Samuel Halpern
Member
Why didn't the Titanic's lookouts see the Californian?
- Thread starter Paul Lee
- Start date
Mike Spooner
Member
Another thing to consider is the deterioration of a lookout job. Before the collision of the iceberg the version looking forward as been so what reduce which they have no control over. Temperature dropped to freezing and with the ship speed increasing to 22 knots adding on the wind chill factor that something like 15-18c been blasted into there face. Their concentration will some what deplete by concern keeping themself warm after more than an hour half up there in the crow's nest. Therefore if they can't see a huge iceberg less than a mile away what chance do they have seeing a ship light.
Mike Spooner
Member
I forgot to add the HAZE. As under sworn oath in the British Inquiry lookout man Reginald Lee made the remark about the haze ahead. Who went on to said we had all our work cut out to pierce thought just after we started. Then went on to say. My mate Fleet. Well if can see through that we will be lucky. So can one see a ship light through a thick haze?
The crystal-clear atmospherics that night and the flat calm sea ("like a millpond") can't be stressed enough.
The sky was ablaze with shimmering bright stars right down to the horizon, where the sea appeared to cut them in half. It was that clear.
A ship's light on that horizon would be lost amid the myriad stars, and would be almost indistinguishable from them.
That's why the light wasn't initially noticed. It's not because it wasn't there.
The sky was ablaze with shimmering bright stars right down to the horizon, where the sea appeared to cut them in half. It was that clear.
A ship's light on that horizon would be lost amid the myriad stars, and would be almost indistinguishable from them.
That's why the light wasn't initially noticed. It's not because it wasn't there.
Jason D. Tiller
Member
We've discussed this previously. As Sam Halpern has stated, the so called haze that Fleet allegedly saw was spotted 10 minutes before the impact with the berg. When Titanic had come to a full stop after the collision, the haze mysteriously disappeared - funny how that happened.
Samuel Halpern
Member
Not only that, Fleet testified that he never told Lee anything about being lucky to get through that. The Commission saw right through Lee's fallacious claim about the haze. Some people speculated that the haze was a mirage, but you cannot see a mirage of the sea beyond the horizon because there is insufficient light to create one on a moonless night. Nor could it have been ice blink since the sky was cloudless.
Samuel Halpern
Member
A very good chance. Icebergs don't carry navigation lights.
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Mike Spooner
Member
I saw the fallacious through the Commission to be a no marine expert indeed and never been in a crows nest. I would of thought the right person to ask questions who has some experience as to what those poor lookouts had to put up with. Lawyers live a cushy life when compared to the working condition of lookouts. So do we take the word from a non marine expert or a professional lookout. As we can see there is a different point of view between the two lookouts of the haze. OK I can see this a tricky issue who telling the whole truth where we need other lookouts for their point of view who have had similar experience.
Mike Spooner
Member
If an icebergs are blocking your view how can you see a ship light.
Samuel Halpern
Member
That's not what you had asked. You asked: "if they [the lookouts] can't see a huge iceberg less than a mile away what chance do they have seeing a ship light?" And by the way, the iceberg Titanic struck was not huge. It was a medium sized berg with a peak height of about 70 feet, slightly higher than the boat deck. The crows nest on Titanic was about 90 feet high, and masthead lights of tramp steamers were typically about 90 to 100 feet. Titanic and Olympic's masthead light was about 120 feet above the water.
Mike Spooner
Member
Sam, I have realise I rather drifted on two topic here as not just the one (Why didn't the Titanic lookouts see the Californian) If the ship was 15 miles away and stationary. I have to question is that feasible range to see a ship light and seeing regulation stating that a ship light mask must be 5 miles. But at the same time I can see any form of haze which was present will only reduce there vision to.
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