 line handlers and 4 lines of at least 125 ft required" }, { "label": "Operator", "value": "Panama Canal Authority (ACP)" } ], "highlights": [ "Locks lift you about 26 m to Gatun Lake", "Drifting across a jungle lake beside ocean ships", "Culebra Cut and the Bridge of the Americas", "Atlantic to Pacific in a day or two" ], "watch_out": [ "Tolls are set by length and change, so check the current ACP tariff: roughly US$2,100 (under 65 ft) to US$3,200 (65-80 ft) plus a US$500 scheduling fee (2025), and a refundable buffer", "Booking and waiting times vary with season and ship traffic", "Line handlers, fenders and lines need arranging in advance", "Lock turbulence and big ships alongside need careful line control" ], "waypoints": [ [ -79.915, 9.385 ], [ -79.925, 9.3 ], [ -79.92, 9.265 ], [ -79.905, 9.205 ], [ -79.85, 9.155 ], [ -79.79, 9.12 ], [ -79.7, 9.12 ], [ -79.68, 9.06 ], [ -79.61, 9.02 ], [ -79.59, 8.995 ], [ -79.566, 8.945 ], [ -79.52, 8.88 ] ], "label_at": [ -79.75, 9.12 ], "keywords": [ "panama canal", "gatun locks", "gatun lake", "miraflores locks", "canal transit panama" ], "sources": [ { "title": "Panama Canal - Wikipedia", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama_Canal" }, { "title": "Panama Canal Authority (ACP) - Small craft transit requirements (PDF, rev. July 2025)", "url": "https://pancanal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/4352-ING-Rev-July-31-2025.pdf" }, { "title": "Through the Panama Canal: everything you need to know - Yachting World", "url": "https://www.yachtingworld.com/practical-cruising/through-the-panama-canal-everything-you-need-to-know-119045" } ] }, { "id": "suez-canal", "name": "Suez Canal and the Red Sea passage", "group": "Canals and short cuts", "kind": "canal", "inland": true, "blurb": "A lock-free desert canal from Port Said to Suez, the gateway between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea.", "description": "The Suez Canal opened in 1869 and runs 193 km through Egypt from Port Said to Suez. It is sea-level with no locks, and the Suez Canal Authority of Egypt runs it.\n\nYachts need a canal pilot for the whole transit, and sailing boats must motor. Yachts are normally not allowed to transit at night, so the passage is usually split into two days with an overnight stop at Ismailia. An agent is recommended and in some cases required, notably when starting from Suez. Port and canal fees change often, so confirm current costs with an agent.\n\nThe canal is flat, straight and shared with ships. You pass Ismailia, the Great Bitter Lake and desert banks on both sides. Red Sea note: the southern Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb have had serious security concerns in recent years. Conditions change, so cruisers must check current advisories (MARAD, UKMTO, Noonsite and flag-state guidance) before committing to the passage.", "facts": [ { "label": "Length", "value": "193.3 km (120 mi), about 104 nm", "short": "193 km" }, { "label": "Locks", "value": "None (sea-level canal)", "short": "None" }, { "label": "Opened", "value": "17 November 1869" }, { "label": "Transit time", "value": "Usually 2 days for yachts with a night at Ismailia (pilot aboard throughout)", "short": "2 days" }, { "label": "Depth", "value": "Up to about 20 m draft for ships (far more than any yacht needs)" }, { "label": "Operator", "value": "Suez Canal Authority (Egypt)" } ], "highlights": [ "Africa to Asia short cut with no locks", "Night stop at Ismailia", "Desert scenery beside big ships", "Gateway to the Red Sea and Indian Ocean" ], "watch_out": [ "Yachts are not normally allowed