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to reporting all objects behind the ship, the after
lookout is responsible for throwing overboard a
lifebuoy promptly when a person falls over the side.
When you are on lookout watch, always report
everything you see or hear. Trash in the water may seem
unimportant to you, but it may indicate a vessel has
passed that way. In wartime, such a disclosure could
lead to the sinking of the vessel. Discolored water may
mean the ship is entering a shoal area. The OOD will
never reprimand you for reporting objects, but you will
surely be reprimanded if you do not report them. Never
let the OOD spot something before you do.
A special watch, called the fog lookout, is stationed
as far forward in the ship as possible during fog or
other conditions of poor visibility. The fog lookout
watch consists of two people. One person wears sound-
powered (S/P) phones for communication with the
bridge; the other looks and listens.
You often can hear sounds at night without seeing
their source. Usually you can determine the bearing
of the sound and, sometimes, an estimate of its
distance. When in a fog, however, sound sources are
difficult to determine, because the sound may seem to
come from several different directions. For this reason
you must be especially vigilant in fog. Report all
sounds, and do your utmost to determine their
direction.
Lookout Duties and Responsibilities
As a lookout, your primary responsibility is
sighting, identifying, and accurately reporting to the
responsible authority all objects. To carry out this
responsibility effectively, you must do the following:
1. Use correct scanning procedures.
2. Sight and report everything observed in your
sector. A normal tendency is to hesitate until you are
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