Docking question for our CC weather experts

[styles27]

Heading out on Pearl from Boston to Bermuda day after tomorrow. (04/07/2023)
Looking at many websites the forecast is horrible all 3

days in port, however the thing that concerns me more than the clouds and rain is the wind forecast. 
 

We’ve done this cruise many times and haven’t had to deal with windy conditions…we’ve been very fortunate. 
Looks like our luck may be running out with this cruise. 
 

For those who follow the wind and waves forecast do you know what the minimum wind speed is for cruise ships to be able to make it through that channel and dock in Bermuda?

 

Any insight is very much welcome! (Especially @mking8288)

Thank you!

Edited April 5, 2023 by styles27

[princeton123211]

19 minutes ago, styles27 said:

For those who follow the wind and waves forecast do you know what the minimum wind speed is for cruise ships to be able to make it through that channel and dock in Bermuda?

 

Any insight is very much welcome!

It does happen from time to time but not very often. Typically most of the skipped ports with NCL were on winter sailings. Calls at Bermuda are most often cancelled for full on hurricanes which this is not-- 20-25mpg gusts.

 

You're also going to Royal Naval Dockyard (which doesn't have a channel to access it) and not Hamilton or St Georges which do have tight channels so that will help. 

 

Chances are you'll be able to dock. I agree with you that it doesn't look great over those days, but that being said, weather in Bermuda can change in an instant. It's possible you could get the sun to pop out for a bit. If not, just find someplace fun to hunker down inside-- those swizzles are not going to drink themselves!

[styles27]

9 minutes ago, princeton123211 said:

It does happen from time to time but not very often. Typically most of the skipped ports with NCL were on winter sailings. Calls at Bermuda are most often cancelled for full on hurricanes which this is not-- 20-25mpg gusts.

 

You're also going to Royal Naval Dockyard (which doesn't have a channel to access it) and not Hamilton or St Georges which do have tight channels so that will help. 

 

Chances are you'll be able to dock. I agree with you that it doesn't look great over those days, but that being said, weather in Bermuda can change in an instant. It's possible you could get the sun to pop out for a bit. If not, just find someplace fun to hunker down inside-- those swizzles are not going to drink themselves!

Great point! I was thinking of the channel to get to Hamilton! 
I feel better about that now. Thank you!

We will definitely do our part in drinking those delicious rum swizzles 😉 and hoping to get some delicious fish chowder at a couple of restaurants as well!

[njhorseman]

21 minutes ago, princeton123211 said:

You're also going to Royal Naval Dockyard (which doesn't have a channel to access it) and not Hamilton or St Georges which do have tight channels so that will help. 

You absolutely do have to use a ship channel to get to the Dockyard. There are two channels, North and South.

If you look at page 5 (page 17 of the pdf)  of this study about enlarging the channels https://static.squarespace.com/static/501134e9c4aa430673203999/53d1249be4b0c88eff1f0577/53d1249ee4b0c88eff1f11ca/1346261629093/BAMZ 2497 - Ministry of Transport 2011.pdf  you'll see them, marked as 8 (North Channel) and 9 (South Channel)..

Cruise ships enter the channels near St. George's where you see markers 4, 5 and 6 on the graphic.

 

 

[Charles4515]

38 minutes ago, princeton123211 said:

ou're also going to Royal Naval Dockyard (which doesn't have a channel to access it) and not Hamilton or St Georges which do have tight channels so that will help. 

There is a channel and it is narrow. The wind definitely is a factor.

Edited April 5, 2023 by Charles4515

[Charles4515]

1 hour ago, styles27 said:

Heading out on Pearl from Boston to Bermuda day after tomorrow. (04/07/2023)
Looking at many websites the forecast is horrible all 3

days in port, however the thing that concerns me more than the clouds and rain is the wind forecast. 

The weather forecast you see now is irrelevant. Weather apps use algorithms. The weather forecast from the Bermuda weather service is more accurate about 2 or 3 days out. http://www.weather.bm

[styles27]

25 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

There is a channel and it is narrow. The wind definitely is a factor.

