Guest guest Posted October 10, 2003 Share Posted October 10, 2003 Alex and I recently did a large portion of the Maine Island Trail. We’d had the trip planned a while, but our ambitious mileage had to be dropped because of hurricanes. The trip started with a two solo days for me, then a break as Isobelle’s wind and waves arrived. We resumed the trip from Stonington and had an easy, short day on glassy sea to Kimball Island to camp next to Isle au Haut. The next morning our plan included a 5.5 mile crossing to from Isle au Haut to Marshall Island, then onto our next camp on Baker Island at the bottom of Swan. The day was grey and misty (NOAA forecast for visibility 3-6nm and patchy fog). East of Isle au Haut we took a bearing for Marshall. A mile into the crossing the visibility was reduced and the only island we could see, Fog Island (the irony was later apparent) started to disappear. Within another 30 minutes visibility was less than 100m, within 40 minutes it was down to 50m and seemingly still closing. We could hear lobster boats in the distance. With the tide strengthening we shortened our legs and used ledges as way-markers. We heard surf when we expected to. The GPS quit (only to return to life on a sunnier day). But, we knew where we were, where we were going, and the chart, compasses and watches weren’t such fair-weather friends. Ten minutes into a leg a lobster boat’s engine noise was getting closer. We stopped paddling and listened for clues on its direction. Visibility was less than 50m. We resumed paddling but it was still getting closer and we started to furtively look around – nothing to see, but still getting louder. Did we backtrack or continue on? Backtracking would have exposed us to more traffic and an uncertain landing at best. We continued on. Then came the gut-churning sight of a large boat’s bow at full speed on a collision course and closing horribly fast. We screamed at each other, ‘go, go, go’! We cleared the boat’s path as the skipper dropped his engine. In an effort to prove his point he veered the idling boat towards our sterns and shouted his opinion as he drifted past. Shaken-up, we disappeared back into the fog. We know our mistake – we didn’t use the VHFs. But without knowing which channel lobster boats listen to, if they were listening at all, it may not have been any help – but yes, we should have tried. We were caught by fog again later in the trip, but this time we hugged the coastline and paddled in the surf-zone (now having to shout ‘big-one! big-one!’ as larger swells broke near us). We still had to make small crossings to reach safe landings, but put out security warnings on Ch12 – we’d scanned the channels and decided that one had the most activity. We may have had a false sense of security from the call though. Transmitting at only 5 Watts it’s possible nobody heard us – we got no affirmation that anyone received the calls. A lobster boat’s engine is loud, would the skipper hear the call even if was on the same channel? So, were we inappropriately reassured by our radios? Best-case scenario, we get a positive response and know that at least one boat knows where we are. Worst-case scenario we get no response and assume that no one’s heard the call or there’s no one there to hear it. We never put-in when it was foggy, and we ended up being fog bound on Bois Bubert for a couple of days. The forecast was worsening but we didn’t want to leave in the bad visibility – it was one thing getting caught by it, another setting off into it. Finally the fog cleared and we escaped to Milbridge through 8ft waves and 25knts, knowing that the forecast was for 10ft the next day. We concluded the gods were against us and abandoned the rest of our planned trip (going to the shelter of Cobscook Bay intead). After booking into a motel we found out Hurricane Juan had produced the waves & wind – NOAA had never mentioned a hurricane on the radio! Overall, we had a wonderful trip. There were great, clear days to paddle in, waves to make things interesting, great scenery, porpoise, seals, eagles, osprey, superb food and many laughs. But, I wrote about the fog to take constructive criticism and any ideas on what else we might have done from folks who have been in similar situations – aside from VHF, or bailing (sometimes avoidance isn’t an option). But, please no ‘holier-than-thou’ or ‘tire-kickers’. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Nystrom Posted October 10, 2003 Share Posted October 10, 2003 One thing comes to mind in you lobster boat situation: audible signals. If you'd had a storm horn or something similar, you might have been able to at least warn the boat that you were in the area. If he heard the noise and throttled down, perhaps it would have given you an opportunity to contact him on the radio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaBass Posted October 11, 2003 Share Posted October 11, 2003 We here at the Institute think you did everything just right. Most would cower to the security of their sofa and learn nothing. You now know more about this kind of situation that most others reading these pages, so why ask for a critique? