Worst sailing nightmares

Had a week in Southern Ireland, returning to Dublin for the ferry we were told that due to bad weather our ferry was cancelled, but if we rushed we could still make the large cat. Why did we rush. It’s about a three hour sailing, when it’s not gale force, two hours into it the whole boat was a pukefest. We were all strapped into our seats with the areas compartmentalised and sealed off.

The captain came on the tannoy and said, I kid you not, “she’s holding up very well, in two hours we‘ll be in the lea of the land and it will ease”. The cat was literally falling off waves onto its side. The floors were swimming with puke, I looked outside and realised being on the outside of the boat was not survivable. The wind eased, we were told we could go to the bar for water or whatever, just got to the que and there was an alarm, a fuel pipe had come lose and started a fire in the engine room, could see the smoke billowing out of the back, it was dealt with professionally. The wind got back up and we were strapped back in.

After another two hours the captain said “she’s still holding up very well, in two hours we’ll be in the lea of the land.......”

Six and a half hours later they started calling the reg numbers of the damaged cars as we sailed into Holyhead. This might sound like an exaggeration, honestly one of the few times in my life when I thought I was in a situation that wasn’t survivable. It never should have sailed.
 
I spent a few years in the 90's as an Engineering Officer for a company that operated North Sea supply and Safety vessels. I spent most time on a boat called the Putford Achilles.

One time we were in the Thames Gas field, about 50+ miles of the coast of Greta Yarmouth, and the skipper spotted a dude on a windsurfer. We sent out one of the rescue boats, and he didnt want rescuing, he just wanted directions back to the UK. He was recovered against his will.

Another time we had to launch the rescue RIB to board a small Spanish trawler that was headed straight towards one of the unmanned gas platforms. It wasnt responding to emergency radio calls, and it turns out that all 5 or 6 crew including the skipper were blind drunk and sleepping it off whilst the boat was drifting on autopilot. Scary stuff.

After I left in 1995, the Achilles was involved in a couple of high profile incidents. One was in May 8th 2002 when supporting the Rough gas field, a large Spanish trawler called the Marbella collided with the Bravo installation. I think no-one was seriously hurt, but there was a fair bit of damage and a catastrophe narrowly avoided.



1616495066465.png1616495103915.png




In July 2002 the Achilles was in close response when a helicopter crashed during landing on a rig in the Leman gas field, killing all on 11 people board. Absolutely horrific for all concerned, and my heart goes out to all the people and families involved.

en.wikipedia.org

2002 Bristow Helicopters Sikorsky S-76A crash - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org


Never underestimate the dangers involved with the sea.
 
Beverleyred said:
Apollo
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We did a stint of fishery patrol too, out of Shetland. I remember very well being the radio operator on a boarding party, when we commandeered a Spanish trawler. The crew were great until we took it into Lerwick, and it got a bit nasty with one of the crew coming at us with a knife because he didn’t want to be incarcerated for a few days. A bizarre incident indeed.
 
Billy69_uk said:
I spent a few years in the 90's as an Engineering Officer for a company that operated North Sea supply and Safety vessels. I spent most time on a boat called the Putford Achilles.

One time we were in the Thames Gas field, about 50+ miles of the coast of Greta Yarmouth, and the skipper spotted a dude on a windsurfer. We sent out one of the rescue boats, and he didnt want rescuing, he just wanted directions back to the UK. He was recovered against his will.

Another time we had to launch the rescue RIB to board a small Spanish trawler that was headed straight towards one of the unmanned gas platforms. It wasnt responding to emergency radio calls, and it turns out that all 5 or 6 crew including the skipper were blind drunk and sleepping it off whilst the boat was drifting on autopilot. Scary stuff.

After I left in 1995, the Achilles was involved in a couple of high profile incidents. One was in May 8th 2002 when supporting the Rough gas field, a large Spanish trawler called the Marbella collided with the Bravo installation. I think no-one was seriously hurt, but there was a fair bit of damage and a catastrophe narrowly avoided.