Any idea what the cutoff is as far as wind speed/gusts for a ship to be able to get through the channel?

[Charles4515]

7 minutes ago, styles27 said:

Any idea what the cutoff is as far as wind speed/gusts for a ship to be able to get through the channel?

Sorry but I don’t know. It probably depends on wind direction too. 

[mking8288]

Checking in "early" and will call things out later tomorrow & Friday morning - safe & happy travel to Black Falcon Terminal in Beantown ... was our "Joy" to be there last September.  

 

Our "group" is leaving this Sunday on the Prima & heading to Dockyard as well, watching for them as well - going to assume that you'll have some WiFi/satellite data access onboard (and, probably in Bermuda) as someone that isn't going to be "disconnected" - just to stay tuned & alerted to the latest.  

 

Two local BDA weather "page" - detailed forecast/summary links below - both general and marine summary that's good out to 25 miles off the coastline, outside the coral reefs and inside (that's the shallower "channel" that ships carefully navigate, especially if it's is low tide, to get into/out of Dockyard by looping thru St. George first before turning ... sometime you knew from prior trips/cruises to Bermuda.  As others said, it's a complex calculations plus they need the pilot boat for the escort and help to safely navigate ships in & out.  

http://www.weather.bm/forecastmarineextended.asp

http://www.weather.bm/ForecastpublicExtended.asp

 

Port Bermuda webcam - streaming for live views, gives a good idea on wind, current and waves "inside" the coral reefs.  My concern or focus ahead would be, will the free NCL fast ferry, The Spirit of St. George's be able to sail and do shuttle loops for passengers destined for St. George.  

https://www.portbermudawebcam.com/

 

As of this moment - forecast isn't looking pretty for Bermuda next week, in general.  But as noted above, rain & showers typically moved fast toward and then passing, onward away from the island.  A packable rain poncho or weatherproof hoodie would be a smart item to bring along.  

 

Sunday's morning approach & arrival into Bermuda - looked like - choppy seas & gusty wind, almost gale force but not quite - expect waves and sea swell ... anyone prone to motion sickness, start those generic meclizine or Bonine a day early (it works) and/or other remedies.  If the Pearl's captain & team can speed up for a faster run to get there early, should minimize things rocking & rolling all night long (late Saturday into Sunday morning)

[styles27]

16 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

Checking in "early" and will call things out later tomorrow & Friday morning - safe & happy travel to Black Falcon Terminal in Beantown ... was our "Joy" to be there last September.  

 

Our "group" is leaving this Sunday on the Prima & heading to Dockyard as well, watching for them as well - going to assume that you'll have some WiFi/satellite data access onboard (and, probably in Bermuda) as someone that isn't going to be "disconnected" - just to stay tuned & alerted to the latest.  

 

Two local BDA weather "page" - detailed forecast/summary links below - both general and marine summary that's good out to 25 miles off the coastline, outside the coral reefs and inside (that's the shallower "channel" that ships carefully navigate, especially if it's is low tide, to get into/out of Dockyard by looping thru St. George first before turning ... sometime you knew from prior trips/cruises to Bermuda.  As others said, it's a complex calculations plus they need the pilot boat for the escort and help to safely navigate ships in & out.  

http://www.weather.bm/forecastmarineextended.asp

http://www.weather.bm/ForecastpublicExtended.asp

 

Port Bermuda webcam - streaming for live views, gives a good idea on wind, current and waves "inside" the coral reefs.  My concern or focus ahead would be, will the free NCL fast ferry, The Spirit of St. George's be able to sail and do shuttle loops for passengers destined for St. George.  

https://www.portbermudawebcam.com/

 

As of this moment - forecast isn't looking pretty for Bermuda next week, in general.  But as noted above, rain & showers typically moved fast toward and then passing, onward away from the island.  A packable rain poncho or weatherproof hoodie would be a smart item to bring along.  

