Unidentified object observed during daylight by crew of Lake Michigan sailboat.
Sailing due South 4 miles East of Navy Pier area. 15mph West-East wind, clear, unlimited visibility, 2-3 foot waves, 85 degrees. Aboard a 32 foot Beneteau 321 with full roller furling main sail and genoa out, sails over the port side of the boat filled with wind on a broad reach, sailing at approx 4.5 knots 2 crewman aboard in the cockpit. Dead ahead, at an indeterminate altitude, at an indeterminate distance both crew saw what appeared to be a silhouette of an aircraft traversing due West to East across the bow of the boat. The object appeared roughly in the shape of a Cessna 172 or a Blackhawk helicopter. No sound was heard. The object was moving in a generally downward angle and disappeared from view as it passed across the center line of the boat and became obscured by the full Genoa sail. The helm was put hard over to starboard and the boat slid into near irons as both crew searched the sky and water for the object. Nothing was seen in the air in the general vicinity of where the object's path should have taken it or in the water had it continued downward. Both witnesses agreed that what they had seen looked remarkedly like the outline of a small aircraft but without any distinguishing features. It appeared to be a uniform dull light brown or khaki color. If it was a small aircraft then by its size not only should the witness have been able to see distinguishing features but its N number should have been observable. The crew conducted a brief search for debris using unaided eye sight and binoculars and considered issuing a Mayday to local marine law enforcement but decided not to since they could not definitively state that they had witnessed an aircraft or that if it was, that it was in distress. Guessing, based upon the total impressions and information at the time, it was speculated that what had been seen was some form of craft that was using some form of technology that interfered with visual observatio! n. Some sort of technology that reduced the observable contra! st of it s surfaces that would normally be apparent under unaltered observation. Also, there was no form of exhaust or contrail or light associated with the object. It looked like a dull brownish "blob" on a trajectory, no sound, or other distinguishing feature with a kind of trailing "tail" structure attached to what would be like a cockpit area on a Cessna 172. Odd.
Sailing due South 4 miles East of Navy Pier area. 15mph West-East wind, clear, unlimited visibility, 2-3 foot waves, 85 degrees. Aboard a 32 foot Beneteau 321 with full roller furling main sail and genoa out, sails over the port side of the boat filled with wind on a broad reach, sailing at approx 4.5 knots 2 crewman aboard in the cockpit. Dead ahead, at an indeterminate altitude, at an indeterminate distance both crew saw what appeared to be a silhouette of an aircraft traversing due West to East across the bow of the boat. The object appeared roughly in the shape of a Cessna 172 or a Blackhawk helicopter. No sound was heard. The object was moving in a generally downward angle and disappeared from view as it passed across the center line of the boat and became obscured by the full Genoa sail. The helm was put hard over to starboard and the boat slid into near irons as both crew searched the sky and water for the object. Nothing was seen in the air in the general vicinity of where the object's path should have taken it or in the water had it continued downward. Both witnesses agreed that what they had seen looked remarkedly like the outline of a small aircraft but without any distinguishing features. It appeared to be a uniform dull light brown or khaki color. If it was a small aircraft then by its size not only should the witness have been able to see distinguishing features but its N number should have been observable. The crew conducted a brief search for debris using unaided eye sight and binoculars and considered issuing a Mayday to local marine law enforcement but decided not to since they could not definitively state that they had witnessed an aircraft or that if it was, that it was in distress. Guessing, based upon the total impressions and information at the time, it was speculated that what had been seen was some form of craft that was using some form of technology that interfered with visual observatio! n. Some sort of technology that reduced the observable contra! st of it s surfaces that would normally be apparent under unaltered observation. Also, there was no form of exhaust or contrail or light associated with the object. It looked like a dull brownish "blob" on a trajectory, no sound, or other distinguishing feature with a kind of trailing "tail" structure attached to what would be like a cockpit area on a Cessna 172. Odd.
No
No
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No
Off
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No
Chicago
USA
10 seconds
10 seconds
41.88
-87.67
other
IL
Occurred : 7/1/2013 14:00 (Entered as : July 2013 14:00) Reported: 11/25/2015 6:34:34 PM 18:34 Posted: 11/26/2015 Location: Chicago, IL Shape: Other Duration: 10 seconds
Unidentified object observed during daylight by crew of Lake Michigan sailboat.