On Fri, 27 Jul 2007 13:39:36 -0500, Vic Smith
wrote:

I plan to learn to read charts, but you're scaring me here.

If you want to edumacate youself on it, here is a great book:

Piloting & Dead Reckoning - Shufeldt/Dunlap/Bauer, Fourth Edition.

Tell you everything you wanted to know and then some.

You might also want to pick up a copy of Chart No. 1.