Rare Selbourne Posted October 22, 2016 #1 Share Posted October 22, 2016 Currently on the Isle of Wight and popped down to the Cowes sea front to watch the four cruise ships departing Southampton today. As regular cruisers will know, when exiting the mouth of Southampton Water past Calshot, ships usually turn sharp Starboard, passing the shallow waters of Bramble Bank (where the car carrier deliberately ran aground a few years ago to avoid sinking), prior to turning hard to Port in order to pass Cowes. Arcadia was first out of the blocks and the first thing that struck us was that the front half of the large painted union flag on the bow was missing (port side). Anyone know what's happened? And then it failed to turn to Port prior to Cowes and carried on towards Yarmouth and the Needles. I've seen dozens and dozens of cruise ships pass Cowes over the years and only seen one take that route before - and it was a significantly smaller ship. A great short cut if you can make it, which I guess is only on exceptionally high tides, which it must have been. Next came Fred Olsens Braemar and that didn't even do the first starboard turn. It just carried on squeezing past Bramble Bank on the starboard side close to the coast near Lee-on-Solent. Again, I've seen very few ships do that, but the Fred Olsen ships are tiny in comparison to modern liners. Navigator of the Seas was close behind and did the conventional chicane. We gave up on Oriana as it was getting dark but have been watching on ship movement websites and notice that she didn't depart Southampton until almost 9pm. I've never known a ship leave that late. Anyone know why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecttr Posted October 22, 2016 #2 Share Posted October 22, 2016 I have taken the Needles route on Oceana a couple of times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berrywood Posted October 22, 2016 #3 Share Posted October 22, 2016 If the tides are very high, the likes of Arcadia can go down the western channel and out via the Needles. Likewise, smaller ships, Braemar, can go through the north channel, if they are heading east down the channel. We did the north channel once on Adonia. Oriana was having technical issues, hence her late departure.It's not unusual for ships to depart late evening if there are problems and the day visitor ships such as the Aida ones leave after 9pm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Selbourne Posted October 22, 2016 Author #4 Share Posted October 22, 2016 If the tides are very high, the likes of Arcadia can go down the western channel and out via the Needles. Likewise, smaller ships, Braemar, can go through the north channel, if they are heading east down the channel. We did the north channel once on Adonia.Oriana was having technical issues, hence her late departure.It's not unusual for ships to depart late evening if there are problems and the day visitor ships such as the Aida ones leave after 9pm. That's very interesting. I hope we use that route ourselves one day as we always seem to go clockwise around the island! Hope the Oriana technical issue isn't too serious. Never known a P&O ship leave as late as 9pm but I guess it must happen as you say. Anyone know why the union flag decal on the port bow is part missing? We couldn't see the starboard side to see if it matched! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berrywood Posted October 22, 2016 #5 Share Posted October 22, 2016 The latest we left Southampton was 4.30 am on Oriana in 2014 as it took until then to complete repairs. Only one hour late into first port, Stavanger, 27 knots up through the North Sea! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddyglove Posted October 23, 2016 #6 Share Posted October 23, 2016 I read the other day that there were russian warships passing through the channel I wonder if that has anything to do with it Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkpon Posted October 23, 2016 #7 Share Posted October 23, 2016 On the Azura we did not leave Southampton till 8 o'clock the following morning due to very rough seas in the English Channel. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete14 Posted October 23, 2016 #8 Share Posted October 23, 2016 A few years ago, we were held in Southampton for 24 hours because of weather! We did move from Mayflower to Ocean though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeanlyon Posted October 23, 2016 #9 Share Posted October 23, 2016 We got back from Oriana yesterday and the tides are neap tides and therefore not that high at all. Amazing if Arcadia took the Needles channel. We only did that on Adonia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PRINCESSTHE BEST Posted October 24, 2016 #10 Share Posted October 24, 2016 I read the other day that there were russian warships passing through the channelI wonder if that has anything to do with it Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Apparently due to defence cuts, P&O were escorting the Russians through the channel instead of the Royal Navy. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruise Puss Posted October 24, 2016 #11 Share Posted October 24, 2016 Apparently due to defence cuts, P&O were escorting the Russians through the channel instead of the Royal Navy. Sent from my iPhone using Forums :D:D:D:D Brilliant, I love this! Really made me laugh! Makes such a different to have a bit of levity. Well done! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeanlyon Posted October 24, 2016 #12 Share Posted October 24, 2016 Ha ha, love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sennen Posted October 24, 2016 #13 Share Posted October 24, 2016 We took the right turn past the needles on Oceana. so maybe not that usual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sogne Posted October 25, 2016 #14 Share Posted October 25, 2016 We got back from Oriana yesterday and the tides are neap tides and therefore not that high at all. Amazing if Arcadia took the Needles channel. We only did that on Adonia. went through the Needles Channel on Queen Victoria in 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanpetersen Posted October 25, 2016 #15 Share Posted October 25, 2016 We were on Oriana in Sept 16 to Azores. We turned right at IoW down the Needles channel. I managed to speak to Captain Cook about this route. He said the tide has to be high, coupled with having taken a specific simulator course to allow a master to take this route. He is now in command of Arcadia so I guess that's why she was seen heading down that way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lactodorum123 Posted October 25, 2016 #16 Share Posted October 25, 2016 In answer to your other question regarding the Union Flag on the bow, it hasn't been painted yet. Here are a couple of photos from August 7th. Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lactodorum123 Posted October 25, 2016 #17 Share Posted October 25, 2016 ...and starboard side in May Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Selbourne Posted October 25, 2016 Author #18 Share Posted October 25, 2016 Ah, well they certainly have started painting the flag on now, but it was only half done with what looked like the outline of some sections and others were infilled. They must have tried to do it during changeover and ran out of time! Mystery explained. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heathcharnock Posted October 26, 2016 #19 Share Posted October 26, 2016 We sailed transatlantic on Arcadia on September 11th and it was on then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besberry Posted October 26, 2016 #20 Share Posted October 26, 2016 We sailed transatlantic on Arcadia on September 11th and it was on then We saw you in Quebec and she certainly had it then. We were on Aurora just after she had hers applied, after our transatlantic portion it was disappearing when we got to Rio. Bits were replaced and and it started to disappear again. Somewhere along the cruise, they managed to get it fixed and it stayed there for the rest of the cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenny wren Posted November 17, 2016 #21 Share Posted November 17, 2016 As we now know, the bow painting is not yet complete....see my recent post and photo.... .regarding the Needles channel...we have left by this route on three occasions now on three different ships....one of the captain's said it was purely to save fuel.... Although we apparently sailed into the Med at the same time as the Russian carrier we didn't see her.....she should have been easy to spot with that filthy smoke from her funnel!!!!:( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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