PINNIPED’S WAYPOINT LIST FOR THE ISLANDS OF

THE SOUTH PACIFIC AS OF 10/14/00

This is a continuing list of waypoints.  Many of these positions have been collected from existing publications.  Many have been personally verified by GPS.  This list will evolve as we continue to collect verified GPS positions from on site.   If you have a waypoint that is missing from the list, please collect and forward any verified waypoints to PINNIPED for future inclusion in the list. ALWAYS USE ALL POSITIONS WITH EXTREEM CAUTION. 

This list has been designed to be a working companion to the NOAA ,  DMA  and British Admiralty  charts and the regular cruising guides such as Charlies Charts© and the Earl Hines Landfalls of Paradise ©.    In these days of satellite navigation, the existing, older charts have been found to be as much as several miles off in some places.    This waypoint list is designed to fill in the gaps.  It will assist you in route planning.  Many of the positions have come from the US Sailing Directions Pilot Books

Pinniped assumes no liability for the use of these positions.  Errors have been found and have always been corrected in following editions when detected.  Corrections and additions are not indicated in following editions, so always use the most current dated edition available.  Use these way points with appropriate care and caution.  Never use only one navigation tool. GPS, Radar, the Depth Sounder and Common Sense all play appropriate roles in safe navigation.

 It should be noted that the waypoints are listed into general island groups or specific types of hazards.  The groups are in navigation order from Mexico until the Societies, then in alphabetical listing by  island group names.  Some groups, where indicated, are in general navigation order, others are in alphabetical order.      “  ²  ” indicates Port of Entry.

Waypoints listed and types needed are as follows;

Please send comments or suggestions to: 

Islas Socorro & San Benedicto, these islands are well offshore from Mexico

ATLAS Weather Moorings in mid ocean across the South Pacific as of January 1992

These orange & white automated weather buoys are 6’ across, 8’ tall,  weigh 500 lbs and are reported to be unlighted.  They are reported to be equipped with radar reflectors.  They range across the equatorial Pacific Ocean between 10 degrees North and South latitudes.  Positions indicated below may be as much as 1 nautical mile in error.  NOAA recommends at least a 6 nautical mile clearance for safety.   They are grouped  by  longitude, then north to south. The positions in BOLD type are closest to the rhumb line route from Mexico to the Marquesas.  List, in part, from Alan Spears.