Cruise ship runs aground
Thanks to sandgrownan for sending in this picture of the cruise ship that ran aground near Dockyard this morning.
The Bermuda Sun has a story and photo, and promises further updates as they get them. The Royal Gazette is presumably too busy putting together tomorrow's newspaper to worry about this, having neither a story nor any photos.
Note the tugs trying to free the vessel. Aren't they supposed to be on hand to stop things like this happening in the first place?
» Thanks to another reader for supplying me with this close-up of the attempt to free the stricken vessel. Who needs the media to keep us abreast of what's happening when there are intrepid citizen journalists at hand?!
» Another picture of the cruise ship from sandgrownan "clearly showing it outside of the channel on the Spanish Point side. Channel markers 36 & 38 I think".
» A photographer snaps pictures of the stranded vessel (photo courtesy of Bill).
» Passengers are ferried to shore in tenders (photo courtesy of Bill).
» Viewed from the front, the vessel appears to be listing slightly to starboard.
» A hole in the bow?
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LOL - I think the point about the RG not having insta-updates on its site is taken, Limey! Good for the Bermuda Sun, may they keep up the good work!
You know, there IS something to be said for at least one media outlet taking SOME time to contextualise the news as it happens instead of flashing it immediately ... Richard Dreyfuss gave a big speech talking about that last night.
But I know that's not really the point of this thread, so .... gonna go check the Bda Sun website to see if they got the ship to safety now ...
Posted by SarahT on 07.06.06 at 13:21
Do the cruise ships no longer use local pilots to bring them into berth? Either the pilot needs to be penalised for his failure or the ship needs to be penalised.
In this day and age with all the technology avaiable and the fact that the waters around Bermuda have been fully charted and the channel is very clearly marked, there is no excuse for any ship to run aground.
Posted by Guilden M. Gilbert, Jr. on 07.06.06 at 13:30
Guilden,
We don't know what happened yet. There could have been a mechanical failure, for instance. Furthermore, there were some very sudden squalls out in the Sound this morning and it's possible that it was driven onto the rocks as a result.
Posted by loki on 07.06.06 at 13:33
I understood that all ships, with the exception of the container ships, needed to have a local pilot on board.
The Bermuda rumour mill is rumbling though, and somebody told me this is a result of the extreme weather last night/this morning. Have to confess I didn't think it was extreme enough to blow a cruise ship off course. They are lucky not to have run over Stag Rocks.
Ah well, we can read about it in tomorrow's Gazette!!
Posted by sandgrownan on 07.06.06 at 13:34
Not covered.
Posted by Adjustah on 07.06.06 at 13:40
"The Bermuda rumour mill is rumbling though, and somebody told me this is a result of the extreme weather last night/this morning. Have to confess I didn't think it was extreme enough to blow a cruise ship off course."
The problem is that, given the large surface area of the cruise ships and the very narrow channels around Bermuda's waters, it doesn't take that much to affect the course of a ship.
Posted by loki on 07.06.06 at 13:44
As my colleague commented...never mix reefs with reefers!
Windage..it's called windage.
Posted by sandgrownan on 07.06.06 at 13:45
The weather was horrible this morning in so much as downpours and low visibility. I am not so sure that there were high winds, although I am not located in that area. Either way, I think we shouldn't jump to conclusions about this and allow an investigation to take course.
I do believe it was a Bermudian pilot on board as they take over once the ships enter Bermuda waters.
Fortunately no one seems to be hurt physically (that I know of), although I am sure there are many bothered passengers.
Posted by ken on 07.06.06 at 13:47
nice to see a news site with actual breaking news! The incident is also already on a ship trade publication web site - www.tradewinds.no
Posted by monty on 07.06.06 at 13:49
There were definitely high winds up this way today, albeit as part of sudden squalls. I know: I got caught in one. Unless there was a mechanical or navigational equipment failure, or sudden high winds, it's pretty inconceivable that a local pilot could put a ship on the rocks.
