Escape arriving early in NYC to avoid the storm

[long Island]

It’s been a real pleasure reading your posts. Just wondering ,with your knowledge ,if the NCL Joy will make it to N.Y. Sunday from Bermuda .We are leaving Monday at 3 o’clock for a Canadian cruise ….back to back 16 nights.

thank you for your thoughts,

Mike

Edited September 23, 2023 by long Island

[mking8288]

In other news, medevac by FDNY Boat 9 to transfer (ambulatory) patient off the Escape, port side - in progress ... returning shortly with a larger boat from SI marina base, USCG monitoring. 

 

Conditions earlier and continuing ...

 

 

Edited September 23, 2023 by mking8288

[durberville]

3 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Over a 30 year career, a harbor pilot faces a 1 in 20 chance of a fatality.  That's a 5% chance of death.  While harbor pilots don't make the US Labor Statistics list of most dangerous jobs, that is because there are so few of them.  The most dangerous job in America, according to USBLS is logging, with a 0.08% chance of fatality.

I must say catching a view of the harbor master and his crew doing their  thing during ANY port visit is a highlight of a cruise for us. The logistics, skill and risk boogle my mind, even during perfect weather!  Thanks for the insight. 

Edited September 23, 2023 by durberville
Typos!

[hallux]

5 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

The pilot.  At some point, the pilots will decide it is not safe enough to make the transfer from pilot boat to ship, and they will stop boarding ships.

On my cruise in 2022, I spent lots of time (outside the cabins!!!) with the wife of a pilot boat 'driver'.  They also take responsibility for the pilot's life, it's a dangerous and stressful job on the calmest of days.  Much respect to those that do it - both the pilot and those that get them to the ships!!

[raisedonboats]

I’m aboard the Escape and would appreciate any info on what to expect tonight. Thank you. 

[dexddd]

12 minutes ago, raisedonboats said:

I’m aboard the Escape and would appreciate any info on what to expect tonight. Thank you. 

Welcome to CC. MKing can give info on what happened last week.

 

I'd expect jammed bars and specialties.

[raisedonboats]

8 minutes ago, dexddd said:

Welcome to CC. MKing can give info on what happened last week.

 

I'd expect jammed bars and specialties.

I should have said in terms of weather effects. Thanks!

[chengkp75]

3 minutes ago, raisedonboats said:

I should have said in terms of weather effects. Thanks!

I think you're going to New England?  Then you'll be paralleling Long Island, so winds of 25-30 knots, gusting to 40 from northeast (so on your port bow, causing pitching and rolling).  Seas 8-12 feet.  Gale warning through tonight.

[mking8288]

@dexddd - when did I become the quasi weather person  😆  paging @Pelican Bill from Rochester, NY (hope he's okay, fine & just busy somewhere) CC need someone like him during hurricane season to decode those charts for us.  Then, there is @PistolPete 13 for his pro photography from S.I. - at least we heard from him, busy with an out-of-town air show, missing all the excitement. 

 

Surprisingly, MDR wasn't too busy or crowded last Saturday ... folks were busy packing to get ready to leave the next morning, maybe.  Specialty restaurants has lines but very orderly & smooth, we had a great dinner at our unofficially reserved round table again.  

 

@raisedonboats if I am reading your post/question correctly, you are currently onboard Escape ... at her anchor, one of the best natural shelter as a jumbo, luxury hotel inside the harbor.  Wind (gale/near gale) will continue to pick up past midnight & lasting into tomorrow, rain/heavy rain & foggy, waves are relatively small but I see swell from the live streaming NY Harbor Webcam - high tide should be later tonight, perhaps timing & coordination to sail up the Hudson River to dock, as strong current conditions were said to be one of many factors last week.   DENver airport tops the list for delays & cancellations today, although JFK and EWR are on the misery chart.  

 

Unless you are on the upper deck, forward or aft ... should feel just fine, we're low & mid ship and barely felt movement on the ship or that it finally left anchor for Pier 88 before midnight.  Just enjoy, relax and make the best out of it all - I know, all of the ship's "limited" TV news/weather channels were "temporary unavailable" - blackout, licensing restricted while in the harbor was the reply.  

