This map was one of 5 period-style maps commissioned for a family history photo book detailing a grandfather’s trip to Germany in 1897-1898. The grandather’s cross-Atlantic journey, as well as 3 side-trips he took in Germany were all fastidiously documented in his journal. 

This is the second map that appears in the book and shows the key navigational points within the English Channel. The list of points was documented by the grandfather in his journal, and was furnished by a captain on the boat. Many of the points are known shoals that boats had to navigate around, or are names of lighthouses or lightships (floating navigational lights). Through research of historic maps and other resources I was able to find lat/lon points that corresponded to all of the points on the list. I used ocean bathymetry data to show the channel’s depth and a Digitial Elevation Model (DEM) to show the land’s terrain. But I kept both the ocean depth and terrain very minimally styled, as I didn’t want to detract from the English Channel itself.

This map measures 15”w x 10”h printed and was designed to fold out from the book, with a quote from the grandfather’s journal on the “cover” of the fold-out page.