Hurricane Earl Advisory From HAL

[Himself]

Once again, HAL is putting the safty of passengers first. That is why HAL is such a geat line.

[geocruiser]

Hi,

 

I have been watching the Weather channel during the day there are many factors that will steer the storm. It is a very big storm and getting stronger. It is still Cat 4 but the winds are up to 140mph. Winds were 135mph at dinner time. They said hurricane force winds extend outward up

to 90 miles from the center...and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 230 miles.. That is a huge storm. So it looks like it will be bad even if the hurricane just goes by the coast.

 

My thoughts and prayers are with every one who lives in the storm's path and is also with their families and friends who worry about them.

 

Maria

[HeatherInFlorida]

There's certainly no question now that HAL made the right decision bringing Maasdam back early. I'm sorry to read that the center of Earl will pass closer to the coast than originally thought and unfortunately will definitely have an impact on Nantucket (thinking of you Sheila), Cape Cod and possibly even Rhode Island (RuthC, thinking of you too).

 

I hope everyone affected by this storm both on ships and shore come through unscathed. My thoughts are with you and prayers go out to everyone up there.

[terigo]

Once again, HAL is putting the safty of passengers first. That is why HAL is such a geat line.

 

Not that I don't think HAL is a great line, but every affected cruise line is doing the same thing....

 

I really love the cruise news feature at CC!!

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=4064

[FrankNJ]

sounds like a rough ride for the Veendam

[dtiger]

sounds like a rough ride for the Veendam

 

That's what I'm thinking.

[m steve]

there will be a few posters who will want to sue the cruise line, NOAA and the Weather channel for spoiling their vacation.:eek:

[Oceanwench]

Well now....storns can be very romantic and if you're scared what's better than snuggling up with your beloved and finding comfort in their arms. ;)

 

I know you meant this to be funny ... but hurricanes are not romantic.

Rain showers, thunderstorms ... OK.

Hurricanes, no. The sound of the wind is frightening. Before we got storm shutters, we spent hours in a closed off interior hall, listening to a radio and hoping our windows would not blow in and our roof fly off. Romance is the last thing on your mind!

 

AFTER the storm ... when there's no power so there's no TV, no phone, even cellphones don't work, and you don't want to play Monopoly by candlelight ... then your thoughts *might* turn to romance as a source of entertainment. Hence all the babies born 9 months after the hurricanes in 2004.

 

But many people spend the post-storm hours picking up the pieces of their roof, tree branches, etc. and assessing damage to their property. Then there are the long lines at gas stations, FEMA tents, etc. etc.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

OK I am confused here can anyone help me understand.....I always thought that it was safer for a ship to be out at sea or attempt to out run the hurricane. So why is it better that the Maasdam arrives in Boston early right before the storms hits :confused: Would that not make it more dangerous for the ship??? Then if they are allowing passengers to say on board till Saturday, obviously with the terrible weather they will not be leaving the ship to go anywhere.

I am probably answering my own question here but I realize this storm is extremely large and wide and covering a lot of miles so I am guess they could not go out to sea far enough to get away from the storm so they feel riding it out in port is better :confused:

[flowerbuyer]

there will be a few posters who will want to sue the cruise line, NOAA and the Weather channel for spoiling their vacation.:eek:

 

Huh....And here I keep thinking my fellow cruisers have more common sense than the average person.I don't think you can sue Mother Nature!

[HeatherInFlorida]

Lisa, not going to pretend I know the answer. But where were they to go? They were coming toward it and there's no way they're going to stay in it. Other than going back up and down the St. Lawrence, I can't think of where they would be safe in this storm.

 

Arriving back in Boston before the storm tonight, at least they can then decide whether it's safe to keep the passengers onboard overnight. Boston harbor should be safe, but they'll have access to much more info than we do.

 

Well now....storns can be very romantic and if you're scared what's better than snuggling up with your beloved and finding comfort in their arms. ;)

 

No. They're not. We are talking a fear far greater than something a little snuggle can handle, believe me. There are no words to describe the sound of a hurrican outside in the deep of night (when they invariably arrive). You're completely shuttered in so it sounds even worse because you're imagination runs wild as you not only hear the wind, but huge bangs and crashes as stuff flies around and hits shutters and roofs.

