Nav exercise #2-Nite Nav

[gyork]

I'm hoping this post will generate more interest than #1 a few years back.

A group of paddlers is contemplating an early evening (4.19.16) (May 19, 2016), near-full-moon night paddle to start off the festivities for the annual Jewell I. trip.  You refer to your copy (Southern Region) of Maine Coastal Access Guide [ http://www.maine.gov/dacf/mcp/coastal-access-guide.htm ] and determine to launch from Bug Light in South Portland.  Using NOAA Chart for Casco Bay [ http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/13290.shtml ], plot a course to get your group safely to Jewell in time for 'smores.

Please share your ideas here and include itinerary items such as:

-overnight parking

-group size, vetting of "strangers", and paddler/boat decorations

-tides and weather

-contingency planning, including go/no-go decision, bail outs, and alternate camping spots

-redundant safety/nav items

 

Please chime in on any of the individual considerations above, or other concerns for this trip.

 

gary

 

 

 

[JohnHuth]

With some reluctance in getting a trifecta of forum posts, what the heck....

Night of April 16th - near full moon

-overnight parking

I'd have to look into it, but I'm thinking I'd just pay a local hotel/motel to let me park over the weekend. 

-group size, vetting of "strangers", and paddler/boat decorations

No more than 4 in a pod, stick together, have a proven leader.  Glow stick behind deck compass, one on back of hat - known colors for different people.  

-tides and weather

Conditions weren't so good last night.   40 degree water temp, sustained wind out of the NE gives a lot of waves, big fetch - high tide around 8:30, so some flood, going to slack.  Since it's a 3 mile exposure to Jewel into a headwind with a lot of fetch, I would've bailed for something more sheltered.

-contingency planning, including go/no-go decision, bail outs, and alternate camping spots

I would have gone up to Yarmouth - camp ground there.   Once you get to the jump off light near Long and Peaks, no real shelter till Jewell, and a slog against the wind.   Given the current forecast, I'd look for a local camping area and then a day paddle tomorrow.  

-redundant safety/nav items

Probably good to have a GPS with programmed way-points.   I like to list the amount of time, NM for each leg and mag headings for each leg.    Since the Moon's nearly full, this makes it easier to spot islands, but with the wind up and cold water temps, I'd be pretty cautious unless I knew I was paddling with really seasoned people.  I'd look at how people do until I get to the channel between Peaks and Long, and then decide whether to jump to Jewel or head to more sheltered waters. 

If water temps were warmer and there wasn't so much fetch, wind, I would have more or less memorized the legs in time/distance/mag heading, and the buoy lights along the way, and keep in the back of my mind the boat channels (if it was summer boating season). 

[rfolster]

On 4/15/2016 at 2:45 PM, gyork said:

A group of paddlers is contemplating an early evening (4.19.16)

Gary, why did you pick Tuesday night?

 

28 minutes ago, JohnHuth said:

-tides and weather

Conditions weren't so good last night.   40 degree water temp, sustained wind out of the NE gives a lot of waves, big fetch - high tide around 8:30, so some flood, going to slack.  Since it's a 3 mile exposure to Jewel into a headwind with a lot of fetch, I would've bailed for something more sheltered.

-contingency planning, including go/no-go decision, bail outs, and alternate camping spots

I would have gone up to Yarmouth - camp ground there.   Once you get to the jump off light near Long and Peaks, no real shelter till Jewell, and a slog against the wind.   Given the current forecast, I'd look for a local camping area and then a day paddle tomorrow.

John, if the plan was to go out last night, I think this would definitely have been a complete bail.  A daytime trip in the conditions yesterday would have been challenging enough.  Apparently, a competent group of five were out yesterday and four of them simultaneously got tossed on one good wave.  So, with conditions as challenging as they were, adding the challenges of night time navigation, group management, and boats loaded with camping gear would spell disaster.  I would not even attempt such a trip, and would bag it altogether to consider (seriously!) a following-morning launch.

