Quote:
Originally Posted by Bulawayo
I agree, Ann.
...called up as unidentifed sailing vessel and ordered to move out of the way of small US task force...
|
I know that feeling:
A couple of years ago we'd sailed down
Chesapeake Bay and were approaching the bridge/tunnel off Hampton when an aircraft carrier and assorted guard ships approached from
seaward. Their first
VHF call advised that we were 'approaching within their 1000 yard (I think, may have been more/less?) perimeter'; I responded that actually as they were overhauling us, it was they who were doing the approaching. This response was met by an immediate repeat and a demand for us to 'change course and move away from their
security cordon; to this I pointed out that any course other than that which we were already
steering would only take us closer to them.
After a few seconds to consider this, the instruction was changed to 'maintain course and increase your speed to at least 12 knots (we were making perhaps five!) I then suggested that he perhaps didn't know much about sail boats, as the best I could offer was perhaps 6 knots; so perhaps I could speak to someone who did appreciate my conundrum. Another, slightly longer delay until a different voice ordered (loudly) that we 'turn immediately to starboard and move away at least 1000 yards!' I responded by pointing out that perhaps he didn't understand sail boats either as besides our inability to make twelve knots, we'd also got no wheels on the yacht, so as the beach was now less than three hundred feet off our starboard beam, that wasn't going to happen.
A longer silence followed, during which we rolled the
genoa and were now motorsailing just west of south; we crossed over the tunnel and were running along the edge of Hampton Flats when the next call came: 'You now have clear
water to starboard, turn immediately and move away'. I was by now losing patience and suggested that he found a chart and someone aboard who could perhaps read it, as yes there was open
water, but it was only around 5' deep and we draw 6'!
More silence into which I tried to offer something constructive: "Look mate, there are two rivers here, tell me which one you want to go up and I'll steer for the other whilst you get past". That also proved unsuccesful, the reply:'For
security reasons we cannot advise you of our course or destination'.
At that point I'd had enough and settled for advising them that I was going to reduce speed and
motor in circles within the triangle of deep water between the two river channels until they were past and they should feel free to send a ship over to guard us (they did!) whilst they did so.
Perhaps the most ridiculous thing about the whole incident was that having watched them finally overtake us and get themselves onto a berth in the Elizabeth River, we continued on our way to the
ICW and along with every other
boat out there, motored past their bow within 5-600' and didn't hear a murmur on the
VHF.