Posted on 10/04/2015 7:31:32 PM PDT by artichokegrower
The wife of one of missing cargo ship El Faro’s crewmembers has demanded to know why the beleaguered vessel set sail and why it did not re-route out of the path of Hurricane Joaquin.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
The El Faro which used to be the Northern Lights was built for the Washington to Alaska run. This meant lots of rough weather. The ship was built in 1975 and had steam turbine propulsion which meant it was fast with top speed of 28 knots. Captain probably thought he could out run any weather. Ship was old with all of its sister ships already been sent to the scrapper.
Easy to see how the container ship could go under with no power in a Cat 4.
I served on CVA-42 (FDR) in early ‘60s. We were in home port at Mayport FL when hurricane Donna headed our way. We had to go to sea, as the winds and tides would have damaged the ship and the docks.
We went right through the hurricane with our skeleton crew. Many were ashore when the decision was made and, of course, the squadrons were at NAS JAX.
My berthing compartment was just below the flight deck, so about 50’ above water level. Lots of motion, so we had to use lines to tie ourselves onto the canvas and thin mattress racks we slept on. ....Mess hall only served crackers, water and black coffee because of sea sickness due to motion.
After we were through the hurricane, we found forward officers’ quarters with about 2’ of water. Railings along catwalks beside the flight deck were bent up over the catwalks from the force of the waves hitting more than 60’ above the water.
We remained at sea for a couple of days before returning to Mayport for a lot of repairs and maintenance.
I’m a frequent viewer of Deadliest Catch. Those boats occassionally get hit with storms that are near hurricane in wind speed....and those boats are much smaller than a container ship. I wouldn’t be surprised if running right through bad weather was fairly routine on thise big ships.
i think i would have lost food from both ends. having a ship like that rolling around must have been scary as hell.
Yes, but real time radar in that area is sketchy. I do not know what kind of real time commercial weather services are available for sailors.
Hurricane conditions are updated every 6 hours during daylight, and nothing reliable after sundown till sunrise the next morning. Been my experience.
Ships can’t get out of the way fast enough if constrained buy shallow coastal waters. Out to sea, not along the coast is what I understand they try to do.
Doesn’t The Navy usually sends their ships out if a hurricane approaches ?
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See my post #42
Correction, 28 kts is a fast ship. I was thinking something 14 to 18 kts.
That was just me back in aft steering opening and closing valves on the hydraulics. Then 20 or 30 minutes later strolling around the bridge wings with a radar guidewave magnet in my pocket.
You guys on the bridge were always fun to mess with!
Maybe they sailed into a black hole?
That was just me back in aft steering opening and closing valves on the hydraulics. Then 20 or 30 minutes later strolling around the bridge wings with a radar guidewave magnet in my pocket.
You guys on the bridge were always fun to mess with!
That sounds like the kind of thing I would have done if I had joined the navy.
Once caught in the storm, heading directly into it made some sense so as to avoid getting slammed by waves side on. A coastwise run south along Florida though would have avoided the storm and offered easier rescue and the prospect of safe anchorage if needed.
Break-in helmsmen swinging 20 deg wide of plotted course is a bonafide laugh riot below decks in fair seas.
But these guys were definitely not having any fun on this ride.
I had a math teacher in high school who was a Kings Point graduate. He was one of my favorites.
Kings Point delivers a good education with quasi-military discipline, tends to attract self-motivated types, and instills a problem-solving approach that emphasizes realism, quick action, and personal responsibility. Kings Point graduates tend to be successful and respected, earning good marks for themselves and their alma mater.
I agree. It drifted into a hurricane.
Yes, prayers up.
Well, was it a chocolate ship?
WOW! Thanks for the story! And your service!
That would make most sense.
and they have super heavy duty life boats. one part of a broken one was found.
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