No one ever expected the YM inquisition!

[StugeronSteve]

It's dark and your jolly crew are enjoying an overnight channel crossing when, off your port quarter, you encounter frequent, but intermittent, sightings of a single orange light (fixed but of varying intensity).

What can it be and what action would you take?

 

[jhr]

Relax. It is almost certainly the crew of an Oyster Heritage 37 returning to their craft with a traffic cone after an evening's refreshment.

Take avoiding action.

 

[Sixpence]

Tell someone to put the kettle on , the suns coming up

 

[Woodlouse]

Either that or prepare yourself for a contraflow as it could be roadworks.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Its your crew in the tender being towed along, with the power light on their laptop blinking as they browse the forums

 

[Bodach na mara]

Slow down and let the motorway maintenance truck past to set down cones closing off the eastbound traffic lane and diverting all ships to a contraflow in the westbound lane. (To allow replacement of worn-out surface.)

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Got it.....

Its the crew grabbing a crafty smoke on the foredeck!

 

[oceanfroggie]

Sub?

 

[StugeronSteve]

No, the traffic cone is clearly visible to the west, where it seems to be pre-occupied with the dodging of fishing fleets.

 

[Bodach na mara]

Actually something like this passed me heading down the Clyde from Cloch one night a couple of years age. As far as I could make out, it was a large mobile crane with a bucket grab which was being carried on a barge. The orange rotating flashy thing was on and was brighter than any of the nav lights (and even the numerous deck lights that normally blind you to the nav lights anyway.)

 

[StugeronSteve]

Well chuff me... Give the man a Woodbine. Although I can't remember seeing the light ahead.

 

[tome]

Wasn't us, honest!

More likely to be a french fishing boat and it's part of the fleet not dodging it

 

[snowleopard]

It's the street light on the end of the jetty. You forgot to raise the anchor and are still 200 yds from shore.

 

[Sgeir]

Had something like that south of Kintyre (or maybe south of Arran) one night. There was some miltary/naval chat on 16. We were well clear, but as dawn broke it turned out to be some sort of target on a long tow. Didn't seem to be firing at it AFAIR.

 

[StugeronSteve]

It was Scuttlebutts very own questionmaster MagnusCarter Magnusson, having one of his many fag breaks. Not good for the night vision!

 

[jamesjermain]

The back end of a towing vessel - its moving away from you and the white stern light, being lower, is obscured

It may also be a purse seiner which has two alternating flashing yellow lights that look like one continuous light from a distance