Port of Galveston closed due to fog, collision 1-15-2020

[JupiterTwo]

The concierge told me they are turning around tonight, no matter how late. 

 

We will be leaving the ship in a few minutes. 

 

Steve

[KsucAts]

2 minutes ago, ssb said:

It will go fast , if Immigration shows up and properly staffed .

Cruisers will be waived thru the disembarkation stations . 

 

What about the restocking of supplies, etc.?  Is everything needed sitting there waiting to be loaded or do they need lots of outside manpower for that also?  I know that turnaround days are crazy for all involved.  I can't imagine how much more difficult they are when they are 10-12 hours behind when they get started.  

[ssb]

3 minutes ago, KsucAts said:

 

What about the restocking of supplies, etc.?  Is everything needed sitting there waiting to be loaded or do they need lots of outside manpower for that also?  I know that turnaround days are crazy for all involved.  I can't imagine how much more difficult they are when they are 10-12 hours behind when they get started.  

Union dock workers are eager to work ! We shall see . 

Edited January 15, 2020 by ssb

[SeaHunt]

Galveston still looking foggy right now:

 

https://www.galveston.com/cruisevideocam/

[time4u2go]

3 hours ago, ssb said:

Fog was not the issue in this case .

 

The search for two missing mariners has shut down all traffic in the Houston and Galveston Ship Channels, according to the Coast Guard Vessel Traffic Service.

The Coast Guard has shut down the channel in order for search and rescue and salvage operations to occur, said Steve Nerheim, the director of the vessel service.

 

Pilots not Coast Guard  shut down channel for fog. 

Confused by your post.  One part says "The Coast Guard has shut down the channel..."  Another part says "Pilots not Coast Guard shut down the channel..."  

 

I wouldn't think that pilots even could shut down the channel.

Edited January 16, 2020 by time4u2go

[ssb]

1 hour ago, time4u2go said:

Confused by your post.  One part says "The Coast Guard has shut down the channel..."  Another part says "Pilots not Coast Guard shut down the channel..."  

 

I wouldn't think that pilots even could shut down the channel.

Generally Pilots shut down for fog . Coast Guard shuts down for search rescue and salvage . Sorry for confusion . 

Edited January 16, 2020 by ssb

[twangster]

When Brilliance came into Tampa late after the Super Bowl her next cruise was a music charter and they had to crane a stage onto the ship.  We docked around 5pm and they began unloading us and hoisting the stage onto the pool deck.  They eventually turned the ship leaving at 1 or 2 am in the morning.  

 

It had to be really hard on the turn around crew, a very long day but I'm sure they pulled together and got it done so the charter could execute.  

 

I suspect they'll do the same here.  

[njkruzer]

We sailed the Brilliance out of Tampa last December for New Year's.  It was a beautiful sunny afternoon.  At muster captain informed us that coast guard had closed the Harbor due to fog!  Apparently there was fog at the bridge.   Didn't sail until 12:30 pm the next afternoon!  Rhapsody followed us out.  3 ships waiting to enter and couldn't until we left so I figure they didn't dock until close to 5 pm.  Felt sorry for passengers waiting to board.  No problem for us.  Casino and shops closed and we missed a port otherwise things proceeded and we had a good time.

[Duckfeeder]

If anybody is still interested, we're on the 1/16 sailing on Enchantment. Boarding took place at 6:30 pm, mustered at 9:45 and we were supposed to leave at 10:15 pm.

 

As of, 12:20 am, we're still here, presumably due to fog, but I haven't heard any announcements.

 

We're supposed to have a day at sea and then be in Progreso, Mexico. I know they can make up some time... But at what point do they cancel a port stop?

[Clarea]

1 minute ago, Duckfeeder said:

 ...

 

We're supposed to have a day at sea and then be in Progreso, Mexico. I know they can make up some time... But at what point do they cancel a port stop?

 

When they know they cannot make it.   Don't worry, you will be notified if there will be a change, probably as part of the Captain's noon announcement.

[JupiterTwo]

39 minutes ago, Duckfeeder said:

If anybody is still interested, we're on the 1/16 sailing on Enchantment. Boarding took place at 6:30 pm, mustered at 9:45 and we were supposed to leave at 10:15 pm.

 

As of, 12:20 am, we're still here, presumably due to fog, but I haven't heard any announcements.

 

We're supposed to have a day at sea and then be in Progreso, Mexico. I know they can make up some time... But at what point do they cancel a port stop?

Thanks for keeping the thread going. 

 

What did they do about your dinner.?

 

Royal moved our initial departure up an hour early due to "propulsion issues," to get an extra hour of sailing time. I hope youcan still make your ports on time. 

 

Steve 

Edited January 16, 2020 by JupiterTwo

[Duckfeeder]

18 minutes ago, JupiterTwo said:

Thanks for keeping the thread going. 

 

What did they do about your dinner.?

 

Royal moved our initial departure up an hour early due to "propulsion issues," to get an extra hour of sailing time. I hope youcan still make your ports on time. 

