Where in the world are we?

Or, how to track our location...

Thanks to the addition of an Automatic Identification System (AIS) to our boat, you can now sit on a perfectly flat surface and find out exactly where we are rocking and rolling.

The system was designed to pool locations of vessels traveling in similar geographic areas so they'll be aware of potential traffic hazards. Accessing detailed information on all large ships (name, size, destination, heading, speed and GPS coordinates) is more than just a diversion to pass the time on watch; the system computes how far away a ship will be when it passes ours, and how long it will take to arrive at that closest point. Since the AIS can "see" farther than radar, there's plenty of time for both vessels to make minor course adjustments if necessary to create a safer passing distance. 

Though it's no substitute for vigilance, our AIS has already proven itself to be very useful. But the fun part of it is the side benefit: all you have to do is go to http://www.vesselfinder.com/?mmsi=367525340, and a map will appear showing our location! You'll know exactly where in the world we are.

The AIS screen at night (this vessel is definitely not a threat!)