NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: Virgin Rocks.
From: George Huxtable
Date: 2009 Jan 18, 21:50 -0000
From: George Huxtable
Date: 2009 Jan 18, 21:50 -0000
Thanks to Frank Reed for digging out for me those references to Virgin Rocks. I was aware of some of those quotes, but not all, by any means. It seems clear that the rock pinnacle, 4.3 metres below datum, was (and is) an unmarked death-trap for vessels, large and small. In "Ocean Passeges for the World" (1973), the recommended Summer route (May to November) between much of Northern Europe and Halifax / St Lawrence passes about 40 miles North of those rocks, and to Boston / New York about 50 miles South. Safe enough, perhaps, once radio DF had become available; but not allowing a wide margin of error in the previous era, if fog had obscured celestial observation for many days. And yet, Virgin Rocks, though noted in Sailing Directions, don't seem to have been notorious among ocean-crossers from this side of the Atlantic. Perhaps mariners trusted to luck, that such a small target wouldn't find their ship. George. contact George Huxtable, at george@hux.me.uk or at +44 1865 820222 (from UK, 01865 820222) or at 1 Sandy Lane, Southmoor, Abingdon, Oxon OX13 5HX, UK. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Navigation List archive: www.fer3.com/arc To post, email NavList@fer3.com To , email NavList-@fer3.com -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
