We planned to get an early start but were somewhat frustrated by early morning fog. After consulting with the folks on GeRu, we waited for the fog to lift. By 10 o’clock things looked OK and we thought it would continue to lighten as we headed out Meldrum bay.
We were wrong. The fog did not lift if anything it got a little thicker. We noticed that GeRu had an almost indiscernible image on our radar. Their mast was down of course and their radar reflector was just inside the cockpit.
Just around the corner from Meldrum Bay is Mississagi Straits. Between Manitoban Island and Cockburn Island, the strait is an active route for bulk carriers running to and from Thessalon across the North Channel. Sure enough our AIS soon picked up a carrier coming across from Thessalon. Fortunately, we were almost across the strait. The carrier altered course and passed on our starboard side. We didn’t see it but could hear its horn sounding fog signals.
Moon Dance IV 