 

See charts below: (uploading next)

 

 

Reminder to all onboard now, do check the onboard stateroom accounts, look for any balance remaining with non-refundable OBC as we had about $14 left but didn't feel like walking over to stand in line for  2 cups of Starbucks.  Darn it, could've ordered that Cagney's filet as an extra entree in "Taste" - almost "free" by paying that 20% surcharge, for my convenience, of course.  (and, not waste the $14, hahaha) 

 

Edited September 23, 2023 by mking8288

[knitlady037]

19 hours ago, shof515 said:

on the VHF radio the captain said they have 6-7 chain shackles on the anchor. that is about 540-630 feet..wow that water is very very deep

it took forever for the anchors to hit bottom when we docked in the harbor last week. Due to tides and currents we were back in NY by 1 am Sunday morning

[raisedonboats]

32 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

I think you're going to New England?  Then you'll be paralleling Long Island, so winds of 25-30 knots, gusting to 40 from northeast (so on your port bow, causing pitching and rolling).  Seas 8-12 feet.  Gale warning through tonight.

Mercifully, no. We’ve returned from NE. Thank you

[chengkp75]

43 minutes ago, knitlady037 said:

it took forever for the anchors to hit bottom when we docked in the harbor last week. Due to tides and currents we were back in NY by 1 am Sunday morning

I suspect the anchors hit bottom long before the clanking of the windlass stopped.  As I say, they let out 7 times the water depth.  So, with a water depth of 70-85 feet (and now that I've looked it up, the water depth around Stapleton anchorage is much less than that, around 50 feet), the anchor would have hit bottom within a couple of minutes, depending on whether they payed out or dropped the anchor.  The rest of the time was paying out the scope, and having 6-7 shots out in 50 feet of water is a prudent Master in expected heavy weather.

[phillygwm]

On 9/22/2023 at 10:42 AM, mking8288 said:

Hmmm, those with flights in-bound for NY and out-bound from ship(s) coming in ... good luck & best wishes for safe and on-time travel, going to need that ... with the tropical storm inbound - Ophelia making Capt Mattias onboard the Escape & his bridge team a bit anxious in deciding to make changes in the interest of safety & comfort for all onboard. 

It doesn't take much to royally mess up flight schedules and it happens more frequently than it used to because of weather patterns and the lack of "slack" in the system; flights rarely go off half full like in the old days. 

 

That's why I come in the day before but even that isn't foolproof.  I had a business trip to Montreal which I extended over a weekend a couple months ago.  Big storm on the Eastern Seaboard so all Sunday flights cancelled:  BOS, PVD, LGA, JFK, EWR, PHL, BWI etc.  Earliest flight I would have gotten would have been Wednesday.  Amtrak wasn't an option because of flooding (I love train travel so a long train ride wouldn't have been too onerous.)  I wound up taking a Greyhound from MTL to NY then Amtrak from NYP-PHL which was about as unpleasant as it sounds but marginally better than driving myself.

 

It's fresh enough in my mind that I now plan for contingencies.  My next cruise goes out of MIA.  If Friday flights get cancelled, at least I'll make my departure if I jump into a rental and drive it.

[mking8288]

3 minutes ago, phillygwm said:

It doesn't take much to royally mess up flight schedules and it happens more frequently than it used to because of weather patterns and the lack of "slack" in the system; flights rarely go off half full like in the old days ... flights get cancelled, at least I'll make my departure if I jump into a rental and drive it.

200% agreed, NCL 1 Day Air deviation is just inadequate, IMHO, 2 Days at a minimum or better yet, take charge of one's own flight & travel plans.  

 

Not sure if @dexddd and others read/know about this other parts scandal - globalized ... 

Flying - the bogus engine parts by a 3rd party vendor and FAA is on the case ... United & American affected, others are searching theirs to rule out.  Hitting older aircraft engines, apparently - Flyertalk buzzing on this topic.  

[phillygwm]

2 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

200% agreed, NCL 1 Day Air deviation is just inadequate, IMHO, 2 Days at a minimum or better yet, take charge of one's own flight & travel plans.  

