Article Assignment #1

Foggy Notions: Six Solutions For Staying On Course In The Soup

By: Conor Mihell

Rating: **** out of *****

Conor Mihell is a freelance writer living near Lake Superior. When not working, one of his favorite hobbies is to kayak on his home waters. Because of his proximity to the lake, Mihell knows just how dangerous a thick fog can be.

In his article “Foggy Notions” Mihell relates the story of a kayak trip he took with his friend to Caribou Island. In the middle of Lake Superior, straying by only 2.5 degrees could send you widely off course, especially when fog veils the island from view.

The rest of the article tells the reader tips to stay on track while navigating in fog. The tips are:

Dead Reckon: Knowing how long you should be on the move before you should see your target.

Aim Off: Deliberately aim for an obvious landmark that will put you in better location to reach your destination.

Trust Your Compass: Always take a bearing on your map and check your compass often to make sure you are following the bearing.

Group Dynamics: Have lead and sweep roles to ensure a double check of the bearing. And always stay in sight of each other

Rules of the Road: Always inform mariners of your intended route when crossing shipping lanes.

Handrail: Sometimes the best route to take is to follow the coast for a few miles to get to the shortest distance across the open water or to avoid overshooting your site.

All in all, this article had some great tips. While some of the tips were more obvious than others, I always think it is helpful to be reminded of safety precautions. It was also new to hear the tip of dead reckoning, but now it is something I want to keep in mind so that I know when to be worried about getting lost.