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strange Phenomenon that we've seen at sea

31K views 68 replies 49 participants last post by  stphnwaldron 
#1 · (Edited)
While at sea, some of us have seen what could be described as strange Phenomenon at sea.
The green flash at sunset. Yes I've seen it about nine times over the years.
Requires clear air for it to happen. So looking toward a smog hazed horizon, it won't happen.

Water Spouts. In one afternoon saw six of them just east of the delta in the GOM.

Bright green flare (?). In the sea of Cortez seen one. vertically descending. Must have been a meteor.

Dolphins & Porpoises many times. Assorted species.

Sea turtles and a Sun Fish (a Moa). The Sun fish's upper fin looked like a large plank sticking out of the water, until we got close enough to view it in its glory.

Spinning shark. Once in the GOM

A Buoy floating in the middle of the atlantic Ocean. No idea what harbor it once guarded or came from.

Had a crewman report a fire on the horizon. If he had waited a few minutes he would have seen the upper limb of the moon come above the clouds. At that low altitude it appears fire red through the clouds due to smog.

A pod of Orcas feeding on the discards from the fishing vessel that I've captained in the Bering sea. Now that was something.

So what did all of you have seen out there?
 
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#65 ·
Long ways to the ocean ice to the north east. A noticeable lightening on the horizon. Got yellow, brighter. a roundish bump on the horizon. Rising slowly into a round topped ,tall stemed mushroom bigger and bigger, very bright. Thinking nuclear explosion in Russia, over the top of the world. Got my attention for sure. Finally popped into a single full moon. Darn ,that was the best Fatima Morgana ever, and Ive seen a lot of them
 
#66 ·
that that reminds me back in 1980 I was on the boat headed south it was early in the morning like perhaps 8 or maybe 9 and I saw a gigantic mushroom cloud in the south I called the Coast Guard really Seattle traffic and ask them if there was anything reported they called me back and said that no reports when I got into Gig Harbor the word was Mount Helens had erupted
 
#67 ·
I remember that morning. I was climbing/hiking above Nit Nat .Incredible explosions going on and on. Figured it had to be the US navy practicing depth bombing in the Straights.This was about the same time a US navy Zod had come in close to machine gun logs on the beach much to the amusement of local hikers on shore,,so not such an unrealistic assumption.
As to my earlier comment #65,what had me going was that my Morgana was rising over the north ice cap .I was about 71 north so just over the hump from Russia.
 
#69 ·
Our Destroyer (DDG 24 Waddell) was "Moby Dicked" by a whale off the coast of California in the 1970's. The whale DELIBERATELY rammed the ship "head-on".

During a Naval Wargame exercise, our captain ordered sonar to begin active "pinging" (a search) for a counter-force sub believed to be somewhere in the vicinity. Sonar advised the captain there were multiple biological noises a couple of miles ahead indicating a pod of whales, and under Peacetime Policy the sonar could not be "turned on" (as it could injure marine mammals, even kill them).

(IMHO) It's fair to say at that point, the captain suffered a complete mental breakdown. Screaming, cussing and threats ensued, and regrettably the sonar operator complied with the order. Moments later, a large whale turned back from the pod and rammed our boat head-on disabling the sonar at the cost of its' own life. Damage to the bow was extensive and the sonar array completely destroyed.

The incident was of course "Covered-Up" by the Navy. The official story was the Waddell struck an already dead whale floating in the water. The crew was split up and reassigned to other ships and the Waddell was decommissioned and sold to the Greek navy. But we know what really happened.
 
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