The weather in Alaska is changing.
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Not just Alaska. A few years back in the Caribbean I had just finished a job with one of the major crusie lines at one of their private islands. Wind got up and one of the two aft moorings attached to a buoy parted. I called on the radio and informed them and they seemed surprised even though I know they had camera to monitor. They started engines and sent a local out in a small boat to climb on the buoy and remove the remaining line, which I thought was stupid. Just as the small boat got to the buoy the remaining line parted thankfully before the guy climbed on the buoy. The ship ended up resting on a reef with no damage but got off using thrusters and the passengers were none the wiser. I have seen some less than professional watchkeeping from cruise ship bridge people.
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I’ve been noticing in these incidents that the mooring drums almost always slip or pay out prior to the lines parting, so there should be some kind of warning or alarm, right?
Also, the ship that broke loose in Juneau was the only one broadside to the winds that can come screaming up the channel That kind of breeze was going to test that mooring arrangement for sure.
You’re thinking of the Taku winds, this event was a severe thunderstorm.
It was the first time the NWS has ever issued one for Juneau
Bezenek said Juneau typically has a thunderstorm once every two years. They’re uncommon in the area because thunderstorms need heat to fuel them and space to grow in the atmosphere. Juneau’s high latitude and nearby icefield prevent storm clouds from growing tall and heating up.
strain gauges are used on tug towing machine. there are also bollard pull equipment that has been used for may years
I am a little surprised that these incidents unfold.
With modern electronics telemetry allied with satellite based weather forecasting duty officers should be well aware of what is heading their way. These behemoths are now fitted with well in excess of 20,000hp in bow thrusting capacity allied with massive azipod capacity. Why this machinery is not employed to hold the ship alongside during these short and sharp weather events to assist the mooring lines is a little perplexing.
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Video here was shot from above: Cruise Ship Lines Snap and Boat Breaks Away from Pier in 'Sudden Squall': VIDEO
All the mooring lines parted except two head lines which held the bow while the ship turned into the wind.
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In the case I spoke of they were locked down.The buoy was held in place by 5 cruise ship size anchors so itwas going anywhere either. I saw this happen twice. What looks to be a normal afternoon thunderstorm can change in an instant once it runs into mountains which supposedly made this a protected anchorage.
Those cross-channel winds that you’re describing can be a real bear, too. They knock down containers at the AML yard fairly frequently and when they’re roaring out of Taku Inlet in the winter time (hence the name,) they’ll ice you up something terribly in the half hour it takes to get across the inlet on your way into Gastineau Channel. Having to break ice off the boat usually isn’t expected in Southeast Alaska.
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I tend to wonder if the crewmembers of these ships tend to be a bit slack because they are “just cruising” the same old, same old.