Two ships in the night

Dan Kohn (dan@teledesic.com)
Tue, 25 Feb 1997 08:52:08 -0800


This is a transcript of an actual radio conversation between a US Naval Ship
and Canadian authorities off the coast of Newfoundland on October 1995:

US SHIP: Please divert your course 0.5 degrees to the south to avoid a
collision.

CANADIAN REPLY: Recommend you divert YOUR course 15 degrees to the
South to avoid a collision.

US SHIP: This is the captain of the US Navy Ship. I say again, divert
YOUR course.

CANADIAN REPLY: No, I say again, divert YOUR course!

US SHIP: THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS MISSOURI. WE ARE A LARGE
WARSHIP OF THE US NAVY. DIVERT YOUR COURSE NOW!!!

CANADIAN REPLY: This is a lighthouse. Your call.