Safely Navigating Unknown Waters
Navigating unknown waters with your boat can be simultaneously thrilling and terrifying. Expanding the boundaries of our exploration is human nature, so it is only natural to have a desire to go somewhere and see something new. Doing this successfully aboard your boat requires only a little preparation, common sense, and confidence. Modern technology has greatly improved marine navigation compared to the days of outdated paper charts and Loran readings. With modern marine electronics onboard or a little research online before you leave the dock, you can go confidently into previously unconquered waters.
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Begin your research by picking a destination and doing a few searches on the internet about boating in the area. Often there are blogs or forum posts from boaters who frequent the area containing reviews of local marinas, fuel docks, fishing spots, and restaurants. This information will help you determine which stops along the way make sense and which are "must-see" items. They can also warn of local pitfalls like recent sandbar movement or a bad shellfish lunch. As a kick start, try Waterway Guide and Active Captain; both available online with great tools and boater inputs for destinations.
Gather Adequate Tide Information
While you are clicking around the internet, check out one of the many websites that provide tide information for the area you wish to travel. Also, there are many mobile apps that serve this purpose because while tide information is found on most modern GPS devices, it's great to know in advance.
Tides have a bigger impact than simply knowing if you will have enough draft to float your boat or enough clearance to sneak under that low bridge. For example, trying to traverse some narrow channels or passes in the midst of a large tidal swing can introduce a host of challenges to mariners who lack the local knowledge of those waters; currents, wave action just to name two that can compound depend on the channel/pass. The same goes for your final approach into a new dock if you were looking to spend the night at your destination.
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The web also provides beautiful and detailed satellite images. Often a look at the satellite image of the area you are hoping to explore can yield lots of useful information. Deeper water and sand shoals are easily visible from above, and channels are often marked by boat traffic the day the photo was taken. You can also get a feel for what sort of conveniences are near the marina or dock you had anticipated using. Proximity to grocery, laundry, and restaurant facilities are all important considerations. You can also be well prepared for the layout of the marina's slips which eases anxiety when trying to line up for docking.
Final Weather Checks
No pre-trip homework would be complete without a look at the weather. Again, electronics help considerably as many boats have the ability to monitor VHF weather transmissions, satellite weather updates, radar, and cellular phone-based weather information. Travel plans on the water often need to be flexible to work around the weather windows. Wind and wave height are obvious considerations, but keeping an eye on the weather can determine how fast you run to a given destination or if spending an extra day at your newly discovered island get-away makes complete sense.
The first aspect of any trip on the water is to do a proper pre-trip inspection of your boat and equipment, but doing the navigation research ahead of time will give you confidence both in your vessel and your plan. A trip to a new destination on the water doesn't have to mean going far, so start small with bite-sized day trips to endpoints slightly beyond your normal comfort zone. You'll find an amazing world of waterfront destinations within a day's run from your home port.
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