PNW Current Atlas FAQ

Does the app require a subscription?

No, it is a one-time purchase price that includes all future updates

What areas does the Current Atlas cover?

It covers the eastern Juan de Fuca Strait, the San Juan and Gulf Islands, and the southern Strait of Georgia. Future updates will expand coverage to other areas.

Why doesn't the app match other printed versions of the current tables?

Physical printed current table books typically have to simplify the Current Atlas predictions in several ways so that they fit neatly into a uniform hourly table with each tide cycle having a similar duration. This sometimes leads to having to show the same chart for more than one hour or to skip a chart entirely, so that the predictions can be fitted into a table form. Tides and currents however, don't actually follow such rules.

The PNW Current Atlas app, as a digital product, can show current predictions as they more closely align with the actual predicted tide cycles.

These differences between the PNW Current Atlas and the choices a printed book has to make, will naturally lead to slightly different predictions. When comparing such differences, in all cases, the PNW Current Atlas app should more closely show current predictions as they relate to tide predictions.

Does the app require an Internet connection?

No, once the app is installed no further Internet connection is needed except for app updates.

Where does the data come from?

The charts shown are licensed from the Canadian Hydrographic Server (CHS). They are based on computer models that CHS publishes.

Is this app a replacement for my tide books and charts

No, these are supplements to tide and current predictions and are not to be used as an offical source of tide and current predictions. Always consult an official source of tide and current predictions before making navigational decisions.

Does this show currents or tides in real-time?

No, these are predictions based on a computer model. They are meant to represent the typical curent patterns for the regions shown. There can be seasonal variations as well as weather-induced changes to these patterns. Always take any local conditions into account and always consult multiple sources of weather and tide predictions before making navigational decisions.

Does the app show tide predictions?

No, it only shows current atlas prediction charts

Why can't I see where I am on the charts?

The PNW Current Atlas app is not a navigation app. It is a planning tool used to view an overview of the current patterns during tide cycles in a region.