 

Nothing even remotely romantic. And then, the aftermath is more ugly than you can imagine unless you've been through it.

 

sounds like a rough ride for the Veendam

 

I would say very rocky! I'll be interested to hear the stories on their return.

 

This is turning into one heck of a season. We have Gaston coming along who could pose a huge problem for the Caribbean next week. And behind that another huge wave that will very possibly turn into another tropical system. And now that the high is making a change, these storms are far more likely to come into the Caribbean, likely Florida and/or the Gulf of Mexico. Never a dull moment in September down here!

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Lisa, not going to pretend I know the answer. But where were they to go? They were coming toward it and there's no way they're going to stay in it. Other than going back up and down the St. Lawrence, I can't think of where they would be safe in this storm.

 

Arriving back in Boston before the storm tonight, at least they can then decide whether it's safe to keep the passengers onboard overnight. Boston harbor should be safe, but they'll have access to much more info than we do.

 

 

 

 

This is turning into one heck of a season. We have Gaston coming along who could pose a huge problem for the Caribbean next week. And behind that another huge wave that will very possibly turn into another tropical system. And now that the high is making a change, these storms are far more likely to come into the Caribbean, likely Florida and/or the Gulf of Mexico. Never a dull moment in September down here!

 

Heather, that is why I said that I probably answered my own question. In this situation they had no where to go because of the size of Earl, if they would have taken the ship way out into the Atlantic it would have been practically to Europe so I guess there best bet is to just get into Boston early tie her down good and hope for the best. It will be interesting to hear from Sail when she posts. I wonder how many will attempt to disembark tonight including Sail to go home if they live in the area?

Now about these other storms coming :eek: Living in Las Vegas in all honesty they just do not do the weather reporting on the East Coast Storms like all of you on the East Coast get. So I was not aware of any other storms brewing. We are 10 days away from boarding the Solstice and 9 days away from flying into FLL, I guess I need to really start watching the news. Thankfully I also purchased travel insurance :o

[Host CJSKIDS]

Well now....storns can be very romantic and if you're scared what's better than snuggling up with your beloved and finding comfort in their arms. ;)

 

I guess you have never lived through a major hurricane. It's anything but romantic and can be downright terrifying.

[AZNative2000]

According to weather underground the storm won't get to Cape Cod until Friday night and then just the edge. So, if the ship has to be there Saturday morning, it's best to arrive way early. Otherwise, as Lisa said, the ship would be far out to sea and, with any sudden change of course, could be in the eye of the storm (literally).

 

Prayers to all aboard any ship as well as on the land!!

[HeatherInFlorida]

The "edge" of this storm could be quite bad. The eye is going to be just shy of Nantucket so we're talking about a pretty close call here. And they do anticipate Earl will still be a Cat 2 at that point. I hope they're wrong about that. I have family both on the Vineyard and on the Cape so I'm very concerned.

 

Lisa, I thought about you knowing your cruise is the 12th. I'll keep you informed on FB and I won't dramatize I promise!!!:) It appears Gaston will be reaching the Eastern Caribbean around Monday at a Cat 1 or 2. They believe it will stay south, but as it continues it could go north into the Gulf, but still possible it could come here. The other system is too far away even for conjecture.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Thanks Heather :)

[Oceanwench]

Lisa, the HAL site still says that they are hoping to get permission to let pax disembark on Friday ... nothing about getting off Thursday.

 

The Cape is now under a hurricane warning. I'm hoping all my family friends, all our CCers and cruisers stay safe.

 

Heather, Gaston is a little worrisome! And another behind that!

[debsjc]

Tropical storm Fiona seems to be heading almost straight for Bermuda. I'm quite surprised the Veendam will be able to come back on Friday.