View attachment 15784View attachment 15785




In July 2002 the Achilles was in close response when a helicopter crashed during landing on a rig in the Leman gas field, killing all on 11 people board. Absolutely horrific for all concerned, and my heart goes out to all the people and families involved.

en.wikipedia.org

2002 Bristow Helicopters Sikorsky S-76A crash - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org


Never underestimate the dangers involved with the sea.
Click to expand...
I was on Invincible in 81 when we lost multiple Sea King helicopters in a mid air collision in fog off the Isle of Wight. That was horrific, really felt for the flight crew’s families.
 
I came back on a ferry from Calais to Dover in a gale. It didn't affect me very much, but I was aware of people barfing in corners and corridors. It's the smell that really gets you. When we docked in Dover, I stepped out from the lounge area into one of those watertight compartments (door in front and door behind). I couldn't really see what was on the floor but I knew it was liquid, I hoped it was just seawater, but as soon as I got out into the light I could see bit of carrot on my shoes. Then the smell hit me like a tsunami. I threw the shoes in the bin when I got home.
 
Beverleyred said:
I was on Invincible in 81 when we lost multiple Sea King helicopters in a mid air collision in fog off the Isle of Wight. That was horrific, really felt for the flight crew’s families.
Click to expand...
Just been reading about that. They were apparently 2 and a half miles astern doing independent approaches. Flyco and the chockheads on the Flight deck may well have witnessed it. 😞😞😞
 
Not me but a friend was part of the Falklands task force on the way out and they hit gale force 10 weather.
As if going to war wouldn't be bad enough.
 
My worst time at sea was on a V class submarine coming to Periscope Depth on work up to ventilate after a "for exercise" fire drill and the surface was a bit choppy... I was operating the Planes surfaces so responsible for keeping the submarine at depth, level and on course...

We had been at PD for a short while when I lost all control of surfaces and we had to call a Hydraulic burst which has potential for a real fire. We couldnt surface or dive so I had to controll the 150M 16000 ton submarine on air emergency in a changable sea direction wile putting on my emergency breathing aperatus and trying to decipher shouted commands from the OOW and ship control while everyone was moving about to their emergency stations...

Was a bit hectic, i can tell you...

Ive got other stories but "born on teesside...but thats all I can tell you!!! " as the advert says ;-)
 
I imagine you've seen the drugs video when the Planesman turns into a monster 😁
When I was at Faslane commcen we had a green pass and a red pass for the jetties. My ROSM mate used to take us on board at dinnertime for a 'look round the boat', or 'i'm just helping the RS out with a crypto snag', which usually meant a call round in the fwd horseshoe. 😁😁😁
 
We went into Faslane for repairs after being rammed by an Icelandic gun boat (a converted tug). Got very close to a reserve WRO from HMS Dalriada. Ah, they were the days.
 
Lemmy_kilmister said:
I imagine you've seen the drugs video when the Planesman turns into a monster 😁
When I was at Faslane commcen we had a green pass and a red pass for the jetties. My ROSM mate used to take us on board at dinnertime for a 'look round the boat', or 'i'm just helping the RS out with a crypto snag', which usually meant a call round in the fwd horseshoe. 😁😁😁
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Ha yeah put me right off taking drugs that did :ROFLMAO:
 
Went on a boat out of Scarborough on a boat called the Regal Lady with my mum
And sister. All seemed fine and then the weather turned . Very up and down - the propeller was out of the water and you could hear it whirling roundhouse. This went on for over an hour. Probably not that bad but certainly scared me - and others!
 
HMS Nottingham October 1987 the night of the great storm in English Channel.
Only having a slow run up the channel travelling between Portland and Portsmouth overnight.
Ended up miles off course near the Chanel Islands with the ship literally having to go with the storm (Not the norm for a warship)
Anything remotely loose or projecting on upper deck such as guardrails and stern light snapped off by the waves.
The following day on arrival in Portsmouth there were large cranes that had blown over.
 
Since1973 said:
HMS Nottingham October 1987 the night of the great storm in English Channel.
Only having a slow run up the channel travelling between Portland and Portsmouth overnight.
Ended up miles off course near the Chanel Islands with the ship literally having to go with the storm (Not the norm for a warship)
Anything remotely loose or projecting on upper deck such as guardrails and stern light snapped off by the waves.
The following day on arrival in Portsmouth there were large cranes that had blown over.
Click to expand...
You weren't on there with that legendary steward who used to give phantom blow jobs were you??? 🤣🤣🤣
 
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