Fog horns

[harvey38]

So I finally made it to the boat in Ramsgate and whilst snug in the pit with a large Jura, I'm listening to a far off fog horn hooting with its deep, haunting tone but in this modern age, why?

If you hear it, are you supposed to stop until the fog clears, turn North, East, which direction? As it sends out its ghostly tone every two minutes or so, can you actually perceive it getting louder?

Maybe my glass of Jura has me thinking too deeply and I'm better in the marina than out in the
Fog!

 

[billyfish]

I once spent a night at a b+b on the end of portland Bill and it went on all night . Enough to drive one to drink.

 

[alan_d]

I once spent a night at a b+b on the end of portland Bill and it went on all night . Enough to drive one to drink.

I thought that most fog signals associated with lighthouses had now been discontinued, for the reasons you state and because there are now much better ways of vessels finding their position.

 

[VicS]

I thought that most fog signals associated with lighthouses had now been discontinued, for the reasons you state and because there are now much better ways of vessels finding their position.

I believe there is still a foghorn at Portland Bill but the fog horn the OP heard from Ramsgate with an interval of 2 minutes must surely be a vessel underway

 

[lektran]

We were hovering by the entrance to Zeebrugge yesterday in heavy fog waiting for it to lift a bit before entering. We could certainly sense the general direction and proximity of the cargo ships coming past based on their horns, particularly once they were within a mile or so. I have to say though it would not have been pleasant to hear the louder blasts without AIS/radar showing us exactly where they were.

 

[Dellquay13]

I believe there is still a foghorn at Portland Bill but the fog horn the OP heard from Ramsgate with an interval of 2 minutes must surely be a vessel underway

I came into Ramsgate last February in fog and I think there was a horn sounding then, but it could just be a figment of bad memories of standing by the forestay shouting that we were about to run into the sea wall…

 

[harvey38]

I believe there is still a foghorn at Portland Bill but the fog horn the OP heard from Ramsgate with an interval of 2 minutes must surely be a vessel underway

It's the same tone, same volume anytime there is fog so I assume it's a fixed unit. I know quite a few local mariners so I'll ask around today in between jobs.

 

[ylop]

So I finally made it to the boat in Ramsgate and whilst snug in the pit with a large Jura, I'm listening to a far off fog horn hooting with its deep, haunting tone but in this modern age, why?

if you were underway at sea in those conditions and heard it what would you do? Most people would probably check/recheck their ais and radar…. That alone seems like a good enough reason? Now if you happened to have neither, or experience equipment failure it would seem a sound signal is a useful addition.

If you hear it, are you supposed to stop until the fog clears, turn North, East, which direction? As it sends out its ghostly tone every two minutes or so, can you actually perceive it getting louder?

Well first you should make sure you are sounding yours too! Whilst it may not be easy to hear it on the bridge of a large vessel they might, and that might make them double check their technology.

You can perceive if a fog horn is getting closer and you can also perceive a general sense of direction (assuming you have reasonable hearing in both ears). Much like when driving a car you will hear an emergency vehicle and even if you can’t see its blue lights have an instinctive feeling whether it’s approaching and from where.

In no way is it a reliable tool to make course changes from etc. but it should give you an advance warning that you might need to.

 

[The Q]

If you have radar ... Not all vessels do, especially sailing boats and small fishing boats.

You certainly can judge angle, and increase / decrease of sound levels approaching a fog horn.

Its IRPCS ( Colregs) rule 35 you sound them yourselves when navigating in fog.
It's also on Norfolk Broads regulation 50, but then like Irpcs you are required to sound for motor powered maneuvers also on the broads at bridges.

I can hear Happisburgh lighthouse on the rare occasion they need to sound it. Happisburgh lighthouse is the only independently operated lighthouse in the UK .

 

[Roberto]

Apart from having radar/ais (or being in a marina with a Jura), fold/rolling some stiff paper like a nautical chart in a narrow conical shape and putting the apex near the ear, then slowly spanning the horizon usually gives a good idea as to where the sound is coming from.
I have put some in my phone, they are very effective as wake-up alarms

 

[johnalison]

It tells sailors in harbour that they can stay in their bunks for as long as they wish.

 

[Motor_Sailor]

There's stil a Foghorn on the chart at end of the east pier at Ramsgate.

 

[VicS]

There's stil a Foghorn on the chart at end of the east pier at Ramsgate.

but that is one blast every 60 secs, not every 2 minutes. Maybe the OP did not time the interval very accurately.

 

[Refueler]

Interesting ... so many have assumed that OP thought it was shore based ...... VicS as he has posted - 2 mins as OP mentions - indicates a vessel sounding its fog signal.

 

[harvey38]

but that is one blast every 60 secs, not every 2 minutes. Maybe the OP did not time the interval very accurately.

Hmm, I didn't time it, maybe the Jura induced a timing issues......I can't believe the fog horn is only on the East Pier, 400m away. I need to investigate further....

 

[justanothersailboat]

It tells sailors in harbour that they can stay in their bunks for as long as they wish.

Provided they stay awake. Harsh!

 

[Halo]

As far as I can see shore based foghorns are only going to be any good if the satellites are taken down. Anyone with a gps chip on a phone can see exactly where they are.
When I lived in Penarth the one on Flat Holm used to sound for days at a time- horrible noise all night!

 

[Farmer Piles]

Still a foghorn on St Anthony lighthouse at the entrance to Falmouth