We came down from the Pender Harbour Area last week and up the Fraser River. In doing so I have to cross the Vessel Traffic Separation lanes. It's a busy place with cruisers crossing your path back and forth to the Gulf Islands and a mass of recreational fishing boats off Sandheads. So...
There's this sailboat travelling in the wrong direction in one of the Traffic Separation Lanes. We are both transceiving AIS. We are the stand-on vessel and the bearing vectors suggest a collision situation, the radar suggests a collision situation and my view from the window suggests this as well. So I hail the guy...on 16 and then 9 and then 6. Nothing! Geez! So I change course and pass him on his stern. The vessel is flying a French flag!Meanwhile, I'm not the only kid on the block. There's a container ship bearing down on him. So I get on the Blower to VTS and inform them that they should me mindful of him as he does not respond on the VHS. VTS hails him on the VTS channel, then 16 with no luck, so they advise the Pilot on the container ship. The ship had been monitoring him as well and had to make a move.
The amazing thing is that guy travelled all the way from France without being plowed!
Small fishing boats off the Lightstation (11 o'clock on the 0.75 nm range ring):
Jim