Table Of ContentNP 136
O C E A N P A S S A G E S
F O R THE W O R L D
THIRD EDITION
1973
PUBLISHED BY THE HYDROGRAPHER OF THE NAVY
Personal Property of SV Victoria
Not for navigation
© Crown Copyright 1973
To be obtained from the Agents for the Sale of Admiralty Charts
suoiverP :snoitide
First published 5981
First edition 3291
Second edition 1950
Oh God be good to me,
Thy sea is so wide and my ship is so small.
Breton fisherman's prayer
Preface
The Third Edition of Ocean Passages for the Worm has been prepared by Commander H. L. Jenkins, O.B.E.,
D.S.C., Royal Navy, and contains the latest information received in the Hydrographic Department to the date
given below. It supersedes the Second Edition (1950) and Supplement No. 2 (1960), which are cancelled.
Information on currents and ice has been supplied by the Meteorological Office, Bracknell.
The following sources of information, other than Hydrographic Department Publications and Ministry of
Defence papers, have been consulted.
British: Marine Observer's Handbook, 9th Edition.
U.S.A. : United States Naval Oceanographic Office Pilot Charts.
Reports received from the Masters of a number of seagoing ships have been added to the extensive informa-
tion on which previous editions were based, and have been embodied in the present edition.
G. P. D. HALL,
Rear Admiral,
Hydrographer of the Navy.
Hydrographic Department,
Ministry of Defence,
Taunton,
Somerset, TA1 2DN
9th November, 1973.
iii
Contents
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Preface . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Contents . . . . . . . .
v
List of charts and diagrams . . . . vi
Explanatory notes . . . . . . vii
Part I--Power vessels. Chapters 1 to 8
1
Part II--Sailing routes. Chapters 9 to 11 135
• .
General Index . . . . . . 231
• . • .
List of Charts and Diagrams
CHARTS
5301 World climatic chart--January . . . . . . xn pocket
5302 World climatic chart--July . . . . . . . . ~n pocket
5307 World main ocean routes for power vessels .. ~n pocket
5308 World sailing ships routes . . . . . . . . ~n pocket
5309 Tracks followed by sailing and auxiliary powered vessels ~n pocket
5310 World surface currents . . . . . . . . in pocket
• .
D6083 Load line rules, zones, areas, and seasonal periods tn pocket
• •
DIAGRAMS
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1 Logarithmic speed, time, and distance scale •. in pocket
2 Spherical triangle . . . . . .
.. 3
3 Great Circle track . . . . . .
.. 5
4 Shape of the Earth . . . . . . 6
..
5 Rhumb Line track . . . . . .
.. 7
6 Meridional parts . . . .
.. 8
7 Pressure and wind belts . . . .
• . 9
8 Formation of fronts in N hemisphere
• " between
9 Plans and section of depression..
• . pp 10 & 11
10 Plans and section of occlusion ..
• ,
11 Satellite picture of Typhoon "Elsie" .. 14
12 Precipitation areas shown by radar .. 14
13 Radar presentation of Hurricane "Camille" .. 14
14 Typical paths of tropical storms .. • . 15
15 Sea temperatures and Dew point readings plotted against time .. 18
16 Reduction in speed due to high seas--N Atlantic ocean .. •. 19-22
17 Reduction in speed due to high seas--N Pacific ocean .. •. 23-26
18 Standard alter-course positions and approach routes for transatlantic voyages •. facing p. 42
19 Routes in Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea . . . . . . • . facing p. 58
20 Routes in Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea . . . . . . . . •. facing p. 62
21 Principal routes bet~een Mogambique Channel and Arabian Sea ..
• ,
between
22 Arabian Sea--Effect of monsoons on east-west routeing . . . .
• • pp 74 & 75
23 Indian Ocean--Guide to seasonal low-power routes . . . . . .
• .
24 South-west Pacific Ocean--routes . . . . . . . . . . •. facing p. 104
25 Routes between northern Australia, Singapore, and Japan . . . . • .between pp 110 & 111
vi
Explanatory Notes
Ocean Passages for the Worm contains information, based on the latest material available in the Hydro-
graphic Department, relating to the planning and conduct of ocean voyages. The ocean areas with which this
book is concerned lie, mainly, outside the areas covered in detail by Admiralty Sailing Directions but, since
many passages pass through some coastal areas, and since there is much oceanic information in Admiralty
Sailing Directions, the latter should always be closely consulted.