 

Steve 

 

The Windjammer was open and we had a quick bite to eat before the muster. I don't know if they even opened the main dining room, as we chose to eat ashore because we didn't want to have to deal with hungry kids trying to board.

 

As of 1:20 am, still at the dock.

 

[chengkp75]

10 hours ago, time4u2go said:

I wouldn't think that pilots even could shut down the channel.

If visibility does not meet the pilots' minimums, the pilots can and do refuse to handle ships, effectively shutting down the port.  Typically, the USCG COTP will also have visibility minimums and will be right behind the pilots in closing the port.

[puppycanducruise]

Interesting thread.

Thanks for the info.

[Seville2Cabo]

6:00 am and still at dock. 
Had  reservation At Chops last night. Had time to board, drop bags at room and get a bottle of wine, nice dinner at Chops and muster at 9:30. C&A drinks were interesting as the normal brands were not available at port. I wanted a martini. Only had TX gin. I passed

[birdylady]

We did Navigator in 2014 out of Galvaston. They had a grain hauler hit an oil rig in the mouth of the channel the day before our sailing. That shut EVERYTHING down.  Long story short, Coast Guard finally let the cruise ships in after we were supposed to have sailed. They got everyone disembarked and we boarded just before midnight the night we were supposed to have sailed. The crew was amazing.    We actually didn't sail til Wednesday due to the the oil spill.

Yes, TX doesn't allow any liquor to be sold in their waters if the liquor was not purchased in TX.  This is why so many choices are not available. 

Erika

[Lady L]

Seville2Cabo, have they given you a time frame of when you may get to sail? It will looks foggy in Galveston. 😢

[Seville2Cabo]

7:45 and no word. The ramps are all disconnected and we are ready to go

[coaster]

Going to be delayed for awhile unfortunately.

 

Dense Fog Advisory

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX
154 AM CST Thu Jan 16 2020

TXZ214-338-436>438-161500-
/O.CON.KHGX.FG.Y.0008.000000T0000Z-200116T1500Z/
Chambers-Coastal Galveston-Matagorda Islands-Brazoria Islands-
Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula-
Including the cities of Winnie, Mont Belvieu, Anahuac, Stowell,
Old River-Winfree, Texas City, Dickinson, La Marque,
Surfside Beach, and Galveston
154 AM CST Thu Jan 16 2020

...DENSE FOG ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CST THIS
MORNING...

* WHAT...Visibility one quarter mile or less in dense fog.

* WHERE...Chambers, Coastal Galveston, Matagorda Islands,
  Brazoria Islands and Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula
  Counties.

* WHEN...Until 9 AM CST Thursday.

[ssb]

GALVESTON

A search that closed area ship channels for almost 24 hours was still underway Wednesday as crews continued to look for two men who fell overboard after a collision between a fishing boat and tanker vessel Tuesday. The crash might have spilled up to 14,000 gallons of diesel into the channels, officials said.

The crash happened off Galveston’s East End when the 81-foot Pappy’s Pride and the 600-foot tanker Bow Fortune collided in fog just before 3:30 p.m., capsizing the smaller boat and sending four of its crew overboard, U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Johanna Strickland said.

One man died Tuesday after he and another crew member, who had a broken leg, had been taken to a University of Texas Medical Branch hospital, Galveston Island Beach Patrol Chief Peter Davis said.

The crash shut down boat traffic to the ports of Galveston, Texas City and Houston for almost 24 hours and spilled diesel fuel from the fishing vessel into the ship channel.

In the worst case environmentally, the boat leaked up to 14,000 gallons of diesel, Strickland said.

Crews on Wednesday still were assessing exactly how much diesel leaked and how to begin cleanup, Strickland said.

“We don’t know how much product is in the water,” she said.

The Coast Guard Vessel Traffic Service shut down traffic into the Galveston, Houston and Texas City ship channels about 3:30 p.m. Tuesday and reopened it about 4 p.m. Wednesday, said Steve Nerheim, director of the vessel service.

Wednesday at 5 p.m., searchers were preparing to continue the search for the missing men through this morning, Strickland said. The Coast Guard plans to continue searching as long as conditions, which can include weather and lighting, allow, Strickland said.

[coaster]

Finally can the ship now that the fog has cleared some.

 

https://www.galveston.com/cruisevideocam/

[ssb]

24 minutes ago, coaster said:

Finally can the ship now that the fog has cleared some.

 

https://www.galveston.com/cruisevideocam/

Fog is lifting and burning off 

[Wheels87]

Funny...we are in the opposite situation on the Dream. We were supposed to come in early this morning and gave been sitting about aile offshore since about 0600.  No word on when we will be headed in. I've already changed my flight out and am waiting for. A call back to change it again. 

 

Oh well, that's cruising from the gulf in winter. 

 

Cheers

[ssb]

[Tree_skier]

Oh no you folks are still sitting there.  Not looking good for Progresso tomorrow!  Even worse you are still stuck on the TX tagged booze! 😩

 

It's looking even worse...

 

 

Edited January 16, 2020 by Tree_skier