Concordia - what I am saddest about...

[italianfemmy]

I really don't know how much more plain I can be but since I am the one who knows what I meant, that's what matters.

 

BECAUSE I see images of the Concordia STILL remaining out of the water, I do WISH I could turn back time and tell everyone to run to the top and wait before jumping.

 

ONLY because I see images of the Concordia STILL out of water.

 

I KNOW these passengers did what they felt was best for them to save their own lives and I don't think they were AT ALL foolish for that.

 

This entire post has gotten out of hand with assumptions about what I must have meant based on what I posted that I thought I would have done.

 

What I would have done has nothing to do with what others chose to do. I don't think they did the wrong thing. They thought the ship was going to sink. They were trying to save their lives. They did the right thing for them.

 

Other people chose to step into life boats and make human ladders. That was the right thing for them.

 

For the last time, I don't think anyone made a WRONG decision.

 

All I wished is that time could be turned back or premonitions could have been made or some magic that doesn't exist could have sent these passengers a memo that this particular ship would not fully sink. That's all.... anything to have saved more lives in THIS particular situation.

 

In a different situation, perhaps in the middle of open seas, many miles away from land, I still would wish that everyone would do what was right for them. The ship would most likely fully sink in the middle of the ocean. So my hope would be that the life boats and life rafts would be able to carry everyone safely away before the ship started listing too much... that the crew would know there was a real problem when it happened and that an hour or longer wouldn't be wasted telling everyone that "everything is fine" instead of "abandon ship". Heck, I still wish they had told everyone to abandon ship in the beginning. Again, hindsight is key.

[BaseballMomof4]

Why is it an immediate reaction to criticize on these boards? I get what this girl is saying. It is almost not fathomable that people were killed when you see a ship that is still partially out of the water.

 

With that being said, we have to remember that the only people who know what really happened on that ship are the people who were on it. The rest of us can only surmise. And like anything else, if there were 4,000 people on board, there will be 4,000 versions of what actually happened.

 

Sadly it appears people were told to return to their cabins and they did. Awaiting further instructions may have resulted in them being trapped by things like a physical inability to reach safety once the ship listed, again, we can only surmise.

 

In all liklihood, I would have been one of those people who, if I could not secure a spot on a lifeboat, would have opted to swim for it, that is my nature. Or, I might have been too afraid to jump and I might have headed for higher ground. Or, I might have gone to my cabin as instructed. I simply don't know what I would have done and thankfully, I have never been in that position.

 

No one can know how they or anyone else will react in a certain set of circumstances until they are faced with them.

[HelloHelloHola]

No one is questioning the OP's heart. I don't believe this was ever the case. Now that she has expressed herself so many times. I finally understand what she is saying.

 

The disconnect to me as I originally interpreted was the difference between life and death is based on whether to jump or not. As we know from the survivors that were found (Korean couple and purser), that was simply not the case.

 

As I said, today, I finally understood the intention of the OP. I just would not think or express it that way. But, different strokes, ..........

[italianfemmy]

Wow... so much has changed in the last few hours! I am so glad that people actually understand what I was saying and that I am not crazy. I went back and read and re-read my posts a hundred times trying to figure out where some people were getting what they were saying from.

 

My heart goes out to the families of the survivors and the families of the victims. It also goes out to everyone else that is grieving and has been impacted by this situation, directly or indirectly.

[italianfemmy]

No one is questioning the OP's heart. I don't believe this was ever the case. Now that she has expressed herself so many times. I finally understand what she is saying.

 

The disconnect to me as I originally interpreted was the difference between life and death is based on whether to jump or not. As we know from the survivors that were found (Korean couple and purser), that was simply not the case.

 

As I said, today, I finally understood the intention of the OP. I just would not think or express it that way. But, different strokes, ..........

 

Thank you for posting this. I am glad I kept trying to explain it because I could tell there was a big misunderstanding. Hugs!

[want2go2]

I completely understand what you are saying. I have no idea how people have tried to turn it around to say that you think that the people that jumped had no sense.

 

I am sad when I see the images of the ship and I think the same thing.

 

--Michele

[TGHRS]

BaseballMomof4 In all liklihood, I would have been one of those people who, if I could not secure a spot on a lifeboat, would have opted to swim for it, that is my nature. Or, I might have been too afraid to jump and I might have headed for higher ground. Or, I might have gone to my cabin as instructed. I simply don't know what I would have done and thankfully, I have never been in that position.

