This is why I never paddle without my iPhone: Lost in the Fog

[Bulky]

Got a little spooked this AM.  Got foggier as I drove to the beach to launch but as I could see the end of the pier I knew that was 400yds of visibility.  One problem with that assumption:  it definitely lessened as I got just a bit out from shore.  Chose the route that keeps me closer to shore, but that's still about 1/2mi out in most places.  Second issue was that there wasn't really a well-defined primary swell--just a few little ones coming from various directions.  That usually makes for good quick paddles but today that took away one of the key guides for maintaining a heading.

I typically like the challenge of navigating and the peace of paddling in the fog.  In addition to the swell, I know my section of the ocean well and use sounds to guide me--waves hitting the point, airplanes taking off at the airport, etc.  Enjoyed the challenge on the way out and chuckled when I discovered I had ended up in the middle of the huge kelp bed I usually stay outside of.  Slogged my way out and then continued for a stretch.  When I got to where I felt it was time to turn around, I was socked in pretty thick and the surf didn't sound right.  Decided to look at the map on my phone and discovered I overshot the turnaround by about 1/2mile.  No big deal--just more mileage.

Made the first half of the return trip pretty smoothly (but not my usual straight course as the tracker indicated later).  Was able to make out the outer edge of the kelp and a couple boats came by close enough for me to get a direction (they all come from one place at that hour).  Passed the last point (Campus) before starting the mile crossing over to the pier where I land.  Started about a 1/4mi off the point and went to look for the buoys I usually round for the last run in--and I couldn't find them.  Most of my dawn paddles I go on faith at this point because eventually they'll come into view. 

But not this time. 

Again, so little swell actually worked against me as I got disoriented really quick--bunch of little waves coming from various directions but not enough pronounced to tell me where I needed to head.  Tried to listen for any shore noise.  Nothing.  Plenty of light, but fog was so thick I couldn't make out where the sun was coming from.  Paddled by a fishing buoy and assumed a course off that.  Not long after that I passed by it again (or another one just like it) and finally acknowledged that I had no idea where I was and where land was.  Decided it was time to pull out the iPhone and between the GPS and compass realized I was paddling straight away from shore (can't see it on the screen grab below but if you zoom in with the app open you can see the last heading before the patch of signal loss was straight south.

Using the compass on my phone, I was able to make my way in the right direction.  But even then, stopped to make 3-4 checks along the way and discovered that my heading had changed significantly (needed to head North and I had turned East).  Finally got to where I could notice a consistent offshore breeze coming from the direction I needed to be going and just made sure that kept hitting my face until the pier and the shore became a welcome view through the fog.

It was a helpful reminder of what open ocean conditions can be like.  Even though these are tame waters which I know well, at a half mile out I might as well have been 50 out there--from the looks of it, I might have had to have waited a few hours before the fog lifted so I could see shore.  Makes me really glad I thought through having the right safety equipment along, because it made the difference--I never paddle without a fully charged iPhone.  It's actually spurred me to acquire one other thing for future days in the fog--a simple deck-mounted compass.  Would have made things that much easier to not have to stop to look at my phone.

Anyhow, a couple pics below.  First a glimpse of what I was looking at. Second, my intended course (the track I paddled yesterday).  Third, the track I actually did--you can see the confusion at the southernmost point where I got turned around on the return.  Ended up paddling about a mile and a half further than I intended.  Not sure if the fog had something to do with me losing my signal, but it doesn't happen on most other days--it also might have been because that's where I opened up map and compass apps to assist me.

Nothing like a little excitement before heading off to work!  Paddle safe, friends!

[zachhandler]

Growing up this old woodsman wanted to teach me a lesson about getting lost in the woods. He took me out on the lake which was frozen. Put a blindfold on me and told me to walk across the bay, which was about a half mile. He walked behind me. He stopped me after 10 or 15 minutes. I had walked a full loop within the bay and had come back to my own set of tracks.

[stoneaxe]

Spooky for sure, amazing how easy it is to get turned around. Fog is my nemesis when on the water, my balance goes out the window. Fog that thick would have me paddling on my knees or falling constantly........I don't even try going out if its too foggy.

[PonoBill]

I do NOT like the challenge of navigating with compromised visibility.

[oceanAddict]

Bulky, that's quite a story. Would be GPS watch a help in such situation?

[Bulky]

Would be GPS watch a help in such situation?

Certainly would but pretty expensive and a bit of overkill.  Like I said, I actually enjoy a bit of challenge on the occasional foggy day trying to find my way on my own.  I know I've got the phone with GPS and compass app with me but today was actually the first time I had to pull it out.  Every other time there's been a pronounced dominant swell so once I know which one that is I can orient myself accordingly--but even then there's always a bit of anxiety as it always feels like it's taking a lot longer before the things I'm expecting come into view.  As I said in the OP, I think I'll get a basic compass that I can put in a GoPro mount on the deck on days like this for constant reference.  Wouldn't have had any confusion today with that.

