NOAA, NGA, Coast Guard, and other U. S. Government Publications Did you know that the U. S. government publishes some of the best navigation information available?  Find guides for destinations worldwide, navigation information, and references to expand your nautical knowledge.   Coast Pilots U. S. Coast Pilots contain supplemental navigation information for coastal and intracoastal waters that would be important, but difficult to show on a nautical chart. Topics include: Channel descriptions Anchorages Bridge and cable clearances Current patterns Tide and water levels Pilotage Towage Weather Wharf descriptions Hazards Routes Facilities Regulations Sailing Directions Sailing Directions offer supplemental navigation information for destinations outside the U. S.  "Enroute" volumes offer destination specifics and focus on pilotage; "Planning" volumes provide background information about destinations:  their government, buoyage system, currency, holidays, hazards, military operations, and special considerations. Light Lists and Lists of Lights They're similar but different, so don't be confused!  Light Lists identify the specific location (latitude and longitude) plus characteristics of the buoys and marks on U. S. waterways.  Lists of Lights offer similar information for destinations outside of U. S. waters.   Summaries of Corrections Don't have a complete library of Notices to Mariners to correct your charts and publications?  Cumulative Summaries of Corrections will help you with updating. Celestial Navigation Publications The batteries never run out!  Many commercial mariners and offshore sailors still practice the art of finding your location with the sun, moon, and stars.  Perpetual and annual tables are required to interpret your sextant's measurements.  American Practical Navigator (Bowditch) describes the modern principles of marine navigation and includes the tables, data, and formulas required for dead reckoning, piloting, and celestial navigation.  It's probably the single most complete navigational reference available!    Tide and Current Tables Annual tables provide you with current flows and tide heights for destinations worldwide.  Never run aground again! Codes of Federal Regulations (CFR's) The law.  Select CFR volumes cover the regulations that pertain to vessel operations and requirements.   Reference Publications Codes, rules, navigation information, distance tables, and much more.  A wealth of nautical knowledge is available from the U. S. Government. Pilot Charts A pilot chart is one of the most valuable tools available to the offshore sailor.  Each chart documents prevailing weather patterns-- wind, currents, wave heights, visibility, surface pressure, sea surface temperature, and ice caps--for 5o sections of the North Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Pacific, South Pacific, or Indian Oceans.