Flying Saucers and Sailing

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by karlhead

I would like to share with everyone what I didn't see while about halfway from Galveston to Key West. It was about 0200, absolutely clear, slight breeze, seas negligible and a 1/4 moon. Millions of stars out. I was sitting there steering with my foot watching the stars when they started to disappear. Imagine holding a softball at arms length and moving it slowly across the sky blocking out the stars. No lights, no sound, no nothing. All I could see was a blank space in the sky where the stars were supposed to be. All in all it lasted about 5 minutes. This happened in 1976.

And then you realised you'd 'zoned out' on the radar reflector...?

[karlhead]

Originally Posted by boatman61

And then you realised you'd 'zoned out' on the radar reflector...?

Over the years I have often thought about it. I was heading more or less southeast and it appeared that what whatever it was was heading more southerly. It was in late March so it possibly could have been migrating birds but the "circle" of nothing stayed spherical the whole time. And my radar reflector was on top of the main mast not off of the port quarter.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by karlhead

Over the years I have often thought about it. I was heading more or less southeast and it appeared that what whatever it was was heading more southerly. It was in late March so it possibly could have been migrating birds but the "circle" of nothing stayed spherical the whole time. And my radar reflector was on top of the main mast not off of the port quarter.

Sorry.. that was self directed humour.. I have a habit off 'Zoning Out' sailing at night in nice conditions when something suddenly strkes me as wierd... then I snap out and realise its something natural...
But thats not to say thats every time... spooky stuff up there... great innit

[anotherT34C]

Originally Posted by karlhead

Over the years I have often thought about it. I was heading more or less southeast and it appeared that what whatever it was was heading more southerly. It was in late March so it possibly could have been migrating birds but the "circle" of nothing stayed spherical the whole time. And my radar reflector was on top of the main mast not off of the port quarter.

Not having been there, my guess would be an escaped party balloon or tied together collection of balloons.

Knowing what I do about physics, space travel, and computing, I'd ask why a species would ever bother to go to the trouble to actually explore with spacecraft, when they could likely more easily simulate the parameters of their evolving universe, and "explore" the simulation.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by anotherT34C

Not having been there, my guess would be an escaped party balloon or tied together collection of balloons.

Knowing what I do about physics, space travel, and computing, I'd ask why a species would ever bother to go to the trouble to actually explore with spacecraft, when they could likely more easily simulate the parameters of their evolving universe, and "explore" the simulation.

Is this why sailing is in decline... actually exploring is to much bother
Could it be there's gonna be a load of folks sitting in their rooms.... chock full of holograms and sailing the Pacific with Bligh... riding out hurricanes in a gyroscopically controled chair behind a wheel...
Be like bull riding in a bar..
I know many kids do a lot of 'War & Gore' that way at Play Stations etc.. keeps em outa trouble
One day... very likely as risk taking gets more PinC..

[virginia boy]

I LOVE aliens! They taste like chicken.

[anotherT34C]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Is this why sailing is in decline... actually exploring is to much bother
Could it be there's gonna be a load of folks sitting in their rooms.... chock full of holograms and sailing the Pacific with Bligh... riding out hurricanes in a gyroscopically controled chair behind a wheel...
Be like bull riding in a bar..
I know many kids do a lot of 'War & Gore' that way at Play Stations etc.. keeps em outa trouble
One day... very likely as risk taking gets more PinC..

If (when!) it gets to the point where you can't tell the difference, probably. And why not?