Bay of Biscay

[James Curry]

I think it was likely the Captain was trying to out run the weather across the Bay. She has, as Vic suggests her props have cavitated and the over speed trip has kicked in. I would be surprised if the engines would actually trip and stop . Last time I was on a motor ship be it slow speed or medium speed if the over speed trip kicked in the engines should have defaulted to Slow or Dead slow ahead. Maybe these Azipods have a different mind set never sailed with them.

[Johnny Kieran]

I think that if the engines stopped it would have been a bit of a disaster. Then they would really have tables and chairs flying. I've seen a video of the sea state at the time, and it was just rough, a big swell and what looks like a force ten blowing. I suppose that because so many were probably old and maybe infirm, they were unable to balance themselves anytime the ship lurched.
I've been on plenty of cruises, where the sea was a bit choppy, but people were complaining of the movement when their sunbeds kept swaying. Same when plates start moving during mealtimes, it's nature.
I've heard people complain about their mattress moving up and down in the night, saying how rough it had been. Personally, I like it.

[Tony Taylor]

I think that if the engines stopped it would have been a bit of a disaster. Then they would really have tables and chairs flying. I've seen a video of the sea state at the time, and it was just rough, a big swell and what looks like a force ten blowing. I suppose that because so many were probably old and maybe infirm, they were unable to balance themselves anytime the ship lurched.
I've been on plenty of cruises, where the sea was a bit choppy, but people were complaining of the movement when their sunbeds kept swaying. Same when plates start moving during mealtimes, it's nature.
I've heard people complain about their mattress moving up and down in the night, saying how rough it had been. Personally, I like it.

I thought the same regarding the sea state, the crew would no they were in for a bit of heavy weather but maybe did not make appropriate preparations, do they still wet down tablecloths to stop dishes sliding?

[Johnny Kieran]

Never seen em do that Tony.

[Tony Taylor]

Never seen em do that Tony.

I thought it was common practice, unless they trying to train us not to put elbows on the table (something my mother claimed was bad manners).

[Johnny Kieran]

Most times I've seen bad weather on cruises, many people don't eat much, the eateries are usually pretty empty. I tend to like that.
I can remember on a City boat, about the only time I've seen it really rough crossing the bay, when we only had sandwiches for meals for a few days.
I think the sea acts up in that area due to the swell approaching the continental shelf and the bay area, kind of lifts it up a bit, and pushes it tighter.

[Tony Taylor]

Most times I've seen bad weather on cruises, many people don't eat much, the eateries are usually pretty empty. I tend to like that.
I can remember on a City boat, about the only time I've seen it really rough crossing the bay, when we only had sandwiches for meals for a few days.
I think the sea acts up in that area due to the swell approaching the continental shelf and the bay area, kind of lifts it up a bit, and pushes it tighter.

I remember crossing Biscay one time, 315,000 tonne tanker in ballast, had to slow steam due to weather; got turned to at 22.00 hrs for standby to go and assist a greek cargo ship who had a dangerous list. About 04.30 on my way back to my cabin I passed the radio shack and stopped to listen to the vhf chatter, basically the master of an Ellermans vessel (yorks accent) was giving this greek chap a bit of stick because he would not release our vessel as we could not catch up due to the greek vessel making a lot more speed than we could make. He sounded as if he was in panic mode just spouting a load of rabbit but the Ellermans guy was sound in his approach to the scenario, we were eventually released. Dunno what happened after that

[Ivan Cloherty]

I've heard people complain about their mattress moving up and down in the night,

Oh! those were the days, no complaints from me!

[John Arton]

Spirit of discovery is Saga 's first new build. Came into service in 2019.
It is not fitted with dynamic positioning system (that system is usually used to maintain a vessel in a fixed position) but is propelled by azipods.
This from Wikipedia.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spir...scovery_(2019)
Apparently the passengers knew about the bad weather and having had their canaries islands cruise cut short due to high winds they had asked the captain could they bot call at Lisbon to avoid the storm.
As for heaving too to ride out the storm that is possibly a non starter on a cruise liner as it requires to get to its turn around port on a certain date in order to get one set of passengers off and the next set on.
Rgds
J.A
Bit further from passengers accounts, possibly a bit over the top
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/202...cay-discovery/

[Rodney Mills]

When it started Rock and Roll a bit, the cooks had a saying on the Castle boats, "Send it down David, send it down!" Who the heck "David" was I have no idea. We loved it when it rolled, just put roll bars on the stove and don't fill up with liquids to the tops of the pots and cook and chop half of the regular day's needs.

When I was second ass cook on the Roast station, I used to have to cook the eggs for both the tourist and first-class bloods. I would have given anything to have a blow crossing the equator, no fun frying hundreds of eggs for breakfasts first thing in the morning with temperatures in the hundred plus and, standing over an oil burning stove waiting for the bloody thing to backfire and throw soot all over the eggs and have to start again and rush to catch-up. Breakfast over and I would have to wring my cooks jacket out, now time for lunch.

Cheers, Rodney