[Dan Foster]

I assume Gary meant 5/19, which is the Thursday night being discussed for a night crossing to Jewell this year.

I plotted two possible routes from Bug Light Park to Jewell. The yellow (red on the legend) line is 10 nautical miles, and takes a very conservative approach to avoid exposure to fetch and swell from the SE and the open ocean. It also has a bail-out to camp on Little Chebeague at the 6 mile mark in case of a late start, injury, or worsening conditions toward the outer islands. The shorter green route is 6 nautical miles. I tried to place my crossings from known starting points to visible landmarks on the far shore or to lighted buoys, and I tried to get nice round numbers for the magnetic bearings. (Bearings on this graphic are true, however. Oops.)

I don't have local knowledge of South Portland or the crossing from Bug Island Light, or of the prominent features along the southern islands, so I look forward to seeing what those of you with more experience in the area come up with.

Given that this is a Thursday evening trip, I assumed a launch time of no earlier than 7:30PM. I'm not sure this allows arrival, unpacking, and campsite prep "in time for smores" unless there's a pod of us already there with a signal fire already burning down to marshmallow-roasting coals.

For anyone else working through this on their own, I've plotted the locations of the tide and current prediction stations from NOAA.

Thanks for the exercise, Gary.

Edited April 17, 2016 by Dan Foster

[JohnHuth]

Yup, Tuesday is the 19th, but I switched up the exercise to the 16, as that's when I read Gary's post and I had the most accurate forecast.   In my mind, I was thinking of using the R "4" buoy as a jumping off point to Jewell because it's an obvious landmark, and use a compass heading to allow for a fair amount of error in hitting the island.    I wouldn't do too much coast hugging, as I get concerned about sneaker waves over a shoal at night (or fog), but that depends on wave and swell conditions. I'm curious to hear comments on the route. 

 

Good topic for discussion, Gary. 

 

 

 

 

[gyork]

7 hours ago, Dan Foster said:

I assume Gary meant 5/19

Yes-May 19-sorry.  Perhaps one of our esteemed moderators can correct please.  Thank you.

gary

[rfolster]

6 hours ago, gyork said:

Yes-May 19-sorry.  Perhaps one of our esteemed moderators can correct please.  Thank you.

Done.

[JohnHuth]

May 19 2016

Departure – Bug Light Portland ME (Fl 4s)

Sunset 20:04 local (EDT)

End Civil Twilight 20:38

Moonrise 17:56 – waxing gibbous 95%

High tide 22:46

Highest current Hussey Sound Max Flood 0.9 kts @ 19:48

 

 

 

 

 

Leg	Dist (NM)	Head (mag)	Min/nm	Min/leg	Description
1	0.6	123	20	11	Bug Lt - Spring Point
2	0.3	181	20	6	Spring Pt. cross chan before Fl G 4sec
3	2.5	59	20	50	House Is, Fl G 20 ft N end, Fl G 3 sec diamond pass, Fl G 2.5 sec, N channel of Peaks, turn when Fl G 4sec vis
4	0.7	176	30	21	Pass Fl G 4s
5	0.5	129	30	14	Slight turn to Fl G 4s
6	0.3	57	20	6	Fl G 4s - cross chan to Fl R 4s
7	3.1	89	20	61	Fl R 4s, pass R "6" bell buoy left
Total	8.0			169
				2 hr 49 min

Edited April 18, 2016 by JohnHuth

[gyork]

On April 17, 2016 at 3:05 PM, Dan Foster said:

.

........... I've plotted the locations of the tide and current prediction stations from NOAA.

 

Dan,  please share your source (link?) for this info.

 

Edited April 19, 2016 by gyork

[Dan Foster]

NOAA Current predictions:

http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/noaacurrents/Regions

 

NOAA Tide predictions:

http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/tide_predictions.html

For each, I went to the sub-page for Maine, copied the station names and their latitude and longitude, and plotted them in ExpertGPS.

