Dodging freighters is a common hazard when sailing on the Great Lakes, especially at night in Lake Huron during the Port Huron to Mackinac Island Race, particularly in the Straits of Mackinac. I recall crossing in front of a freighter so close that we surfed down her bow wave while the crew of the freighter looked over her rail to see if there were any survivors from that yacht of fools.
Yes indeed, that is a lesson I have only had to learn once, thank goodness. When unable for whatever reason to determine a good relative bearing never again have I thought: “...Well, it sure doesn’t SEEM to be going terribly fast!”