Flying a mission off the USS Constellation in the Gulf of Alaska in 1986, my F-14 was first down the chute. The weather was reported right at minimums - 200' ceiling and half mile visibility. As we let down I asked if the Landing Signal Officer (LSO) wanted our landing light on as it makes it easier to see the plane through the fog. The LSO said no. As we approached 3/4 mile (12-18 seconds from touchdown) from the ship where we should be able see it visually we still could not see it. I told my pilot to fly the needles (instruments) and I would continue to look over his left shoulder for the visual landing aid (meatball). We continued our approach and I finally called the ball indicating we had visually acquired the ship. The time that lapsed from me calling the ball to our plane touching down was six seconds. As we came to a stop the LSO called for all the other planes approaching the ship to turn their landing lights on. As it turns out, none of the other aircraft made it aboard due to the fog. They all diverted to Elmendorf AFB and spent the entire day and evening drinking beer and having fun.

The moral of the story - when it's foggy it's safer and more fun to stay home and drink beer or coffee.

Been out on Monticello MANY times when the early morning fog formed and you couldn't see past the front of the boat. The scary thing was not being lost, it was hearing boats on plane somewhere in the fog. Like sound underwater sound really travels in that thick air! Scary being on the water with idiots playing Russian Roulette....with me!