to transit at night, so plan on two days", "Agent fees, clearance and canal charges change often, so confirm before arrival", "Security conditions in the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden change, so check current advisories", "Pilots' yacht-handling experience varies, and unauthorised departures can bring heavy penalties" ], "waypoints": [ [ 32.31, 31.27 ], [ 32.33, 31.12 ], [ 32.34, 30.85 ], [ 32.31, 30.6 ], [ 32.35, 30.42 ], [ 32.42, 30.28 ], [ 32.48, 30.15 ], [ 32.54, 30 ], [ 32.56, 29.93 ], [ 33.6, 27.6 ], [ 35.5, 24.5 ], [ 37.5, 21.0 ], [ 39.5, 17.5 ], [ 41.5, 15.0 ], [ 43.4, 12.6 ], [ 45.2, 12.1 ], [ 48.0, 12.6 ], [ 51.2, 12.4 ] ], "label_at": [ 32.35, 30.42 ], "keywords": [ "suez canal", "suez", "red sea passage", "bab el mandeb", "bab-el-mandeb", "ismailia", "gulf of aden", "socotra", "djibouti", "security transit corridor" ], "sources": [ { "title": "Suez Canal - Wikipedia", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suez_Canal" }, { "title": "How to transit the Suez Canal by yacht - Yachting World", "url": "https://www.yachtingworld.com/cruising/how-to-transit-the-suez-canal-by-yacht-154245" } ] }, { "id": "corinth-canal", "name": "Corinth Canal", "group": "Canals and short cuts", "kind": "canal", "inland": true, "blurb": "A 6 km knife-cut through limestone, barely 25 m wide, with walls towering up to about 90 m overhead.", "description": "The Corinth Canal slices 6.3 km through the isthmus separating the Gulf of Corinth from the Saronic Gulf. Opened in 1893, it spares boats the trip around the Peloponnese. It is dug at sea level with no locks, and Corinth Canal S.A. (AEDIK) operates it.\n\nYachts request a transit and pay in advance or at the Canal offices, using the online services of the operator. Transit is by one-way convoys with a pilot and, where needed, a tug. The fee depends on boat length and is high for such a short trip. VAT can apply, so use the AEDIK fee calculator. Crossing takes about 40 minutes, with mooring at either end.\n\nThe near-vertical rock walls are the draw, with the road, rail and motorway bridges around 45 m overhead. It is mainly used by pleasure boats these days.", "facts": [ { "label": "Length", "value": "6.34 km (3.9 mi)", "short": "6.3 km" }, { "label": "Locks", "value": "None (sea level)", "short": "None" }, { "label": "Opened", "value": "25 July 1893" }, { "label": "Transit time", "value": "About 40 minutes (per the operator)", "short": "about 40 minutes" }, { "label": "Max width / depth", "value": "Width about 21-25 m; maximum draft 7.3 m; bridges about 45 m above water" }, { "label": "Operator", "value": "Corinth Canal S.A. (AEDIK)" } ], "highlights": [ "Sheer rock walls, up to about 90 m high", "Submersible bridges dropping at both ends", "Short cut from the Ionian side to the Aegean", "Often called one of the world's priciest transits per mile" ], "watch_out": [ "Fees are high for the distance, so check the AEDIK calculator", "Transit only when the canal is open, since closures for landslides and maintenance happen", "Submersible bridges must be lowered before you enter", "Current rockfall closures and opening times change, so confirm with the operator" ], "waypoints": [ [ 22.9755, 37.9365 ], [ 22.9855, 37.9305 ], [ 22.996, 37.9215 ], [ 23.006, 37.9125 ], [ 23.0115, 37.9085 ] ], "label_at": [ 22.993, 37.922 ], "keywords": [ "corinth canal" ], "sources": [ { "title": "Corinth Canal - Wikipedia", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corinth_Canal" }, { "title": "Corinth Canal S.A. - Yachting Transits", "url": "https://corinthcanal.com/yachting-transits/?lang=en" } ] }, { "id": "kiel-canal", "name": "Kiel