With the so many times in my life we had to cross the Caribbean, the Gulf, the Bermuda's triangle or along the East Coast I call me fortunate having had always time (and room enough) to look for the navigable semicircle. I cannot imagine how was to navigate those areas in ancient times when there were no warnings at all... nor cameras to record George Clooney doing pirouettes at the top of a mast!
But then, not that lucky when leaving San Bernardino Strait in the Philippines to cross bound for Chile. It is then when you learn the meaning of "feeling alone".