Tokyo Bay at night (mare)

[garymalmgren]

Tokyo bay is something else.
The amount of commercial traffic is insane, there are complicated lane separations and it is seriously patrolled by police and the Japanese Coast Guard.
Long story short I crewed on the delivery of a tug/service vessel from Sendai to Yokohama. Because of a front coming in we had no choise but to enter at 2 AM. It was like something out of William Gibson, Phillip.K.Dick or being inside computer game.
This is a case where electronic aids like radar or AIS completely overload the system.
Small fishing vessels. garbage pick up, dredges, pilot boats, tugs fuel lighters (very low in the water those buggers.) Not to mention the background light show. Are those lead lights? Oh. that's a pachinko parlor.
What's that? S*** where do he come from? What does flashing purple over two whites and flashing orange mean? S*** didn't see him.
Is that the entrance over there? Why is that bloke on the bow of that launch frantically waving a red flag? Channel 16? You've got to be kidding.
The last photo is what we would have had to deal with if we had waited.
Back home now with a beer in hand.
Yep. A once in a life time experience.

Gary

 

[westernman]

Yep. Going into strange crowded places (even just your home marina ;-) at night is usually terrifying.
Why did it have to be 2am?

 

[Refueler]

Years ago - I was Officer on LNG Ships into Tokyo Bay ... we supplied Tokyo Gas Co and Misubishi Industries on a liner basis ...

We used to have Tug boat escort into the bay due to the number of fishing boats ... commercial and private .... it was not unusual for one of the tugs to 'nudge' a boat or two out of the way ...

But if you want to see craziness ...... then the approaches to Dalian Port in China between the headlands ..... as you approach - you see a line of lights - like a street scene .... its all the fishing boats side by side spanning the waterway ... which as you get closer seems to magically pivot and allow you through !

 

[garymalmgren]

RE: Why did it have to be 2am?

Three factors contributed to the decision to enter at that particular time,
1. Tide. You will notice that the entrance to Tokyo bay narrow considerably, so the tide can race.
2. Rain Rain was predicted to be 5.5mm per hour at 8 am. so we needed to have the hand over done before the then.
When we did hand over it was pouring and the visibility was poor. Fortunately, the new owner piloted us into the maze of Yokohama bay.
3.Wind. The wind was predicted to come in from the North. This would create a wind against tide situation.



It was the skippers call.
He had been into Tokyo bay in the daylight.

gary