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CONCERN AND CONFUSION

No its not the "Affordable Care Act" but NOAA seems to have handled change just about as awkwardly as the Obama Administration did its socialist national health service. 

(A thought about the wonders of Socialism in Norway the other day where taxes are a minimum of 60% of ones wages and a loaf of bread costs $7.31 - now there's food for thought!!)

Back in October there was an announcement from NOAA that after 150 years of printing nautical charts they were going to stop.  Well of course the Media at large including NAUTICAL LOG jumped in with articles.  It seems that NOAA did pay some attention and in the style of our President explaining his "Obamacare" are trying to explain just what they meant.  It is that after 150 years they are not going to print nautical charts !!

They sent out a long e-mail which states in part;

"On April 13, 2014 the federal government will stop lithographic printing of NOAA's nautical charts.  It is the end of the 150 year heritage of a traditional printing process.  It is not the end of paper nautical charts, however, as Coast Survey will continue to update our Print-on-demand (POD) paper nautical charts weekly, to add all of the latest critical chart corrections.  The public can purchased POD nautical charts at their convenience.  Professional mariners can use the POD charts to meet their chart carriage requirements."

They go on;

"Additionally, Coast Survey is offering almost all of NOAA's thousand nautical charts as PDF nautical charts for free download.  The site got over a million hits in the first seven days after we announced their availability."

And unlike the dreadful "Obamacare" website the Coast Survey website seems to have survived the onslaught.  We have added a link in My Blog List which may be helpful.   NAUTICAL LOG also got an e-mail from Bluewater Books and Charts that they can print and supply any chart needed by seafarers so sealife goes merrily on we can all relax - unlike trying to use that "Obamacare" website!!

Good Watch.

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