Bean 9/1 - pea soup

in my own opinion and not meant as an attack to anyone.....

i know that some people think a handheld bubble compass is effective in fog because they can figure their direction with it. be careful because you need to account for drift while out at sea. your compass could be reading the same bearing continuously while you are drifting parallel to land. drift too far and you could paddle right onto a nasty shorebreak or onto an exposed reef and end up in a heap of trouble.

my advice is that if you dont have electronics you can rely on, when the fog starts coming in you should paddle back to the launch and call it a day. the fog comes from the west and heads over the ocean towards land so you can see it coming. never hurts to see whats creeping in while your out there.

i dont care what anyone says, if you dont have electronics that are reliable you probably should not be out in the fog putzing around. fog in general is dangerous but fog combined with a fast drift and not knowing where is what is even more dangerous. using a bubble compass mounted on the deck of your yak or handheld non electronic compass is gonna lead you to trouble one day and its a lot different using one on land than on water in the fog. there are no landmarks in open water when you can only see 10 feet or so.

if you have a ff w/ built in gps or a gps that isnt working right or with battery power to last the whole time you are out you should dump the trash and get one thats reliable. you can mount it up and test it in your garage, leave it on all night and see what happens. also always carry extra batteries.

this is such a simple concept im surprised people are still boasting their manual bubble compass skills in regards to navigating on their kayaks in the fog. if you forget to take your bearing when you leave the beach you are once again screwed. even if you do, if the fog comes in the bearing is not going to be much help. sure you'll know which direction land is but where the heck did you launch?

get into some technology for a couple hundred bucks and you can save yourself a lot of wondering. have it on when you launch and leave it. not only will it help you navigate better but with a gps you can repeat a good drift with ease by retracing the line of your first drift. take the guesswork and the "i think we are probably at..." out of your fishing day.

its amazing to see people with all kinds of fancy fishing gear and they still resort to old school navigation that can get them hurt.

sorry to be a bit*ch about this but these are just my honest feelings about manual compasses. all my friends know that i am old school when it comes to equipment but the only thing i didn't go old school on is a gps. i may be a cheap ass but i got an affordable gps that is reliable and so many times now have been glad i have had it.

my buddy Alain who is a mighty fine seaman and i did this test last time we motored to pescadero on his boat. he tried to find the start of a really good drift we had going and every time he thought we were at the start the gps read that we were actually far from it. as unforgiving as the ocean is, play on the safe side of things.

Garmin GPSMap 76

$160 w/free shipping

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005B4BJ/ref=pd_luc_mri/103-7657258-8238221?%5Fencoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance
Mount for yak (I use this):
http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-Marine-Mount-GPSMAP-76/dp/B00005B8M1/ref=pd_sim_e_2/103-7657258-8238221

I use it for:

- marking launch/land location
- marking fishy spots/structure
- marking crab pots
- determining drift direction vis-a-vis targeted structure (where to start drift)
- calculating time and distance to target/float planning
- researching tides per location
- getting me out of "where am I" jams in the fog!

IMHO well worth the $$.

Garmin GPSMap 76

$160 w/free shipping

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005B4BJ/ref=pd_luc_mri/103-7657258-8238221?%5Fencoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance
Mount for yak (I use this):
http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-Marine-Mount-GPSMAP-76/dp/B00005B8M1/ref=pd_sim_e_2/103-7657258-8238221

I use it for:

- marking launch/land location
- marking fishy spots/structure
- marking crab pots
- determining drift direction vis-a-vis targeted structure (where to start drift)
- calculating time and distance to target/float planning
- researching tides per location
- getting me out of "where am I" jams in the fog!

IMHO well worth the $$.

holy crap thats so much cheaper than it was before! when i was looking to get it it was more than double this price!

i think i need an upgrade: )

thanks for the link!

john

I'm pretty old-school too, but I am very pleased with my GPS 60.  Only niggle is it would sometime lose satellite reception temporarily, (a few minutes only), but I figured out that was my fault for not keeping the antenna uncovered and pointed up.  As long as it's on, it will track your movements...  doesn't get much easier than that.

