Reading the River

Discussion in 'All Things Boats & Boating' started by Yobarnacle, Jan 13, 2012.

  1. michael pierzga
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    michael pierzga Senior Member

    Hmm... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16558910

    guess the captain fingered in the wrong waypoint or something.

    ALWAYS KEEP A SHARP LOOKOUT !

    And what with all these passengers jumping into the sea ? Must be from watching to much TV

    ONLY LEAVE THE SAFETY OF THE VESSEL WHEN THE WATER LEVEL REACHES YOUR NECK
     
  2. Yobarnacle
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    Yobarnacle Senior Member holding true course

    A vessel aground isn't sinking! Why was an order to abandon ship given? Panic on captains part? Was he a master mariner? or a floating hotel manager?

    One fellow said he swam 400 meters to land. The ship is nearly that long. What were they doing passing a ship length from shore? Is this a river?

    Thanks for posting Michael. Raises many questions.
     
  3. michael pierzga
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    michael pierzga Senior Member

    I read PANIC. People behave like animals and stampede when they take fright.

    The ship must have actually hit the Island, the water around Giglio is deep. The News article stated that passengers tried to swim ashore. Boneheads.

    I just looked at the chart. just south of the Harbour is a small reef about 300 meters from the coast. Perhaps the ship was manuvering ? I see the Pilot vessel red light in one photo
     
  4. michael pierzga
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    michael pierzga Senior Member

    Give Google Earth a check
     
  5. Yobarnacle
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    Yobarnacle Senior Member holding true course

    Even with Pilot aboard the master is still in command. Pilot is an advisor. Only two places in the world I know of, the Pilot is actually in command. Panama canal, and Suez canal.
     
  6. Yobarnacle
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    Yobarnacle Senior Member holding true course

    Ship masters usually aren't panicky types. There is too many opportunities to observe his presense of mind in emergency on the way up to level of captain. Usually panicky types are weeded out at lower level positions. Strange
     
  7. michael pierzga
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    michael pierzga Senior Member

    Cruise ships do funny things. They depart port in evening then motor around in big slow circles, going nowhere, to waste time and give the quests the feel of being at sea while they eat dinner and watch hollywood movies. .


    Ive never witnessed a cruise ship berthing at night. It would be very expensive to pay the port overtime for off hours, night berthing. I dont even think a cruise ship could dock in Giglio...its a very small port. Perhaps the pilot was directing the ship to an anchorage off the port ?

    Dont know...accident only just happened.
     
  8. Yobarnacle
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    Yobarnacle Senior Member holding true course

    Curious. I'll track the story.
     
  9. michael pierzga
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    michael pierzga Senior Member

    Perhaps you can go marine traffic and monitor there AIS ping track history ?

    Id have a look but on the boat my Internet is very very slow.
     
  10. Yobarnacle
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    Yobarnacle Senior Member holding true course

    River currents.
    When channels narrow, current increases. River widens, current slows. Current also increases after rain. Check for areas you can anchor out of channel and current. Sometimes it pays to be patient and wait for current to diminish. Lower reaches of rivers are affected by tides. Ebb can make ferocious outbound currents. Sometimes the flood will actually reverse a rivers current, flowing up river for several miles inland.
     
  11. Yobarnacle
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    Yobarnacle Senior Member holding true course

    Here in Mexico it's not the best speed either. I'll check.
     
  12. Yobarnacle
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    Yobarnacle Senior Member holding true course

    Costa Concordia (Passenger ship) 4 hours ago by odinfm

    Costa Concordia sinking, Mediterranean sea
    ROME - The Italian news agency ANSA says Costa Concordia with 4,200 people aboard has run aground off the Tuscan coast and that at least 6 people have died. The report early morning Jan 14 said the Costa Concordia ran aground a few hundred meters (yards) off the tiny Tuscan island of Giglio, and that the passengers were being evacuated. A statement from Costa Cruises, the company that runs the ship, confirmed that the evacuation of the 3,200 passengers and 1,000 crew had begun, "but the position of the ship which is worsening is making more difficult the last part of the evacuation." Costa Cruises' statement did not mention any casualties, and said it had not yet determined the cause of the problem. Actually, 1 person’s death is confirmed, not 6. It is said also, that liner has a 20 degree list. It may be assumed then, that the vessel ran hard aground on the rocks, breaching hull somewhere in engine room area, resulting in blackout and massive water ingress. Some reports say evacuation is already completed, all passengers and unimportant crew are already on the island in each compartment authorities were able to provide. Costa Concordia was sailing on a cruise across the Mediterranean Sea, starting from Civitavecchia with scheduled calls to Savona, Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Cagliari and Palermo.It said about 1,000 Italian passengers were onboard, as well as more than 500 Germans, about 160 French and about 1,000 crew members.

    Giglio isn't on the itenerary.
    Still looking
     
  13. Yobarnacle
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    Yobarnacle Senior Member holding true course

    tried accessing VTS. Won't let me.
     
  14. BPL
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    BPL Senior Member

    Good idea for a thread. A lot of navigational tips and some good nautical stories should be shared here.
     

  15. Yobarnacle
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    Yobarnacle Senior Member holding true course

    Please do! Never was my intention to semonize! I want to learn more too! I already know what i know. And it's a LONG WAY from everything! ..:D
     
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