Hey Gail,

Please don't consider a source like Marinetraffic.com to be anything remotely akin to a 'substitute' for AIS... There is a whole host of problems with the way in which that information is reported, and displayed...

Much of it is not in real time, I suppose it is better than nothing, but treating such information as accurate could really get one in trouble...

Check out their FAQ page for more info, especially the last one:

Can the web-published information be used to enhance safety at sea?

This is not the intention of this system. Data provided can only be used by Internet users for informational reasons only and they are by no means related to safety of navigation. Information provided may be incomplete, obsolete or contain errors and cannot substitute the on-board safety equipment and of course the good seamanship.

http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/faq.aspx?level1=160

C'mon, surely you cannot have forgotten how rarely SEQUEL ever actually showed up on Marinetraffic.com, no? LMAO!

best regards,

Jon