[Halfmanhalfamazing]

This gives a brief explanation of how far the human eye can see at sea. It gives a table of relation between height of object vs nautical miles.

Why this is important is because the oil drilling debate will be back, and it's an important thing to know.

Which means that an offshore oil drilling ban any further than somewhere around 25 miles is lunacy. Sure, higher height rigs would be visible around this distance, but you have to keep in mind the context. It would be a small black dot on the horizon.

This is hardly a problem for tourism.

Especially if these rigs are painted sea blue. Then you wouldn't see them at all.

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

Hey, take a look at this. If you would; if you think it applies, you should ping your global warming peeps to this.

Considering how eeeeeeeeeeeeeevil oil drilling has been tied to the global warming debate, knowing how far the human eye can see is a good thing to know when this comes back. At least I think.

[Damifino]

I think 25 miles is the perfect distance. Grouper and Snapper fishing would be even better than it is now if we had platform foundations to fish around.

[garykfd]

From the bridge of a US Navy deystrouer you can see from 7-10 miles depending on swells

[cripplecreek]

When I was in the upper penninsula back in July, we spent half a day sitting on a bluff at Grand Marais watching for ore carriers. We only saw one and it was little more than a speck on the horizon even with good binoculars.

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

The highest point of a rig is its flame tower, which is about 70 metres above the sea

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4576351.stm

[bmwcyle]

How Far Can You See at Sea?

To the point you fall off.