The most likely culprit is the app not connecting properly to the server, or not properly pulling the data. Could be because of server issues, but might also be your phone's connection.

The "middle of the ocean" thing could be the map terrain not actually loading. I've had that happen to me before as well when the servers were having issues. Some times it has defaulted to the water texture, while others it defaulted to a blank green field.

If you think your app is properly connected and you want to make sure there are no pokemon near you, then do the following:

Go to this site: https://pokevision.com/

Click the crosshair looking icon in the top right to have it automatically find your location, or enter in your location manually in the box in the top right, or zoom out and then zoom in to your location.

Click the big red button that says find pokemon near you.

That site pulls data directly from the app/Niantic, so will accurately show what pokemon are currently nearby and how long until they despawn.

If nothing shows up near you on that site, then there's most likely no nearby pokemon.

If pokemon do show up on the site, but not on your app, then it's probably connection issues, which would also explain the lack of pokestops.

Thanks. It wasn't working by my office at all today, but when I went about fifteen miles to the next city over after work (both cities are equally large), suddenly pokemon were everywhere. So it was either a server/connection issue, or the town where I work is a horrible pokemonless wasteland and all the pokemon hang out in a place that's juuuust too far to visit on my lunch break. Guess I'll find out tomorrow.

---------- Post added 07-27-2016 at 10:38 AM ---------- Previous post was 07-26-2016 at 07:44 PM ----------

It's working now. There're two PokeStops right across the street from my office.

Trainer Logins were glitchy all morning, Google's been fine.

And it's still glitchy apparently.

I think all my vacations are going to turn into Pokémon adventures.

We went to Gatlinburg, and basically spent the whole time walking around searching for Pokémon that are hard to find back home. Unfortunately my cell service sucks so it was mostly for the wife, but I'm fixing that when I get back home, hopefully.

I walked 10 km a few days ago and got my favorite pokemon, Aerodactyl, from an egg! It was an amazing victory.

Today I walked 10 km and got Evee. On the brightside, it gave me the resources to get Vaporeon, the last eveelution on my list. On the downside though, there are Evees EVERYWHERE here I would've done that anyways.

The gyms on the West side of my town seem to be solidly Mystic controlled. The Eastern half is solidly Instinct. It's like Arkham City with Blanche and Sparks instead of Penguin and Joker.

I've only been able to play a little bit during my lunch breaks. Still level 3. Caught two eevees, a bunch of pidgeys, a female nidoran, a polywag, and a krabby. Starter is charmander. Highest cp so far is a 55 pidgey named Rotisserie.

https://65.media.tumblr.com/9216a95c...m22bo1_540.png

I'm gonna be the very best.

You go, little Magikarp. Follow your dreams.

Put a magikarp in the gym, because its not about winning, its about sending a message