By now, the rift between the radar map and the actual ship position had
increased to 16 miles, and the ship was coming closer and closer to shore.
With an incorrect interface, all internal checks failing, and the officers of the
watch not corroborating the accuracy of the position data by any other
independent source—the ship was quickly approaching its destiny on Nantucket’s
inner shoals as so many other ships had done in the past. With his
trust in technological marvels, man tends to lose the sense that the ocean is still
something to reckon with. And the cruise ship Royal Majesty, now fully
confused and disoriented, was scudding towards disaster.
At 10 P.M. the captain came to visit the bridge. The second officer told him
that they were inside the traffic lanes, but failed to mention that he actually did
not spot the second (BB) buoy on the radar. Satisfied that the positions marked
on the chart and the position on the radar map matched and showed the vessel
on its intended route along the Boston traffic lanes, the captain left the
darkened bridge and walked slowly down the lighted corridor to his office. He
felt the deliberate and assuring throb of the engines, as if signaling everything
was fair.
Outside, however, things were not all right and starting to deteriorate at a
rapid pace: ‘‘Blue and white water dead ahead,’’ shouted the port lookout as he
noted the change of ocean color, indicating very shallow waters and breaking