 

For a really cool visualization of tides and currents, check out http://deepzoom.com/ You can drag a time slider and watch the currents ebb and flood in your area of interest. Unfortunately, the site doesn't seem to have working current information for much of the East coast right now.

[Phil Allen]

Route:  I'd combing the first half of John's with the second half of Dan's.  Cross the inshore channel early at  a place of good line of site. Also, any large vessel coming out of south portland would have just had to make a turn to the south and should be moving more slowly.  Handrail Peaks, cross to Long and handrail (either side, environment depending) to NE corner.  From NE corner of Longs, short crossings to Cliff, then Hope then Jewell.  Concerns would be channel traffic and local traffic off channel.  

Wouldn't worry about currents with small crossing and hand railing.

Markers:  dim green glow sticks on paddlers back and on boat bow toggle.  Long enough so that they float to surface if boat is upside down.   Another glow stick on top of leaders helmet.   Headlamps on all participants, around neck for navigation or if "lost paddler" situation or highlighting self to other boat traffic.

Group selection: small 4-5.  Wouldn't include someone who'd never paddled at night.  Especially not with a boat loaded with camping gear.

Environment:  would probably call it in anything more than 2-3 foot seas especially if short period.  Winds would have to be less than force 4 and would be especially cautious about winds blowing from the West.

 

Phil

 

[rfolster]

Just a thought about glow sticks - during a night nav training last fall, we noticed that the glow sticks were very distracting, and I was suggested that, if you let your eyes acclimate to the darkness, you can see people better than you realize.  With that said, I would make sure that everyone had emergency lights available that can easily be activated or turned on should things unwind.  I will caveat this by saying that I have not experimented with this yet, but I will at my next opportunity.

[Phil Allen]

4 minutes ago, rfolster said:

Just a thought about glow sticks - during a night nav training last fall, we noticed that the glow sticks were very distracting, and I was suggested that, if you let your eyes acclimate to the darkness, you can see people better than you realize.  With that said, I would make sure that everyone had emergency lights available that can easily be activated or turned on should things unwind.  I will caveat this by saying that I have not experimented with this yet, but I will at my next opportunity.

Moonlit night, the glow sticks probably would appear dim.  Dark night, it depends.  Human eye is most sensitive to green light, so appears brightest.   Steve Maynard introduce me to UV PacLite rechargeable glow sticks.  Clip them on the deck during daylight and they'll glow for several hours after dark at a light level dimmer than standard chemical sticks.  Can also be "recharged" by shining flashlight on them for a few minutes.

best

Phil

[rfolster]

Phil, thanks for passing along the info on the UV PaqLite (click for link) as a number of us have been looking for a more economical solution to the snap sticks.

On our night nav, we had among others, two different green glow sticks - one was glaringly bright, and the other so dim we could barely see it.  It got to the point that we put the bright light at the back of the group because it was really creating problems for seeing the shoreline (yes, you can "see" the shoreline at night, just not as well).

[EEL]

Assuming a cloudless night and near full moon, isn't it basically bright?  I don't mean really bright like it is in winter with snow covered ground, but bright enough to see most things of interest?  Not suggesting the sea state cannot provide surprises, but boomers and landmasses would be OK?  Just checking if my recollection is accurate as it has been awhile.

Ed Lawson

 

[Inverseyourself]

I came up with the same routes as Dan, although I kind of gave up on the more conservative, more northerly route since conditions for that would have to be difficult enough to question leaving in the first place. Maybe not. Does anyone know how busy the two shipping lanes that are to be crossed are at night? Would calling in a securite make sense or is that overkill for the short distances? I like John's diretissima from R "4" Fl 4s to Jewell. I, too, have been wondering about scratching up my hull on submerged rocks if traveling near shore. Regarding lighting, I'm experimenting with a lit Orca compass a la Leon Somme (Youtube: search for "How to build a lit compass") and hope that it won't be a huge PIA for other paddlers once I fire it up.

