PLT OF VFR C182 BLUNDERS INTO IMC CONDITIONS OFF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COASTLINE IN CONDITIONS RPTED AS 4 MI VISIBILITY IN MIST WITH POSSIBLE TSTMS. DOES 180 DEGS TO EXIT CONDITION.

Narrative

WE RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING RPTING 4 MI VISIBILITY IN MIST ALONG OUR RTE WITH POSSIBLE ISOLATED TSTMS. WE DECIDED TO GO VFR. OUR FLT HAD US FOLLOWING THE COASTLINE ABOUT 1/2 MI OUT TO SEA. I WAS MOSTLY KEEPING TRACK OF THE COASTLINE AT OUR 10 O'CLOCK POS. I COULD TELL IT WAS AT LEAST 4-5 MI VISIBILITY. I ASSUMED THIS WAS THE CASE ALL AROUND. THE COMBINATION OF THE MIST AND GREY OCEAN MADE IT HARD TO TELL WE WERE APCHING A RAIN SHOWER STRAIGHT AHEAD. I WENT FROM A CLR VIEW OF THE COASTLINE; BELOW TO THE L; TO ZERO VISIBILITY INSTANTLY. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE; WE WERE PASSING A RESTR AREA 1/2 MI TO OUR L; SO I DECIDED TO TURN A R 180 DEGS. THIS WAS THE WRONG THING TO DO BECAUSE I WENT TOWARD THE CLOUD AND AWAY FROM LAND. THIS DISORIENTED ME FOR A MOMENT; BUT I WAS ABLE TO GET US TURNED AROUND AND INTO CLR AIR. THE FIRST THING I LEARNED IS THAT BEING OVER A LARGE BODY OF WATER MAKES IT HARD TO JUDGE VISIBILITY. IF THERE IS ANY QUESTIONS; I WILL KEEP OVER LAND FOR BETTER VISUAL CUES. THE OTHER THING I SHOULD HAVE DONE WAS TURNED L. I WOULD HAVE HAD THE LAND AS A REF RIGHT AWAY AND I WOULD HAVE BEEN GOING AWAY FROM THE CLOUD. I WAS A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT THE RESTR AREA; BUT I PROBABLY COULD HAVE STAYED OUT OF IT AND EVEN IF I DIDN'T; IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER THAN WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED.