Are there certain rules big ships have to follow when in the middle of the ocean? Well, if there are, I think one today wasn’t quite following every single one of them. So I’m going to tell on him. He may be bigger, but I’m not scared - he couldn’t even find me when he was half a mile away!
Having had a brilliant week, I can’t really complain too much when things don’t go entirely in my favour. Thankfully, last night wasn’t as rough as expected, but the weather has started to push me south again. Nevertheless, I only narrowly missed by target for progressing west, and I’m not too worried about it - it shouldn’t last too long.
Tomorrow, I should pass a big milestone: 1,000nm to go. I know that all the distances on the website are in the slightly shorter statute mile, but I thought I’d get this request in early. Please can everybody think about what you’re saying before sending me a message saying “only 1,000 miles to go”. ONLY?! I’m in a big rowing boat, not a jet-powered rocket-ship. Even
If I was in a car, 1,000 miles would be a long way. For that matter, it’s not exactly short in an aeroplane! So there you are; I’m allowed to think it, but you’re not allowed to tell me. Ok?
(I’m fully aware that this request will result in far more messages of this kind than I would otherwise have received, but I wanted to get in first!)
On Pacific Pete, there are a number of bits to help me avoid other ships. Usually, the first sign that there’s something near me is the radar-reflector beeping at me. More often than not, I won’t be able to see the ship in question, but it gets me on my guard. It also gives me an excuse to get on the radio to make sure they know I’m there (really, I just want to say hello and have a quick chat, but they usually ignore me anyway!). However, there is another piece of equipment: the AIS receiver.
This picks up on signals sent out giving information on ships’ positions and course, as well as their names. I’m not sure how far away they should work, but mine only seems to know something’s there when it’s within about three miles, which is, I’m glad to say, a rare occurrence. Late this afternoon, I was rowing along quite happily when it started beeping at me. Having not heard the radar-reflector beep, I was a little surprised to hear it and glanced around for a ship. Nothing.
Then I looked at the AIS receiver: the Tasman Mermaid was just over two miles east of me. Now, given that it also said the ship was going at 20kt, this meant it was barely 5 minutes away; I wouldn’t have minded a little more warning! Jumping back outside, I had another look and, sure enough, there was a huge great big ship just where I’d been staring while rowing for the last half-hour. How I’d missed it, I’m not entirely sure!
The good news was that it looked like it wasn’t coming straight at me. But I still had an excuse for a quick chat, just to request that it didn’t “make any sudden turns to the right” (as you do when you’re crossing an ocean). As soon as I’d called him up and given my position, they realised I was fairly close and my radar-reflector burst into life. I have a feeling somebody had only just turned their radar on!
After a brief chat with the Russians onboard, they passed by a comfortable half-mile south of me and sped off into the distance. It does make you wonder though; it’s a good job the ocean’s a big place. I wouldn’t want to wake up to one of them bearing down on me with 5 minutes until impact.
Not to worry, I’ve only got 1,000 miles to go!
