jim miklaszewski is in those waters tonight, getting a chance to see life onboard a u.s. carrier, the "u.s.s. abram linco lincoln" where he got a closeup view of some potentially dangerous close encounters. >> reporter: it was daybreak as the u.s. aircraft carrier abraham lincoln got under way, led by a midestroyer and a misse cruiser, high-powered protection, the carriers run through the strait of hormuz. as expected, the iranian military came out for a look. an f-27 plane makes a leisurely prass. shortly after, the bridge on the lincoln crackled to life. >> looks like he's out two miles. >> reporter: an iranian patrol boat was closing in fast. within two miles of the carrier, iranian boat finally backed off. lincoln's commander, captain john alexander says his biggest worry is that incidents like this could eventually lead to a fatal miscalculation. >> they have the ability to take a shot at me at some point and that's what i worry about. >> reporter: it's a legitimate don certain. we've now entered the most dangerous stretch of waters here for the american forces. just beyond that horizon is the