Using the Interactive Map
The BoatRoutes interactive map lets you visually explore marinas, anchorages, marine parks, and routes across the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia. It uses MapLibre GL with nautical chart overlays for a familiar marine navigation experience.
Map Controls
Section titled “Map Controls”Pan and zoom — Click and drag to pan, scroll to zoom, or use the +/- buttons. On touch devices, use two fingers to pan and pinch to zoom.
Base map layers — Switch between:
- Nautical charts — NOAA raster charts showing depth soundings, navigation aids, and charted features
- Satellite — Esri satellite imagery for visual reference
- OpenStreetMap — Standard map tiles for road and land context
Location Markers
Section titled “Location Markers”Locations appear as markers on the map, clustered at lower zoom levels and expanding as you zoom in.
- Blue markers — marinas
- Green markers — anchorages and marine parks
- Cluster circles — when multiple locations are close together, they combine into a numbered cluster. Click to zoom in and expand.
Click any marker to see a popup with the location name, type, and a link to its detail page.
Route Lines
Section titled “Route Lines”On route detail pages, the map shows the plotted route as a line on the chart. The route line can be styled with:
- Solid color — showing just the path
- Tide overlay — color-coded by tide height at each point
- Current overlay — with arrows showing current speed and direction
Map on the Route Page
Section titled “Map on the Route Page”The route detail page map includes:
- Route line — the plotted course between origin and destination
- Origin and destination markers — showing your departure and arrival points
- Station markers — nearby tide and current stations (click for data)
- Overlay toggle — switch between tide, current, or plain route view
Map on Location Pages
Section titled “Map on Location Pages”Location pages include a smaller map showing:
- The location — centered on the marina, anchorage, or marine park
- Nearby locations — other locations within a reasonable distance
- Chart context — nautical chart tiles showing the surrounding waterway
Maps Exploration Page
Section titled “Maps Exploration Page”The dedicated maps page at /maps provides a full-screen map experience for browsing the entire coverage area. All locations are shown with clustering, and you can:
- Pan across the full coverage area from Puget Sound to Desolation Sound
- Click any location to see its details
- Use the base map toggle to switch between chart and satellite views
- On the nautical chart tiles, depth soundings are shown in meters — the standard for the electronic navigational charts (ENCs) these tiles are rendered from. See the glossary for unit conversions.
- Zoom in closer to see individual location markers when they are clustered. The cluster number tells you how many locations are in the group.
- On route pages, toggle the current overlay and adjust your departure time to see how currents change throughout the day — the arrows will rotate and resize.
- Use satellite view alongside chart view to get a visual sense of anchorage topography and shoreline features that may not be captured on the chart.