Published in Legion Magazine
January/February 2010
On one foggy day in May 1989 when I was sailing aboard HMCS Porte St Loius, we were sailing in formation with the Porte St Jean about 500 yards behind us. I was on lifebuoy sentry duty and heard the following transmission come across my Personal Radio Communicator (PRC):
“Lifebuoy sentry, this is the Bridge, over.” I acknowledged the transmission and was told that a large tanker had been spotted on radar, astern of our position and closing. I was to keep an eye out for it and report when I saw it.
Five or ten minutes later, I heard once again over the PRC, “Lifebuoy sentry, this is the Bridge, over.”
I acknowledged and the person on the other end asked me if I could see the tanker. I replied, “Negative.” “Are you sure you can’t see it,” the voice asked, somewhat exasperated, “It’s right behind us?” I replied, somewhat insulted that they were implying that I was blind, “Negative, all I can see behind me is the Jean!” There was no reply from the bridge after this.
Then it dawned on me; the person that I had been talking to was a woman. We didn’t have any women on our bridge crew. But Porte St. Jean did! Just then, I turned towards the bridge and saw the Yeoman of Signals walking towards me on the starboard bridge-wing, laughing. I asked him, already knowing what he was going to say, “Who was I talking to?” The Yeoman replied, “The Jean.”
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