[Paddlewise] Fw: Paddling in fog

----------
> From: Derek Hairon <hairond_at_super.net.uk>
> To: dkruger_at_seasurf.com
> Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Paddling in fog
> Date: 16 April 1998 14:10
 
>  Dave wrote
  how you folks can expect to hit a target that small
 > using dead reckoning.   Can you enlighten us?
 
 Well, sometimes I am surprised too!
 In this case its worth noting that it is a very familiar route which
though 5 1/2 miles off shore open water paddling is one which I have been
paddling  since 1975. As a result we tend to have a very good idea of the
best time
 to go and also the course to steer. That doesn't mean you ignore the
 chartwork and most messups have tended to happen when people just treat
it  as a jolly jaunt. This is what happened to the group I mentioned last
time.
 They got off the end of the breakwater and then tried to work things out
 from there. Not a good idea. you get a feel for the area and also we have
a pretty good idea of how long we should take-usually 1 hour 40 is a normal
 crossing in nothing above force three providing its not a headwind. Then
 obviously you reconsider the whole idea if its dark or poor vis of less
 than one mile. As you get near to your eta then I keep a look out for
 changes in the water, a sign of rocks below. Any pot marker bouys also
give us a few clues because they tend to be placed at the edge of the reef.
they also give me an idea of the tide stream.
Often we get more hassle paddling in good vis when you turn too soon for
 the islet and the huts on it. Then the stream pushes you North west. If
you mess up and get pushed north west then its a case of identifying the
rocks such as the gros Tete which also can be a good spot to sit in the
eddy.
The problem J and the others had was that they did bump into a rock but
could
 not work out which it was. J now thinks it was gros tete which would be
 about right as it would have put them about half mileish west of
Marmotier islet.
 Alternatively you sit and wait for a while for the tide to drop a bit
mor to uncover more of the reef.
At night and in good vis though there are no lights on the reef you will
 find that the big light on Cartetret will be lost behind the islets as
you get within the last mile. Being 7 nmiles distant you can get some nice
 transits on the lighthouse and radio masts and village lights. 
 
 One paddle in poor vis which did not go to plan was a  12 mile paddler to
 the huts on Les Minquiers reef south of Jersey. Again cross tides. Again
we have done this quite a few times over the years. On neaps max rate is
1.5kn while on springs its 3.5kn. work to eta of about 3 hours. In this
case it
 was neaps and flat calm with a force 1 easterly. In this case we ended up
 virtually due south of our departure point and about 2 half mile from
 target. What seems to have happened was that the wind cancelled out our
 drift. Its not something I experience often.
 
 When paddles in poor vis get problems its often when we leave at unusual
 times rather than the old tried and tested times. One return from the
 Ecrehous was made early to get away before the weather got worse. About
 three miles from Jersey we lost the island. Pete was going down with a
flu bug. Though tide was running east a couple members of the group felt
sure
 we needed to head further east after a while when we did not see land
(vis we later discovered was less than half mileish). Two of us had got a
quick bearing on a bit of the island before it vanished. From this we were
 therefore able to argue quite convincingly that there was no need to make
a big change to our route. In fact it was a good thing we did not change
 course as our paddling speed dropped due to Pete being unwell and we took
 nearly twice as long to get ashore. In doing so we were pushed further
 east. Following the others ideas we would have completely missed the
 island. It does illustrate how handy it is to have deck mounted compass
and also to be constantly observing where you are. Personally I find it
stops
 me getting bored.
 
 JB and Gary did a mamoth 23 mile trip to the Roche Douvres light leaving
 from the Minquiers because the stream are more behind you. The light is
 60metres high, but they only saw it after about 2half hours of the six
hour paddle. They used gps but only to validate thee course every hour. The
 return was done in the dark and they reckon this was the hard bit. The
high tide ment all the rocks at the Minquiers were hidden and with no moon
it
 was hard to decide where they were. Again based on time they knew they
must be near the islet. When they used the gps it was more of a pest
because
 whenever they were not headind directly for the target for the last mile
or so the unit was telling them to make big course corrections. Careful
 planing and good communication between both of them helped a lot. After
all two brains are usually better than one.
 Many years ago my father was fishing about 2miles offshore from his
double Klepper. Fog came down. By looking at about one foot above sea
leveel he
 found he could still see land. Just as well as he had no compass.
 Regarding the "white out" sheet idea. Yes it is disorientating, but then
 again so can paddling in fog or at night. Even trying it for just a short
 time can be a good way of getting a feel for what it might be like in
poor vis. You could think of it as being an extreeme experience which at
least
 gives you a tiny bit of reassurance when you do get caught out that at
 least the disorientation is slightly familiar to you. Alternatively, some
 of the ideas I mentioned might make you stop and think twice before going
 out in poor vis or at night. Another idea is to go out with a few pals on
a nice day and having done your chart work beforehand. Now totally paddle
by compass the route you have laid up. Add some incentives like the loser
 having to buy a round of drinks.
 Sorry to go on a bit. If you want to see a phot of the areas discussed
see the web site
 http://wwwitexjsy.com/hosting/jcc/default.asp

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