Finding Norman’s rock reefs

Numerous websites, including one belonging to the N.C. Wildlife Federation, provide map coordinates, not GPS coordinates, for the Lake Norman artificial rock reefs. Fortunately, there are readily available tables to convert map coordinates to GPS coordinates.

Jake Bussolini, co-author with Mac Byrum of “The Catfish Hunters,” explained the conversion.

“Take a map coordinate such as 36 degrees, 30 minutes. Divide the 3630 by 60, giving you .6005. This becomes the correct set of figures for the end of the GPS coordinate, making it 36.30.6005.

For Lake Norman’s rock reefs, Bussolini provided this table.

Map                   GPS

Coordinates       Coordinates

A. Latitude  35⁰39’9.30”       35⁰39’.1616”

Longitude   80⁰57’18.31”      80⁰57’.305”

B. Latitude  35⁰36’52.38”     35⁰36’.873”

Longitude  80⁰56’35.82”      80⁰56’.597

C. Latitude 35⁰33’2.52          35⁰33’.042

Longitude  80⁰58’18.12         80⁰58’.302

D. Latitude  5⁰31’50.10       35⁰31’.835

Longitude  80⁰56’19.56      80⁰57’.326

E. Latitude  35⁰55’20.15      35⁰30’.6005

Longitude   80⁰56’19.56     80⁰57’.326

F. Latitude   35⁰30’5.52       35⁰30’.092

Longitude  80⁰56’42.36      80⁰56’.706