Canal (Nord-Ostsee-Kanal)", "group": "Canals and short cuts", "kind": "canal", "inland": true, "blurb": "The world's busiest artificial waterway, saving 460 km between the North Sea and the Baltic, with free passage for pleasure craft from 2027.", "description": "The Kiel Canal, opened in 1895 and widened 1907-1914, runs 98 km from Brunsbüttel on the Elbe to Kiel-Holtenau, cutting about 460 km off the trip around Denmark. The German waterways authority (WSV) runs it, and seagoing locks sit at both ends.\n\nPleasure craft may transit the canal without a pilot, in daylight only and not in restricted visibility. Skippers register at the locks (VHF or telephone), and must be able to reach a designated yacht mooring before dusk. The speed limit is about 15 km/h (8 kn), engine under power, with sails normally only as an aid. Until the end of 2026 a fee applies, reported at roughly 12-43 euros by length, and from 1 January 2027 passage for pleasure craft is reported free.\n\nTypical passage takes most of a day, often with a night at a canal mooring, sharing the water with big ships under bridges of 42 m clearance.", "facts": [ { "label": "Length", "value": "98.26 km (about 53 nm)", "short": "98 km" }, { "label": "Locks", "value": "2 lock complexes (Brunsbüttel and Kiel-Holtenau)", "short": "2" }, { "label": "Opened", "value": "20 June 1895" }, { "label": "Transit time", "value": "About 8-10 hours for a yacht, daylight only", "short": "8-10 hours" }, { "label": "Max dimensions", "value": "Ship limits 235 m length, 32.5 m beam, 9.5 m draft; fixed bridges 42 m clearance (about 40 m air draft)" }, { "label": "Operator", "value": "German Waterways and Shipping Administration (WSV)" } ], "highlights": [ "Shortcut from the North Sea to the Baltic", "Giant ships passing close alongside", "Pleasure craft passage free from 2027 (reported)", "Historic Rendsburg high bridge and ferries" ], "watch_out": [ "Yachts need to be moored before dark, with no night transit without a pilot", "Speed limit about 8 kn (15 km/h), so plan for a long day", "Register at the lock and follow ship traffic rules; big ships have priority", "Fee rules change, so check the current WSV notices" ], "waypoints": [ [ 9.14, 53.895 ], [ 9.29, 53.99 ], [ 9.32, 54.03 ], [ 9.45, 54.17 ], [ 9.56, 54.27 ], [ 9.67, 54.3 ], [ 9.83, 54.35 ], [ 10.08, 54.35 ], [ 10.155, 54.37 ] ], "label_at": [ 9.45, 54.17 ], "keywords": [ "kiel canal", "nord-ostsee-kanal", "nord ostsee kanal", "brunsbuttel", "holtenau" ], "sources": [ { "title": "Kiel Canal - Wikipedia", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiel_Canal" }, { "title": "Nord-Ostsee-Kanal: Ab 2027 fuer Sportboote kostenlos - yacht.de", "url": "https://www.yacht.de/reisen-chartern/deutschland/nord-ostsee-kanal-ab-2027-fuer-sportboote-kostenlos/" } ] }, { "id": "canal-du-midi", "name": "Canal du Midi", "group": "Canals and short cuts", "kind": "canal", "inland": true, "blurb": "Pierre-Paul Riquet's 1681 UNESCO-listed canal links Toulouse to the Mediterranean through plane trees and some 63-65 locks.", "description": "The Canal du Midi links Toulouse to the Étang de Thau near Sète, part of the Canal des Deux Mers route between the Atlantic and Mediterranean. Pierre-Paul Riquet built it from 1667 and it opened in 1681, becoming a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996. Voies Navigables de France (VNF) manages it.