Model Boat Mayhem

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length.
Pages: 1 [2]   Go Down

Author Topic: How far can you see at sea?  (Read 6024 times)

Bryan Young

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6,883
  • Location: Whitley Bay
Re: How far can you see at sea?
« Reply #25 on: February 09, 2009, 03:29:21 pm »

While learning coastal navigating tricks for dead reckoning voyages, we were taught how to judge our distance from land by looking at the dwellings on shore. If you could discern the seperate windows on a house, what is your range to the beach?
 Just a bit of a trivia question here for the "saltiest of sea dogs" among us....
(assuming the house is at, or near the shoreline, of course)
You would be in a fair amount of trouble if you used that wrinkle while going up the St. Lawrence! You can often see windows and people at over 20 miles distance ! I've also seen the Cape Guardafui lighthouse above the horizon at over 200 miles. Must admit, the first time I saw it I wondered ho a 12 knot ship had to have been travelling across the Indian Ocean at an average of over 30 knots.
Logged
Notes from a simple seaman

BobF

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 497
  • Location: East Yorkshire
Re: How far can you see at sea?
« Reply #26 on: February 10, 2009, 06:49:26 pm »

With regard to why you cant see the lighthouse a few posts back.
The tide has dropped, the boat is now lower in comprison with the top of the cliff edge than before, so the lighthouse is hidden by the top lip of the cliff.  So basically like looking over the brow of a hill. Hope that makes sense.
Logged

Martin (Admin)

  • Administrator
  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 23,366
  • Location: Peterborough, UK
    • Model Boat Mayhem
Re: How far can you see at sea?
« Reply #27 on: February 11, 2009, 08:53:59 am »

Clever!
Logged
"This is my firm opinion, but what do I know?!" -  Visit the Mayhem FaceBook Groups!  &  Giant Models
Pages: 1 [2]   Go Up
 

Page created in 0.095 seconds with 23 queries.