Reading Todd's blog reminded me of a time long, long ago when I knew nothing about navigation, currents, ferries, shipping lanes, etc. I had taken my wife and kids to visit my father in law in the San Juan islands in our old runabout from Skyline Marina in Anacortes. Had a good weekend, as we are leaving the father in law says" if it's foggy when you get to Thatcher Pass, just stay on a course of 90 degrees, it will take you right over to the entrance to Skyline marina". Well, of course it was pea soup when we got to the pass, half a dozen power boats milling around outside the fog bank. I approach them and make a slow 360 trying to read the little glue-on Airguide
compass on the dash (the only navigation equipment on the boat other than a depth sounder of dubious reliability). I lined up on 90 degrees, give or take 10, and took off into the fog. Being that our boat was an old wooden thing some of the other boats must have figured we were locals so they followed in our wake. Half an hour later we broke out of the fog right at the entrance to Burroughs channel which leads into Skyline marina. The other boats flew past us with waves of thanks, and I congratulated myself for being such a good navigator. Knowing what I know now, and having covered that same route with
radar in fog and never seeing 400' ferries in a 1/4 mile wide channel still sends chills up my spine. My father in law and more importantly, myself, could have killed my whole family and possibly others through ignorance and stupidity(on my part). You don't have any right to be out in the fog blind(meaning without
radar) if you have any choice in the matter. To say that you did it "safely" by using the
chartplotter while down below is beyond foolish, it's courting disaster. Just because you are only doing 3.5 knots doesn't mean that some 40-50' power boat isn't doing 20k and heading right towards you. And as far as calling on the
radio goes, don't count on that guy actually having his
radio on or being able to hear you above the sound of his stereo. Even another sailboat doing the same as you, "only going 3.5k" makes for a headon collision of 7k which could sink both vessels easily. I shouldn't even have to mention the fact that you are putting all your faith in actually being where your
chartplotter says you are, which is foolhardy. IMHO if you choose to run in fog when you do not absolutely need to without
radar you are unnecessarily putting yourself, your crew, your boat, and everyone else out there at risk.
John