Here we are, anchored off the city of Apalachicola, in the river, wherein the current, when we look down along the side of the boat, is just zipping along. When I look at the current ripples coming off the floating ATONS, my estimation is that the current is only around .5 knots, and our experience motoring into it suggests the same.

But, sitting here with nothing to do, my mind wondered over to a more scientific approach. Since there was no detritus coming down the river at the time, I, instead, dropped a piece of wood in the water and timed its travel from bow to stern. Dividing the length of the boat by the seconds it took for the wood to reach the stern, then multiplying by 3600 (60 sec/min x 60 min/hr), then dividing the answer into 5280 (for mph) or 2000 (for knots), I calculated that the current was running .45 mph. It sure does look like it is going faster though.

Rudy and Jill
Apalachicola, Fl
Briney Bug- a 34 foot sail-assisted trawler
Now available- "ANCHORING- A Ground Tackler's Apprentice"
850-832-7748

Rudy,

Your math makes me dizzy. There's an easier way.  Note how many feet
something moves in six seconds.  Each foot of movement represents a
tenth of a knot.

Tom Collins - Misty Sea