title: Can Basemap draw a detailed coastline at the city level?
body: <p>I'm trying to draw a detailed coastline of the NYC area using Basemap in Python.   Using the full resolution dataset, Manhattan looks like rectangle, and the Hudson doesn't show up at all about midtown.   </p>
  
  <p>Here's the code I'm using.  Any suggestions?</p>
  
  <pre><code>    from mpl_toolkits.basemap import Basemap
  import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
  import numpy as np
  
  m = Basemap(projection='merc',llcrnrlat=40.55,urcrnrlat=40.82,\
              llcrnrlon=-74.1, urcrnrlon=-73.82, lat_ts=40.5,resolution='f')
  m.drawcoastlines()
  m.drawrivers()
  m.fillcontinents(color='coral',lake_color='aqua')
  m.drawmapboundary(fill_color='aqua') 
  plt.show()
  </code></pre>
  
  <p><em>EDIT</em></p>
  
  <p>On further exploration, it looks like my issue is with the rivers, specifically.  I can get the detailed boundaries of the oceanic coastline, but there is still no Hudson river and no Harlem river.  Current code:</p>
  
  <pre><code>m = Basemap(projection='merc',llcrnrlat=40.55,urcrnrlat=40.82,\
              llcrnrlon=-74.1, urcrnrlon=-73.82, lat_ts=40.5,resolution='f')
  m.drawmapboundary(fill_color='#85A6D9')
  m.drawcoastlines(color='#6D5F47', linewidth=.4)
  m.drawrivers(color='#6D5F47', linewidth=.4)
  m.fillcontinents(color='white',lake_color='#85A6D9')
  plt.show()
  </code></pre>