 

Sunday's morning approach & arrival into Bermuda - looked like - choppy seas & gusty wind, almost gale force but not quite - expect waves and sea swell ... anyone prone to motion sickness, start those generic meclizine or Bonine a day early (it works) and/or other remedies.  If the Pearl's captain & team can speed up for a faster run to get there early, should minimize things rocking & rolling all night long (late Saturday into Sunday morning)

Thank you!

I will be starting my live review thread over on the NCL page tomorrow. 
We’re on the same page as I’ve packed the rain ponchos and umbrellas and hope I won’t need them. 🤞🙏🏻

[lupaglupa]

We're on the Pearl tomorrow as well. Crossing our fingers that the weather is good but.... we're not in control so in the end we will take what we get and still have a great time. 

[mking8288]

@styles27  Sharon "The P" from last week's Prima asked me to help call things out - and, ready to walk the gangplank if I missed the mark, but ...  Mother nature changed her mind & they got sunshine instead - could've re-destined for Bahamas or (highly likely) New England instead.  Half or a day's worth of rough seas rocking & rolling should be expected - and, with many using their Unlimited Beverage "benefits" anyway, have an extra one & it's all good, LOL.  

 

Windy App is free on iOS & Android - use that to "read" the graphs & charts, explore and click to come up with the waves & sea state forecast, move the "pin" around on a touchscreen or with a mouse pointer, and dig deeper to see the odds.  

 

@bluesea777 is the other "resident" CC expert on/from Bermuda and he'll probably come follow along to help, if appropriate.  Think positive, homes & buildings on the islands, as we know, are solidly built to withstand hurricanes and they are better constructed to offset threats from tornado 

 

Sailaway from Boston, MA out to Bermuda tomorrow & en route (Saturday) at sea looks okay, rougher sea state and waves for some, but not terrible.  Sunday afternoon/evening into Monday would be the worst - gale force wind and waves outside the reef 11 to 15 ft. (higher to the west/north of the islands) but calming - these are based on BDA's official local gov't weather service forecast - not AccuWeather or The Weather Channel, etc. 

 

Will hop over to ride along the live threat/post to catch up.  Happy, healthy, fun and safe travel - cheers.  

[styles27]

28 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

@styles27  Sharon "The P" from last week's Prima asked me to help call things out - and, ready to walk the gangplank if I missed the mark, but ...  Mother nature changed her mind & they got sunshine instead - could've re-destined for Bahamas or (highly likely) New England instead.  Half or a day's worth of rough seas rocking & rolling should be expected - and, with many using their Unlimited Beverage "benefits" anyway, have an extra one & it's all good, LOL.  

 

Windy App is free on iOS & Android - use that to "read" the graphs & charts, explore and click to come up with the waves & sea state forecast, move the "pin" around on a touchscreen or with a mouse pointer, and dig deeper to see the odds.  

 

@bluesea777 is the other "resident" CC expert on/from Bermuda and he'll probably come follow along to help, if appropriate.  Think positive, homes & buildings on the islands, as we know, are solidly built to withstand hurricanes and they are better constructed to offset threats from tornado 

 

Sailaway from Boston, MA out to Bermuda tomorrow & en route (Saturday) at sea looks okay, rougher sea state and waves for some, but not terrible.  Sunday afternoon/evening into Monday would be the worst - gale force wind and waves outside the reef 11 to 15 ft. (higher to the west/north of the islands) but calming - these are based on BDA's official local gov't weather service forecast - not AccuWeather or The Weather Channel, etc. 

 

Will hop over to ride along the live threat/post to catch up.  Happy, healthy, fun and safe travel - cheers.  

Thank you so much! Going to start my “live” thread now!😊

[OceanBlue123]

Definitely is a channel the ships must follow. A few years ago the Norwegian Dawn lost power before it left the channel, grounded, and was stuck on a reef for a while.

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/cruise-ship-from-boston-runs-aground-in-bermuda/

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/20/norwegian-cruise-line-norwegian-dawn-aground-reef-bermuda