Captron, I believe that the key is the original statement that the accident occurred "about 1.5 miles west of the Chesapeake City Bridge". If that's the case, then they were in the Elk River which isn't lit. That said, the first time that I transited the Canal (in '77), we were in the lit part and at about 2100, I looked behind me and saw a red light REALLY high. It took a few moments to realize that it wasn't a
radio tower, but a ship. If the running
lights on the barge were high, it could have been difficult to discern them. Not an excuse, but perhaps an explanation.