[jason]

4 hours ago, Phil Allen said:

Moonlit night, the glow sticks probably would appear dim.  Dark night, it depends.  Human eye is most sensitive to green light, so appears brightest.   Steve Maynard introduce me to UV PacLite rechargeable glow sticks.  Clip them on the deck during daylight and they'll glow for several hours after dark at a light level dimmer than standard chemical sticks.  Can also be "recharged" by shining flashlight on them for a few minutes.

best

Phil

Phil,

Any chance in finding the rechargeable one in blue.   I have picked up a number of these: http://smile.amazon.com/Cyalume-SnapLight-Industrial-Chemical-Duration/dp/B004NBZLJC  as it takes the  the red/green confusion/special meaning out of play.   

[Phil Allen]

13 hours ago, jason said:

Phil,

Any chance in finding the rechargeable one in blue.   I have picked up a number of these: http://smile.amazon.com/Cyalume-SnapLight-Industrial-Chemical-Duration/dp/B004NBZLJC  as it takes the  the red/green confusion/special meaning out of play.   

Hey Jason,

I doubt it.   It's basically the same phosphorescent material found in the glow in the dark plastic toys, just embedded as chips in epoxy or the like.  I think the choice with this approach is green, green or maybe green.

best

Phil

 

[JohnHuth]

Let me give my rationale for the 'direct' leg from the F R 4s to Jewell - maybe it'll get some route discussion going.   In my first thought, I would've hugged Long too, and jumped to Cliff and then Jewell.   But, first I saw that there was a bar that uncovered between Vaill Island, and Long. The bar might be covered approaching high tide, but would still be shallow.   I haven't been to Long or Cliff, but it doesn't look like a lot of landing opportunities, so that advantage seems not great.    

Then the southern end of Cliff and the SE end of Long has a lot of rocks and shallows.   If there was a swell coming out of the ocean, from the S to the ESE, you could end up with breakers when it impacts the shallows.   What can fool me with a swell is the surf beat.   Higher crests will break farther out.   You might approach an island with a shallow approach, and things seem normal with waves breaking in close, and then when the higher crests hit three minutes later, the waves start to break a lot farther out, and a person can get caught.   

In the fog or dark, this can be more of a problem.   

Also, at night, I find that buoys make good beacons with visibility from some distance.   Since a straight-line shot to Jewell from that channel buoy F R 4s passed by a buoy with a bell south of the shoals south of Cliff, it seemed like a good reference in the night, and can help orient a person and give a sense of progress by the relatively location of the ringing.   

This presupposed that the sea is reasonably calm, and one only has a swell running, but that's not uncommon just after sunset.   On the other hand, I'd definitely take a look at conditions at launch time and make a decision based on that, not something I planned in my living room a month beforehand.  Plans are useless, but planning is essential, as the maxim goes, or something like that.  

 

[gyork]

I had planned the same route as John, more or less.  I like the long, last crossing that includes the bell buoy S of Cliff-good dead reckoning exercise with waypoint backup.  Good practice to break the trip into legs-similar to orienteering.  I'd laminate John's table, after adding the same GPS waypoints that I have saved on my hand-held.

Andy, no harm and good practice to broadcast security; definitely if fog-bound.

If fog is up (?down) would consider hand railing back side of Cliff and Long to camp at Little Chebeague, using GPS (at least 2 in the pod).

Ed, yes, navigating should be relatively easy, what with moonlight (even with cloud cover) and abundant light from Peaks.

Guess I would check with S. Portland Harbor Master for overnight parking permission, then, if no luck, Police.

I've copied some good advice from Rick S., who posted this under nite-nav lite a few back:

"at night we set up very specific roles....too easy to lose track at night....so YOU will navigate, YOU other person will be the last man and no one gets behind you, YOU other person will keep the group together....that way the navigator can concentrate on just navigating....everyone sings out their number in the group repeatedly...so if there are 6 people ANYONE can sing out their number and then you go through the cycle til everyone is accounted for....so member number 5 shouts 5, and then # 6 shouts 6, #1 shouts 1....so on and so on until everyone has piped up." 

