Jack O'Neill, the wetsuit pioneer

Jack O’Neill, surfer, ocean lover, boating enthusiast, wetsuit pioneer, balloonist, and founder of the iconic worldwide surf company O'Neill, has passed away in Santa Cruz, California, of natural causes at the age of 94.

Jack O'Neill is one of the most notable surf industry pioneers and ocean conservationists.
His development of better wetsuits enabled surfers to surf in cold waters never before imagined. 

Wrecks discovery out of Beirut Harbour, Lebanon

We are pleased to present this amazing video realised with Fledermaus, the interactive 4D geo-spatial processing and analysis software designed QPS.

The video, characterised by a stunning quality, portrays three wrecks and part of the Beirut harbour structure, until today unknown and now mapped for the first time.

In March 2017, Lighthouse together with QPS, organised a training for the Lebanese Navy in cooperation with the Italian Navy as part of the ISG (International Support Group Lebanon) program.

 Beirut harbor with 4 identified wrecks with the GeoGarage platform (SHOM chart)

New commemorative chart marks the Battle of Midway’s 75th anniversary

From NOAA 

NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey, NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, and Lynker Technologies collaborated to create a commemorative nautical chart for the Battle of Midway’s 75th anniversary.
This nautical chart was first published in 1943, and the commemorative chart includes the original depth soundings surrounding the islands overlaid with historical photos from the battle.

The Battle of Midway was fought from June 3–7, 1942, at and around the island of Midway in the central Pacific Ocean.
Today, it is considered to be the decisive battle of the war in the Pacific.
Over the next few days, we will mark the 75th anniversary of the battle.
The battle resulted in the loss of four Japanese aircraft carriers and their accompanying aircraft and crew, accounting for two-thirds of Japan’s fleet carrier force.
Despite sinking the American aircraft carrier USS Yorktown during the battle, the Japanese Navy’s severe losses would never be fully replaced, forcing them to fight a strategic defense for the rest of the war.
While the primary carrier fleet engagement occurred to the north of Midway Atoll, much of the secondary action originated from the atoll itself.
Midway is a tiny, remote atoll which was, 75 years ago, one of the most strategically important few square miles of land in the world.
On September 2, 1945, the Japanese officially surrendered to end WWII.

An aerial view of Midway Atoll.

Image courtesy of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument/NOAA.

Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service administers Midway Atoll as a National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge lies within Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, a marine protected area encompassing all of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
In 2000, the Secretary of the Interior designated Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge as the Battle of Midway National Memorial.
This was the first national memorial designated on a National Wildlife Refuge, reminding us of the heroic courage and sacrifice of those who fought against overwhelming odds to win an incredible victory.

Midway atoll with the GeoGarage platform (NOAA raster chart)

Within Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, Midway Atoll is known as Pihemanu, which is a Hawaiian word for loud din of birds, and Kuaihelani, which is a Hawaiian word meaning back bone of heaven.
The Monument’s intrinsic cultural and natural heritage value assured its place as a World Heritage Site.
2016 marked the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the monument, the 5th anniversary of its World Heritage inscription, and on August 26, 2016, President Barack Obama expanded the monument to become one of the world’s largest marine conservation areas.

Links :

• GeoGarage blog :  The race for vast remote 'marine protected areas' may be ... / Obama to create the largest protected place on the planet ... / Hohonu Moana: Exploring the deep waters Off Hawai'i in ...

UK & misc. layer update in the GeoGarage platform

UK & misc. layer update in the GeoGarage platform (with UKHO material)

see GeoGarage news

Does NOAA want to stop making NOAA charts ? NOAA clarifies National Charting Plan vision for production of NOAA paper charts and RNCs

US NOAA with RNC charts with the GeoGarage platform

(Google Maps JS API)

US NOAA with ENC charts with the GeoGarage platform (existing coverage)

(ESRI ArcGIS JS API)

From NOAA 

Whether navigating an oil tanker, cruise ship, fishing vessel, sailboat, or any craft, the mariner requires a suite of navigation charts that are consistent and easy to use.
The public feedback we received to the National Charting Plan regarding the “sunset of paper” charts (p. 26) highlights two navigation products in particular, NOAA paper nautical charts and raster navigational chart (RNC).

We recognize the continued popularity and dependence of many of our users on our paper and raster charts, and NOAA will continue to update these charts with all critical information.
Despite some reports to the contrary, the draft plan does not offer a timeline for ending the production of NOAA paper charts or RNCs.
We expect this process may take decades to complete, as user communities continue to adopt electronic navigation and our production system and products continue to improve.
However, we do want to start the conversation and solicit feedback to focus our improvement on electronic navigational charts (ENC).
In response to a surge of interest in the past few weeks, although the official comment period ends June 1, 2017, as stated in the Federal Register Notice, we will continue to accept comments on the National Charting Plan through July 1, 2017.

Merrimack river with RNC charts with the GeoGarage platform (zoom)

(Google Maps JS API)

Merrimack river with ENC charts with the GeoGarage platform (zoom on existing coverage)

(ESRI ArcGIS JS API)

The ENC vector chart is still relatively new and needs some improvement.
We recognize that in many cases, the ENC is not as easy to use as its paper equivalent, even though it satisfies all requirements for safe navigation.
The long-term goal at NOAA is for ENCs and charts derived from them to surpass paper charts in all categories and for all mariners to prefer them to paper.

Merrimack river with RNC charts with the GeoGarage platform

(Google Maps JS API)

Merrimack river with ENC charts with the GeoGarage platform (existing coverage)

(ESRI ArcGIS JS API)

The Merrimack River (US5MA1AM) provides an example of how a new NOAA ENC® fulfilled a local request for larger scale data.
Historically, charts did not depict the river from Newburyport to Haverhill, MA, at an appropriate scale for recreational boaters to navigate safely.
NOAA created a robust 1:12,000 scale ENC (without corresponding large-scale paper and RNC charts) to allow recreational boaters to navigate safely on the river.

Full ENC of the Merrimack River at 1:12,000 scale

NOAA intends to increase its large-scale coverage in recreational areas but does not believe that it is always practical to offer corresponding traditional paper chart coverage.
Large-scale data across large areas is better suited for use in electronic navigation systems for both regulated and recreational mariners.

Links :

• Ajot : NOAA wants to stop making NOAA charts
• Panbo : Is it true news that "NOAA wants to stop making NOAA charts"?
• BoatUS : NOAA National Charting Plan Looks to the Future