Which is why sailing one in the North Atlantic in January seems a wee bit ill advised.
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I did not mean to imply that the ship was in danger of capsizing. What I do think is that walls of windows and glass doors extending a hundred feet up from the waterline are liable to leak in this sort of weather.
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…also applies to ‘The Poseidon Adventure’.
The QE2 was hit straight-on by a 30m wave (and shortly after by a 25m wave) in mid-Atlantic during 1995. She lost part of a mast and there were no injuries. She was probably the last true ocean liner and we won’t see her like again.
More terrifyingly, in 1942, the Queen Mary was hit side-on by a 30m rogue wave off the coast of Scotland. She rolled more than 50 degrees before righting herself. At the time she was carrying more than 16 thousand US servicemen and women.
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“This sort of weather” is the key. These things sail through heavy rain and big waves without a hiccup all the time, so apparently they sailed into conditions beyond design tolerances. My guess is that door seals were compromised by ice, so that water on deck that would normally just drain away found its way inside. I’d be surprised if any windows leaked.
In any case, despite appearances these ships are far, far more substantial than barges suitable for coastal puttering.
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I think that there are probably some main braces that need shivering and some yard arms yards that need raise, and some decks that need pooping too.
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I’m surprised that more of the furniture isn’t bolted down. That’s a recipe for injuries in rough seas.
I came to the conclusion ages ago that it would take a significant sum of money being paid to me (on the order of 7-digits) before I will ever set foot on a cruise ship. If I want to vomit, I’ll pay for a ride on the vomit comet.
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One cannot have a perilous adventure without peril. The ship seemed to weather the storm admirably. As for the decision, I’d be interested in hearing from the captain.
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tourists.
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Right? Who could ever foresee the chaos caused by stormy weather? There’s one where a piano goes sliding through the room. That’s Loony Toons-level incompetence right there.
Seeing all the outdoor furniture heaped up in the first video almost made me wish I was back in the commercial furniture industry. You know they lost a lot of it overboard.
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Probably just ran down from the upper decks. The wind looks strong enough to force water through the door seals.
Nope. Not going to fly. As Captain he is where the buck stops so even with an order to sail into the storm the answer should have been no.
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Oh stuff it. Going for a winter cruise on the North Atlantic, and then complaining bitterly that there was a storm, and items had the audacity to move about, is the single most concise expression I have ever seen of why the common tourist is an universally despised creature, and rightfully so.
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Armed with that new knowledge, I will now set out for the high seas!
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I agree with this sentiment, just not a fucking boat.
I was on a Solent ferry the day that one of big SRN hovercraft got flipped. That was quite rough.
http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1972/mar/06/hovercraft-accident Is one of the few contemporary bits of news I can find.
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Theyre designed not to. Ever see the keel on one of those? It’s just a big old ballast filled dong. On a deep, wide draft for stability.
Probably that ships are weird. Standing still in a storm is deadly barring really specific circumstance. Circumstances involving multiple anchors and being able to keep the bow pointed into the wind/waves. And preferably a safe harbor (but away from dockage).
If you can’t get away from a storm. Or get around it. Going through it is often much safer because it keeps you in control of the boat, you can still steer it. Making sure the bow, not the sides, takes waves. And avoiding situations that have the wind capsizing you.
Situations not the same for small boats. Where avoidance is critical.
And that may not have been the right decision here. But it’s probably what they were thinking.
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winter north atlantic gets its own special load line.
Here’s footage of the north sea
and here’s a proper ocean liner in a storm
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Waves as high as 51 feet were observed in Nova Scotia, though the waves that affected the Norwegian Breakaway were likely far lower in height, closer to 15 to 30 feet.
Ok. 15 ft is force 7. 30 ft is force 9. And 51 ft is force 11-12.
15-30 ft waves are a fact of life.
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