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MS Rotterdam made a full circle, why?

AmazedByCruising

By AmazedByCruising,
in Holland America Line

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AmazedByCruising

AmazedByCruising

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During the short trip from Malaga to Gibraltar (september 20, 2014), the ship made a full circle which took about 1.5 hours. Nobody could tell me why that was, and the captain didn't mention it either. There was no alarm going off or so. Would anybody know a reason for this?

 

A picture is attached.

DSC_0731.jpg.ab17196dfdd0e2f34c5407fa24ab3d2c.jpg

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AmazedByCruising

AmazedByCruising

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It was only 70 nm or so, the captain said we'd be sailing at just 6 knots. We went much faster (up to 14).

 

If HAL-people are reading this: a ship suddenly turning towards Syria in the middle of the night IS a bit scary. It would help a lot if the TV also shows Twitter-like messages from the bridge that are not important enough to be on the speakers but that would keep the guests informed!

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Kamloops50

Kamloops50

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There are times on Alaska cruises HAL takes different routes . Northbound from Vancouver they will cruise North of Bowen Island to delay the arrival at Seymour Arm. Southbound they will cruise Grenville channel instead of Queen Charlotte Sound.

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take us away

take us away

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We were on 2 cruises where a very similar situation occurred but the captains later explained why. One was that a junior officer was learning how to steer for various maneuvers and they had lots of time between ports and the 2nd was people had reported seeing what a man in the water so we circled back to check. Turns out fishermen in the area use catch nets attached to buoys and a man was sitting on a huge buoy mending his net and the other person had taken the boat to shore to get something - we were about 5 miles off shore. The life boat that was dropped to check on him gave him some water and came back to the ship. We circled round again and continued the cruise.

 

Love the monitors that show the route and often in the middle of the night, and now and again, there are strange contortions in our path. Am surprised the captain did not mention what was going on.

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maxie99

maxie99

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in march, on the eurodam ,out off the port Lauderdale, we did a 180, captain came on and said they saw a person on a seadoo out at the 3 mile point and thought he needed help, as we moved closer, he was meant up with a high speed boat , jump in and off they went, captain said they informed the coastguard, as to take care of this machine just left there, ( everyone was saying in the crowsnest, , we interrupted a drug drop off, I agree)

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I_r_a

I_r_a

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> a ship suddenly turning towards Syria in the middle of the night IS a bit scary.

 

It's 2000+ miles from Malaga to Syria.

 

Even at 20 knots, that gives one a long time to find out what's happening. :)

 

((I))

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serendipity1499

serendipity1499

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If the arrival in Gibraltar had to be delayed, why not sail at 6 knots? Isn't that a lot cheaper?

 

That happens more often than you think.. And is nothing to be suspicious or afraid of..

 

BTW I doubt that anyone could control a ship of that size by doing just 6 Knots.. There are winds & waves at sea..

 

6 Knots is what our 33 Ft. Sailboat was capable of doing.. Are you sure the Capt. didn't say they would be cruising at 16 knots?

 

IMO 14 Knots is probably the lowest a cruise ship could do in order to have control over her..

 

Edited by serendipity1499
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Topsham

Topsham

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Distance Malaga to Gibraltar = 70 miles. Say ship departs Malaga at 1700 hrs.... (5pm) and is due to pilot at 0600 (6am) the time between would be about 13 hours. So.... 70 miles in 13 hours = 5.4 knots.

 

 

There are two propellers and they have to make 'economical' speed.... not necessarily the slowest speed. Not good for shafts to make revs that such slow. So..... waste time. Easy way is to make a big circle. Does nor mean that the ship was sailing at 5.4 knots. That is just the 'average' time from distance from Malaga to Gibraltar.... 13 hours for 70 miles. Much better to run the ship at say.... 8 knots than stopping drifting during the night. Passengers don't to feel a ship stopped!

 

 

Now... as far as 'boxing the compass' and 'calibrating' a compass have nothing to do with circles at night and they are two completely different things.

 

Boxing the Compass.... it is an old term and I'd wager that the younger officers have never even used it! On ships we now have 'quartermasters'... those crew that steer the ship into/out of port.... according to the Captain's orders. Most these orders might say... 'Steer 045 degrees' or Steer 180 degrees'. That is when looking at a gyro compass is divided into 360 degrees. That is simple. In old days ....... ;-) ...... compass directions were not in 'degrees' but with compass 'points' when steering on a magnetic compass. In order to know the 'points ' the 'helmsman' (not quartermaster) had to understand orders. So..... on magnetic compass was marked on points... as in north, east, south and west.... that is 000 degrees, 90 degrees, 180 degrees or 270 degrees. These are the 'cardinal points'. Then there are 'inter-cardinals'... like north east, south east, south west then north west. Then there are 'three-letter' points as in north north east, east north east, east south east, south south east etc. Then we have what are called as 'by' points. As in north x east, north east x north, north east x east etc.

