Tiger Cruise,  USS John C Stennis,  Feb 19, 2012 - Feb 27, 2012     page 66 / 166

Later that afternoon the USS Rainer pulled alongside. She is a tanker from which we would receive more jet fuel. In the photo below Steve explains that the line on the deck is marked every 20 feet by a colored flag. This line is suspended between the ships. Several sailors will maintain tension on the line, giving the bridge a quick reference of the distance between ships. Desired distance for this operation is 180 feet. Given the size of these ships, 180 feet seemed quite close!