DAY THREE AT SEA!!

Night 3:

Ben and I switched shifts. He started with 10-2a. I guess he had the many fishing boats. They are big and lit up like a Christmas tree. But they don't have AIS. So for my shifts he is sleeping in the cockpit for me so I can wake him. During the day light hours I got to practice my radio skills as a big huge gigantic bigger than the titanic norwiegan cruise line. Yup he was coming our way. I hailed him. He talked back. I asked him could he see us but also did we show up on AIS. He said." no" what? Well I didn't say that to him.  So we read the ais manual. You have to have a class b type  something to pick us up. What? The big boys don't care about us? They only want to see each other? Or is it we are not transmitting? Wouldn't surprise me. Then a little late came a saulboat with ais so we asked him if we showed up on his ais? Yup! Bizzare! The reason we have it is to have them see us not some little sailboat to see us. Funny. Still lots to learn. On my night watch I hail this one vessel and a japanese woman answered. I asked if she saw us? She said," wait please and I'll ask" she must be an interpreter?! They did not see us either. They changed a few degrees and we pasted by. Not too bad experience so far cuz you can hail them until... " "Mr.OSG Freed" a tug! I hailed and hailed he was 4 miles out then 3...2... Still no response! On the starboard side of me was a fishing boat you know the Christmas tree kind.  I though I'll get close to him cuz I'm sure the tug sees him. I'm glad ben was up with me to experience that one. The chartplotter is hilarious about ships that are in your path. We have it set for six minutes. Then it beeps but it displays a red dotted line to your boat with an intersect time , here is the best part, then it shows your ship as sinking with a big red slash thru the picture. Great, now I know I'm going to die. And I'm not even dead but it shows me as such.  Ha ha ha. It is busy with boats but I'm sure it is a slack time cuz of the 4th of July holiday. I see the Mary Queen 2 off my bow. I better pay attention and I AM wide awake.

The sail last night was peaceful, calm yet we were at a constant slow 2-3 knots. It was good to have perfect sailing weather during our first time with more boat traffic. On coming into the main channels of NJ and NY I expected more traffic even though my ais was showing sunkin red boats every so many minutes it was not hairy yet! Wait till we go thru Hells gate where three bodies of water meet with a fast current to boot. Well one day at a time. I'm thankful we have such an amazing God to help give us baby steps in sailing before we need to be challenged all around which I hope will never happen! Miss you all. Pam