Re: [Paddlewise] Crossings in Fog

On 10 Apr 98, Dave Kruger wrote:

> I think this might just have been beginner's luck, however, because
> I don't think I can read my deck compass to better than +/- 1 or 2
> degrees, and even in flat water (which this was) I don't think I can
> HOLD a compass course any better than that, either.  I'd guess this
> amounts to an error of at least +/- 2 to 3 degrees, on a good day.

	Two things here Dave, I don't think there is any such thing as 
"beginners luck".  There is a possible success ratio that might be 
observed by "beginners", but it is my opinion that this "success" is 
a result of a higher level of concentration (or whatever you might 
like to call it) than might be found in a more "experienced" person - 
perhaps you can call it "beginners FOCUS"<smile>. 

	 Secondly, I agree with your statement about your margin of error.  
I can't speak for others, but my deck compass has 5 degree gradiants 
making readings of better than 2-3 degrees nearly impossible (from my 
point of view).  My handheld is gradiated at 2.5(I THINK) degrees, 
making finer readings possible, but it is nearly impossible for me to 
do better than do occasional "spot checks" with my handheld - I can't 
seem to hold the compass level and in front of me and paddle at the 
same time<smile>.

> This was a "just for fun" crossing we attempted purposely in the
> fog, to test ourselves, so it probably does not count.  What
> experiences have others had?  I'd like to know.

	"just for fun" runs are the best way I know to develop the  skills 
you might one day need to save your skin, IT COUNTS<smile>.

	I personally have had just 2 adventures in REALLY low visability.  
One was a "staff training" situation, we had canceled classes and 
trips for the day because of the visabilty.  A group of about 6 or 8 
of us - instructors, guides, and interns, - went out with our 
compasses and charts and paddled around in our "familiar" waters 
finding channel markers, points of land, rock out croppings(islands) 
and the like.  This may not sound like much challenge, but I tell you 
that with the 30-50 feet of visability we were playing in, it was a 
KICK!  We - ALL of us - learned a lot that day, and to be honest I 
was a little dissapointed to see things starting to clear up after 
only 2-3 hours of fog... I'm sure that was a different story for the 
lobstermen - we "snuck up" on a number of working lobster boats 
during our playtime, it's amazing how things sound so much different 
when you can't see much past the end of your boat!

	The second time I had the oppertunity to "Play" in the fog was not 
really play.  A fellow guide and myself were taking a group of 10 
people on a week long "Coast of Maine, via Bed and Breakfast" trip.  
The second day of the trip, the fog nearly engulfed us,  I would 
estimate visabilty to be less than 300 feet.  Our days course was to 
take us up the coast from Orrs Island, North with several SMALL 
inlet "crossings" and island hops (probably the longest hop would not 
be more than 1/4 - 1/2 miles at each leg).   We knew that if we 
completely lost our skills we could always paddle west and we would 
eventually hit tera firma so we decided to take the group out.  We 
had a BLAST!  There was no wind to contend with, and only tide and 
minimal currents, so we pointed the group in the right direction and 
told everyone to stay close.  We broke each section of the trip up 
into small very managable hops from one known point to another 
keeping a close eye on the compasses and charts.  We had only one 
even remote close call  - if you can call it that - when a sport 
fisherman was coming at us at what SEEMed like full speed, we 
eventually made ourselves seen and he adjusted course an passed us by 
easily.  The customers admitted afterwards that they were a little 
reluctant to launch with us, but by the time we hit our first and 
second "way-points" were having just as much fun as Paul (the other 
guide) and I.
Gregg Bolton
gsb_at_ime.net
http://w3.ime.net/~gsb
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