 

No one can know how they or anyone else will react in a certain set of circumstances until they are faced with them.

 

I was on the Dream when the Concordia hit the rock and we watched some of it on CNN Int'l. I am with you BaseballMomof4 I don't know exactly how I would have reacted. I do know at the time of night we would have just been returning from dinner (our cruise). If the lights went out, I am thinking I would hesitate a long while to head to deck 3 from deck 9 to my muster station. I have not heard if the safety lighting came on. I would have been on the water side of the ship. One deck up is the pool and open air 6 decks down mid ship is my muster station. It would have been a very hard decision at that time. Especially if there were no clear orders given to evacuate.

 

I will never know since I do not believe this will happen in the near future. I do know that I have looked at each room differently now. I have imagined the door being up which would now be the ceiling. The walls are smooth except for the pictures a few cabinets and the closets which would stay closed because of the hinged side. How would I get up to the dooor to get out? The beds probably would not be tall enough even when stacked. And then with the shifting would the door be jammed closed? If I did get out I would have to be walking on the walls and jumping over other opened doors, stooped over because I am not sure the hallways are 6 feet wide. I get to the stairways and they are now sideways. How do I go up or down, or even get through the congregation point with the elevators.

 

With my physical abilities I am believing that I would not be on dry land right now alive. I too am logical, methodical, and analytical like the OP, from what I figure No way can I make it without heading up, out, and a swim for shore.

 

We have been traveling with a small tap light for a few years to keep the bathroom lighted for overnight usage without getting blinded. We will now travel with small flashlights in our luggage and a flash drive of important document copies. At least if I make it I can get to an embassy and they can plug in some information on me to get passports expedited.

 

I really don't know if everyone could have been saved even with half the ship out of water. I just know that I would have made it if I had clear timely instructions for evacuation. In the absence of that, I am on my own and making the best decisions I can. I put my odds at 4-1 against.

[italianfemmy]

.I was on the Dream when the Concordia hit the rock and we watched some of it on CNN Int'l. I am with you BaseballMomof4 I don't know exactly how I would have reacted. I do know at the time of night we would have just been returning from dinner (our cruise). If the lights went out, I am thinking I would hesitate a long while to head to deck 3 from deck 9 to my muster station. I have not heard if the safety lighting came on. I would have been on the water side of the ship. One deck up is the pool and open air 6 decks down mid ship is my muster station. It would have been a very hard decision at that time. Especially if there were no clear orders given to evacuate.

 

 

 

I will never know since I do not believe this will happen in the near future. I do know that I have looked at each room differently now. I have imagined the door being up which would now be the ceiling. The walls are smooth except for the pictures a few cabinets and the closets which would stay closed because of the hinged side. How would I get up to the dooor to get out? The beds probably would not be tall enough even when stacked. And then with the shifting would the door be jammed closed? If I did get out I would have to be walking on the walls and jumping over other opened doors, stooped over because I am not sure the hallways are 6 feet wide. I get to the stairways and they are now sideways. How do I go up or down, or even get through the congregation point with the elevators.

 

 

 

With my physical abilities I am believing that I would not be on dry land right now alive. I too am logical, methodical, and analytical like the OP, from what I figure No way can I make it without heading up, out, and a swim for shore.

 

 

 

We have been traveling with a small tap light for a few years to keep the bathroom lighted for overnight usage without getting blinded. We will now travel with small flashlights in our luggage and a flash drive of important document copies. At least if I make it I can get to an embassy and they can plug in some information on me to get passports expedited.

 

 

 

I really don't know if everyone could have been saved even with half the ship out of water. I just know that I would have made it if I had clear timely instructions for evacuation. In the absence of that, I am on my own and making the best decisions I can. I put my odds at 4-1 against.

 

 

Gosh, this got me all emotional again. These are the exact things that go through my head. Wondering what I or they would have stacked and done to climb against gravity. It haunts me. It's so doggone sad and depressing to think about people trying to save their lives and having no clue what was to come in the following seconds or minutes much less hours.

[TGHRS]

Gosh, this got me all emotional again. These are the exact things that go through my head. Wondering what I or they would have stacked and done to climb against gravity. It haunts me. It's so doggone sad and depressing to think about people trying to save their lives and having no clue what was to come in the following seconds or minutes much less hours.

 

 

I completely understand I was up for about three hour in the middle of the night trying to figure out how I would have survived. What I just wrote is my thoughts. I am planning another cruise in November...(Got to get back on the horse.) But, I will be traveling differently now.

