A doctored up 1976 Photo

No fishing boats appeared. As I look towards the starboard side, something caught my eye, there was something  along side the ship, it appear to be stationary, and it's glow was of a pail blue fluorescent's and had a configuration of a dome,  the ship was moving passed it. I was amazed and it took me a minute to recoup, the only thing that popped into my mine was to yell "Flying Saucer off the starboard side".

The whole watch headed for the starboard side with no one steering the ship, they sure wanted to get a look at it, but it disappeared just that quick. The only other person to see it was the fantail watch, and he stated a couple of days later, "I'm not going to say anything, didn't want the crew to think I was nuts". But he continued, the thing went straight up at a fast rate of speed, divided into three balls of light and then disappeared. The Captain was then called out, he questioned me and stated there have been numerable sightings over the years, but could not explain this strange occurrence and neither could I. A few days later, I had a conversation with a quartermaster in his cabin above the bridge who stated he saw the same thing on a different occasion, he appeared serious, I didn't take it any further.

I have had repeated thoughts over the years about this strange event and believe there are sailors who have crossed over and come back ever so often just to check us out and witness the progress in the change of speeds and styles of ships and the sailors who served aboard them. You think maybe they desire to sail once again upon these ships, especially when they see their old ships still afloat, I often wonder, how about you?

A few things come to mind. 

1)  The ship is never really dark.  Too many lights on the ship, so everything else is darker, but it does affect your night vision.
2)  Flood lights are not so fishing boats can see you.  That is what running lights are for.  Port and Starboard side and masthead.
3)  Any flood lights up forward would affect the quality of your vision.
4)  The statement of "flourescents sparkles" sounds like luminesence in the water. I have had some experience with thatwhile  sailing off the coast of S. California and N. Mexico. I was looking to port (from the sailboat) and it looked like an underwater explosion.  About what you'd expect a hand grenade would make, but lots of blue light.  A large fish had been cruising towards us and when he saw our hull did a 180 in an instant, causing the light.
5)  If it was a luminescent night (caused by micro organisms in the water) this experience could have been caused by a huge school of bait fish.  If they were being chased by large predators like tuna it could cause enough excitement in the school to light up the sea.
6)  Discovery Channel is having a special on "Blue Planet: Seas of Life" this week.  I watched one of the episodes yesterday and they showed the kind of schooling and feeding frenzy I mentioned above.  Of course they didn't have the luminescence part on film.

Anyway, that is the most probable explaination..... since he mentioned the luminesence.I wish I had seen it.  I used to love sailing nights off the coast when the luminescence was present, which was often.

 Tom Sparkman