[UKRiverSurfers]

I used my iPhone compass to navigate to the Isle Of Wight a couple of years ago.

No substitute for a real compass though, which is on the kit list. Fog is always a factor in the UK on expeditions

[yugi]

I’m amazed from your GPS tracks just how much you yaw, bulky. Navigation in fog is always completely disorienting, I’m not belittling that, but its a lot easier if you learn to go in a straight line with full viz.

I can paddle in a straight line. I’m a sailor so it’s instinctive to spot a course and hold it. I learned early on (within first few weeks paddling) to not yaw at all. I can paddle forever just on one side thanks to seeing a video explaining how when I first started paddling. I think it was your’s Pono. A video where one just sees the feet (in boots). Has it been taken down? It helped me a lot! I’m amazed how much decent paddlers with years experience still yaw a lot. If drafting them it’s astounding the energy expenditure to keep turning if one is used to paddle straight. Well worth learning.

Paddling with Titouan Puyo the other day we did just that as an exercise (paddle 1/2 mile just on one side). And a few days earlier I had done an exercise picking a buey about 1/2 mile away and paddle towards it with eyes closed. I peeked three times briefly to check progress (behind the buey was land - I was afraid to overshoot), first time about 1/2 the distance, 2nd about 3/4, and third about 2m from the boey. Each time I was spot on course. Habit.

[Off-Shore]

I've been lost in fog here too, and an iPhone inside a Lifeproof case, inside a waterproof baggie has saved me from distress / panic more than once. So I always take my iPhone with me except when I am in the surf..

If you go out in fog, take a compass or an iPhone, no matter how straight you think you can paddle.. Currents / swell / rips all play a part in direction..

[1tuberider]

I never go surf when its thick fog and you can not see shore. I can't even think of paddling
offshore into it. Even with gps or compass, visibility is a bigger concern and that means
others not seeing you.

I boat in fog as conditions change from clear to fog, or fog to clear, often. I also have a chart plotting gps, radar,
radio, sound devices and other devices for signaling and redundant everything. Even with all the equipment and experience, and knowing where I am and who is around me-
I am still on edge.

My rule for a long time-
I don't surf in the fog.

[starman]

Bulky, I think you became a victim of being a creature of habit. Given the conditions the better course would have been to hug the coast to the point of seeing land (yards not miles). Since it's flat you would not have to worry about getting caught by a set. You would also not have to worry about getting run over by a boat heading to the Ranch. Also the kelp bed is your outside boundary and the closer to shore the more defined the swell direction as it will be hitting the bottom and pointed to shore (more or less).
Of course you could have also hopped the road for some hot laps inside the lagoon to avoid all the drama.
Having a phone is good but what's the backup if it decided to go dead on you halfway through? I would have found you but the beer would have been warm by then.

[TeachSB]

Ocean Addict, my Garmin has a compass and IIRC a map of your path (no landmarks or anything but it shows where you are relative to where you started), it's a pretty good substitute IMO.

Bulky, I got a stern warning from the wife this morning about paddling in fog thanks to you so I went to the harbor and West beach. Basically paddled from one moored boat to the next. It's easy to see how that could get really scary, but it's also a beautiful thing to see. I don't usually envy flat water paddlers but sliding along glassy water in near silence watching things appear and disappear in the fog is a great change of pace.

Glad you were prepared, and thanks for sharing the experience!

[TeachSB]

Oh Starman, you know Bulky barely escaped jail time the last time he paddled the lagoon!

[coldsup]

We get haar ( sea fog) a lot on our coast ....comes right up inland from the North Sea.....it is wet and very cold. I'm quite happy paddling in it close to the coastline if necessary but usually I don't bother.....if I go for a paddle I find it boring if I can't enjoy the scenery.

[zachhandler]

If anyone uses a Garmin (and probably other brands have it too) there is a really slick navigation function. Basically you have the thing mark your takeout location and then there is an arrow that points to the takeout and tells you how far and how long til you get there based on average speed. Here in MN a frequent downwind route involves crossing a circular lake, 15 miles across, right down the middle. So it is horizon in every direction as it us completely flat. You depend on the arrow to get across. Most paddlers i know who own a GPS know nothing about the basic navigation features in their device. If i were lost in the fog it would take about 4 clicks to locate the takeout in the list of landmarks and then have tge arrow appear. There was a race a few years ago across the southwest corner of kake superior. A 20 mile crossing. Those who had the arrow paddled 20 miles in a straight line to the finish. Those who tried a compass mounted on the board hit the oppisite shore 5 miles from the finish then had to paddles the shoreline for the next hour looking for the finish buoy.