"otnmbrd" wrote in message news:y9GWa.1579
I got a glimpse
of a bridge, tooted, and hugged the side of the channel - it turned out to be a Coast
Guard boat - I never picked it up on radar even though I knew it was there, and they
never
signaled.

I would give someone serious thought as to why you never saw them on
radar.... wrong range? not tuned? blended in with the shoreline? Have a
feeling there's something to be learned here.....

Much to be learned ... The radar is a 4 year old Ray SL 72 on default settings, auto gain.
The range was 3/4 mile because I was using it more for navigation - finding the buoys and
ranging the islands. I was also more concerned with what might be out in the main ship
channel that lay ahead than what was immediately in front of me in the side channel. At
that range, the three pairs of channel buoys were all fairly tight on the screen - I
really should have been at 1/2 or 1/4 mile range in the channel, and doing a knot less so
there'd be time to actually analyze the screen.

Also, working some of the time distance, 10 minutes earlier there was no fog, 5 minutes
later it was patchy, then within about 2 minutes it went to 1/4 mile. It was only when I
realized how close the CG boat had come before I identify them clearly that I realized it
was down below 200 yards. It that point, I reduced the range and would have picked up
the second boat but heard its engine first.

The fog stayed thick as I rather nervously crossed the main channel. Another reminder -
its exceptionally difficult to hold a course when there are no landmarks at all. I should
have used the autopilot so I could focus more on the radar while my wife was the visual
lookout. In about 10 minutes we were closer to the airport in shallower (warmer) water so
the fog thinned a bit - 1/4 mile visibility seems easy after a whiteout! I had the time
now to play with the radar - with the flat seas I could have had the gain higher than
"auto"

BTW, the flood tide had started about an hour earlier - is that what brought the fog in,
or was it just due to the rain stopping? The spot where this occured was right at the
entrance to the harbor. Perhaps a coincidence - on several other occasions over the years
the fog has clamped down on us quickly in the same area - always with interesting results!


As we exited Nubble Channel at about 5 knots (4 on the GPS) I heard another engine and
tooted, we got a reply and a small ferry (100 feet, 100 tons) emerged, about 150 yards
to
our left, doing maybe 6-8 knots. For a few seconds I thought they would let us go
ahead
(we were crossing from their right) but they held speed and turn to the port. We had
no
choice but to use reverse and let them pass closely in front of us. From the time we
picked them up until they passed in front, 30 seconds had transpired.

You saw them but could they see you other than on radar. These can vary
and as you say, perspectives can vary .... main point....you both missed
(his turn to port makes me question his basic route intentions and train
of thought).

I kept wondering "what are they doing?" but it was pretty clear (especially with
hindsight) that they wanted to go up the channel I was leaving. If they were headed to
the alternate channel, The Narrows, they were cutting too close to Nixe's Mate, the major
hazard in the area. Normally they approach by crossing the main channel, but in the fog
they might have felt it was better to get over to the side quickly, then make the big turn
into the side channel.

Another lesson - in a stressful situation, something that normally would be quite obvious
can be confusing. Also, things can evolve so quickly there isn't time to gather all the
necessary information. In slightly better visibility it would have been obvious they
couldn't be going around Nixes Mate, but I wasn't inclined to look a the chart to verify
since it really didn't bear on the immediate issue.

It took about two seconds to conclude that if I tried to pass in front I couldn't predict
the outcome, while if I backed down the risk was ended immediately. My momentary
hesitation was thinking he might defer to me (yeh, right!).


I wasn't pleased with their actions, though I'd guess they saw things a bit
differently -
with the current and very close proximity of hazards they probably had no desire to do
an
emergency stop. Maybe they had fallen in behind the CG boat when the fog clamped down
10
minutes earlier. The thing they really did wrong is that they should have lined up
on
the channel straight on instead of approaching from the side.

Quite possibly was set up on this approach prior to fog and decided to
stay with it ....not always best decision.

Or, perhaps he changed plans at the last minute and didn't fully appreciate the
possibilities.


otn
G any landing, docking, fog, you walk away from, is a good day......


I'll drink to that!


--
-jeff www.sv-loki.com
If you can't say something nice, say something surrealistic. -Zippy