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 11, 2003 Share Posted October 11, 2003 A storm horn was deployed on subsequent days - but yes, it was another omission during this incident. This particular lobster boat was at full-throttle and is unlikely to have heard it (we did reassure ourselves that the 'near-miss' wasn't all our fault as his speed and obvious reliance on radar were contributing factors). We've started to look into radar transponders - apparently heavy on the wallet and batteries. But, maybe a sensible purchase considering we live and paddle in Maine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 11, 2003 Share Posted October 11, 2003 The horn's a good thought Bryan. It may be that the boat would have heard it even at speed, and slowed down then. I just totally discounted the possibility that the skipper would be able to hear anything over his engine noise. What I really want to do is find a small,affordable and waterproof radar transponder that will actively send out a signal that could be picked up by these folks. I do not want to be dependent on handheld VHF's- not enough juice anf=d they aren't bombproof in situations like this one. Thanks for the input- Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 13, 2003 Share Posted October 13, 2003 Andrew: In the tests we did last spring with the Coast Guard at Newburyport, there was a passive radar device that worked (barely). The conditions were adverse for detection by radar: a stiff 15-20 KT on shore wind with very steep 1-2' chop on the Merrimack amidst a lot of boats and bouys. The waves cause 'sea clutter' where the radar picks up echos off the faces of the waves. The radar operator has to desensitize the radar (much like the squelch on a VHF radio) to tune out the wave readings, but of course this also tunes out all other low objects like kayaks. The device that the CG could pick up was called (I think) the Kayak Watch Dog: a plastic tube about 2" diameter by 20" long with a suction cup on one end. There is some kind of radar reflector material inside the tube. The idea is to plop it on your deck. The Coast Guard could pick it up, but not well and perhaps because they knew where to look. The suction cup looks a bit insecure, but there is a leash with a clip. It would stow reasonably well when not needed. I couldn't find it on the internet, but I've seen it advertised in Sea Kayaker magazine. The other reflector methods tested were a mylar blanket under a PFD and tin foil under a hat. Neither could be picked up by the radar under these conditions. For another Coast Guard test with different results, see http://www.bangornews.com/editorialnews/ar...dar_jstrout.cfm Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 13, 2003 Share Posted October 13, 2003 Alex: Knowing which channel the local lobstermen listen to is always a problem. However, isn't is also a CG regulation that all vessels must listen on Channel 16? I'd like to believe their on-board VHF radios are capable of dual channel monitoring much like our handhelds. Of course, just because it's a CG reg, doesn't mean everybody is doing it. In other words, in the absence of certainty about a local fisherman channel, wouldn't the best solution be to use the universal hailing channel? Even if you miss the lobstermen, your SECURITE, SECURITE, SECURITE call would have a better chance of being heard by other boaters, recreational and otherwise. I'm not asserting here, just asking.... What do the licensed masters among us say? Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 13, 2003 Share Posted October 13, 2003 Great post. It reminded of my very first kayaking trip which was up in Bar Harbor. It was a guided 3 day/2 night island hopping kayak trip with a local guide. He brought a compressed air horn with him, it was attached to his deck the whole time. We inquired as to why/when he used it - his reply - lobster boats in the fog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 14, 2003 Share Posted October 14, 2003 >... a passive radar device that worked >(barely). The conditions were adverse for detection by >radar: a stiff 15-20 KT on shore wind with very steep 1-2' >chop... Scott, since we're regularly out in considerably more than 1-2 chop it would seem that all passive radar reflectors would be useless. Hence our search for a transponder. From your post and other threads, the kayak-watchdog with permanent hinge attachment would seem the only (poor) alternative. Thanks, Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 14, 2003 Share Posted October 14, 2003 >You now know more about this kind of >situation that most others reading these pages, so why ask >for a critique? SeaBass, Turns out I don't know it all (yet), but thanks for your confidence in me. I also appreciate your understanding that somethings have to be learnt from the cockpit of a kayak, not a web-page. Binks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 12, 2003 Share Posted December 12, 2003 Photos of the September trip have been added to the NSPN section of http://www.kayakpics.com/gallery/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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