Agreed.  For MIA I can take my chances with a one day.  Worst case, as I mentioned, I could drive it straight through (splitting the driving with my travelmates.)  But if this were Europe or even West Coast, I'd build more time in.  And, of course, travel insurance.

Edited September 23, 2023 by phillygwm

[mking8288]

Lower Manhattan skyline entirely not visible.  Last week, tug boats were shadowing anchored ships but apparently, not needed thus far. 

 

 

Last Saturday afternoon ... same spot, Escape at anchorage 

 

 

BTW, that NYFD patient transfer this morning was cancelled, Marine 6, a "small" 30' + medical response boat dispatch turned back & a bigger boat returned shortly, still couldn't tender over with sea state conditions, unsafe with patient on stretcher for the transfer.  Medical conditions stabilized & will wait till ship is securely docked.  Kudo to crew, FDNY & USCG for their coordinated efforts. 

Edited September 23, 2023 by mking8288

[Sugar Magnolia]

51 minutes ago, phillygwm said:

That's why I come in the day before but even that isn't foolproof.  I had a business trip to Montreal which I extended over a weekend a couple months ago.  Big storm on the Eastern Seaboard so all Sunday flights cancelled:  BOS, PVD, LGA, JFK, EWR, PHL, BWI etc.  Earliest flight I would have gotten would have been Wednesday.  Amtrak wasn't an option because of flooding (I love train travel so a long train ride wouldn't have been too onerous.)  I wound up taking a Greyhound from MTL to NY then Amtrak from NYP-PHL which was about as unpleasant as it sounds but marginally better than driving myself.

 

My family was also stuck in Montreal for a few days back in July. Air Canada canceled their flight on a Sunday and the next flight out was Wednesday. They thought about driving or taking the train, but decided it was not feasible with a young child. They ended up extending their vacation in Montreal. Understandably, not everyone has that luxury in time or resources.

 

I have read that staff shortage of airline crew and air traffic controllers further compounds the problems during an inclement weather event. Every time I fly nowadays, I assume my flight will be delayed or canceled and 1. assess whether and how that would impact the rest of my trip and 2. have two contingency plans in place. Belt and suspenders.

 

[phillygwm]

14 minutes ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

 

My family was also stuck in Montreal for a few days back in July. Air Canada canceled their flight on a Sunday and the next flight out was Wednesday.

 

Probably stuck the same day I was there.  I told people that I'd laugh about the story someday, just not THAT day.  Now I chuckle as I receive marketing emails from Greyhound 🤣

[hallux]

1 hour ago, phillygwm said:

taking a Greyhound from MTL to NY

Should have waved as you went by, I live near the highway on that route!

1 hour ago, phillygwm said:

My next cruise goes out of MIA.

As does mine.  I'm planning to fly Southwest as I have points with them, but flights into MIA are limited.  I'm flying to FLL with a layover in BWI, my plane change is early enough that there are 4 more flights that day from BWI-FLL, giving me options if there's a delay, options I wouldn't have if I flew to MIA.

[Rosebud456]

Emerald Princess heading out past the NCL escape now.

[mking8288]

NYHC's camview - screenshot

 

 

Live update - (Alert)  FDNY Boat 9 en route again to meet Escape w medical transfer at tender dock, port side ... smaller boat (#6 likely) coming along - go to NY Harbor Webcam, VHF marine radio traffic relayed live 

Edited September 23, 2023 by mking8288

[shof515]

Emerald Princess also dropped anchor too and is waiting out of the storm. The Venezia just left the Manhattan cruise terminal, they might drop anchor too near the bridge

[Rosebud456]

There she is, the Emerald Princess anchored right before the Verrazano Bridge

[shof515]

Venezia braved the elements and successfully sailed under the bridge. Emerald Princess is still at anchor with the Escape. Emerald is scheduled to tender at Newport tomorrow which is not going to happen based on the weather for tonight and tomorrow.

[PistolPete13]

I did a double take this morning on the Staten Island Ferry when I saw the Escape parked near Staten Island.  The wind and rain from this storm was no joke as I had a front row seat to the conditions on the 25th floor of an office building with no other tall buildings around to act as a shield.

Seems like there is a lull in the storm now (10:45PM) so hopefully it'll be an uneventfull trip up the Hudson to Pier 88.