Oceanography Expert Witnesses

I have 35 years of experience working in the field of nautical charts and US Coast Pilots. Nautical charts are considered to be legal documents in a court of law. The status that is afforded to these products is supported by the methodology at which these data are gathered, processed, and applied. The components of charts and Coast Pilots are separately gathered by field personnel, processed, and submitted for application to charts, Coast Pilots, or both. Components of charts include water depths from hydrographic surveys, the shoreline of adjacent land, prominent topographic features, aids to navigation, and other navigational information including geographic names. Coast Pilots include geographic names and chart numbers, channel descriptions, anchorages, bridge and cable clearances, currents, tide and water levels, prominent features, pilotage, towage, weather, ice conditions, wharf descriptions, dangers, routes, traffic separation schemes, small-craft facilities, and Federal regulations applicable to navigation. Nautical charts and US Coast Pilots are skillfully reviewed to ensure high accuracy standards before publication and release to the public. My experience includes a strong understanding of how data are gathered and processed in the field and latter compiled and applied to both products. This experience includes Operation Officer for gathering hydrographic surveys, three sea assignments aboard Oceanographic Ships using nautical charts and US Coast Pilots, and many assignments that lead to their final outcome as legal documents.