Respect to those aboard the Balmoral

[glojo]

Hi everyone

I was taking snapshots of this latest storm that has battered the coast of the south of England over the last 24 hours and whilst looking at what was happening, I looked down into the are of the Bay of Biscay and noticed one cruise ship steaming right through the heart of this storm.

 

Yup the Balmoral, most cruise ships had either remained in port, diverted to a port or altered course away from this awful event.

 

Hopefully passengers aboard this ship that had purchased sea sick tablets and discovered they failed to do what was said on the packet......

 

Retrieved them and demanded a refund:eek::eek:;)

 

Much respect to all those aboard this ship and hopefully they can keep this picture as a souvenir

 

A cruise ship icon is blue in colour, red are tankers, green represents cargo ships

 

Unfortunately the blue does not showup too well so I have plonked a white arrow on this chart to highlight the ship's location

 

Red flags are bad = winds up to 40knots

 

Purple is badder = winds in excess of 40knots :eek: (thankfully not often seen)

 

[jokskot]

I don't see either a white arrow or the Bay of Biscay on the chart!

[glojo]

Good spotting this was the latest chart as of 9am today :eek::o:o

 

Fingers crossed that 'Take Two' works

 

This is the edge of the Bay of Biscay sea area (hopefully)

 

[jeanlyon]

But the storm wasn't in the Bay of Biscay, it was directly over the UK and English Channel. I also looked at Balmoral yesterday and decided she was fine and to the south of the storm. Even so she is only in a Force 8, well able to cope with that. In fact yesterdays shipping forecast for Biscay gave up to Force 7.

Edited October 28, 2013 by jeanlyon

[glojo]

But the storm wasn't in the Bay of Biscay, it was directly over the UK and English Channel. I also looked at Balmoral yesterday and decided she was fine and to the south of the storm. Even so she is only in a Force 8, well able to cope with that. In fact yesterdays shipping forecast for Biscay gave up to Force 7.

Hi Jean,

I am no expert when it comes to reading weather charts but at the exact time I froze that chart the centre of the storm is those purple flags. You can quite clearly see where they are?? Reading your post gives the impression you think I am somehow making this up?

 

A few hours after this image was taken, the low moved North East and came up to-wards the West Coast of England.

 

Can you please show me any literature or documentation that would argue with this meteorological map I have posted?

 

 

All I can say is that at the exact time I copied and pasted that weather chart.... The centre of the storm is clearly shown and if you believe it is directly over the UK, then so be it ;)

 

Hours after I took that copy of where the storm was it had started moving North East and again if you believe this is directly over England, then so be it

 

This is the chart a few hours after I illustrated the Balmoral and its location

 

 

I have absolutely no idea what charts you were looking at yesterday but if I were you I would ignore them and if you think they were factually accurate... I would write a letter of complaint as the conditions you are describing are pure 'poppycock!!'

 

This is a quote from a person actually on the ship yesterday afternoon and with the greatest of respect I believe them, more than I believe you and I believe these charts more than I believe you but respect for your post and thank you for your opinion..

 

Here is the quote:

 

It became quite bumpy as the swells have increased to 2 to 3 metres with the wind still from the south west at force 6 to 7. The wind is forecast to strengthen through the afternoon to force 9 to 11.

 

My underlining and colouring of the fonts. I took that snapshot late yesterday afternoon

Edited October 28, 2013 by glojo

[capnpugwash]

The storm hit the Balmoral in the centre of the Bay of Biscay, we had 8 metre swells and force 10/11 winds. It was marvellous and she dealt with it well.

[Mark_T]

The storm hit the Balmoral in the centre of the Bay of Biscay, we had 8 metre swells and force 10/11 winds. It was marvellous and she dealt with it well.

 

I have to admit I do enjoy a cruise that has at least a little time when the ship behaves like a ship should and moves around a bit :)

 

I do fully appreciate that it is not to everyone's liking and it is certainly noticeable that a lot of the crew are not too comfortable when things get rough either so I do have sympathy, but it is just a personal foible that I like to know I'm at sea on occasions.

