Passed along by Roger Taylor:
"The best yarn I know about the creative use of navigational information was spun for one by Gil Hall, a Penobscot Bay Pilot. Gil was bringing a vessel into Searsport under the most limited conditions of visibility, heavy vapor or sea smoke, caused by extremely cold weather. He figured he was getting pretty close to the pier, but still couldn't see it and didn't dare keep creeping ahead. So he called down to the mate on the fo'c'sle head, "Thro something over." The mate understood, fetched an empty paint can, and sent it flying into the dense whiteness. It landed with a clank and not a splash. "I thought so." Gil muttered to himself and eased her on in alongside.
Taylor, Roger. The Elements of Seamanship. International Marine Publishing. 1982.
Cap'n Jack usually had one or two mates to throw overboard, "depth sounders." Skipper suure was glad when I showed up.
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