Yup, gps is fine 99% of the time, you just have to know enough to ignore it when it tells you to do something dumb.

First time users of GPS can be easily misled. I remember the first time I sailed across Lake Ontario with GPS. We had left Cobourg, Ontario, headed for Point Breeze NY. About 4 miles into the 42 mile journey we ran into a pea soup fog with visibility of about 50 feet. Since we didn't know how far towards the Canadian shore the fog extended, we decided to continue the journey. I programmed into the GPS the coordinates of the light on the breakwater at Point Breeze and motored onward. Lucky for us, we broke out of the fog about 200 yds offshore because the GPS thought the map coordinates for the light were actually about a half mile inland. If the fog had not lifted we would have motored directly into the breakwall.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Worse devils cauldron I ever witnessed was during a storm in Colburg harbour. I had heard it was going on and drove down to see it. I never considered it a safe place to moor in but perhaps it is vastly improved by now. Port Hope harbour remaines the same as always.

I kept our sailboat in Port Hope harbour for several years. One night crossing the lake in horrible weather a ship had picked us up on their radar I think. They were dead in the water bow on when we passed by about mid lake.

Indeed. Maps are the same way, but you don't hear about people getting "death by map" as often as you do with GPS. Maybe it has something to do with the perceived ease of use of GPS.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 401,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 26,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.
99 Mazda Miata 183,xxx miles.

I've never had GPS. Don't like it when I'm in my mom and new hubby's car and have to listen to that crap. I use the Thomas Guide in the bay area and google maps for everywhere else. No regrets.

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Te futueo et caballum tuum

1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

You're correct. One night in Cobourg we were assigned to tie up on the outside of the quay since we were a reciprocal. There's a big mooring pond but only a small rock breakwater between that pond and the lake. While we were having dinner another sailor with a $500k boat pulled up behind us with only inches to spare. Once the wind and waves came up, I spent the whole night trying to keep the boats from crashing into each other.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Well they prolly membered the Oregon couple who got lost in a winter storm up in the cascades--The guy tried to walk out, Bear chow.

^ ^ Yeah, he waited 6 days before he tried to make it out. There were snow tracks to follow, or would have been if he had left right away. Had to be weaker after 6 days of minimal provisions. He ended up freezing to death. No bears involved. I posted a link on the previous page.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Kim

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Te futueo et caballum tuum

1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2011/05/man_found_dead_in_truck_after_getting_stuck_in_snow_spending_nearly_70_days_in_remote_linn_county.ht ml

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Wow. Don't know what to say. What I don't get is they said he had no food in the truck but he survived for 70 days. Perhaps they meant "no food left," but you'd think they would have mentioned that.

Again, why didn't he walk out? It's baffling.

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Te futueo et caballum tuum

1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

Wow, only four miles; I think I would have tried walking out within a day or two.

I read about the guy who was stuck for 70 days before he expired. For one thing, he had food at the start and didn't run out until about a month before the end. For another thing, based on the description of his lifestyle, I'm thinking he wasn't quite right in the head to begin with. In the same type of situation, I would walk out before the food ran out.

__________________
Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 401,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 26,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.
99 Mazda Miata 183,xxx miles.

Sounds like he wasn't right, walking out 4 miles even in bad snow is doable.

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2006 CL500
2009 C300 4matic
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200