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Martinsville High School Alumni
| Class of 1963 |
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| The Fog Rolls on In - 10 |
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08/02/20
Greg Norton
(1963)
sgnorton@hotmail.com
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We live approximately 200 yards from the Straits of Juan de Fuca on the Northern Olympic coast of Washington State, the waterway entrance to several large shipping harbors and the Puget Sound from the Pacific Ocean. From our home, it is 26 miles across the straits to Vancouver, British Columbia. It is a water highway frequently used by some of the world's largest freighters to deliver freight from every international port in operation. Additionally, the US Navy has major war ship bases into and out of which sail the newest and largest aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines. In fact, our Port Angeles harbor can and does dock and service up to six of these large ships at one time.
The straits are a large body of salt water with water temperatures normally in the 40-degree range. When the air temps make quick changes combined with humidity, the straits fill with fog; sometimes so thick one cannot see more than 100 feet into it. We know the fog is present as the loud and deep bellowing of the horns from the passing ships resonate; despite the existence of very sophisticated radar, the sounding of these horns is a required part of established marine navigation
One of the most enjoyable aspects of living this close to the straits is that periodically we wake to see the waves of sea fog billowing down our streets and through our community and hear the lonely horns of the passing ships in the distance.
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