US Navy destroyer collision

[sailpower]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

I've been out the armchair for the last week, bringing a boat down the coast and into Los Angeles harbor. Approaching the harbor at night, I looked at the AIS and out the window, and conditions were similar to those in the Fitzgerald incident--about 10-15 ships within 12 miles and good visibility. With the AIS on the OpenCpn chartplotter, we had great situational awareness--about a third of the ships were in designated traffic lanes coming NW/SE from Annacapa Island, while the others were organized for port-to-port passings in an unofficial traffic separation scheme on a westerly/easterly track.

We did not have radar, but had a helmsman (no autopilot) and a lookout on deck at all times. We were eastbound at 8 knots, while most of the traffic was running 10-15 knots. I kept track of the nearby CPA's, and worked to get 3 miles to the north of the westbound ships, as I wanted to pass them starboard to starboard and didn't want to trigger any silly responses. I used the invaluable 'show positions at CPA' function on OpenCpn a couple of times to further clarify crossing and overtaking situations.

The point of all this is that on a typical night approaching a congested harbor, there were no close calls, no VHF exchanges, no horns, and no flashing lamps. Everyone had situational awareness and everyone did their job. Even in an 8 knot boat with no radar, I only had one CPA of less than 3 miles, and even that was not less than 2. I spent the night wondering how could those watchstanders on the Fitzgerald get it so wrong...

Hi Don,

Your recent experience is of course the norm and is repeated thousands of time a year.

Then it doesn't happen that way. ???????

Two commercial vessels also hit each other recently but we haven't heard much about that.

A ferry just mistook sailboat masts for day markers and hit the rocks.

Humans?

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

..... I spent the night wondering how could those watchstanders on the Fitzgerald get it so wrong...

Nicely said Don...

....that is the Baffling chorus of mariners in this tragedy....

....and why I feel so strongly that the track of the Fitz should be immediately be released.

[Snowpetrel]

Originally Posted by David M

It's called the "whistle", not the "horn". I know, that sounds petty, and it is but I like sticking with the salty talk.

At the maritime academy, it was drilled into our heads to turn right. More for in extremis situations.

Ha, right you are, though I had to double check in the colregs, and indeed it does say whistle, thanks. Though I would point out that we normally call a right turn a 'starboard' turn... [emoji14]

[sailpower]

This just happened and so far no panty wadding?

Note that the USN was not involved so both vessels were crewed by the vaunted professional mariner class which of course makes the incident totally inexplicable.

Oil tanker and cargo ship collide in English Channel - BBC News

Wad away?

[Pelagic]

Sail power....
you seem to have a sizeable "wad" stuck 'somewhere'?

We will know the physical tracks and interaction of both vessels within 2 to 3 days and an open, transparent inquiry will be available without doubt

Instead with the Fitz, in the first 2 to 3 days there was an active US media campaign to blame the Filipino crew for erratic behavior and all kinds of conspiracy BS.

Stupidity comes in all shapes and sizes and doesn't need a uniform, but seem to be more dangerous and privledged when they do.

https://goo.gl/images/1k1iEs

[sailpower]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

Sail power....
you seem to have a sizeable "wad" stuck 'somewhere'?

We will know the physical tracks and interaction of both vessels within 2 to 3 days and an open, transparent inquiry will be available without doubt

Instead with the Fitz, in the first 2 to 3 days there was an active US media campaign to blame the Filipino crew for erratic behavior and all kinds of conspiracy BS.

Stupidity comes in all shapes and sizes and doesn't need a uniform, but seem to be more dangerous and privledged when they do.

https://goo.gl/images/1k1iEs

We will see the tracks in 2 or 3 days? Really? This incident that I linked to happened 6 days ago.

Crickets here.

Why is that?

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by sailpower

We will see the tracks in 2 or 3 days? Really? This incident that I linked to happened 6 days ago.

Crickets here.

Why is that?

Simple just like a car accident. No loss of life = not news worthy.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by sailpower

We will see the tracks in 2 or 3 days? Really? This incident that I linked to happened 6 days ago.

Crickets here.

Why is that?

The tracks were clear for all to see on MarineTraffic as both were running AIS....

As said .. of only fleeting interest to the world at large as no deaths, no environmental damage.

A bit like this one..... https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/arge...onal-exercise/

[TwoBlocked]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

All this talk of morse brings back very bad memories. I suspect I was very lucky to have a good writer/listener. I owe you one Craig!

Huh! When I took the exams in for the US Merchant Licenses, we did not have a writer, we had to write it down ourselves, as the final part of each licensing step. But then I did not take any exams as part of an Academy class, either. (I was a "hawsepiper") Also, it was a light on a box that I believe was run by a cassette tape. Anyhoo, part of the exam was reading code that then had to be correctly looked up in H.O. Pub 102, International Code of Signals. That is the true value of the aldis lamp on merchant vessels and why it would still be required, I believe. You don't even need to be able to speak the same language.

http://www.seasources.net/PDF/PUB102.pdf

[Yowieboy]

Almost no new information, but here's a recent article in the Japan Times:

U.S. Navy temporarily relieves commander of warship struck in Japanese waters | The Japan Times

[Gdog6]

Damaged Destroyer USS Fitzgerald Moves to Dry Dock in Japan -PHOTOS – gCaptain
Not much more new news on this yet.

[estarzinger]

Initial investigation blames Navy for USS Fitzgerald collision - CNNPolitics.com

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...-a7852681.html

Not much detail, but putting most of fault on navy - did not recognize collision situation, and did not react until last second.

[Auspicious]

Not a huge surprise from what we thought we knew. The details are what will provide a learning opportunity.

There was a lot more communication from Navy ships as I came into Norfolk from offshore earlier this week but still no AIS.

[Pelagic]

Yes, no surprise and a relief to the Filipino crew who were being castigated by the US Media

It still just boggles the mind that this even happened in an open sea situation.

Unbelievably poor seamanship from sailors who are supposed to be the very best and well trained in the World at a huge expense to the American taxpayer and the families of those who died.

The US navy mindset of arrogance towards complying with COLREGS, needs to be changed internally!

[David M]

USCG boats tend not to have their AIS transmitting either.