Posted by loki on 07.06.06 at 13:59
Time will tell but my guess is that the combination of low tides and squally weather and other factors were at play to cause this mishap and once tide rises it can be freed up with no real damage done hopefully once the divers examine the bottom etc.
Posted by Bill Cook on 07.06.06 at 14:08
Hope they get it free before midnight buffet time.
Posted by sandgrownan on 07.06.06 at 14:14
The shortcut from dockyard to Hamilton runs aground.
Regards, Bill In anticipation of the next caption competition.
Posted by Bill Akin on 07.06.06 at 14:20
um um .......maybe these images could be e-mailed to the overseas "consultants" who propose bringing mega ships into Hamilton Harbour.
Posted by thisgrassman on 07.06.06 at 14:22
Loki,
"There could have been a mechanical failure, for instance. Furthermore, there were some very sudden squalls out in the Sound this morning and it's possible that it was driven onto the rocks as a result."
Good points, I guess I was jumping the gun on this and doing what, unfortunately, most of us do, look first for someone to blame.
Posted by Guilden M. Gilbert, Jr. on 07.06.06 at 14:29
These pictures look like the boat is to the South of the channel. The wind has been out of the South to South South West all day. Not sure how the wind could have blown the boat in the opposite direction. Maybe the pilot oversteered?
Posted by H Reardon on 07.06.06 at 14:30
Hey, no loss without some gain! This could be the answer to Bermuda's housing problem. Just leave the ship where it is and put all the ex-pats on it!! I'll be first in line for a luxury penthouse suite with a balcony and hot tub!
Posted by Tiggy on 07.06.06 at 14:38
Maybe it was a gay cruise and an armarda of AME boats pushed it off course?
Posted by sandgrownan on 07.06.06 at 14:38
This must be David Burch's fault somehow! :-)
Posted by JJ on 07.06.06 at 14:44
"Not sure how the wind could have blown the boat in the opposite direction. Maybe the pilot oversteered?"
Maybe Michael Schumacher was piloting the boat and 'accidentally' ran it aground.
Posted by loki on 07.06.06 at 14:51
Local Pilot to blame?
http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=1680
"Ewart's plan to widen the channel by accident" has begun. :)
What's next a shave off of 2 Rock Passage? Question is which side. :)
Posted by TheRealDeal on 07.06.06 at 15:14
I checked this out in my boat (got very wet mind you)and I think they will have a challange getting her off the rocks, but also noticed at the same time that one of the ferries was broken down, and was being towed in!! - It always happens in 3s, whats next!!
Posted by Pitts Bay on 07.06.06 at 15:25
After the poor auditor general
They could have SAID they were moving the shipping channel...
Posted by VBW on 07.06.06 at 15:34
A horrible example of "red right return".
Posted by Hello, my name is Somers and I am a Bermudian on 07.06.06 at 15:45
Somers - very funny!
Posted by sandgrownan (SOB) on 07.06.06 at 15:47
Thanks - I also thought it funny that they dropped anchor... :) Ahhh just too funny.
I wonder if they handed out Snicker Bars for breakfast.... hmmm.
Posted by Hello, my name is Somers and I am a Bermudian on 07.06.06 at 15:51
Imagine the conversation on the bridge...
"no no...this way.."
"nah it's fine, my brother brings his fishing boat this way all the time"
"no.."
"oops"
Posted by sandgrownan (SOB) on 07.06.06 at 15:56
Channel marker? What channel marker............
Posted by vbw on 07.06.06 at 16:00
Hey now. The Gazette's got a picture and very brief blurb up.
Baby steps.
Posted by Sleepy on 07.06.06 at 16:05
Bloody hell,
Judging from our high in the water the bow is compared to the stern, I'll daresay that they'll have a job to get that off the rocks.
Posted by loki on 07.06.06 at 16:14
the Gazette posted an online story about this.... This is going to compromise their Saturday edition now!!!
Posted by buzz on 07.06.06 at 16:22
It would appear the Caption Competition is off to an early start this week.
