NUFORC UFO Sighting 24446
Occurred: 2002-08-14 02:58 Local
Reported: 2002-08-14 13:08 Pacific
Duration: 10-13 seconds
No of observers: 2

Location: Atlantic Ocean (between Nassau, Bahamas, and Florida), FL, Bahamas/USA

Shape: Orb
Characteristics: Lights on object

Satellite-like object seen manuvering S-turns over Atlantic ocean near Nassau, Bahamas.

While retrning to Ft. Lauderdale Florida aboard the SS Oceanbreez cruise ship on a 2 night cruise to Nassau, I was laying on reclining chairs watching the meteor shower at just before 3 am. As I was talking with a friend I had met on board when she pointed to the sky and sat up saying,"What is that?" I followed a light about the brightness and size of a star that appeared to be a satellite because of its steady and unvarying course. Just as I was about to tell her it was a sattelite, the object stopped and made a 90 degree S-turn to the Southwest- We were heading Northwest. Then the object returned the other direction towards the Northeast and then back to the North until it faded out of view. The sky was very clear directly above our heads where we observed the object, but I can't be certain if it just disappeared into the mist of the clouds near the Northern section of sky or just faded by the sudden increase in distance. In all, my time seeing the object was between 10-12 seconds, but the friend I was with said she observed it moving in a little circle just before she called my attention to it. The friend I was with holds a Masters degree in Psychology and I myself am a pilot. This created a spectial interest to me because while trying to explain what we experienced, I know it could not have been any aircraft known to the public at this time. I've seen the best of fighter jets and they don't maneuver with such smooth and sudden turns and with no sound. As far as I know as well, satellites do not make 90 degree turns in their orbit. We considered the possibility of a bird, but this object was illuminated, with a white possible slightly red tinted light which was steady until it dissapeared. I waited another 45 minutes, but nothing was observed a second time.

Posted 2002-08-16