Three weeks or so ago – To the left when heading from Catalina to San Diego is continual early morning. Just beyond the thickened marine layer Los Angeles’ false morning promises an end of the inky moonless night. The dark impenetrable cloud south of Los Angeles is no cloud at all, it is lightless Pendleton marine base.
The artificial morning returns with San Diego’s north county, culminating with the city itself.
The dark night waters are busy with military activity.
From more than twenty miles away, we could see a very white glow on the horizon: tankers, warships and lighters gathered together. As Caro Babbo approached, the group disbanded.
As each vessel left, it doused its bright working lights, turned away from us to become a white stern light and nothing more.
We could follow each visually, on AIS and radar, except the military vessel, which I could visually see, track on AIS, but even when less than 2 miles away had no radar reflection.
Though out the night warships announced their position, their restrictions, such as making continuous turns to starboard, or restricted in their ability to maneuver, and their imposed restrictions on the rest of us, keep well clear, maintain a distance of 6 nautical miles, or three miles, or fifty miles.
The only military vessel to name its function is the aircraft carrier, the others are merely warships.
When we are in areas where we might be near other vessels we stand formal watches: there is never a moment when someone isn’t awake in the cockpit.
Far off shore, we check AIS, and check the cockpit every 20 minutes to an hour.
Seventy miles west of San Diego, with no vessels on AIS, I scanned the horizon and was startled to see a ship with two white lights, one behind the other, meaning a vessel most likely over 250 feet, lower light to the left, meaning it was crossing us from starboard to port. Binoculars showed her red port light.
Radar seemed to show steady bearing, decreasing distance, meaning we might be on a collision course.
I called on vhf 16 with the standard wording, vessel at location …. north, …. west, approximately six miles off my bow, this is the sailing vessel Caro Babbo. I usually say, but didn’t this time, “under sail” to establish us as the stand on vessel.
After calling twice, the vessel responded, ”this is Australian warship. ”
I responded, “this is Caro Babbo. It looks like you might be closing on me.”
To which he responded, “we will pass 1.4 nautical miles to your port.”
I replied “thank you, I will be standing by on 16.” He did not respond.
Sent from Iridium Mail & Web.
