The wind is ESE, and a sailing vessel is steering NW. What fog signal should she sound?

When a sailing vessel is navigating in conditions of reduced visibility, such as fog, it must use sound signals to communicate its presence and movements to other nearby vessels. The specific signal to be used is determined by the vessel's heading and the direction of the wind.

In this case, the vessel is steering northwest (NW) and the wind is coming from the east-southeast (ESE). According to the sound signaling rules in the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs), a vessel that is under sail and is also maneuvering can use a prolonged blast followed by two short blasts, especially when it is uncertain of other vessels' actions or when it wants to indicate its presence clearly.

The sound signal of one prolonged blast followed by two short blasts at two-minute intervals is designed to alert other vessels that there is a sailing vessel in the area, indicating its position and direction. This signal is effective for vessels that are operating under sail while also considering the environmental factors, such as wind direction.

The other options consist of shorter blasts or different patterns that do not adequately convey the necessary information about the sailing vessel’s status and intentions in reduced visibility. Thus, the chosen signal is the most appropriate and conforms to maritime signaling regulations for