Ocean Passages for the Worm is kept up to date by periodical supplements. In addition a small number of
Notices to Mariners are published specially to correct Sailing Directions for important information which
cannot await the next supplement. A list of such notices in force is published at the end of each month in the
weekly edition of Admiralty Notices to Mariners. Those still in force at the end of the year are reprinted in the
Annual Summary of Admiralty Notices to Mariners.
This volume should not be used without reference to the latest supplement and those Notices to
Mariners published specially to correct Sailing Directions.
Reference to hydrographic and other publications.
The Mariner's Handbook gives general information affecting navigation and is complementary to this volume.
Admiralty List of Lights should be consulted for details of lights, light-vessels, lighthouse-buoys and fog-
signals.
Admiralty List of Radio Signals should be consulted for information relating to coast and port radio stations,
radio details of pilotage services, radiobeacons, and direction finding stations, meteorological services, and radio
navigational aids.
Annual Summary of Admiralty Notices ot Mariners contains, in addition to the temporary and preliminary
notices, and notices affecting Sailing Directions only in force, a number of notices giving information of a
permanent nature covering radio messages and navigational warnings, distress and rescue at sea, exercise areas,
and areas dangerous due to mines.
The International Code of Signals should be consulted for details of distress and life-saving signals, international
ice-breaker signals as well as international flag signals.
Remarks on subject matter.
Names are taken from the most authoritative source and are, where changes have taken place, the latest
officially adopted. Since the charts used for passage planning may not be newly published or on the largest scale,
recourse may be necessary, when identifying named objects, to Admiralty Sailing Directions which, with their
supplements, record name changes.
Tidal information relating to the daily vertical movements of the water is not given; for this Admiralty Tide
Tables should be consulted. Changes in water level of an abnormal nature are mentioned.
Units and terminology used in this volume are :
Latitude and Longitude given in brackets are approximate.
Bearings and directions are referred to the true compass and when given in degrees are reckoned clockwise from
000 ° (North) to 359 °. The bearings of all objects, alignments and light sectors are given as seen from seaward.
Courses always refer to the course made good.
Winds are described by the direction from which they blow.
Tidal streams and currents are described by the direction towards which they flow.
Distances are expressed in sea miles of 1852 metres.
Depths are given below chart datum, except where otherwise stated.
Elevations are given above the'level of Mean High Water Springs or Mean Higher High Water, whichever
is quoted in the Admiralty Tide Tables.
Heights of objects as distinct from their elevation, refer to the heights of the structures above the ground.
A statement, 'a hill.., metres high", is occasionally used when there could be no confusion, and in this case
the reference is as for an elevation.
vii
Metric units are used for all measurements of depths, heights and short distances.
Time is expressed in the four-figure notation beginning at midnight, and is given in local time unless other-
wise stated. Details of local time kept will be found in Admiralty List of Radio Signals.
The following abbreviations are used:
N -- North S -- South
N'ly -- northerly S'ly -- southerly
N-bound -- northbound S-bound -- southbound
N-going -- northgoing S-going southgoing
--
E -- East W West
--
E'ly -- easterly W'ly -- westerly
E-bound -- eastbound W-bound -- westbound
E-going -- eastgoing W-going westgoing
--
Aux Y -- Auxiliary Yacht. mb Millibar or millibars.
--
°C -- Degrees Celsius. M/F -- Medium frequency.
D/F Direction Finding. MV -- Motor Vessel.
--
fm -- Fathoma or fathoms. MY -- Motor Yacht.
ft -- Foot or feet No. -- Ordinal number.
MHWS Mean High Water Springs. RMS -- Royal Mail Ship.
--
MLWS -- Mean Low Water Springs. RN -- Royal Navy.
MHHW Mean Higher High Water. R/T -- Radio telephone or radio telephony.
--
MLLW -- Mean Lower Low Water. SS -- Steam ship.
HMS -- Her Majesty's Ship. UHF -- Ultra high frequency.
kHz -- Kilohertz. VHF -- Very high frequency.
m -- Metre or metres. W/T Wireless telegraphy.
--
viii