 

Not intended to hijack this thread...

(I wonder how the designs will change in the decades to come? Will the walls have insets or decorations that will be hidden to be used as ladders in case of a nap taken by the ship?

 

italianfemmy by the way I love the Dream pictures you took. They Are Excellent!)

[Seago2]

 

As I said, today, I finally understood the intention of the OP. I just would not think or express it that way. But, different strokes, ..........

 

So it's clear to you now, then?

 

Italianfemmy, I completely understand what you are saying. I, too, have been traumatized by this event. You can imagine how many times I have checked about 20 different news sources, etc etc etc since the night this happened. To see the ship just sitting there now is as horrifying as it was at daylight on Saturday.

 

I have been struck by how many of my fellow cruisers in my real life are really upset by the jumping. It's like 9/11- for some people, it was the jumpers that horrified them most. I think it's the thought of standing there and being in such a state of mind that jumping seems the only option.

 

For me, it's the survivors being found in muster stations with their life vests on. For all the talk of the lack of a muster drill, these people were following the rules. How frightened they must have been, sitting there, waiting.

 

The whole incident is terribly upsetting and I am afraid that has been reflected in some of the hostile posts lately. I get what you were trying to say. It's just a terrible thing.

[HelloHelloHola]

Thank you for posting this. I am glad I kept trying to explain it because I could tell there was a big misunderstanding. Hugs!

 

Hugs? Gladly!!! But, seriously, it is a very emotional subject. Keeping in line with your theme of hindsight being 20/20. If we could go back in time, I would have tried anything I could to prevent it from happening in the 1st place. Having taken root cause analysis a few times, this is my mentality. I find no pleasure in watching or thinking about passengers making life or death decisions if it can be avoided.

[Minoushka]

I also feel sorry for the Ship I saw pictures of Concordia on a post here What a beautiful ship which did not deserve to keel over the way it did

Please do not misunderstand a lot of innocents died or were injured thru human error so it seems but the ship too has died If they cannot lift it out of water They will scrap it What a shame But truthfulkly would anyone go back on it ????

 

All in all a tragic story

[Highlander0108]

In this case, it would have saved my life. I'm not a strong swimmer and I get cold and start shivering in the winter. (I live in Florida so that's sad. Lol). I'm fine with jumping off something with a parachute or cord attached but jumping from several stories high into rock filled water would most likely freeze me in my place. I'd take my chances with going when she ship was nearing going down. I think this is what makes the world interesting. We are all wired so vastly different from each other.

 

Anyway it's the image I see every time I see the concordia is of a half dry ship and lives that could have been saved if only they'd known she wouldn't fully sink. That's all. It just saddens me.

 

I'm with you 100% on this. Thank you for posting what others, such as myself have been thinking. This whole mess is senseless.

[strathnaver]

I also agree with what the OP (and others agreeing) with her had felt, almost 2 weeks later still seeing an expanse of dry, albeit sideways, safety projecting well out of the sea. Michelle_d_mouse had posted elsewhere that the first two bodies she saw on Giglio were of people who attempted to swim for it.

 

What saddens me is how the LIES from the bridge contributed to this. It would not have taken long for confirmation that the ship was fatally holed but the passengers (and the harbor master) were reassured about an electrical malfunction.

If, from the start, information had clearly been given (OK, in 5 languages) that the ship had been badly damaged ("...sorry") and will be going no further, we have/are moving to shallow water so won't fully sink, authorities have been notified so help is on its way, stay aboard and don't jump into the very cold water in the dark, don't panic and we'll keep you informed the outcome may have been far less tragic.

[FrankNJ]

What saddens me is how the LIES from the bridge contributed to this. It would not have taken long for confirmation that the ship was fatally holed but the passengers (and the harbor master) were reassured about an electrical malfunction.

If, from the start, information had clearly been given (OK, in 5 languages) that the ship had been badly damaged ("...sorry") and will be going no further, we have/are moving to shallow water so won't fully sink, authorities have been notified so help is on its way, stay aboard and don't jump into the very cold water in the dark, don't panic and we'll keep you informed the outcome may have been far less tragic.

 

 

Excellent post ... As a boater I know of a saying , "stay with the boat until you have to step UP to get off of it" . I would still be sitting on an upper deck wearing my lifevest when the coast guard came to rescue me , unless there was a calm orderly progression to the lifeboats .