[serendipity1499]

Well now....storns can be very romantic and if you're scared what's better than snuggling up with your beloved and finding comfort in their arms. ;)

 

If you ever saw the devastation which Charley did many years ago, you would not think that storms could be romantic..We live on a canal & at that time did not have storm shutters..At the last minute the forcasters said it was headed our way & we had only a few hours to try to protect our home..We were plenty worried that our house would be gone..The eye actually went thru Punta Gorda, 30 miles north of us & that town was decimated..It looked like a bomb had hit or it was a game of "pick up sticks".. Thousands of homes were destroyed & people lived in FEMA trailers for several years, before they could rebuild as Insurance companies so much time to pay their claims..We were fortunate as only lost electricity for 9 days & had a few brancches down, but several across the canal lost their roof's.. :eek:

Our niece lives in Galvaston & works in the Hospital..You should hear the stories she tells of trying to get her Mother-in-law to a safe place when another Hurricane hit that area..Her Mother-in-laws apartment in the lower half of their house was destroyed..The elderly lady was so frightened that she refused to go back to Galvaston to live & instead is living with her daughter here in Florida..That's not a bit romantic..

Another poster said that those of us who live in Florida were not sympathetic to them when they were digging out of 10 feet of snow & we were complaining that it was 60 degrees here in Fla. this past winter..They thought that 10 feet of snow was comparable to a Cat 3 or 4 hurricane, & why should they care about those of us in the Hurricane belt...;)

That's like comparing apples to oranges..First of all we were complaining of the 60 degree weather, because it was devastating the Tourism business here in Florida...Many workers were being laid off & losing their homes.

Many times I've dug out of 8-10 feet of snow when we lived & worked up north..DH & I had to go to work, as our y jobs were considered essential & we didn't have snow days.. I've been stranded at the airport..Once drove 3 hours to get to my office in Lake Success only to be stranded in our office, for an entire weekend, because the snow plows did not get there to dig us out..The younger workers hiked down & back up the hill to get food for the older workers..

However, having 8-10 feet of snow is nothing compared to a Cat. 3 or 4 Hurricane, & I've lived through both..I can remember when one Hurricane (Gloria ?) hit us in Long Beach, on L.I....We were told to evacuate, but it was too late..Instead spent the time putting things which were important to us up in the attic & trying to raise our furniture off the ground floor..Our house, on a slab had no basement..The water came up 15 feet over the bulkhead & stopped within one foot of our back door..We had our life jackets ready..Believe me I would rather have had 10 feet of snow than to be flooded out, or have our roof torn off..

We can only hope & pray that all who are in the paths of these Hurricanes remain safe..Our thoughts are with you..

Betty

[geocruiser]

:

..That's not a bit romantic..

That's like comparing apples to oranges..First of all we were complaining of the 60 degree weather, because it was devastating the Tourism business here in Florida...Many workers were being laid off & losing their homes.

SIZE]

..

Betty

 

Last winter In Florida it went down (Melbourne) below 60 degrees. I remember it being 29 degree in the AM. It was very cold for that state. Alot of the farmers lost their crops and it was devastating to them.

 

Maria

[sail7seas]

Right now, 4:00 P.M. EDT, the pilot boarded Maasdam and we are just about into Boston Harbor. What is surreal is the seas are like glass and the eleven days DH and I have been aboard have been about the most perfect weather. He is as tanned as though in the Caribbean.

 

Captain.Hotel Manager and crew are doing MAGNIFICENT job taking care of us all.

 

WAY MORE later.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Glad to hear this Sail, I will be interested to hear if you plan to stay on board till Saturday and or will you be disembarking to head home?

[geocruiser]

sail7seas,

 

happy to hear that you are safe. Will you be staying on board?

 

Maria

[jhannah]

I don't think you can sue Mother Nature!

Not that some haven't tried! :eek:

 

Welcome back, Judy. I'm sure you'll be relieved to soon be home.

[rkacruiser]

My thoughts are with all of those who may be impacted by Earl. Even where I live in southwestern Ohio, we have had hurricane damage. The remains of Hurricane Ike came through this area a couple of years ago and parts of this area were without electricity for two weeks or more.

 

Good luck to all in the path of the storm!