Channel oldhands - advice on fog please

[max]

I knew it was too good to be true.

Having watched the forecast for the last two weeks counting down to a two week trip to France starting this weekend from Gosport I couldn't believe my luck - warm dry with little wind ( not much fun for me but fine by SWMBO) ...but now fog.

The plan is ( was) to leave Gosport around tea time saturday and cross to St Vaast.

Can any of you Channel old hands advise whether there is any likelihood at this stage of the weather improving to exclude fog.

Thanks

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[steve_cronin]

Possible....

...but who knows?

Just answering this question lays one open to criticism of anything said as there is always the "If fog is forecast stay at home" faction

If you're worried about fog then don't go. Some people hate it, some just accept it.

The visibility isn't likely to get down so much that you're going to run into something with virtually nil warning because being in a small boat means that you are right there in the stuff and will get the best warnings. MProbably all of us with a couple of decades of channel crossings under our belts have had near misses if we're honest. Most vessels running up and down channel now DO keep to the shipping lanes marked on the charts but there is the ferry traffic of course.

Really big & efficient radar reflectors are a must and if pure sailing, keep your way clear to the engine switch just in case you need a crash start to avoid trouble.

Don't use waypoints from pilot books or charts otherwise you ar in danger of participating in a GPS assisted collision. Move it a few cables to seaward before entering it into your machine.

Sound and your hearing can be of assistance. Generally if you hear a drone then the ship is arouind two miles away. If you can hear a definite engine beat then it is less than a mile distant and if you can hear propellor thrash or babbling from the stem breaking the water, you are very close indeed.

Have fun & take care!

Steve Cronin

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[milltech]

Re: Possible....

I freely concede I hate fog most, which is I suppose why I espouse radar as my preferred first-aid to navigation. It's not by any means only the prospect of being hit, it's the total disorientation bought about by the experience.

It's worst of all when you run into it in known waters, you know, those areas you know so well that you didn't bother to note a compass course or mark your last position, or for that matter even put the chart on the chart table.

Having said all that, providing it's only forecast as patchy and not a coast to coast pea-souper I'd go and follow Steves good advice.

<hr width=100% size=1>John
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[Twister_Ken]

Keep watching

Any forecast of more than 12 hours duration stands a good chance of being wrong in detail, if not in overall synopsis terms.

Sailing two weeks ago we had a Wight shipping forecast go from F4/5 at 0500 to f6/7 occ 8 by 1200.

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[tony_brighton]

We've been in fog in the channel several times - its not always predicted! If its not foggy at the start I'm a fan of the put to sea and see what its like approach. But you dont really want to be in the shipping lanes in fog without radar - can be rather alarming even if they miss you - be prepared to abandon the trip if you are doubtful. Having said that, if you are halfway through the lanes then you could argue its better to press on. Fog at night is very disconcerting/disorientating so I'd try to avoid that.

As a suggestion - call the CG as you leave to report your passage plan and ask if there are any current reports of fog in the channel.

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[PhilipStapleton]

I got caught crossing the North Sea shipping lanes a couple of years ago (two days before a yacht got sunk in fog off the Netherlands). I have no radar, so I put out a "secuite" call giving my position, course and speed as I entered the TSS. Don't know that's legal, but it seemed to work. We had one ship pass a few cables off that we didn't see or hear until it across our bows.

I've been in the channel in fog a few times as well, but the traffic doesn't seem as heavy. Some people say turn your engine off and listen every few minutes, but I think it's better to "go for it" and get across as soon as possible. I've put crew members on the bow to listen, but it's a scary and cold job and only worthwhile if you're near other yachts (eg Braye entrance, where I counted about 20 yachts once milling about as the fog cleared).

In reality, you can't do anything to avoid the shipping. You can't tell where a foghorn or engine is with enough certainty to take avoiding action. You just havce to put your faith in the radar reflector. After each foggy trip I swear I will fit a radar ... but for two or three hours use a year??

Finally, I agree fully with previous posts - if in doubt, don't go or turn back while you still can.

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[Evadne]

I'd agree with all of the above. It's horrible but in the final analysis it has never stopped me getting to France. I've never set off in thick fog, as I coudn't find the harbour entrance if I did, but once out in it I tend to just keep going, on the principle that turning back is just as dangerous as standing on. It is often (but not invariably!) clearer on one coast or the other during the day. And Ken is right, you are as likely to find unforecast fog as to have it forecast and not find it, if it is around.
If in fog (less than 100m visibility) then your eyes really do play tricks with you. This is definitely the worst bit: I saw Cherbourg harbour wall 20 metres away when at least two miles offshore, several times.
Listening out is ok but there is rarely enough wind to sail in so unless you have a modern boat with a silent diesel installation you'll not hear much above your own engine. The best radar reflector is the biggest you can hoist, if you have two hoist them both.
Have a nice trip (if it were me, I'd probably go unless I could see fog from the mooring).

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[miket]

I found the CG superb.
We were leaving from Dover a few years ago, and I couldn't even see the exit from the Harbour from the Marina channel.
I stopped and called up Dover CG and they offered to contact boats on the passage I was intending to use, to Solent. Good as gold they came back after 10 minutes having spoken to a number of craft, confirming that about 1 mile offshore visibility was better than 1 mile improving towards the Solent.
Our intended course already took us more than 1 mile offshore, so we set off and the fog thinned exactly as informed.

I think the CG like things like this as an alternative to the interminable radio checks.

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[HenryB]

I don't know the part of the channel where you are crossing, but if there is a French traffic control station (with radar) then they will assist you through the traffic lanes in thick fog. I've crossed in the area covered by Ushant control and have heard other yachts call them on VHF, give their position and been told if any other vessels were near them. The control then "watched" them safely across the lanes.
I hasten to add, don't use them unless conditions are bad - we don't want to lose their goodwill.


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[Oldhand]

I guess Joburg Traffic just East of Cap de la Hague is the central channel equivalent. They track all traffic entering the Casquets separation scheme from both directions and French coast inshore traffic. However, I have yet to hear a yacht talk to them other than in distress situations. Ther "traffic" working channel is 13 but they respond to 16 of course.

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[LadyInBed]

Crossed to St PP on Monday night (7th) no fog, viz 3 - 4 miles.
Returned Thursday night, viz ranged from 1 to 3 miles.

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