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Tech Talk with SeaBits
BENEFITS OF DRONES ON BOATS by Steve Mitchell explore via dinghy. Here’s an interesting look at Oro Bay from the sky, and how it matches up with features on a nautical chart. Oro Bay is located on the southern tip of Anderson Island about 14 nautical miles south of Gig Harbor. A lot of charts call both the outer and inner bays by the same name, but there are actually two distinct bays: a less protected one to the east, and the inner one to the west — our chosen spot for several days last fall. The challenge with Oro Bay is the entrance which, while not that difficult, can be intimidating if you've never been there before. The charts are also woefully lacking in detail both for the entrance and the bay itself. From the chart and when approaching the bay, you can see three important aids to navigation that mark the channel: red “2” and “4”, and green “3”. Red "2" should be kept well to starboard when entering, and you should pass in between the green "3" and red "4" buoys. It's also generally a good idea to avoid zero and especially minus tides for entering the bay, especially if you are a deep draft vessel. One of my favorite things to do with the drone is to get shots of water and land with the proper sunlight, light angle, and water clarity. This was especially useful in Oro Bay, given its somewhat tricky entrance. Getting a quality view from above provides a spectacular view of the shoreline, shallows, and contours underwater. In the image of the Oro Bay entrance (page 23 - top right) you can see the first buoy at the bottom and then the two
I’ve been flying quadcopters, more commonly now called drones, for over 10 years. Early on they were more of a fun hobby to build and fly, and less about quality pictures and video. In the last few years, that has completely changed, and you can now find drones in use on Hollywood movies and photography all over the place. I have taken lots of photos and videos with drones, but my favorites are bays and anchorages where you can enjoy the vistas and learn about the shoreline and depth contours. Having grown up in South Puget Sound, I spent a lot of time at various anchorages and spots that are still fun to visit. One of my all-time favorites is Oro Bay, and I was there earlier this year with some friends and had the opportunity to fly the drone and
Navionics chart of Oro Bay. 48º NORTH
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JANUARY 2022