Quote:
Originally Posted by MITCHELL
According to Google 2.9 miles is as far as you can see a light at night on the ocean at sea level before the curvature hides it. I have paddled to lights on the horizon off LJ and that seems about right
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Agreed "a light AT SEA LEVEL" AND if your eyes are also at sea level. These big sport and commercial boats have lights FAR ABOVE SEA LEVEL. Looking off a road at the beach its likely you are already 25'+ above sea level. I too have paddled out to the "light boats off of La Jolla and Pacific Beach" many times on squid beds, I can tell you this is not that.
I just saw a Navy ship off La Jolla, during daylight hours. It looked like it was way out there but I could see all of the detail of the guns off the deck and bow and stern (I have better than 20/20 vision) and what seems like the hull down to the waterline.
So I got home and immediately checked on Google Earth using the
MarineTraffic link with a location of WARSHIP 56[US] which states it is ONE MINUTE OLD. That vessel is
19.5 miles from my street and I can see it clear as day.
I can also see a bunch of large fishing boats clustered on the horizon straight west of La Jolla. At night their lights will be easily visible as they are 20'+ above sea level. Here is a
photo of the Cobalt, which is located about 17 miles out right now in that area. I can see easily it during the day, imagine if it had a bunch of bright lights, at night?!
All of that said, there is a big group of very small boats fishing white seabass at the kelp spot off WindanSea today. There were dive flags up earlier this morning, there are always seabass around.