\n\nBoats buy a VNF pleasure-boating vignette (permit) and follow lock-keeper timetables, with locks typically open from about 9:00 to 19:00 in high season and a winter closure (chômage) in January and February. Speed is limited to 8 km/h. Sailboats usually unstep their masts for low bridges, and the typical draft limit is about 1.4 m.\n\nIts charm is slow cruising under plane trees, through stone locks, past the famous Fonserannes staircase and the summit at Naurouze, at about 20-30 km a day.", "facts": [ { "label": "Length", "value": "about 240 km", "short": "about 240 km" }, { "label": "Locks", "value": "63-65 (sources differ)", "short": "63-65" }, { "label": "Opened", "value": "15 May 1681" }, { "label": "Transit time", "value": "Roughly 8-12 days end to end at 20-30 km per day", "short": "8-12 days" }, { "label": "Max dimensions", "value": "Boat up to about 30 m by 5.5 m; draft about 1.4 m; tightest headroom about 3.3 m (mast removal for most sailboats)" }, { "label": "Operator", "value": "Voies Navigables de France (VNF)" } ], "highlights": [ "UNESCO World Heritage canal from 1996", "Fonserannes lock staircase near Béziers", "Plane-tree avenues and bastide towns", "Mediterranean or Atlantic via the Canal des Deux Mers" ], "watch_out": [ "Headroom of about 3.3 m means masts must come down", "Draft limit around 1.4 m, so low water in summer can matter", "Winter closure and possible summer stoppages or drought restrictions, so check VNF notices", "Lock timetables and 8 km/h speed limit set the pace" ], "waypoints": [ [ 1.444, 43.605 ], [ 1.475, 43.55 ], [ 1.68, 43.41 ], [ 1.908, 43.363 ], [ 1.954, 43.318 ], [ 2.35, 43.21 ], [ 2.7, 43.3 ], [ 2.97, 43.33 ], [ 3.21, 43.34 ], [ 3.47, 43.31 ], [ 3.536, 43.338 ] ], "label_at": [ 2.35, 43.21 ], "keywords": [ "canal du midi", "canal des deux mers", "fonserannes" ], "sources": [ { "title": "Canal du Midi - Wikipedia", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canal_du_Midi" }, { "title": "Naviguer sur le Canal du Midi avec son propre voilier - vvanat.fr", "url": "https://vvanat.fr/blog/canal-du-midi-avec-son-propre-voilier/" } ] }, { "id": "gota-canal", "name": "Göta Canal", "group": "Canals and short cuts", "kind": "canal", "inland": true, "blurb": "Sweden's 'blue ribbon', crossing the country from Lake Vänern to the Baltic through 58 locks in summer.", "description": "The Göta Canal is 190 km, of which 87 km are dug or blasted, and runs from Sjötorp on Lake Vänern across Lake Vättern to Mem on the Baltic coast. Completed in 1832, it is run by the Göta Canal company (AB Göta kanalbolag) and is now used almost entirely for leisure.\n\nPrivate boats book their passage with the canal company and pay per passage. Only 5 knots is allowed. The operator offers 3-day express or 5-day convoy options, and you can also take it slower. The season runs only in the warmer months, because it is impassable for about five months of winter.\n\nYou ladder up and down through the lock staircases with lock-keepers' help, cross the big Vänern and Vättern lakes, and pass lock-side villages, meadows and old canal buildings. It is among Scandinavia's best-known slow-cruising routes.", "facts": [ { "label": "Length", "value": "190 km (87 km dug or blasted)", "short": "190 km" }, { "label": "Locks", "value": "58", "short": "58" }, { "label": "Opened", "value": "26 September 1832" }, { "label": "Transit time", "value": "About 3-7 days (operator offers a 3-day express and a 5-day convoy)", "short": "3-7 days" }, { "label": "Max dimensions", "value": "Length 30 m, beam 7 m, draft 2.82 m, air draft 22 m" }, { "label": "Operator", "value": "AB Göta kanalbolag" } ], "highlights": [ "Highest point 91.8 m above sea level at Lake Viken", "Crossing Lake Vättern between two canal