Ventura switching ports?

[jeanlyon]

It has just started to get windy here in South Devon, although still brilliant sunshine.  Think I'll take the dog out now.  Looks like strong winds and rain around 4pm

[jeanlyon]

So she is in Zeebrugge now.  Wonder when she leaves?  Don't think I would want to be at sea for 2 nights in this

Edited February 8, 2020 by jeanlyon

[Eglesbrech]

18 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

It has just started to get windy here in South Devon, although still brilliant sunshine.  Think I'll take the dog out now.  Looks like strong winds and rain around 4pm

It has started to blow a hoolie up here and went from brilliant sunshine an hour ago to being cast over now.

 

Hope those onboard have as comfortable a journey as possible, perhaps the Captain can dodge the worst of the weather.

[Manx buoy]

41 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

It has started to blow a hoolie up here and went from brilliant sunshine an hour ago to being cast over now.

 

Hope those onboard have as comfortable a journey as possible, perhaps the Captain can dodge the worst of the weather.

Wee bit fresh here as well F7 gustingF9. The actual shipping forecast for here F10 and up to F11 in Thames but I’m sure the tugs would’ve coped 🤦‍♂️😂

[KnowTheScore]

Yep looking pretty rough.   Sea state becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high later.

I would rather be in port than at sea !

 

Edited February 8, 2020 by KnowTheScore

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, KnowTheScore said:

Yep looking pretty rough.   Sea state becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high later.

I would rather be in port than at sea !

 

I thought you were earlier extolling how well ships nowadays cope with rough sea conditions.😉

[davemorton]

For balance, the DFDS ferries to Amsterdam have also been cancelled. 

[KnowTheScore]

3 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

I thought you were earlier extolling how well ships nowadays cope with rough sea conditions.😉

 

 

Oh don't get me wrong, ships cruise through these kind of conditions all the time.  As I said before I've been in at least 2 force 12 Hurricane cruises and plenty of force 9, 10 and 11s.  I've been in huge swells and huge storms.   These ships just push through them no problem.  Yes, life on-board is absolute hell for quite a number of people when it happens but the ships sail in these conditions very frequently.

[bee-ess]

10 hours ago, KnowTheScore said:

 

 

Oh don't get me wrong, ships cruise through these kind of conditions all the time.  As I said before I've been in at least 2 force 12 Hurricane cruises and plenty of force 9, 10 and 11s.  I've been in huge swells and huge storms.   These ships just push through them no problem.  Yes, life on-board is absolute hell for quite a number of people when it happens but the ships sail in these conditions very frequently.

 

So, are you are saying that P&O did make the right call to cancel the port ?

Edited February 9, 2020 by bee-ess

[Manx buoy]

32 minutes ago, bee-ess said:

 

So, are you are saying that P&O did make the right call to cancel the port ?

Changes his mind like the wind💨💨😂😂

[jon01]

I'm not sure why Ventura is milling around in the North Sea with Force 11 winds imminent. It's not as though they were forced to do this, when they could have sailed back to the safety of Southampton on Saturday evening or stayed in Belgium. It's going to be very uncomfortable out there for the next two days. Potentially this could lead to bad press for P&O and if any equipment is damaged or fails, the ship could be in serious trouble

[Adawn47]

1 hour ago, bee-ess said:

 

So, are you are saying that P&O did make the right call to cancel the port ?

Having experienced a few hair raising incidents while cruising with P&O, as I'm sure many others have, I have always had complete confidence in their decisions. If we have to miss a port or change an itinerary, fine, but I know I'll return safely to Southampton. 

 

[Adawn47]

6 minutes ago, jon01 said:

I'm not sure why Ventura is milling around in the North Sea with Force 11 winds imminent. It's not as though they were forced to do this, when they could have sailed back to the safety of Southampton on Saturday evening or stayed in Belgium. It's going to be very uncomfortable out there for the next two days. Potentially this could lead to bad press for P&O and if any equipment is damaged or fails, the ship could be in serious trouble

We were in a similar situation in November on Aurora,  but I think the problem was that sometimes it's safer to avoid the Solent in certain conditions. Maybe someone more knowledgeable can explain. 