 

gary

Edited April 20, 2016 by gyork

[EEL]

Regarding boat traffic.  The Casco ferries which run to Peaks, the Diamonds, and Long operate pretty late so would be prudent to check the current schedule.

Personally I would avoid being in the middle of the passage between Peaks and Long if there is much wind, swell, and current.  Just a funky place at times.

I guess I'm just timid and no fan of crossing, but I suspect that expanse of water across Luckse Sound might look a good deal wider in real life than it does on the chart at home.  Having the bell on R6 would be a nice beacon though.

 

 

 

[PeterB]

 

My approach would be some amalgam of Dan’s , John’s , etc.
Plan A  (in red)  would be like Dan’ s conservative route;  two short crossings from Spring Point to House Island and then to Peaks ( where  boat traffic is most likely to be an issue. ) Handrail up  the west side of Peaks to  flashing Green #7 at  Hussey Sound, cross to Long Island and handrail up  the inside of Long  Island to Cousins Island, where there is a fine sand beach, good for a rest stop and moonbathe,  gear check for the last bit to Jewell Island;  Little Chebeague is also a bailout , could  crash there if theres any  problem. 

 

From Cousins, cross to Red # 2 at the south end of Hope island thence to Red #6   or  the south end of Cliff (190 on the compass),  give the  ledges at the southern tip of Cliff a wide berth.  then past Green #1  to Jewell Island.
 

 

Plan B (in Blue):   if, after crossing Hussey Sound the conditions and visibility  are marvelous (a good possibility), and the group is more advanced,  comfortable,  blood is up, then  no need to go the longer way via Little Chebeague; round the southern end of Long Island , cross to Jewell via red # 6 at the end of the ledges on the south end of Cliff , thence to Jewell.( 100 on the compass from Vaill I.  to red # 6, then  85 on the compass to Jewell)

I think a group of 4-5 would be maxumum, , and should have  at least one paddler who has done the route before, and experienced at night paddling, in conditions  comfortable for everyone .  

Gear: an illuminated compass (I have an Orca  , which can be stuffed with small glow sticks) mounted close to the cockpit; a glow stick or   dim colored light   tethered on the stern and one on the body. Also, a  dim waterproof light handy on the PFD.. only turned on  for short periods to consult the chart and compass, or fuss with gear  if needed .  

 

Good for the group to have one bright torch available.


On a full moon night, I would anticipate good visibility of most islands and crossing targets,  as Ed intoned; unlikely there'd be a need for so many precise buoy to buoy, point to point legs . On a very dark night,  it might  be another story. But a lot of it is in the goals of the trip. If it’s a full -on night nav. practice paddle,  that’s one thing , If the goal is to enjoy a full moon paddle to Jewell, if conditions then  were in any way not condusive to enjoyment   (overcast, seas bouncy, winds, etc): just cancel and go the next day. 

[gyork]

On April 26, 2016 at 3:07 PM, PeterB said:

Gear: an illuminated compass (I have an Orca  , which can be stuffed with small glow sticks) mounted close to the cockpit

 

[JohnHuth]

Well?  How'd it go?

[rfolster]

The weather was perfect, the group was small and capable, and the anticipation of the journey was high.  We pretty much followed Peter's Plan B (in blue) shown in the previous posts.  We launched as the sun was getting ready to set and were a little surprised at how long it took the Aids To Navigation to light up for the night.  The moon was near full (only one night off) and provided plenty of ambient light to see by, even when some thin clouds obscured it at times.  We ended up piloting (visual navigation) the whole way, instead of using compass headings.  Once we passed Overset Island (between Peaks and Long), we could not only see the single Luci Light left on for us (amazing how far away we could see it), but we could also see two camp fires going.  Having these points of reference allowed us to pretty much head right to the island.  Although being fogged in, or having the moon complete obscured would have been more challenging, the general consensus from the five of us is that it was an absolutely delightful and serene journey.