sections", "Berg locks staircase", "Sweden coast to coast" ], "watch_out": [ "Speed limited to about 5 knots", "Seasonal, so check opening dates and book early in peak season", "Mast height limit of about 22 m and a 2.82 m draft limit", "Vessels over the size limits cannot pass" ], "waypoints": [ [ 13.97, 58.83 ], [ 14.13, 58.71 ], [ 14.35, 58.65 ], [ 14.47, 58.57 ], [ 14.51, 58.54 ], [ 14.75, 58.55 ], [ 15.04, 58.54 ], [ 15.29, 58.56 ], [ 15.57, 58.49 ], [ 15.98, 58.52 ], [ 16.32, 58.48 ], [ 16.43, 58.49 ] ], "label_at": [ 15.04, 58.54 ], "keywords": [ "gota canal", "gota kanal", "göta canal", "göta kanal" ], "sources": [ { "title": "Göta Canal - Wikipedia", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6ta_Canal" }, { "title": "Göta kanal official site", "url": "https://www.gotakanal.se/en/" } ] }, { "id": "caledonian-canal", "name": "Caledonian Canal", "group": "Canals and short cuts", "kind": "canal", "inland": true, "blurb": "Thomas Telford's 1822 Great Glen route links Inverness and Fort William via Loch Ness, Loch Oich and Loch Lochy.", "description": "The Caledonian Canal crosses the Scottish Highlands through the Great Glen, from Inverness on the east coast to Corpach near Fort William on the west. About 60 miles long, only about a third is man-made; the rest is natural lochs, including Loch Ness. Thomas Telford designed it and it opened in 1822. Scottish Canals now runs it.\n\nBoats need a visitor licence, priced per metre for a transit period (an outward passage of up to 7 nights is priced around 26 pounds per metre in current tariffs). Minimum transit time is about 2.5-3 days. Lock-keepers and bridge-keepers work fixed daily hours, about 08:30-18:00 in summer, in a season running roughly April to early November.\n\nHighlights include Neptune's Staircase with eight locks, Loch Ness and Fort Augustus flight, all with Highland mountain scenery and a convenient shortcut that avoids Pentland Firth and the north of Scotland.", "facts": [ { "label": "Length", "value": "about 60 miles (about 97-100 km), 22 miles man-made and 38 miles natural lochs", "short": "about 60 miles" }, { "label": "Locks", "value": "29", "short": "29" }, { "label": "Opened", "value": "1822" }, { "label": "Transit time", "value": "Minimum 2.5-3 days", "short": "2.5-3 days" }, { "label": "Max dimensions", "value": "Length 45.72 m (150 ft), beam 10.67 m (35 ft), mast 35 m (115 ft), freshwater draft 3.5 m (check with the canal office)" }, { "label": "Operator", "value": "Scottish Canals" } ], "highlights": [ "Neptune's Staircase, eight locks at Banavie", "Sailing on Loch Ness", "Fort Augustus lock flight", "Avoids the trip round the north of Scotland" ], "watch_out": [ "A visitor licence is required; plan the itinerary around operating hours", "Swing bridges have traffic priority times", "Loch Ness and Loch Lochy can get rough in strong winds", "Boats near the 3.5 m draft limit must call the canal office before arrival" ], "waypoints": [ [ -4.26, 57.49 ], [ -4.34, 57.42 ], [ -4.45, 57.36 ], [ -4.44, 57.325 ], [ -4.55, 57.23 ], [ -4.68, 57.145 ], [ -4.75, 57.1 ], [ -4.8, 57.05 ], [ -4.86, 56.97 ], [ -4.91, 56.92 ], [ -5.1, 56.84 ], [ -5.12, 56.84 ] ], "label_at": [ -4.55, 57.23 ], "keywords": [ "caledonian canal", "neptune's staircase", "neptunes staircase", "great glen" ], "sources": [ { "title": "Caledonian Canal - Wikipedia", "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caledonian_Canal" }, { "title": "Caledonian Canal skippers guide - Scottish Canals", "url": "https://www.scottishcanals.co.uk/boating/canal-travel/caledonian-canal-skippers-guide" } ] } ]