Bridgeport to Bignotti Google Map

Above is a screenshot of the Google Map of the Bridgeport-to-Bignotti stretch.  We were able to convert the Garmin "gdb" file into a "kml" file to upload to Google Maps. Originally, we put up a dynamic embedded map in this blog post.  We quickly learned that some older computers would not load up the map.  (You can click here to go to the interactive version of the map.)

We recorded 14 waypoints. Three were near the put-in and two at the takeout so there are 9 points of interest within this total stretch. There were two portages.   A screen shot of the actual Garmin track map is below.  Once again, we are not embedding this map as it wrecks havoc with older computers.  However, you can click here to see it if your computer can handle it.

There are quite a few interesting things to note on the track map.  First is how the actual track deviates from the mapped river channel.  Also note that the actual satellite photo of the map shows a much more accurate location of the river channel than the plain vanilla map does.  Second, locate the area of the total channel blockage and see how we walked hither and yon scouting this area.  It was a puzzling and perplexing piece of river!

The Garmin data can also be placed into Google Earth.  One can then "fly" the river at any altitude to get a much better 3-D visual concept of the area.  The project goal is to put the data into GIS format to produce a PDF that can be downloaded and printed.  These maps are for "interim working purposes."  We hope that both the Google Map and the GIS formats can be used simultaneously.  It is much quicker and easier to amend and annotate a Google Map than a GIS map--at least within the context of this project.  Actual river users would be able to email in comments about current conditions that could be quickly edited into the online maps.