Out on blue water, most collision worries don’t arrive with fireworks. They start as a speck where there shouldn’t be one, a light that holds its place a little too long, or a radar echo that refuses to slide off the screen the way it ought to.
The sea gives you time if you take it early. A steady look outside, a quick bearing check, a sensible plot, and a quiet habit of asking, “Is this getting better or worse?” goes a long way. The trick is making your move plain enough that the other fellow can read it, even if his watch is thin or his coffee’s gone cold.
And yes, the rules are written in proper language, but they’re lived in spray, glare, and fatigue. Keep it simple, keep it clear, and don’t be shy about making room while you still have plenty of it.