one for the navigators

[j.sabourn]

#20 .. I have sight like yours Des. If the white are the white links of the first 5 fathoms of chain, then doubt the anchor is on the bottom. Thereafter as you know the white was only painted at every shackle to mark how many shackles you had out together with marking with seizing wire. How else would you know how much cable you had out ?? Maybe she was in the process of weighing anchor who knows , the presses usual ploy , tell them half the story. For those who want to be pedantic of the anchor was not on the bottom one could say she was under way,
“ a vessel is under way when not at anchor, made fast to the shore, or aground “ , nothing to say she was underway and making way through the water. Common sense however says if she was anchoring or unmooring you would give a wide berth to. For those not of the deck at the first shackle it was painted white and this included the first link of chain on both sides of the shackle, at the second shackle similar but two links of chain were painted white and so forth for the whole 8/15 or whatever. They were also marked with seizing wire on the first and last painted link, this so could feel when the paint ceased to exist. White paint usually as it was surmised easier to see in the dark. Fluorescent paint was better in later years. JWS

[j.sabourn]

For the more modern day sailor who may be used to be given this information by reading a meter , it always appeared to me that such luxuries were always great on sea trials but not too long after ceased to work , and had to resort to old methods. They never seemed to get fixed. The same on tugs and tow lines, was always wise to mark your own lengths of towline by simply tying a rag at say every hundred feet of wire about the length of the after deck. No ship although may be equipped with all sorts of fancy gear, was never 100 per cent perfect. Was the same in all departments. Corners had to be cut and so called temporary arrangements had to be used , these same temporary arrangements usually lasting the life of the vessel. JWS....

[happy daze john in oz]

Correct me if I am wrong, but if she was pulling up the hook in preparation for sailing then would there be some wake behind the ship if the screws were turning?


If no wake could one assume she was at anchor?

[John Arton]

The \A.I.S track for both ships is on the internet and also on gCaptain. It clearly shows that the container ship was stationary at anchor whilst the ferry was steaming along at a rate of knots before slamming into the container ship. Immediately after the collision you can see how the pair swing around, held by the container ships anchor.
The colregs apply to vessels underway and making way through the water, so if the container ship was not at anchor but just drifting it was still the ferry's duty under the colregs to keep clear. Whatever, come the court of inquiry, the container ship will still bear part of the blame as there is no record to date of it attempting to contact the ferry by any means available, to warn the ferry it was on collision course with a stationary object.
Rgds
J.A.

[Captain Kong]

I had a similar situation.

I was north bound up the North Sea, just passing the Thames estuary. On my port bow outbound from the Thames was a cargo vessel. on a steady bearing.
I called him on VHS. reminding him of the Col. Regs. The voice said, "I alter course for no one. "
# I reminded him that he was the give way vessel,
"Captain say I alter course for no one. " I asked where the Captain was. "Captain sleeping, no disturb, I am not to alter course for no one."
I replied that if he hit me, a loaded tanker, then the Captain would soon be awake. with the resulting noise.
I knew I was getting no where with him,.
I said "OK you stay as you are I will alter course for you."
I went hard a starboard, and took a round turn out of her. and slowly brought her back on the original course which put him on my port bow,
Now if you have both ships of a similar mind, they will collide.

I saw several instances like that in the North Sea, and several with no one in sight on the deck, on the bridge or anywhere, just like a crew less ship, creating a near collision with me having to get out of their way.. I have reported them to Dover Coast Guard but they always said there was nothing to do about it.
They put the ship on the Auto and then all turn in. the ship is steaming along totally with no one in command.

[Shaun Gander]

I remember many years back hearing the VHF...

Very Indian voice on 16 saying "the fishing boat on my port bow what are you doing?"

Very English voice "fishing"

SDG

[John Arton]

There used to be a conversation between a USA warship and an unnamed person where the American warship was demanding that the other vessel gave way to him as he was bigger and more important. The kicker was when the person replying to the warship, that he was actually a lighthouse.
Rgds
J.A.

[j.sabourn]

That must have been before Radar John. Today the lighthouse would have a racon on to tell them it was a lighthouse. They don’t really have to be able to differentiate, that’s progress for you. JS

[Bill Morrison]

It's probably a spoof, there are a few versions on Youtube I like this one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKu04xhEU7I

[Captain Kong]

The original photo would have made a good advertisement on TV,

Should have gone to
Specsavers.