Follow the Mount
If you launch in Alton Bay, (Meredith, etc.) you can check the Mount's schedule and match up a little. You don't have to follow closely, but you know two things. 1) She goes on the right side of the buoys and 2) she'll come back to the starting point in the afternoon. The Mount can literally be seen for miles and there's no mistaking one mount(ain) for another. Don't get too close, but depending on wind, etc., if you listen closely, they'll announce on the PA system where you are and what you're looking at. This confirms what you're looking at on the chart.
I agree with those who suggest that having a navigator, even if inexperienced, is a big plus. The conversations together about what you're looking at and how it compares to the chart are an easy way to learn, easier than doing it alone. Trade off the driving too, so you can just enjoy the ride without worrying all the time about both driving and navigating.
|