Wolf Rock

[fisherman]

JAMES DALTON Ship Photos | AIS MarineTraffic

This vessel is on the way, I'm wondering if I misheard that for the Lifeboat, I was in another room. LB not on AIS. Edit yes it is.

 

[DownWest]

There's a tug on scene now - although not currently showing as under tow.

The current light house was built in the 1800s - I'm not sure our capabilities at blowing up big lumps of rock, with a lot of it underwater was that good back then. The electronic chart looks like there might be a collection of other rocks very close by - so how deep do you go? At least with a rock above water in good vis you can spot it, with a light you can spot it in the dark. A hidden hazard seems like it could be worse if you don't make it big enough (and do it it quickly enough - you leave a worse situation for a while). Now that it is built you "only" need to maintain it. With GPS and electronic charts theres an argument you don't need lighthouses at all, but there will always be shore line somewhere to get in the way of drifting ships.

All good points, In the case I quoted. no lighthouse and a good PR exercise.

 

[Juan Twothree]

I seem to remember one of her sisters, think it was Palatine (but might have been Peregrine) broke down in the channel when only a couple of weeks old.

Needed a very long and presumably expensive tow to a repair yard. Don't know if CLdN paid, or if the ship was still under warranty.

These more recent ships are all single engined.

 

[Biggles Wader]

Another angle, photo via Cornwall Live

Not ideal.

A wolf in ships clothing?

 

[Minerva]

Another angle, photo via Cornwall Live

Not ideal.

Oi mate! You cana park there!

Guess someone’s getting a rather large bill in the next few days!

 

[penfold]

Does beg the question; why did they not stream their anchor? Either to allow the engineers time to sort the problem or allow a tug to appear. 60m is probably too deep to anchor but not so deep a streamed anchor would not greatly slow drift rate.

 

[LittleSister]

I once had a close call with Wolf Rock. I was sailing my Hurley 22 single-handed to the Scillies by night, in order to be able to see the lights of the Scillies as I approached before dawn and then have daylight as I got close, as you did in those pre-GPS days.

I had Wolf Rock Lighthouse near dead ahead for hours upon hours, blinding me every however many seconds it was. I tried to avoid looking ahead much, and hold up my hand to shield my eyes when I did. I plodded along for hours, not much happening or to do, apart from turning on my nav lights when anything came anywhere at all close (didn't have enough battery power to run them continuously), or making an occasional cuppa and having a snack.

All of a sudden I realised this bloody light that had been bugging me for hours was now not so much ahead of me but above me! I frantically started the outboard and turned the boat away from the light, and tried to look at the chart to see what shallows in what direction there might be close to the light (I'd never intended to pass this close, so had never checked), but the combination of the bright flashes from the lighthouse, peering into the dark between between flashes trying to spot any breakers or rocks, and fumbling around with the small scale chart and a feeble torch defeated me.

As I got further away my terror gradually abated to be replaced by acute embarrassment at the idea of crashing into a lighthouse I had been all too clearly seeing for hours!

 

[Supertramp]

In a similar vein, I've seen "steer for that buoy" go wrong several times....

 

[DFL1010]

Not sure where they're going to put it in Falmouth, unless it goes stret in to DD. HW is 1240, so not impossible. (Assuming Falmouth is the destination, and they don't want it in the bay for a tide or two).

 

[zoidberg]

I once had a close call with Wolf Rock..... the idea of crashing into a lighthouse I had been all too clearly seeing for hours!

'Target fixation' is well known in another environment.

It's hard to credit how lacking in responsibility it was for certificated professionals to permit this to occur.

[Unwelcome quoted content removed]

 

[penfold]

Not sure where they're going to put it in Falmouth, unless it goes stret in to DD. HW is 1240, so not impossible. (Assuming Falmouth is the destination, and they don't want it in the bay for a tide or two).

Need to offload it before docking, Long Distance Clara will kick off if she doesn't get to Zeebrugge on time.

 

[DFL1010]

Need to offload it before docking, Long Distance Clara will kick off if she doesn't get to Zeebrugge on time.

There's only one alongside berth in Fal currenlty. Can't see them dicharging cargo there - more likely in and out loaded (discharging in DD makes for a very nervous ChOff)

 

[LittleSister]

'Target fixation' is well known in another environment.

I wasn't fixated on it as a target, I was trying to ignore it! (Well, actually just avoid keep seeing it.)

I was aiming to pass a little south of it, so I'd have a clearer idea of where I was en route and be less likely to miss the Scillies. Progress seemed so painfully slow for the fist part of the journey, then Wolf Rock suddenly rushed up on me!

 

[penfold]

If the surveyor gives it the nod the owners will want it dragged to cloggieland; cheaper repairs and removes the risk of being sued by the hauliers.

 

[DFL1010]

If the surveyor gives it the nod the owners will want it dragged to cloggieland; cheaper repairs and removes the risk of being sued by the hauliers.

Aye perhaps, but not just surveyor's call eh?

 

[fisherman]

Long boring trip for the LBs. Lizard returned about 0200, Fal 0330. No need to have one standing by all night, she was never going to suddenly sink. The tug and tow are sculling about off Falmouth now. How would you drive the lorries off, assuming as a ro ro that's what she's full of. Plymouth ferry port? Nowhere in Fal to do it. But, there are only 26 aboard, that's not a full complement of drivers. Or am I missing something obvious? The James Dalton went alongside yesterday after a long trip in dirty weather, and is in and out this morning, so maybe survey or other remedial work has started.

 

[Sandy]

I don't know the layout of Falmouth harbour where RFA Argus is usually berthed, but wonder if they can disembark the lorries there? At least Mazarine is now just RAM and not NUC.

Considering the Mazarine is there so that lorries don't need to 'step outside' the EU it will be interesting to see what happens if they do land in the UK.

 

[Juan Twothree]

Long boring trip for the LBs. Lizard returned about 0200, Fal 0330. No need to have one standing by all night, she was never going to suddenly sink. The tug and tow are sculling about off Falmouth now. How would you drive the lorries off, assuming as a ro ro that's what she's full of. Plymouth ferry port? Nowhere in Fal to do it. But, there are only 26 aboard, that's not a full complement of drivers. Or am I missing something obvious? The James Dalton went alongside yesterday after a long trip in dirty weather, and is in and out this morning, so maybe survey or other remedial work has started.

Apparently some spaces are holed, there might have been an issue if a pump had failed.

26 is the usual number of crew. The ship can carry up to 12 drivers, but they very rarely do, at least on their other routes that I'm more familiar with. It's usually all unaccompanied freight.

 

[fisherman]

Apparently some spaces are holed, there might have been an issue if a pump had failed.

26 is the usual number of crew. The ship can carry up to 12 drivers, but they very rarely do, at least on their other routes that I'm more familiar with. It's usually all unaccompanied freight.

Is it on wheels then?

 

[fisherman]

I don't know the layout of Falmouth harbour where RFA Argus is usually berthed, but wonder if they can disembark the lorries there? At least Mazarine is now just RAM and not NUC.

Considering the Mazarine is there so that lorries don't need to 'step outside' the EU it will be interesting to see what happens if they do land in the UK.

Her ramp is low and Fal docks high....