If you saw this at sea, what would you do?

Looks like someone has tied a blue cylume on the end of some cord and is spining it to get attention. Some service sailing clubs teach this on comp crew/Day Skipper in order to attract attention should you be in trouble and have lost your radio but with an orange or red cylume if possible. In order to attract the attention of other yachts spin it as shown in the video and not above the head, if you want to get the attention of a SAR Helicopter spin it above your head parallel to the ground so the air crew can see the full circle clearly.
If i saw this as a YM i would be inclined to take a closer look and be ready to offer assistance.
 
Steve_O said:
Looks like someone has tied a blue cylume on the end of some cord and is spining it to get attention. Some service sailing clubs teach this on comp crew/Day Skipper in order to attract attention should you be in trouble and have lost your radio but with an orange or red cylume if possible. In order to attract the attention of other yachts spin it as shown in the video and not above the head, if you want to get the attention of a SAR Helicopter spin it above your head parallel to the ground so the air crew can see the full circle clearly.
If i saw this as a YM i would be inclined to take a closer look and be ready to offer assistance.
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Thank you. I didn't know that.
 
tim_ber said:
Here is a link to a small video I hope.

http://s1322.beta.photobucket.com/user/tim_ber/media/rotate_zpsdf3618b7.mp4.html

It is a rotating blue light, diameter varies from 3 foot to 5 foot and speed of rotation varies.

When seen for real, it is not as 'jumpy'

Question is, to deep blue sailors and coastal sailors etc, what would you do upon seeing it?

Let us assume no answer to a vhf call either. Serious question.

Cheers
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So, did you take the video, and if you did, what is it of?
 
Steve_O said:
Looks like someone has tied a blue cylume on the end of some cord and is spining it to get attention. .
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Along with other flares I carry Cylum flares (red white green) and they can be purchased with a lanyard to swing to get attention....... Didn't know they do blue tough! Apparently they are now used in the States by law enforcement when attending vehicle accidents as they won't set fire to petrol like the old style flares can/do.

Tom
 
It's not a defined distress signal, so you have no obligation to investigate.

Don't put your vessel in danger by getting close to investigate - judging distances and sizes at night is extremely difficult.

If you think (because of the context) that it might be distress, put a note in your log and inform the coastguard.

(One night on the way to the Scillies I was trying to identify an uncharted flashing red light - then suddenly it was scarily close - and then with a roar the helicopter went overhead!)
 
I'm not experienced, so take this with a pinch of salt, but last year when crossing the biscay we were perturbed by 3 white strobing lights in the water. It was impossible to tell how far away they were but we watched them for about an hour before we felt we were close enought to alter course to investigate. I was frightened because I thought it could life-jacket lights and was dreading coming across something very horrible indeed.

When we got close, we could see that it was three small lights attached to buoy. We scarpered. When I mentioned it on this forum afterwards, someone else suggested nefarious activity - eg a drugs drop.

So, if it happened again, I would go close enough to ensure it wasn't a distress, but once sure, would skidaddle pronto and report it when able/safe to do so.
 
ChattingLil said:
I'm not experienced, so take this with a pinch of salt, but last year when crossing the biscay we were perturbed by 3 white strobing lights in the water. It was impossible to tell how far away they were but we watched them for about an hour before we felt we were close enought to alter course to investigate.
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Along the coast here white strobing lights are often used on fishing nets usually marking the ends but not always.
 
" If you saw this at sea, what would you do? "

Blue flashing light?

My reaction would be to shout "Gor blimey, it's the filth. They've got us bang to rights." Then I'd throw the slaves and contraband over the side.
 
Have always be taught that we should do something out of the usual to attract attention if all normal methods fail. Swinging a cylume on the end of some cord greatly increases the distance the cylume can be seen from. Have used it to bring aircraft in elsewhere and seen the what it looks like from distance and was impressed that something so small could be seen so far away. Cylumes come in lots of colours, have different illumination times so pick the ones you want and they last forever almost. Be careful not to buy infra-red ones though.
 
I presume you are going to tell us that this is an offshore windmill? I am not aware of any official markings or other navigational lights I would have assumed that hey would be marked as an isolated danger mark but there are none in these parts so it is just a guess.
 
It's a recognised "wilderness survival" distress signal, I think it's termed a Razorlight in those circles. The idea being that it doesn't look like anything else you're likely to see on a dark night out in the sticks. Not sure what i'd do seeing it at sea to be honest!
 
david_bagshaw said:
Tell the kid on the fore deck to stop pissing about!
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Toward the end of the clip there is a also what appears to be a red navlight visible. I would tend to agree with David, the boats in an anchorage with other boats (or if the clips was taken offshore, it was probably participating in the ARC where I understand all the boats cross the Atlantic together with no more than 50 yards between them) and there's a kid on the foredeck twirling a blue LED thingy round on the end of a piece of string. I think you can buy them from the Gadget Shop.
 
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