The Shoal Narrows Picture

Shoal Narrows Compare this view with the charts shown below. Photo Credit: Larry Goltz Taken at Mile 38.5 Chart 2203

When I first scanned and digitized this picture, I did not know exactly where it was taken. From the camera's date stamp, I knew the particular day, but that only narrowed it to about 100 miles of waterway. (We'd gone a long way that day!)

I tried to deduce where it was. From the bent trees and the sun angle, I concluded the course track was just about due south, and therefore we were about to make a sharp turn to the east. There are three daymarks and two floating aids in view, and that would also help to identify the location.

Scanning over the many charts that applied to the parts of the Small Craft Route we covered that day, I did not see any locations that fit the picture. Finally, after several tries, I discovered a possible location: Shoal Narrows, at Mile 38.5 on Chart 2203. It was in the appropriate stretch of the route we covered that day, and the early afternoon sun angle matched well with the time of day we would have passed through there.

As it happens, Shoal Narrows is one of many tight passages that merits its own very large scale chart detail. But even this fine cartography did not accurately depict all the Aids to Navigation seen in the picture. Finally, I saw my note, hastily made during the trip, that mentioned there were additional buoys not seen on the chart! This was the final piece of the puzzle. Now everything fit. The beautiful picture taken by Larry Goltz was made just north of Shoal Narrows.

Chart Details

I thought it interesting to include here two segments from Chart 2203 to show how this passage appears on paper. First, the Small Craft Route on the normal chart scale as it passes through the narrows, then the large-scale detail of the area. Most charts are drawn north-up, but these are not, so I have added a directional arrow to show compass orientation.

Nares Inlet Region The Small Craft Route snakes through Hang Dog Reef and then crosses Nares Inlet. The boxed area with arrow are shown in detail in another panel inset into the chart. Scanned From: Canadian Chart 2203

Shoal Narrows At extremely large-scale of 1:1,200, the courseline through this area is shown. Note my penciled comment that there are buoys in place that are not shown here. Scanned From: Canadian Chart 2203

Shoal Narrows Here I have drawn in the missing buoys. Now the chart matches the photograph. Scanned From: Canadian Chart 2203