One of the best parts of around-the-clock shifts is the night sights that are only visible if you are on watch after the sun sets.

On a recent boat relocation near Miami, we  saw gorgeous lightning in thunderstorms that were fortunately not directly above us,

some bioluminescent dinoflagelates, tiny organisms that lit up the wake (no photo came out unfortunately), cruise ships ablaze with light but not life along with tankers, all swinging on their anchors just beyond the Miami shipping lanes and the amazing colors of the Miami Beach skyline from the Atlantic side.

Most of our other trips in this area have either been during the day or in the ICW so this was an amazing sight.

There is a calm at night on the water, a quiet peace that is shared by the two people on watch.  It is unrivaled by any other experience and while it demands a certain kind of cooperative weather and open waters to be ideal, it is worth the extra watchfulness that is required to ensure the safety of the craft and its crew.