The seas crested over 10 feet, and wind was building again past 30 knots, but scallop fishermen still worked 50 miles offshore, the names of their boats glowing bravely on an electronic plotter: Saga, Determination, Stephanie Vaughn, Lucky Danny.
On the bridge of the Coast Guard cutter Vigorous, crew members could see the names of other vessels that sped past to the west — the cargo container ships Shima and Furth, cutting tracks into and out from New Jersey's port terminals, their positions relayed by satellite to the Coast Guard's Automatic Identification System.
"Let's try to handle him from here. That way if the visibility goes down, it's no problem," said Cmdr. Brendan McPherson, the captain of the Vigorous.
He looked out at mist and showers racing between the cutter and the first fishing vessel it approached, a 93-footer from New Bedford, Mass., called Courageous, rolling in the big seas.
Read the complete story at The Courier Post Online.