Overview

The Garmin BlueChart g3 Vision HD VCA005R is an electronic chart for eastern Nova Scotia, covering Halifax to Sydney and the waters around Cape Breton. It loads to a compatible Garmin chartplotter and adds contour detail, shaded depth layers, and port imagery that helps when you are planning routes, entering harbors, or working close to shore in changing tides.

Coverage includes Halifax Harbour, Chedabucto Bay, St. Georges Bay, routes up around Cape St. Lawrence, and down to Antigonish, plus Îles de la Madeleine to the north and Sable Island to the south. Contours are shown at up to 1 foot, and Depth Range Shading supports up to 10 depth ranges, which helps you keep an eye on a target depth when cruising and makes bottom structure easier to read when fishing.

Auto Guidance can calculate a suggested route based on the depth and overhead clearance you set in the plotter. Treat it as a planning aid and always verify the route against conditions, local notices, and what you see on the water.

Key features

• VCA005R coverage for eastern Nova Scotia from Halifax to Sydney, including Cape Breton area waters, Chedabucto Bay, St. Georges Bay, Îles de la Madeleine, and Sable Island
• Integrated Garmin and Navionics content for coastal navigation detail and spot soundings
• Depth Range Shading for up to 10 depth ranges to make target-depth cruising and fishing areas easier to spot
• Shallow Water Shading at a user-defined depth to highlight areas you want to avoid in skinny water
• Up to 1 foot contours for a clearer picture of bottom structure and contour breaks
• High-resolution satellite imagery with chart overlay, plus aerial photography for many ports, harbors, and marinas where available
• FishEye View and MarinerEye View 3D perspectives on compatible chartplotters

Variants

This chart is offered in two formats: a preloaded microSD/SD card or a download that you install to a card.

Both formats use the same VCA005R coverage and chart content. The difference is how you receive the cartography and how it gets registered in your system.

• 010-C0691-00: Format microSD/SD. Insert the card in the chartplotter card slot for plug-in use onboard.
• 010-D0385-00: Format Download. Install the chart to a microSD/SD card using Garmin Express on a computer; the download is tied to a specific registered chartplotter and the card typically holds a single chart.

Compatibility and fit

This cartography is for compatible Garmin chartplotters that support BlueChart g3 Vision and accept a microSD or SD card. If your helm is networked with multiple compatible Garmin displays, a single mapping card can be viewed across the network depending on how the system is set up.

Before purchase, confirm your chartplotter model supports g3 Vision cartography for this region and that you have an open card slot available. If you plan to keep multiple regions onboard, plan on using separate cards.

Installation and setup

For the card format, power down the plotter, insert the card, then power back up and select the chart as your map source. For the download format, prepare a microSD/SD card, load the chart with Garmin Express, then move the card to the chartplotter. Keep the card in the plotter whenever you want the chart layers available.

Updates are easiest dockside with a stable internet connection and the card on hand. After any plotter software updates or network changes, verify that each display can see the chart and that your depth and clearance settings are still correct for route planning.

Use on board

This coverage is a good match for coastal cruisers and anglers running between Halifax and Cape Breton who want contour detail that is tighter and extra visual context when entering unfamiliar harbors. It also suits boats that work close to shore where quick depth awareness matters, such as fishing in bays or navigating rocky approaches.