http://www.ktva.com/video-celebrity-cruise-ship-slams-into-ketchikan-dock-501/
And all that money that they save on tugboats…
Winds were SE 30-45kts today, which puts them off the starboard bow. Usually in this weather here the cruise ships miss the piers entirely…
I’m guessing mechanical issues the anchor was dropped supposedly I heard.
Great Video. My brother almost wiped out every boat in a marina
when he could not deal with the tides.
Those winds aren’t unusual for Ketchikan. And you are correct, most of the time these ships opt to pass on by when things are looking marginal. Whatever happened, other ships chose to utilize tugs for their maneuvers. The infinity did not. That’s not going to look good for them for sure. Here’s another video that’s been making the rounds up here.
[QUOTE=rshrew;185406]I’m guessing mechanical issues the anchor was dropped supposedly I heard.[/QUOTE]
Dropping an anchor COULD be to help controlling the bow while docking and/or to prepare for moving away from the dock with high wind on the beam while departing. A common way of doing things without, or with low powered bow thruster(s).
Here is M/V Nordstjernen conducting a perfect anchor turn at Rorvik, Norway in May, 2011: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uuBwsUivAs
This vessel was built in 1956 and is still going strong. Cruising Svalbard waters again this summer.