 

Too much? :-) In total there are 32 'points'. That means that there are 11 1/4 degrees in each point. It is possible to steer in 1/4 points. Not usually because it is hard to see the compass at night or when the ship is pitching or rolling!

 

A helmsman must be able to understand the orders and learning those 31 points are known as 'boxing the compass'.

 

Come to back at 'calibration' of the compass. Wrong correct name I'm afraid. 'Calibration' is a term used by a Gyro Compass, Direction Finder, or other kind of 'electronic' compass device.

 

A mariner must be able to know his course in a direction known as 'True' compass course. Unfortunately the magnetic compass does not point on the 'true' for direction. In able to know the errors in a magnet compass a ship is 'swung' through 360 degrees. More correctly the ship is not 'swung'.... it is the compass which is 'swung'. The way to learn the error a ship must steady on a course at say... north and then take a bearing of a known direction and compare between 'compass and true'. Then bring to the next say... north east.... steady on that direction and then compare that difference... etc all the way through the compass card. The compass errors are compared and the error is that value... less than the Variation of the earth's magnetic. That result is the value of the Deviation. A 'deviation card' is posted in the bridge so every compass course can be correctly steered.

 

Normally a 'compass error' is checked at least once a watch at sea. It is simply that taking a bearing of a known direction.... or a celestial body.... sun, moon or stars and then make a calculation to learn the error. The watch 'error' is kept in a book and over days, weeks, months etc... it is possible to keep check on the errors. If all electronic devices fail.... the navigator must just easily check 'error book' and he is on his merry way. No battery required!

 

Sorry to be winded... no point in using incorrect terms!

 

Stephen

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ellieanne

ellieanne

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The time code on the photo indicated it was 11:36 pm when the ship was making the circle. I wouldn't expect an announcement to be made at that time unless it was an emergency requiring ships' alarms to sound.

 

Is it possible that a mention was made during the "noon" report the following day and the OP missed it? I know I have missed reports several times, even on sea days when I was most definitely on board.

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Topsham

Topsham

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Most interesting post!

Hope HAL helsmen, (sp?), young officers all mastered navigation without electronics if needed.

Thanks

 

 

 

Not bad spelling.... just bad typing. ;-)

 

'Helmsman' as in 'helm'.... wheel, tiller etc.

 

In Holland America I guess they could be called HALmsman!!!!!

 

Young officers had better be mastered without electronics because they would be 'up the creek'. Navigation without electronics is an 'art'.

 

It had better be learned because the North Koreans are now jamming signals on GPS. Other countries like USA and US are looking at alternative in a new LORAN system. Should major a world 'event' it would be an easy task to knock satellites off and the whole GPS is 'kaput'.

 

Stephen

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Topsham

Topsham

Posted
Posted
Strange things happen in the Bermuda Triangle

 

 

 

 

Rarely navigators would get lost in the Bermuda Triangle. Now.... passengers getting 'wrecked' in the Bermuda Triangle is a different story. More like getting by 'wrecked' by weather... as in 'Dark 'n Stormy'!!!!!

 

 

Stephen

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Topsham

Topsham

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Here is on a real ship..... me as Navigating Cadet old ripe age of 19. I would take the old SCOTSPARK over any AMSTERDAM. Open bridge wings... sun, fresh air.... long voyages 47 days.... North Europe to Australia... loading grain for a week and another 47 days back! No mail, no e-mails.... rarely any news if you reach a radio.... one movie a week. Best Chinese food ever! ;)

 

Stephen

58365558_SCOTSPARK2.jpg.e283918a1b2fc7a31bef7dd789269bba.jpg

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Archalion

Archalion

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Sometimes they do a complete circle to "recalibrate"[correct term?] the compass.

 

This is absolutely correct. We have to periodically calibrate the magnetic compass above the bridge. This requires us to turn the ship around a few times. (Doing donuts)

 

Another possible explanation is a reporter Man Over Board situation, although in that case, the MOB alarm is usually sounded (Three long tones)

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