The surface of the ocean is not great for star viewing because of the humid layer right at the surface. I grew up in Florida and was many times 100 miles off s

The surface of the ocean is not great for star viewing because of the humid layer right at the surface. I grew up in Florida and was many times 100 miles off shore at night. I was never astounded by the night sky until I drove through the middle-of-nowhere in Oregon as an adult. I'd tell you to come up to norther Marin-- the prohibition on billboards here makes the night sky much darker than over the rest of the bay area. But it's gotten a lot brighter in just the last couple years--- the transition to LED outdoor lighting seems to be doing a tremendous harm. Two years ago the milky way was naked eye visible at my home on good nights. It doesn't appear to be anymore. You can still see the orion nebula and its blue h-beta glow with just some binoculars though.