I have to admit, the photo makes me nervous! But I know the spot and I agree with Todd, it's tight! It's beyond my confidence level on my boat. In a pinch I'd give it a try but only with say my son and daughter onboard as well as my wife all knowing how much trouble I could get us into in a hurry. There is a decent corridor through there but blind traffic could come out of nowwhere and you then have to react with a new plan, instantly, and then perhaps another.

I also remember the concern I felt when the Loki started to squirt ahead. See the bow wave growing? I don't think that was welcome at that point. Speed is the enemy in this situation.

But I also think this a good piece of seamanship, but I have the advantage there too. A few years ago, I watched Hunt(the captain) in the midst of some real harbor drama.

Our harbor is shaped like a funnel with the opening aiming dead south. Hunt was down in the neck just leaving the docks, main and mizzen raised, with a woman onboard, bow facing a moderate south wind. Too far to now cast a line, his engine quit...

In a nutshell, here's what happened. Without hesitation Hunt, turned the wheel to port, ran to the mast(he may know something about his engine we don't), jerked the working jib to about 95% correct tension by hand(anybody notice he has hank on sails?), and ran back to the cockpit. Sheets pre run, he trimmed the jib in a second.

This was the hard part to watch. It takes some time and distance for a heavy 40'er to start sailing. There's little room for that with the end of the harbor 50 yards or so to leeward. It was a nail biter! But he knows his boat and seemed to will it life just before he'd be docking up in some fashion onto a poor dock situation.

On the starboard tack he got steerage and soon some speed. But it wasn't looking good...Tightly packed lobster boats ahead, you could only give so much direction away to leeward, and you're done! He did find a narrow slot and got through. I saw him tack at the other side (you could hit a 5 iron across our harbor, even with a 20 handicap), and start heading higher with some new speed. I thought he was going to make it now.

He didn't make it. It all closed up on him, no where to go... But he didn't lose either! With a little ruckus, he managed rafting to a lobsterboat. I remember the look of the two onboard after the tie up, the relief, like they had just sprinted through through the back door and slammed it on a nest of angry hornets.

There I suppose he sorted out his engine problem, because he was gone soon after under power out of the harbor.

So in the Lokis case, I see a ready crew in this shot, the woman forward looks ready to spring as do the kids.

Thanks for these views, I found them all helpful.