PEIResidents near the waterfront in Prince Edward Island’s capital city may have woken up to some loud foghorns Thursday morning.Audible signals ensured vessels could dock safely, says port authority CEOThinh Nguyen · CBC News · Posted: Sep 25, 2025 12:55 PM EDT | Last Updated: 6 hours agoThree cruise ships were scheduled to dock in Charlottetown Harbour on Thursday, but uncommonly thick fog meant the port was unusually noisy as the vessels approached. (Submitted by Mike Cochrane)Residents near the waterfront in Prince Edward Island’s capital city may have woken up to some loud foghorns Thursday morning.Three cruise ships — the Majestic Princess, Brilliance of the Seas and Volendam — were scheduled to dock in Charlottetown Harbour, but uncommonly thick fog meant the port was unusually noisy as the vessels approached.Mike Cochrane, CEO of the Charlottetown Port Authority, said foghorns serve an important role, much like a lighthouse.In this case, they were used to alert other vessels that the cruise ships were entering the harbour, giving them time to move out of the way.”Unfortunately, I hope I didn’t wake up the city of Charlottetown with a lot of foghorns this morning,” Cochrane told CBC News.”If we do, we apologize. But for the safety of our crew and our passengers and our ships and [the] professionalism of our pilots that guide these ships in and they get them alongside, it was absolutely fantastic.”Mike Cochrane, CEO of the Charlottetown Port Authority, says the fog Thursday morning was among the thickest he has ever seen in the harbour. (Submitted by Mike Cochrane)Cochrane explained that when large ships approach the Island, a master mariner — known as a pilot — boards the vessel just off P.E.I.’s coast. The pilot climbs aboard using a ladder and then joins the captain on the ship’s bridge to help them navigate into port using local expertise.The fog, Cochrane said, was among the thickest he has ever seen in the harbour. The ships were nearly invisible until they got within a few metres of the dock.Foghorns remain essential for safety reasons, says Cochrane, even with modern navigation technologies. (Submitted by Mike Cochrane)Even with modern navigation technologies, he added, audible signals like foghorns remain essential.”There may be local sailboats. There could be lobster fishermen out there. There could be other boats that probably don’t have the availability of that technology on board,” Cochrane said.”It’s always good to make them aware… of their surroundings.”With files from Jackie Sharkey
Loud horns wake up Charlottetown residents as 3 cruise ships arrive in thick fog Thursday