[sogne]

17 minutes ago, jon01 said:

I'm not sure why Ventura is milling around in the North Sea with Force 11 winds imminent. It's not as though they were forced to do this, when they could have sailed back to the safety of Southampton on Saturday evening or stayed in Belgium. It's going to be very uncomfortable out there for the next two days. Potentially this could lead to bad press for P&O and if any equipment is damaged or fails, the ship could be in serious trouble

firstly at sea may well be safer than risk of breaking mooring lines as happened to Azura in a confined space

secondly she is running with the weather which relatively speaking is most likely better than ploughing into it

 

thirdly I doubt if pilot boarding would be possible at the Nab and attempting to round Bramble Bank abeam the windi possibly not the best idea

[AndyMichelle]

4 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

We were in a similar situation in November on Aurora,  but I think the problem was that sometimes it's safer to avoid the Solent in certain conditions. Maybe someone more knowledgeable can explain. 

You wouldn't want to be sailing down the Solent now, it's horrendous out there and was for most of the night... 

Andy 

[Adawn47]

I do know that during a hurricane a docked ship will leave port and anchor out at sea because it's safer. So if Ventura seems to be 'milling around ' maybe that's what's happening. I'm  just guessing. Whatever she's doing will the safest option I'm sure.

[Harry Peterson]

It does seem odd to be where they are, given the shipping forecast.  Not good for the poor passengers.

 

 

 

[kalos]

50 minutes ago, jon01 said:

I'm not sure why Ventura is milling around in the North Sea with Force 11 winds imminent. It's not as though they were forced to do this, when they could have sailed back to the safety of Southampton on Saturday evening or stayed in Belgium. It's going to be very uncomfortable out there for the next two days. Potentially this could lead to bad press for P&O and if any equipment is damaged or fails, the ship could be in serious trouble

This brings back memories of our New Year cruise on the Ventura( DEC 2015).

We had four days of going up and down the Channel/North Sea.

The Queen Victoria managed to dock even at Amsterdam due to the azipod system she uses but hey,

we got a cruise and enjoyed it despite the rough conditions. OUR cruise to nowhere which we were told by 

the Captain was the safe thing to do,once the wind drops the Ventura will spin round and head home to Southampton.

This morning I'm watching a live feed of aircraft landing at Heathrow airport and the same could be said about the pilots who are landing in this storm .The ships /aircraft captain will do what it takes to keep you safe ,even if to you it may seem an odd decision at the time .

Edited February 9, 2020 by kalos

[Adawn47]

I wonder if there's someone aboard Ventura at the moment that can give us any information on their situation. The Captain will be keeping them up to date. It will save all this speculation. 

[AndyMichelle]

35 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

It does seem odd to be where they are, given the shipping forecast.  Not good for the poor passengers.

 

 

 

I'm sure the Captain knows best Harry.. 

Doesn't seem like any good spots, so I'm sure he has gone to the least of the bad. 

Andy 

[AndyMichelle]

3 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

Given the current sea conditions I think I'd rather risk the ship than a lifeboat. 

Yeah.. No bar on a life boat... 😊

Andy 

[Adawn47]

2 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

Yeah.. No bar on a life boat... 😊

Andy 

And the cocktails will shake themselves 😉. 

[Manx buoy]

That’s a weather buoy just to the East of their position SSW Force 9 gust 10 running before it at the moment will be fine enough. The winds going more Westerly later so when they turn to come back it’ll be a bit more lively but they’ll have more of a lee from the English coast till they get past Dover

[sogne]

24 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

I'm sure the Captain knows best Harry.. 

Doesn't seem like any good spots, so I'm sure he has gone to the least of the bad. 

Andy 

the North Sea is my home patch both as a professional and leisure seaman  with 25 years SAR there

 

it is nasty certainly now but she is running with the weather which is far better than running  into it where is all probability he would be hove to

also much more sea room where he is rather for the eventful turn to reverse course than the constricted Dover Strait and channel where in a sw and w direction the sea heaps up between the Goodwins, Sandettie  and other banks     

[AndyMichelle]

1 hour ago, sogne said:

the North Sea is my home patch both as a professional and leisure seaman  with 25 years SAR there

 

it is nasty certainly now but she is running with the weather which is far better than running  into it where is all probability he would be hove to

also much more sea room where he is rather for the eventful turn to reverse course than the constricted Dover Strait and channel where in a sw and w direction the sea heaps up between the Goodwins, Sandettie  and other banks     

Thank you, nice to hear some proper facts. 

Andy