A Deep Subject
As kids, we’d ask my father, “How deep is it here?” Looking us straight in the eye, he always gave the same sardonic reply. “All the way to the bottom!” It’s still true today—the topic of water depth seems so simple on the surface, but there’s a lot more to it.
Knowing the depth and making decisions about avoiding submerged hazards is definitely worth a closer look. Charted depth is rarely the same as actual depth, or exactly what your depth sounder reads. The stage of the tide, the wind, the cycles of the moon and the earth all affect the height of the tides and the real depth of the water. Complimenting the information from our charts and plotters will make us better seaman. Using our own senses will make us better yet.
Depth soundings,