Posted by Darkside on 07.06.06 at 16:28
"Hope they get it free before midnight buffet time."
LOL!
They had better be careful...static electricity could build up significantly due to friction as they try and get the ship off.
That, combined with all of the polyester on board could lead to an explosion.
Posted by ace on 07.06.06 at 17:28
"Viewed from the front, the vessel appears to be listing slightly to starboard."
No, I think that the overfeds had their fill at the trough and then moved to the starboard side of the ship to be rolled along the gangplank and onto the tender.
Posted by loki on 07.06.06 at 17:36
I trust you're joking ACE.
I'm no physicist, but how is that static electricity going to build up underwater?
Posted by Sleepy on 07.06.06 at 17:36
If her skipper and crew are anything like their passengers, then this was caused by driving with their left indicator on for the past two hours...
Hmmm, she's flying her pilot flag...
...if you listen closely you can hear a marine underwriter crying...
Posted by Adjustah on 07.06.06 at 18:45
the Minster of Works and Engineering must have ordered his staff to relocate the channel markers without giving notice to the cruise ship...
Posted by buzz on 07.06.06 at 19:08
Large pink man in green swimsuit and smaller square, yellow man in brown pants wanted for questioning...
Posted by Adjustah on 07.06.06 at 19:14
And they said Captain Joseph Hazelwood would never command another ship after The Exxon Valdez disaster.
Posted by TWO CENTS on 07.06.06 at 20:03
the Minster of Works and Engineering must have ordered his staff to relocate the channel markers without giving notice to the cruise ship...
Posted by buzz on 07.06.06 at 19:08
Not true, I don't know why you would want to blame the Minister for this, he gave notice of the change in marker positions 6 minutes before the ship was in the area. Geez, he mailed a notice to the head office this morning, so it isn't his fault.
:)
Posted by RedOnion on 07.06.06 at 21:30
The fact that you remember his name scares me, 2 ยข...
Posted by The Right Reverend Uncle Elvis on 07.06.06 at 22:34
Uncle Elvis,
Give me a G-O-O-G-L-E
As if I knew that name still...... Although I am the King of Random Facts (not to be confused with The King of Rock 'n Roll)
Posted by Two Cents on 07.06.06 at 22:57
You KNOW you knew the name, so shush. (The bride laughed when she heard it, straight off, without the Exxon reference. I think that frightens me more!)
Sorry.. off topic... ummmmm
OH! I heard... and, of course, this may be bullshit, that the radar thingamabob (The techincal term) has the weather overlayed on top of the landmarks and, this is just hearsay, but it kinda stands up, there's the chance that it was so shitty this morning that the weather thingie was turned off for a second to plot the landmarks, so the squall line wasn't visible and smacked the side of the boat hard, seeing as it's just a big frickin' wall, and tugged it off course. As I said, all hearsay, but it kinda makes sense.
Posted by The Right Reverend Uncle Elvis on 08.06.06 at 00:16
Breakfast in Bermuda: Captain Crunch.
Posted by SmokingGun on 08.06.06 at 00:40
Is there any truth in the rumour that the cruise ship steered off course to avoid a fast ferry?
Posted by sandgrownan on 08.06.06 at 08:21
Is there any truth in the rumour that the cruise ship steered off course to avoid a fast ferry?
Funny, I heard it was Admiral Burch in a sunfish?
Seriously, I would highly doubt that - the ferry would have a much better response time than the slow-moving, hard to steer cruise ship. Cruise ship. Not cruise missle.
Still, stranger things have happened.
Posted by Adjustah on 08.06.06 at 09:06
Adjustah - it was a joke, you see how those byes scream around all over the place!
Posted by sandgrownan on 08.06.06 at 09:10
So I take it that the ship has been tugged off the reef then?
Posted by Full Fullish on 08.06.06 at 09:16
Erps. Tarzan need more coffee.
Posted by Adjustah on 08.06.06 at 09:22
ya ya ..they pulled it off around 7 last night
Posted by sandgrownan on 08.06.06 at 09:25