On 4/14/24, the Bahamian car carrier, "Onyx Arrow", was about 3/4-mile offshore and arriving from Long Beach, California. (I use the "Marine Traffic" iPhone app to identify ships within our view.)

I took these pics from our apartment through rainy mist at about 10:08 AM. A pilot boat (yellow and black) approached the ship's starboard side, heading astern. After the boat reversed course and matched the ship's forward speed, the boat's skipper maneuvered to a ship's ladder, up which the pilot climbed.  

At 2:40 PM, I watched the Onyx Arrow leaving for Omaezaki, Japan. A quick dump of cars!

Gear used: Fujifilm X-T4 camera, XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 lens, and Lightroom Classic (crop, decrease haze, and add clarity, sharpness and watermarks). 

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Pilot
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Pilot

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