posted 06-21-2011 01:12 AM ET (US)        

Anyone familiar with Pillar Point knows about the dangerous reefs that run from the tip of Pillar Point to about 2/3 the way to the opposite tip of the bay about 4-5 miles South. There are buoys that mark a relatively safe passage through the reefs were a deeper channel exists which boaters can use to get out to sea.

On Sunday we launched at the bottom of a minus tide and proceeded out the jaws of the harbor. We were immediately greeted by the very steep swell coming in through the thick fog. I had my radar on and was navigating with my gps heading toward the channel bouys. As I proceeded I noticed the already steep swells getting much steeper and they were getting closer together! Because of the fog I could not see what the water looked like over the reefs ahead, but I just got this really eerie feeling and turned around and tacked East toward shore to get back into deeper water. I then tacked South toward the fishing hole out in front of the Ritz Carlton hotel 5 miles South of the harbor. When I got to the hole the swells were still huge and tight and I just didn't feel comfortable fishing in those conditions. I could not see the sets coming in and the larger one's looked like they were close to breaking. I told my crew we're going in and they were quite happy with my decision. We ended up fishing right behind the jetty for a bit until the fog lifted. It was then I could see that my initial decision to not cross the reef through the channel was a good one because waves were breaking all over the reef and we probably would have ended up in that mess! Who knows what may have happened. That was the first time in a very long time that I felt really nervous on the water.

I spoke to some guys in a Montauk at the launch that came back early as well who said they followed a bigger boat around the reef and up towards Maverick's and they said their sonar was showing changes in height exceeding 16 feet as the swells were passing under their boat! Turns out the boat they thought they were following was actually following them! They were both lost in the fog and ended up somewhere they didn't want to be! They seemed just as rattled as we were.