Oh, Say Can You See?

Sailing

How far can you see at sea? From a small boat at sea in clear weather, it’s possible to make out the shapes of prominent landmarks, such as lighthouses or large trees, from a distance of about 8 miles, researchers say.

A large buoy is visible at 2 miles and a small buoy at 1 mile.

A person is visible as a moving black dot at about a mile. The movement of a person’s legs or arms is discernible at about 400 yards.