@ Phil and others
I had a 2.Officer on the bridge, I caught him in the english channel to make the port maneuver, it is clearly stated in the COLREGS not to do it "SHALL NOT" . He did it anyhow. When asked and referred to the paragraph in the COLREGS he did no give a answer, after asking closer his answer : I did not involve myself yet with those regulations too much !!!!!
Another 2.Officer, whom I asked when sailing down from Montevideo to the Magellan Strait and the daylight got everyday longer I asked him why that is so. No answer. Then I took the Nautical almanac and showed him
for example in march that on 1 day at a certain hour the declination (Lattitude) was 00-01-0 N and 1 hr later 00-02-0 S and what happened in that hour, his answer : The sun went over the North pol.
And yes,,it is pure luck that we don,t have more accidents and in congested areas (English Channel/ Strait of Gibraltar / Malakka Strait and so on only not because all is tracked by land stations and someone plays not along is called on VHF.
It is today standard that officers on the bridge,,10-12 miles apart and on a head on course with another vessel calling the other vessel and asking what the intention is. AS per COLREG it is clear,, both vssels changing course to their stb side and make a clear red on red pass. My guess is 40-50 % they change the rules and pass green/green or as I witnessed in the NorthSea years back they agreed to pass green to red !!!!!! Now that was fun to hear the outcome on VHF when one realized that Green on red does not work !!!
It,s the wild WEST out there!!!!