John,

I know you mean well, but I have to disagree with your post in a number of ways. First of all, kayakers made due with just a compass and a watch for decades.

Yes, you do have to take drift into account.

10 foot visibility is almost unheard of. 25-50 yards is much more likely. And that makes a huge difference.

All electronics are fallible. Electronics seem to have a critical need detection system. As soon as you really, really need your GPS to get you home, it's gonna fail.

this is such a simple concept im surprised people are still boasting their manual bubble compass skills in regards to navigating on their kayaks in the fog. if you forget to take your bearing when you leave the beach you are once again screwed. even if you do, if the fog comes in the bearing is not going to be much help. sure you'll know which direction land is but where the heck did you launch?

Ok, I launch from Bean Hollow. Just outside the mouth, I mount the FF/GPS unit that I'd stowed for launch. I zoom out to see my target waypoint, and plug it in as my destination. As I get going,  I look at my deck mounted compass and note that I'm on a heading of 300 degrees. It takes about 15 minutes to get to my starting pinnacle.  I start drifting and pay attention to the fact that the drift seems to be dead south - 180 degrees. Since I have a fishfinder and GPS, It's no problem to keep in the same general area, as I can keep heading up drift over the same pinnacle. An hour goes by, and I head due north for 15 minutes to another known reef. I have better luck here, and stay on it for two hours. Probably within an area of 200x200 yards. At this point in time, the fog has decreased visibility to 50 yards, and "Holy %$###!!!, the $400 FF/GPS combo is on the fritz!!".

I've been unwise enough to have gone out solo, or with someone without a GPS. So I take stock of the situation. I need to head south for about 15 minutes, and then in at 120 degrees for about 15 minutes. But there's been that southerly drift... So, I paddle a course of 90 degrees until I have visual contact with the shore. I'm darn careful, as there is that reef break just north of BH. I'm on high alert - looking and listening for breaking waves, watching to see if the swell is starting to hump up. There almost no way that I'm south of my launch, so I just need to take it easy and stay out of trouble. I'm moving at a slow cruise, maybe 2-2.5 mph. Because of the southerly drift, I ought to be sighting the landing in about 20 minutes or so. But it could be right there when I visually contact shore. Because I've studied a topo and photo of the area, in a few minutes I recognize cars in the parking lot at the beach a little more than half a mile from Bean. 10 minutes later, I've landed. It later turns out that a seal has failed in the FF/GPS unit, causing the display to go black. There was still plenty of juice in the just recharged 7AH battery, and the power wiring is still in good condition.

Now, put yourself in that exact same situation, but without compass or navigation skills.

Regards,
Scott

FYI - This has been in my library for about 8 years now:

http://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Kayak-Navigation-Kayaking-How/dp/076270473X


Regards,
Scott

Another way to judge your drift direction and (relative) speed is to observe your fishing line. Looks to see which direction it is angled, and you'll have a good idea of where your drift is taking you.

Also, listen to the sound of the waves crashing on the beach/rocks. Especially when paddling out from your launch. Combine that with a diligent review of a nautical or topo map of your fishing grounds.

And, this may sound lame. Because I got the idea from an old Nissan commercial. But one time, I wasn't sure where the sandy beach of Coral St launch was...but I knew my truck was parked right in front of it...so I took out my keys and hit the unlock/lock button a few times. This makes the horn honk and the headlights flash. Well, I couldn't see the headlights (this was a complete whiteout with approx 25 yd vis) but I could faintly hear the horn each time i hit the lock button. So...you guessed it, I hit the panic button to set off the car alarm. Stashed my keys back in the Pelican case and followed the sound back to the beach. It was actually pretty cool. Except for the divers getting suited up...parked right behind me!
[This was before I bought a GPS]

PK

Scott, that scenario you gave is very possible and i must say that in the event of not having a working gps a compass is better than nothing. i can honestly say that i dont know many people who are educated enough about navigation to follow the same procedures as you in a situation such as the one you gave.

i think that as easy as it would seem to paddle 15 minutes in one direction and 15 in another, perceived distance and time can easily be wrong. you may get close and if you are lucky then the fog will clear up enough to give you visibility of the shoreline.

i guess it all depends on how the sea conditions are that day. if its a rough day, by the time you hear the waves on shore, you might have one coming up the opposite side of you ready to hit you by the time you are close enough to hear the ones on the beach.

i think that nothing can really take the place of a good working gos. if it fails and there is fog, you best head in while you can rather than try to extend your fishing time. at least til it clears.

of course if im out in the fog and my gps is not working, i'll gladly take a compass over nothing anyday and head due east if im in the pacific. got to end up at land somewhere right?

