200355 More Trouble at F3

More Trouble at F3
Report No. 200355

Own ship was on a course of 135 degrees with a speed of 19.5 knots and crossing to the South of the F3 buoy. Target vessel was approaching F3 from the Hinder 1 buoy. When I was about 1.5nm from F3, the other vessel, having passed abeam of the light float, altered course to port. An original CPA of 0.8nm was rapidly decreasing. I gave a series of flashes on the Aldis Lamp when the other vessel had closed to about 0.5nm and then started to swing to starboard. As I started this manoeuvre, the other vessel swung rapidly to starboard and subsequently passed astern.

Had the other vessel delayed altering course for just two minutes, own ship would have been past and clear. There were no other vessels close by in the SW Lane.