[glojo]

The storm hit the Balmoral in the centre of the Bay of Biscay, we had 8 metre swells and force 10/11 winds. It was marvellous and she dealt with it well.

Well done Capn and I had my beady eye on you :)

 

I confess to being very surprised when the storm decided to nip down and say hello to you!!

 

However having read your post I guess you wished it on yourself!!

 

The fascinating thing was that there were still small trawlers out there working... If you really enjoy being at sea in rough weather then look no further than those 'corks', jump off the luxury 34000 tons of luxury with huge stabilisers and jump aboard those tiny little fishing boats. It might be a wetter version of Disney World!! ;)

 

Well done and if I knew you were aboard Balmoral I would have saved a better detailed map of those weather conditions whilst you were down there. :o

[jeanlyon]

Hi Glojo, no of course I didn't mean that. I was just surprised, because the shipping forecast for the Bay was Force 7, so I thought she was south of it. Nice to know how well she handled it, but then I was in a Force 10 in Artemis and she was fine.

[glojo]

Hi Glojo, no of course I didn't mean that. I was just surprised, because the shipping forecast for the Bay was Force 7, so I thought she was south of it. Nice to know how well she handled it, but then I was in a Force 10 in Artemis and she was fine.

Hi Jean,

I cannot comment on what was predicted for the Biscay area last Sunday as it was not something that really interested me but I am of the opinion that these force 10 to force 11 winds were expected in that area.

 

What did surprise me was watching that storm drift down from the Western Approaches, and carrying on down to the Bay of Biscay and then come back up to to hit the West coast of England. That was not what I was expecting to see.

 

I note you come from Devon as do we, but for us this storm was at its worse at approximately 3am - 4am on the Monday morning? after that period it died down quite quickly. We live overlooking the bay and by crikey that wind made our windows flex.

 

Incidentally we are allegedly going to experience more bad weather this coming week-end. :o

 

Nice speaking to you,

John

[jeanlyon]

John, I also work at the Harbour Office in Salcombe and I think Devon got off "relatively" lightly - we had no damage to any boats. We heard the wind start to really blow about 10 pm on the Sunday and then the rain, but got up in the morning and was ready to take a while to get to work from where I live, but saw no trees down, and no flooding. My brother and also another friend live in London and things were really bad. It seemed to pick up as it went across the country, unlike hurricanes which get better when they hit land.

 

The shipping forecast for us did give Violent Storm 11, but not for Biscay, but having said that, it is only a forecast as you say. The highest gust at Prawle Point where I am a volunteer was 76 knots at 0154 hours.

 

Jean

[glojo]

John, I also work at the Harbour Office in Salcombe and I think Devon got off "relatively" lightly - we had no damage to any boats. We heard the wind start to really blow about 10 pm on the Sunday and then the rain, but got up in the morning and was ready to take a while to get to work from where I live, but saw no trees down, and no flooding. My brother and also another friend live in London and things were really bad. It seemed to pick up as it went across the country, unlike hurricanes which get better when they hit land.

 

The shipping forecast for us did give Violent Storm 11, but not for Biscay, but having said that, it is only a forecast as you say. The highest gust at Prawle Point where I am a volunteer was 76 knots at 0154 hours.

 

Jean

Hi Jean,

Many apologies to everyone for hogging this thread but I agree with everything Jean is saying.. In 1987 we experienced the worse storms I can recall with the forest behind our old property being completely flattened. This storm on the other hand was a 'walk in the park' with branches being blown off trees but no real devastation.

 

No flood damage, no boats being ripped from their moorings and no real property damage. My lasting memory of this storm is the publicityit got along with the fact that any number of small, Brixham based trawlers carried on fishing!! These brave sailors are not silly, nor are they unduly reckless and in their opinion the sea conditions were not severe enough to to force them home? I am hoping that is the case and not the requirement to fish, no matter what??

 

Thank you very much for posting that wind speed at Prawle Point. we have a weather station but sadly it does not record data, it just gives current readings :( I would have loved to have seen the speed of the wind when it rattled our house at 3am!!

 

Being on a ship in rough weather can be exhilaring but my thoughts go out to those who might not enjoy this type of condition, as sadly there is no hiding place!

