Navagation lessons

Here's a little insight into how us big fellers meet without running over or into each other. While at the wheel I listen to my VHF radio on a channel that all of the boats on the river monitor. We use this channel to talk to one another, it's our traffic channel. As I move along I will broadcast my position on the radio and see if anyone is coming my way, example. "M/V Roger Adams is southbound at 'Grant Creek' checking on any northbound traffic. If someone is near, say within 5 miles they will answer and we will decide on where and what "whistle" we will see each other on.

A "whistle" is a term that was used back in the day before VHF radios, when a tug would blow their whistle to another tug to signal what side they wanted to pass or over take the other vessel. One "whistle" in a meeting situation would mean they would pass 'port to port'. A two whistle would mean 'starboard to starboard'. If the vessel receiving the whistle was not in agreement, he would blow a sound contrary to the one he heard and he would then signal what he wanted. So, once we decide on what side we will meet on we then approach each other on what would appear a head on collision and then about a mile before we met, steer away from each other. Unless we are in a wide area, then meeting would be further away from each other.

Sometimes you will get to a point where two vessels cannot meet safely. The southbound vessel has the right of way and will hold at a location agreed upon by both vessels and the northbound vessel will wait for the southbound vessel to pass by, then the northbound vessel will get back underway. We also use our radars to locate other vessels and then contact each other with the radio. More on navigation later.