Weather check from up north

[Evadne]

How's the weather down your way? I felt that I had to check in, as the ship I'm on has, briefly, got the band-C internet connection hooked up and I could not resist the chance to "tick" my furthest log-in from home. Currently hove-to somewhere near the Faroes, en route from Greenland, and it is blowing an absolute hooley. I hope you folk haven't used up all the nice weather in the Solent, I was hoping for some sailing when I get back.

Dave

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[StugeronSteve]

Little breezy and grey in the midlands. I notice that the Channel Light Vessel was recording 40knt gusts at 1500, so a channel crossing would be lively. Where are you off to?

<hr width=100% size=1>Think I'll draw some little rabbits on my head, from a distance they might be mistaken for hairs.

 

[Joe_Cole]

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://seaboard.ndbc.noaa.gov/Maps/United_Kingdom.shtml>this</A> will show you.

It looks quite gentle where you are compared with some other locations! /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

Joe

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[boatmike]

Currently SW 23 knots and showers Dave. Recorded gusts up to 28 at Lee-on Solent sea front within last hour. LR Forecast on Navtex yesterday gave forecast as Gales or severe gales for Monday -Wednesday. Thats why I'm sat in front of this **** computer rather than sailing. Last week was good though.....

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[StugeronSteve]

Joe.

Great site for scaring the willies out of oneself isn't it.

The new BBC Weather site format now has fairly up to date weather buoy information.

<hr width=100% size=1>Think I'll draw some little rabbits on my head, from a distance they might be mistaken for hairs.

 

[Evadne]

Hmm... it doesn't feel like it. Wind is about 35-40 knots, seas are pretty big which is why we are hove-to (well, pootling NE at 5kts). I'd put the wave height at about 4-5 metres. The ship is only 5000 tons, so we can't bash through any seas like a freighter would. It looks like we'll get back underway soonish, but the low is set to track us all the way to Fair Isle, then we might squeeze past. The isobars in the North Sea look hopeful for Tuesday, if we can get that far by then. We are due into the Humber on Wednesday, first light, or there will be trouble! Food is running low and we are reduced to drinking out-of-date Newcastle Broon. Tinned. Potato soup again tonight.

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[Evadne]

We're coming home, to sunny Immingham, from somewhere unpronouncable in Greenland (Kangerdlugssuaq).

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[StugeronSteve]

Wish I hadn't asked, I think my eyes have gone into spasm!

Have a safe trip and enjoy the soup.

Steve.

<hr width=100% size=1>Think I'll draw some little rabbits on my head, from a distance they might be mistaken for hairs.

 

[Joe_Cole]

I'm sat at home, dinner's in the oven, telly on in the corner. Tough life eh? /forums/images/icons/smile.gif, but I can't help but wonder how my typing would be if I were on my boat in your conditions.

I'm probably showing my ignorance but how do you heave to in a ship? I always thought that it was a saily thing.

Joe

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[cnh]

This looks interesting:

http://seaboard.ndbc.noaa.gov/quikscat.php?station=62107

Nicholas Hill

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[Evadne]

I think it's just nauticalspeak for stopping, in this case. In normal weather, when we want to deploy something over the side we get them to stop the boat going through the water, usually by holding her head to wind or swell on the bowthrust or main prop. In weather like this, and it's got worse since I logged on earlier, it means going nowhere into the swell, slowly.
I have to say that this is one of the most comfortable boats of this type I'vwe been on, she bounces around a bit and when we were trying to steam she did roll a bit but it's not exactly nausious. Actually life's not too hard, we still have steward service on board for meals, as well as a bar (I've just come down from there). This internet malarkey is a bit novel though; in the old days you didn't even have telex unless a loved one was in mortal danger. And even then you might have to resort to morse. Nowadays people whinge if the email is late by a couple of hours.

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[john_morris_uk]

Heaving to in a ship:

Steam very slowly into the weather, just fast enought to keep steerage way on, not so fast as to cause damage...

Once on a 15000 tonne ship we were hove to (as above) in 60 knots off Norway. The bridge wing was over 100 foot above the water and I thought I'd go and feel what 60 knots felt like. Stuck my head out of the door and promptly got goffered by a large wave. The watch on deck didn't laugh at all... Shortly after this the chief engineer announced that the rudder stock was moving where it shouldn't and we made for Trondheim, when we made port we found loads of damage to the foredeck gear but thats another story...)

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[Joe_Cole]

By coincidence, about half an hour ago, there was an interview on the radio with the captain of the QE11. He was talking about when the ship was hit by a freak wave....90ft high. "We were hove to at the time and a vertical wall of white water rose up and landed on deck". Gulp!

Joe




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[BrendanS]

I posted about this a few days ago, Radio 4. The fore deck was stove in by about 10". One of the 9" diam posts was pushed through the H strut. Wonderful interview.

<hr width=100% size=1>Me transmitte sursum, caledoni