....or just don't go out and simply assuming that the fog will roll out sooner or later  

(I've been guilty of doing this...but I'm more careful now )

I've quoted this quote before....from one of my all time favorite movies = "The Perfect Storm"

scene: The crew is given a choice:  To continue their trip to the Flemish Cap, or call it a loss and go home broke.....the crew decides to go for it...

The Capt then makes a decision after a heavy battle with the swells....he says "The fish will gather again for the Adrea Gail....."  

I agree on your opinion Mooch....is better to be safe than sorry... But, I definitely would like to have a GPS.

Any recommendation ?? I'm looking for good,cheap, reliable GPS... is it one with those three features??

My mortgage makes think like this!!! Specially now that I lost all my gear...

~ramon~

Ramon,

The one I listed is a terrific value, floats and water resistant, and pretty cheap for GPS units.    16 hours use per 2 AA's.

Just don't use rechargeable batteries with proximity to saltwater.  Use the regular AA's.

If you need to refi to buy the GPS, lemme know 

Craig

Craig,

Why not use rechargables around salt water?. I hadn't heard of this. I use rechargables in all my electronics and havn't had a failure (yet). Is there something I am not aware of?

Ed

i dont care what anyone says, if you dont have electronics that are reliable you probably should not be out in the fog putzing around. fog in general is dangerous but fog combined with a fast drift and not knowing where is what is even more dangerous. using a bubble compass mounted on the deck of your yak or handheld non electronic compass is gonna lead you to trouble one day and its a lot different using one on land than on water in the fog. there are no landmarks in open water when you can only see 10 feet or so.

if you have a ff w/ built in gps or a gps that isnt working right or with battery power to last the whole time you are out you should dump the trash and get one thats reliable. you can mount it up and test it in your garage, leave it on all night and see what happens. also always carry extra batteries.

this is such a simple concept im surprised people are still boasting their manual bubble compass skills in regards to navigating on their kayaks in the fog. if you forget to take your bearing when you leave the beach you are once again screwed. even if you do, if the fog comes in the bearing is not going to be much help. sure you'll know which direction land is but where the heck did you launch?


its amazing to see people with all kinds of fancy fishing gear and they still resort to old school navigation that can get them hurt.

sorry to be a bit*ch about this but these are just my honest feelings about manual compasses. all my friends know that i am old school when it comes to equipment but the only thing i didn't go old school on is a gps. i may be a cheap ass but i got an affordable gps that is reliable and so many times now have been glad i have had it.

This is a lot of talk for someone who never put himself kayaking in the fog or circumvent half an island on a yak for 5 hours roundtrip, or never even been on BH on a yak.  Such fellow is risk averse (no wonder you found convenience on being on a 'motor' boat).  Surely, if you're on a 'motor' boat many miles from shore, I'll never be so trusty of your electronic 'gps'.  I hate to be in your predicament, when all electronics fail, you got nothing left to navigate you back, not even a cheap 'manual' compass.

I fancy of being in gale force wind, rough seas and heavy fog, rappelling down waterfalls, doing Class IV rapids, and skiing in blizzard snow.  Only if you put yourself in such averse conditions, you will know how sweet it is to be safe.  We're two different person:  a wimp vs. suicidal.  I make sure that my 'high' adrenaline is in check all the time while you worry about getting hurt.  what a wimp.   

-Ron

Ed, hey there!

I got my rechargeables wet once while using in SW, corroded them in a hurry and fried my GPS.

Maybe it was a fluke.  

Just to stay safeside, I use regulars and never a problem since.

Craig

Often you are fishing a spot you've fished before. you may know the heading back, more or less.

So I feel a compass is actually pretty useful, but best if you have it mounted so you can see it all the time.

here's mine:



J