A stray shaft of moonlight pierced the cloud cover, in the final stages of Stargazer's overnight arrival. Revealing two glowing white figures staring to seaward, from the port de plaisance pierhead.
Providing firm visual confirmation, that the particular flashes of red and green, which Stargazer's skipper had focussed upon, did indeed delimit the gap, in the inner breakwater, which forms the entrance.
It was the final element of our preferred (particularly when headed into a darkness known to contain solid walls) four point check: Plotter position; predicted bearing to lights or landmarks; visual confirmation of those lights and landmarks; interrogation, and reconciliation, of anomalous sightings.
The AIS overlay is a skipper's guardian angel, especially after nightfall, in permitting the same process to be followed for moving (shipping) targets.
Affording, to all, the type of overview which was once the sole preserve of those in the Port Control eyrie.
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