Another Lesson Learned

[mtnbykr2]

Originally Posted by RK

Bob-
Good seeing you today...

I don't want you to take this as a dig because I think your a really nice dude but;

Go buy the forty dollar ritchie compass, electronics fail and direction and bearing are important for your safety....

You can somewhat easily navigate the whiteout if needed by following the lobby buoys back along the point and into the reserve....

You or anyone might be comfortable in that setting but what about the other guy flying around in the cabin cruiser like today.. That could turn bad quick...

BUY A REAL COMPASS......

I hope you enjoyed the fishing time though, that terrible red tide kept things peaceful. Hopefully your drive got fixed too buddy

I dont care what anyone says I love the lobster buoys makes fishing more fun and safe

x2

[GregAndrew]

Unless you are charting your course, a compass is not going to be of much help in those conditions. I will grant that it could point you towards land (East), but it is not going to show you the way home or a safe landing for that matter.

[MVC]

I fished at Dana Point yesterday and about 1:00 the fog came in very heavy. I was out at the kelp in front of Salt Creek. I always carry a small handheld GPS and just followed my track line back to the harbor.

[T Bone]

And if you are going to get a smart phone,consider the G'zone Commando WATERPROOF ANDROID !!!

Glad you are OK.Fog can be freaky.I love when it lifts to reveal a sunny day!
Eventually someone will put a radar on their kayak.I would have bet Doug(DGAX) would have been the first,but I think he moved out of state...

[pchen911]

Originally Posted by GregAndrew

Unless you are charting your course, a compass is not going to be of much help in those conditions. I will grant that it could point you towards land (East), but it is not going to show you the way home or a safe landing for that matter.

Exactly.

I carried a compass for years, never used it.

When fog is pea soup thick, you can use the swell direction to get your bearing.

At La Jolla, I launched in pea soup many time before and used the just the swell to guide myself to the pier for bait (compass stayed inside the dry box all the time), then hop from reserve bouy to reserve bouy to the corner of the reserve, then went towards the point using just the swell as guide, then along the kelp edge to the outside. Never using the compass I was carrying.

A GPS is much more useful, you can still fish your designated spots and not just directionally navigate. A handheld GPS is cheap and useful on every outing. (Walmart is having a clearance, they are discontinuing their handheld GPS... If they have any left over that is. A Garmin Venture HC is only $20 (normally around $100), A magellan Triton 500 for $80 (Normally $250)).

[William Novotny]

Got store cred at walmart! Whoop whoop!!! On my way!