“Time and tide wait for no one”

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Capt. Kirk is on leave for a while. In the meantime, enjoy a version of this classic from our archives.

With the beautiful weather of the past week, exploring the Charlotte Harbor shoreline was a pleasant experience. My wife, Nancy, and I traveled by boat along the shallow sandbars south of Punta Gorda, heading to Matlacha Pass.

Along the way, we stayed close to the mangroves to look for fish. The cool front, with its low tides, had us traveling in very shallow water, and I was glad our new airboat was at home in just inches of water.

The low tide is great for finding all kinds of interesting things exposed in shallow water. Many shells can be found at low tide, including horse conchs, whelks, fighting conchs, clams and oysters.

Several piles of bones were visible in the clear, shallow water. Most were from fish. Some were from birds, their outlines vaguely familiar in shape. We discovered an unusual-looking skull of a bottlenose dolphin. Seeing the bones reminded me to call my friend Jerry when we returned. Several months ago, Nancy and I had found bleached-out human bones on a deserted island. I wanted to follow up on the study of the bones — whose they were and what happened.

As we cruised along the flats, we saw many fish. Spotted sea trout were plentiful and hungry. We stopped and drifted, and I made several casts with a Johnson sprite and got a fish every time. We released them all, as our goal this morning was to meet some friends for breakfast at Bokeelia.

Newer isn’t always better

Navigating has become dependent on electronics that are very reliable (most of the time). The times when they stop working — or get a glitch — is when you need them most: usually in a tight channel, at night or in the fog. (Murphy’s Law at work.)

I had a 65-foot boat that was loaded with great electronics. My Furuno radar could reach 75 miles to detect other vessels, storms, land, etc. However, during heavy fog, it would frequently quit working for about 30 seconds, then come back on. After consulting several electronics experts who tested all the components, they concluded that the electronics were all good. So, what was the problem?

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This: Being underway on a vessel in fog, there are several Coast Guard requirements. One is to have a lookout, a person forward to listen for horn or bell signals from other craft to avoid collisions. The other requirement is for us to sound our horn at 1- to 2-minute intervals.

We had a huge air horn on our cabin top, directly behind and a little to the side of our radar dome. This dome is the unit that sends and tracks the radar signal. When our horn sounded, the vibration would disrupt the radar signal.

We moved the horn. Problem solved.

Anyone who has ever owned an item of modern technology knows that glitches sometimes occur. It’s best to be prepared in case they do.

Way before the advent of electronics, seafarers developed primitive ways of navigation that allowed them to explore the globe. Those centuries-old techniques still work today.

Reading the tides

As with all oceans, tides in Southwest Florida are caused primarily by the gravitational pull of the moon and, to some extent, the sun. There is a bulge of water on the side of the Earth facing the moon. Another bulge of water is formed on the opposite side, away from the moon. The closer to the equator you are, the deeper the bulge. As you near the North Pole or South Pole, there is less of a bulge.

The waters of the oceans are constantly moving as these tides raise the water level up or down. Tides do not move horizontally, but the current does, because of the inlets and coastal areas filling and draining. Due to rising and falling tides, the range is the difference between the high tide and the low tide. There are usually two high tides and two low tides each day.

When the gravitational force of the moon and sun align, they create what is called spring tides. Because it is closer to the Earth, the moon’s gravity is about 2.25 times stronger than the sun’s, and its effect is felt more often.

The tides in Southwest Florida are semi-diurnal. This means there are two high tides and two low tides each day. One of the tides is higher than the other high, and one is lower than the other low.

On our nautical charts, you will notice depths are reported at mean lower low water. This is the absolute lowest tide of the year. This does not take into account the effect of wind. In this area, if our wind is out of the south or southwest, our tides are higher because water from the Gulf of Mexico is pushed toward land. Conversely, during a strong north or northeast wind, the tide is lower — sometimes much lower than we are used to.

This is the time to get out and explore channels with your boat. If you can make it through at this low tide, you will be good in all other tide levels. Go slow.

The level of the water is an extremely important factor in coastal cruising. But more important is to be able to guide your vessel around hazards such as shoals and reefs.

There is no mystery to navigation. Simply put, it is the act of knowing where you are and how to get where you want to be. Sounds simple, doesn’t it?

If the intended destination is a marina with a well-marked channel, following the markers is fairly easy. If you are cruising the ocean, looking for days at nothing but water, finding your way to a small island like Bermuda or Hawaii is a challenge — but it can be accomplished easily. (I know; I have made several trips there and back.)

We used our skills with the sextant, a device for measuring the angle between the horizon and the stars and planets. There are mathematical formulas to use to compute your exact location anywhere in the world using the data given with this device. This type of navigating has been around for hundreds of years.

Navigating your own backyard

Let’s talk local waters.

Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte have thousands of registered boats. There are many great destinations close to this departure point. Heading up the Peace River or Myakka River is a challenge, but it’s worth the effort and planning. The outer islands — such as Gasparilla Island, Cayo Costa and Cabbage Key — are a little farther. But again, it’s worth the effort to get there.

As you head west, then south into Charlotte Harbor, the expanse of this body of water looks huge. To get to Cayo Costa or other outer islands, you need to head south about 10 miles and turn west again after rounding Cape Haze Point.

There is a 1½-mile shoal sticking out into the harbor from this point that many boaters find by accident. You might get lucky and make it over the shoal if the tide is up and your draft is not too deep. But the recommendation is to go past the actual point of land until you see green marker No. 5. This marks the end of the shoal, so plan on going beyond it before you turn west.

Boating in areas unfamiliar to you does present challenges, but do not be afraid to travel to new places with your vessel — after all, that’s what you got it for. The more you use it, the more familiar you will be with the boat’s handling and equipment. Every boat handles differently. Know what your boat’s good and bad points are.

What are you waiting for? Go navigate and explore the waters of our great outdoors! As the ancient saying goes: “Time and tide wait for no one.” That includes you, so do it while you can.

Fair winds; calm seas. ¦

— Capt. Dennis Kirk and his wife, Nancy, are avid mariners and outdoor enthusiasts currently living in North Port. Since the 1970s, their love of nature in Southwest Florida has allowed them to experience the dream of writing about their travels and adventures of sailing, fishing and flying.

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