The Sailing Question: Signals in Fog – with FCS instructor Darryl Hughes

As he sails around the Irish Sea, First Class Sailing instructor Darryl Hughes is reporting back on his experiences and posing readers a nautical question. Today he is navigating through fog…

Maybird

There was very little wind so we were motor sailing to get through the North Channel Traffic Separation Scheme as soon as possible.

Visibility deteriorated when we were halfway across. For some 15 miles, until we arrived at Church Bay on Rathlin Island, the visibility was less than 100 meters.

I hoisted the radar reflector, switched on the ‘Sea Me’ radar transponder, put the nav lights on, made the appropriate sound signals, switched the radar on and selected radar and digital chart on the plotter.

This meant we could see both AIS targets and any radar echoes. I then noted my position on the chart. With the mate on the bow and myself on the helm it proved quite a demanding 3 hours. It was too deep to anchor and we needed to get out of the big ship channel.

As we sailed between Fair Head to the south and Rathlin Island’s Rue Lighthouse to the north (flashing red every 5 secs) we could only see for 50 meters either side.

As we passed the Rue Lighthouse (seen on radar and plotter only) we steered up into Church Bay where the depth started to shoal and anchoring would become an option.

Up to that point average depths were 80-90 meters. I was aware that a ferry ran from Ballycastle to Rathlin and low and behold it appeared on the radar and the AIS about one mile away.

I spoke to them on VHF-initially on Ch 16 and then Ch 06.They told me that visibility was fine at Rathlin harbour once you were about 1000 meters from the pier.

We carefully steered towards the pier with the shape of Rathlin’s hills gradually making themselves known when we clearly saw the SCM marking the wreck of HMS Drake-torpedoed in WW1-in bright sunshine. The relief in having good visibility once again was almost palpable!

Reflecting back on this passage, the use of the radar, AIS and plotter, nicely complemented the basics of the steering compass, depth sounder and log, in addition to monitoring Ch16 and using the trusty Mark 1 Eyeball.

Darryl Hughes

And your question from this voyage…As the Maybird sailed through the Irish Sea fog what is the correct sound signal that she should have been making?

All of the skills displayed in this piece can be learnt in two of our courses: The RYA Day Skipper Practical Course which is taught aboard our yachts on the Solent or UK east coast. And The RYA Day Skipper Theory Course which can be taken in our offices or, if it is more convenient, in your office!

If you have a question, please call us on 0203 006 3717

Posted by: firstclass