There we were, sailing out in the Gulf, pretty far down the coast. This power boat motored over to talk to me. I heaved to. One of his boys tossed me a bowline, and I asked what was up. He was lost. He left from a boat launch he never used before, and forgot to enter a GPS waypoint.
He wanted to know how to get to Baypoint. Of all the questions he could have asked me, that was the one I knew for certain. I lent him my chart so he could enter the GPS coordinates. I told him the exact distance to the channel, the compass heading and what to look for along the way. I've been sailing out of Baypoint for over a month.
The poor guy had asked directions from someone further up the coast. Unfortunately, he'd gotten bad directions -south instead of north.
Glad I was able to help.
-Sixbears
He was one fortunate fellow to have run into you!
ReplyDeleteSailors are always prepared, unlike most stink pot operators.
ReplyDeleteThat is probably a lesson well learned by this gentleman. Thanks to folks like you, the lost can sometimes be assisted!
ReplyDeleteYou did good, Sixbears!
Jeez... Getting lost is bad, getting lost with a GPS is pathetic! He couldn't have followed his track? And he had no chart aboard? That's just plain stupid. I always kept several charts on my boat, and I always knew my heading, GPS or not...
ReplyDeleteGPS is great. Back in my off shore experiences, we only had our compass and LORAN. I dare you to try to find an inlet entrance in thick fog with just LORAN. I'll have to tell that story sometime.
ReplyDelete