You are planning a voyage from LAT 48°30'N, LONG 125°00'W to Korea via LAT 48°30'N, LONG 153°00'E. Which of the following track lines would you select for the safest and most direct route? (Use gnomonic tracking chart WOXZC 5270)
• Great circle vs. rhumb line characteristics (distance, safety, ease of navigation) • How gnomonic charts represent great circles and what straight lines mean on them • Effects of high latitudes and proximity to land/ice on route choice for “safest and most direct”
• On a gnomonic chart, what does a straight line between two positions represent, and what does that imply for “most direct”? • How might very high-latitude portions of a pure great circle track affect safety (ice, traffic separation schemes, coastal dangers)? • Why might a combination of great circle and another method be used instead of just one method all the way?
• On WOXZC 5270, plot both positions and sketch the pure great circle line; note the highest latitude reached. • Check whether any option implies sailing close to or along parallels at high latitude vs. following the straight-line great circle on the gnomonic chart. • Verify which choice balances shortest distance with avoiding excessive high-latitude exposure while still being reasonably direct.
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