Jessica Watson - collision mystery
by Nancy Knudsen on 12 Sep 2009
Why did it happen? Only Jessica has the answer BW Media
Sadly, 16-year-old Jessica Watson's collision with a ship at sea in a shipping lane is just ordinary inexperience and miscalculation .
She could have read my series in Sail-World Cruising (search on Sail-World Container Ships (exact search), or, indeed any of a number of such articles in other publications by more worthy writers than I.[...and see letters, several from merchant seamen at the end of this article]
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) and possibly the Australian Marine Safety Authority (AMSA) are investigating the collision. However, according to Jessica's father, her AIS was operational and turned on, and her motor must have been in working order, because immediately after the incident she motored back to a port. If she didn't sleep through it, the AIS would have made her aware of it in good time. She therefore had the capacity to turn away, and, at a speed of probably 5 knots, get the hell out of there!
Why didn't she do it? In due course, the ATSB either will, or will not, tell us. In the meantime, there are several issues.
Was it 'hit-and-run'?
A ship such as the 63,000 tonne Silver Yang in the normal course of events would feel nothing and know nothing until they found some paint on their hull at the next port. While the comment of Jessica's overwrought father is understandable, the whereabouts of all ships are so well known in Australian waters that this can be discounted. Based on previous experiences, they would not have known until contacted by the authorities.
Contacting the Ship:
It was also reported that she tried to contact the bridge of the ship, but could find no-one who could speak English. Recently yachts are having much more success contacting ships when they know the name from the yacht's AIS system, but this still does not guarantee cooperation. Sometimes also, it takes so long to get a reply from ships one must wonder whether the single crew on watch must have slipped away for a coffee. Not desirable information, but factual.
Ability of the ship to veer:
Even had she been able to find someone who spoke English, she obviously didn't realise that a 163,000 tonne ship such as the Silver Yang would take about 5 nautical miles to make any effective change to its course – even if it was willing to, which would take the authority of a senior officer. After five years of having and listening to ship conversations during my own recent circumnavigation, they do NOT 'wake de Cap'n' - that's if they have enough English to understand and reply to you.
The AIS:
The AIS is a great boon to the leisure sailor. However, the AIS, as we have seen in Jessica's case, is not a guarantee against a collision. Indeed, a constant 24 hour watch still needs to be kept because vessels under 300 tonnes are not required to carry an AIS, fishing boats are quite a hazard up to 100 miles from shore, and naval ships do not broadcast their position for security reasons. Jessica also had an EchoMax Radar on board, which should have enabled the ship to see her, not that that would help if the ship was unable to turn in time.
Will you be Seen? No!
Aside from personal experience, where it has taken a ship a good 15 minutes to detect our radar blip just four miles distant and NO hope of seeing our yacht visually, it is not hard to understand why those on a bridge at sea will probably not see a yacht, whether it be day or night, and that's even if they are paying close attention. I go into all these reasons in detail in 'Container Ships and the Cruising Sailor', and they are many and varied: the difference in height between the ship and yacht, containers blocking the view from the bridge, the angle of heel of the yacht, the difficulty of detecting a yacht among white horses, salt spray on the tricolour glass. These are just a few.
The point is, like it or not, the leisure sailor needs to take 100% of the responsibility for avoidance of a ship at sea.
Whether you are using an AIS or detect a ship by radar or sight, the process is the same. Once established that you are on a collision or near-collision course and while there is still plenty of time (which is an easy process), you take direct evasive action, no matter what it costs in terms of direction or the daily run count.
The skipper who keeps a good watch, calculates the possibility of collision as soon as possible and makes a few sensible decisions, need come to no harm from ships while ever they have a working engine.
It's not a matter of justice, just survival, and hopefully Jessica will now take that knowledge with her on her circumnavigation.
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Letters from Readers:
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Sender: Dave parker
Message: Having experienced two near misses (one in Bass Strait at 3am during a winter storm and one off Nth Straddy at 8 am in fair weather) I can easily say that the cruising yachtie needs to forget the rules of the road and simply stay out of the way of the big guys.
The big fellas dont always see you and when they do, they cant manouver. Let the big guy 'stand on' and alter your own course. Thats the simple and most affective way of staying alive.
We also have to remember that COLREG's provides no 'right of way'. We have no right to 'stand on' (hold course). And, unlike the rules of the real roads both vessels are responsible for preventing a collision.
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Sender: Joanne Sandstrom
Message:
The law of gravity has a corollary at sea: the law of gross tonnage. During our two circumnavigations, we considered this the first law of the sea. Doesn't matter whether you're dead right if you're dead.
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Sender: Captain Steve Beckwith
Message: An amazing experience, especially given that this young sailor lived to tell the story. Most have not survived such encounters.
However, with regards 'Rules of the Road' and 'right of way' after all other rules are exhausted the following two rules are paramount:
'The vessel most easily maneuvered shall give way.'
'Any vessel that has an opportunity to avoid a collision, regardless of 'right of way', shall take that opportunity and avoid the collision.'
There is no excuse whatsoever for maintaining a course to the point of collision. The fact that this young skipper spent valuable time trying to radio a fully laden tanker and get them to change course for a 34 foot sail boat speaks to a significant and dangerous gap in her preparation and qualifications.
Some may find this a harsh commentary. But there is nothing more harsh and unforgiving than the realities of Nature, the sea and the need for good judgment.
All in all, this was a very lucky lesson.
Vigilance then avoidance.
I wish her well as her voyage continues.
Captain Steve Beckwith
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Sender: Greg Massey
Message: If she repeatly tried to call the ship and knew there was going to be a collison - THEN WHY DIDN'T SHE TRY AND AVOID IT LIKE THE RULES SAY!!!!!!!
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Sender: David Ingram
Message: Hi Nancy, Has anyone asked this girl why she was unable to alter her own course? Was an autopilot an immovable obstacle to independant action or was self-mesmerism involved?
But the habits of local sailors in the approaches to Brisbane are not unknown to you, as I recall.
take good care, David
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Sender: Richard McBride
Message: Bad luck? No, bad management and inexperience!
Apparently she saw the ship and called it on the radio but it didn't answer. Now even the most basic seamanship dictates that you take a quick bearing on the approaching ship, (across a stanchion or through a stay or shroud) and if it does
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