Ridgee Didge AIS Alarm

While negotiating the Gladstone outer harbour 'parking lot' we counted 41 AIS targets. All commercial shipping is required to transmit an Automatic Identification Signal (AIS). This signal is used to assess closest points of contact and closing speeds. Essentially it's a system to help prevent collisions at sea. Although it's not compulsory for yachts, we do have an AIS transmitter and it's been handy on more than a few occasions. With over 41 vessels within out 35nm radius there's plenty to be watching out for. Presumably all this shipping was waiting to have their gaping holds filled with our export coal.


All the ships appeared stationary until one target in the list caught our eye. It was moving at 7-8knots and only 3.5 nm away. Scanning the horizon we were convinced this vessel should have been visible. Perhaps it's shape was being obscured by a nearby stationary bulk carrier. What was going on?

We checked the vessel list again, sorted this time by speed, then once again by distance from our position. The map/graphical representation wasn't being obvious other than this vessel would not be pointing into wind like the stationary ships. OK time to check the detail of this "RIDGE....".- the vessel list shows a limited number of characters.

 Anchored. Luckily for us.

The full name was RIDGEE DIDGE. It dawned on us that this was hardly the name of a tanker/bulk carrier. They are generally something grand like 'Phoenix Ocean', 'Pacific Star' and such.

 

No wonder it was hard to spot on the horizon, the list detail revealed that Ridgee Didge was a sailing vessel, just like us!