2006-10-16 - Gloucester, MA - Cone

Orange light hovering over ocean

I was sitting on a rocky coastline very close to the neighboring town of Rockport, MA. I was looking across the ocean, roughly facing the northwest. This happened several months ago, so times are only approximate, but at one point between 9:00 and 10:00 PM I noticed a strange orange light in the sky. I estimate that the object must have been somewhere to the north, based on my position. It was apparently hovering, making slow movements at different angles. It rose in the air and apparently moved along the coast. I observed it for several minutes.

I am certain it was not an airplane. It did not move like an airplane or jet of any kind. The only earthly vehicle I can think of that would have been there at that time would be a Coast Guard helicopter. I concede that this object may indeed have been that, but the reason I have doubt is that while many Coast Guard helicopters are orange in color, this was a lighter shade of orange, and it was distinctly an orange light or glow, not a painted craft. In any case, I was at least one-third to one-half of a mile away. I am only going by a map of the location over which I thought the object might have hovered – due to perspective, it could have been much further away, over open water. Given my distance, and due to the fact that this was at night in an area with very little light, I could not have discerned orange paint on a vehicle. It was hard to tell from my distance, but I think it looked a bit like a funnel or cone pointed down. The light was not blinking. I did not see any searchlight either, which might be expected from a Coast Guard helicopter. I also did not hear any sound coming from that direction, but I concede that I may have been too far away to hear a sound if there was one.

After a few minutes, the object seemed to be slowly approaching my direction, which means it was traveling south or southwest. Not being able to identify it, I began to feel nervous and left the scene immediately. That is all I know. It may well have an earthly explanation, but I could not identify it, so I am calling it a UFO. I am interested in the subject of UFOs, but as far as I can recall, this is the only thing I have seen which might have been one. However I am fully prepared to accept a mundane explanation.