[jeanlyon]

John your wish is my command - link to Prawle weather station. Don't forget wind will be stronger up there - 200 feet up.

 

http://www.weatherlink.com/user/ncipq/

 

Actually many fishermen in Salcombe took their boats round into the Bag for shelter over the weekend, mind you they are the smaller variety.

Edited October 30, 2013 by jeanlyon

[Willow1686]

Hi Glojo, no of course I didn't mean that. I was just surprised, because the shipping forecast for the Bay was Force 7, so I thought she was south of it. Nice to know how well she handled it, but then I was in a Force 10 in Artemis and she was fine.

 

My first ever cruise was on the Artemis, and we hit Force 11; on the second night of the storm one couple was so convinced that the ship was going down that they sat in Reception with their life jackets on and not even the Captain could persuade them otherwise :)

[glojo]

My first ever cruise was on the Artemis, and we hit Force 11; on the second night of the storm one couple was so convinced that the ship was going down that they sat in Reception with their life jackets on and not even the Captain could persuade them otherwise :)

Sad and it would certainly take a storm of epic proportions to sink a modern ship in a good state of repair.

[Willow1686]

Sad and it would certainly take a storm of epic proportions to sink a modern ship in a good state of repair.

 

Oddly enough I am comfortable with small ships, even in those conditions, but I would not be happy to be aboard one of the floating blocks of flats apparently designed for people who don't want to know that they are at sea!

 

I am on the December Braemar cruise to Cape Verde and West Africa; I am hoping that it will be as enjoyable as the Black Watch Capetown to Southampton cruise I did back in 2009. However, it occurs to me that the last leg of a world cruise may have a different and special atmosphere...

[jeanlyon]

We did the Braemar to Cape Verde and WA last year. Thoroughly enjoyed my first cruise with Fred O. Made a super new friend who has been to visit and we are on Balmoral with her in January. we have also just booked Black Watch next May with overnights in rouen, Amsterdam and Hamburg!

[Kalleroo]

Here I am sitting in Perth, Western Australia reading your threads!

My second trip on the high seas was as a 9 year old child out of Fremantle.

Three days later we found ourselves in a middle of a cyclone, don't know what Force you

call that! But most of the adults were in their cabins; me as a child was sitting out in a deck chair, my late mother would have had a fit. Children don't seem to have any fear.

My memory was of looking up at water above the vessel, then suddenly were were on top of the water looking down into a deep valley of water! Sides to tables were up and ropes were in the passage ways to hang on to.

On another topic our very favourite cruise is on Black Watch 13 years ago going up to the Artic and around the fjords, so pretty I hope one day to get back and repeat that wonderful cruise. But today I guess I had just better dream and enjoy our heat.

Wish Fred would call into Fremantle sometimes, because it makes for a long jet ride to Sydney otherwise. If a ship calls in there.

[glojo]

Here I am sitting in Perth, Western Australia reading your threads!

My second trip on the high seas was as a 9 year old child out of Fremantle.

Three days later we found ourselves in a middle of a cyclone, don't know what Force you

call that! But most of the adults were in their cabins; me as a child was sitting out in a deck chair, my late mother would have had a fit. Children don't seem to have any fear.

My memory was of looking up at water above the vessel, then suddenly were were on top of the water looking down into a deep valley of water! Sides to tables were up and ropes were in the passage ways to hang on to.

On another topic our very favourite cruise is on Black Watch 13 years ago going up to the Artic and around the fjords, so pretty I hope one day to get back and repeat that wonderful cruise. But today I guess I had just better dream and enjoy our heat.

Wish Fred would call into Fremantle sometimes, because it makes for a long jet ride to Sydney otherwise. If a ship calls in there.

 

Hi Kalleroo,

It would be hurricane Force 12 and I guess we all have our sea stories.. During the Cod War I was up off Iceland when one of our frigates was very badly damaged whilst coping with this type of sea. (we had to turn away from tyhe ice and the other ship was unlucky and all but got turned over. Most of her boats were lost as were lots of deck fittings but these are much smaller ships than what we are all talking about. (approximately 2000tons)