Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Arrrgggghhh.....talk like a pirate this summer!!!!

A reader asked me, "how can I use Google Maps to help plan my summer sailing trip". Well, there are several ways, but the one that I think is probably most interesting, is to build your own personal map. This is done by clicking on the "My Maps" tab. From there, you can annotate a Google Maps. These maps can be public or private.

Here's my feeble attempt to illustrate a brief cruise from Greenwich, CT to Martha's Vineyard. (I'm sure you can be more creative). (will show more about My Maps later. It's a great new feature.)

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey, Roger, Thanks! You might try to contact the folks who write the "noonsite.com" website and let them know so that many other sailors can use the fabulous google maps for their voyages. Too bad most of us sailors don't have the internet at sea and we have to resort to using internet cafe's when we are ashore. What a great product and a great tool for sailors. Thanks for the idea.

David Tussey said...

I have sent the folks at noonsite.com a message regarding how the "My Maps" tool can be used to plan a sailing trip, or any trip for that matter. Anything that you want to draw on a map.

Anonymous said...

Hi Roger. I keep playing around with your idea for charting a sailing voyage on Google Maps. Is there some way that Google Maps could also incorporate the "government marks" along the waterways and harbors? I don't know if this is NOAA or another agency, but it would be great if Google Maps could find some way to also show official navigation aids too. Sorry to give you more work, but it might be interesting to find out....(Mme Pirate)

David Tussey said...

Mon Cheri Mme Pirate --

Possibly. Could you point me to a listing of the "government marks"? Meanwhile, I'll do some research.

Anonymous said...

Try this site for navigation marks: http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/staff/charts.htm.
You may try to contact them to see if this is publicly available.
There are commercial companies that sell charts (both paper and electronic) for navigation for big $$. I wonder, if this information is available publicly, if there is some way to incorporate it into Google Maps?
This may be a nest of worms, but it would be interesting to find out if it can be done.
(Mme. Pirate)

Anonymous said...

Check out http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/ for an interesting site that uses google maps and lets you save routes with way points. It also keeps track of milage. It's primarily for runners, but a route is a route...

take care...
don