But then..

..that means that we get to play with radar! Which of course, is awesome.

I'd seen the whole green-glowing display in the movies and on TV, and hell, I even know how it works, but I'd never actually played with it before. Or *ahem,* checked it in a professional and seamanlike manner.

Anyway, just like in the movies, there's a like circular screen with the brig represented in the middle by a white blotch, and a fuzzy line radiating out of it that sweeps around (clockwise?) pick up other boats, or "contacts." If anything is found up, you get to run to the quarterdeck and say something sweet, like "Contact bearing zero-three-zero at three-zero miles."

At which point the Officer of the Watch says "No, that's a building ashore." And then you feel like a doofus.