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Unlike Debbie and Joe, Helen and I had no experience in fog until a few
days ago.
Last week, our two adult sons who were visiting from Ontario really wanted
their first ride on the boat. We were under time pressure since one of them
had to return within a couple of days. The weather at our house was good, so
we drove up to the marina about 18 miles due north at the end of the
peninsula. However, one of the curiosities of this region is that it abounds
with micro-climates, and about half way there we started noticing fog. By
the time we got to the boathouse, visibility was maybe a couple of hundred
yards. However, we could see the top of the bank, and I'd guess it wasn't 50
feet off the water. We decided to go for a pub lunch and then see how things
looked.
After lunch, it had cleared considerably and visibility was a mile or more,
so off we went. The marina is in a cove protected by several small islands -
very picturesque - and as we made our way out in glaring, clear sunshine, we
could see a solid white wall to the north with the hills and mountains
shining bright above it. Since the wind was southerly, we decided to head
into it figuring we would stay in the clear. However, as we came around the
island and into a narrow channel, we could see another white wall moving
rapidly toward us, but too late to turn around in the channel.
I had circumnavigated that island many times and knew it would be short run
back to the boathouse if I could get through the next even smaller channel.
We have a good radar unit at the lower helm, but since I much prefer driving
from the upper, I've merely played with it. I certainly knew I hadn't become
sufficiently familiar and comfortable to rely on it for navigation in
extremely close quarters that were about to narrow quite considerably.
Within only a couple of minutes our visibility had dropped to about 10 feet
and was continuing to worsen. By then I had got through the first channel
and should have been making my turn into the second one, but could not even
see the entrance let alone the shorelines on either side.
At that point I stopped the boat, knowing I had only a couple of seconds to
make a decision, of which one of the options was to just drop anchor and
wait it out. I also knew I would have a lot more room if I reversed and took
the longer way home, and just possibly a little visibility if I ran with the
fog rather than against it. I did a quick 180 using the engines and we did
maintain 5-10 foot visibility. We got back safely, but only just, and it was
tricky idling down the channel between the boats to get into a house we saw
only when we were almost upon it.
Even though I think I'm very careful, I know I've been lucky several times
in my first year of boating, and I also know I can't continue to depend on
good fortune. Like so many things in life, this was another case of "should
have", i.e. I should have spent time during last summer's beautiful weather
running from the lower helm and really using the radar to navigate in order
to develop some ability and confidence with it. As the days now lengthen and
the weather improves, this has become a number one priority on my list of
to-do's.
Thanks for your story, Joe. It was an excellent reminder of the need to
develop all the skills and to never take anything fro granted.
Cheers, Garrett
