Kathryn’s Voyage Blog

Publish Date: Sunday, August 23, 2009
Location: Matane, Quebec Province, Canada
Coordinates: 48° 51.147′ N  67° 31.832′ W

Yesterday was the day to meet one of my most dreaded marine situations head on: fog!  As most of you know who are following along, this year  aboard Three@Sea is about gaining different seafaring experiences as a family, in preparation for our circumnavigation.  We knew when we decided to follow the “Down East Circle” we would finally encounter fog on the water—this area is famous for it.

Over the last few days (while we waited in Tadoussac to see what Hurricane Bill was going to do) I had the chance to observe it. I watched it develop and then dissipate. I watched other boats come and go, as if it were no big deal. I read about it — did you know there are 6 types of fog? I even tried (with my extremely limited French) to talk to the locals about it. I’m one of those people who likes to face my fears by trying to understand them.

Yesterday morning, Bill’s path was clear enough, and we had all the right conditions (sea state and wind direction) to start moving again. Except for one thing…..fog.  The weather forecast predicted it should lift by sometime mid-morning, but I didn’t really trust them since it had been around for two days before and wasn’t even predicted. So after great discussion, Dave and I decided to go.  After all…

• We have good radar on the boat.
• We have AIS to see the big commercial traffic.
• We have a radar reflector to make us more visible.
• We were leaving very early at 5:30 a.m. so we would be out of the harbor before the whale watching traffic (yes, they even go out in the fog).

The only reason not to go was lack of fog confidence. I kept reminding myself of a conversation I had with a very experienced mariner who said to me, “Kathryn, fog is just a state of mind. Relax and embrace it. It’s no different than traveling at night. You just need to trust your instruments, and senses other than sight.”

OK, but can I just say, that is easier said than done! However, at 5:30 a.m. Dave and I cast off in the fog (advection fog to be exact), crossing from the north shore of the St. Lawrence River to the south shore towards Matane. It was beautiful, surreal, and unnerving. At first all you could hear was the morning breakfast flock of seabirds. Then through the fog you could hear the deep two minute blasts of the freighter fog horns passing in the channel.  The good news is we saw them on AIS and radar long before we heard them. But the sound is still eerie.  Our little fog horn sounded like a chirping song bird compared to their deep sound.  Several times throughout the day, I would hear a fog horn that seemed incredibly close to us with no contact on the radar.  My heart raced and my eyes strained to see anything out there.  Dave and Ayla would just smile and remind me it was our own fog horn I heard.

Finally after four or five hours, I relaxed a bit. I often cook when I’m nervous on the boat.  So it seemed only appropriate to make homemade soup since we were in the soup (Fish Chowder was the soup du jour). Ayla joined me, and we also made an Apple Spice Cake. After a good meal, and plenty of laughing at me and my anxiety, I eased into the fog even more. I also spent a fair amount of time trying to predict when the fog would lift based on the differential between temperature and dew point. At 3p.m. it finally lifted (actually it burns off from the upper atmospheric layers down to the water).

We arrived safe and sound in Matane just as the sun was setting. I was filled with energy, excitement, and a great sense of accomplishment at having successfully negotiated this new maritime experience. I have the utmost respect for the fog, and know that it should never be taken lightly. But I also know now that we have the tools to help us successfully navigate it should we need too. I can’t say the fog demon is gone, but I’m on friendlier terms with it now.