QE2 - Weather and its impact....

[Twynkle]

Regarding 'QE2 - Weather and all it's Variations'
It's impact on navigation, sailing times, crew schedules, surgery sessions, peoples' expectations, experiences, voyages, etc etc
This could have been considerable.
Fog and clouds stuck well down into the Norwegian fjords one year - it was depressing for many 'holiday-makers', lots of grumbles - promised views fogged-out!

It was interesting too, for others.
To stand on the top-most deck with head in cloud together with the Funnel - it was great!
Even the echo of her whistle seemed a bit muffled too

Most people stayed inside - the bars full and the loud noise seemed unfamiliar. 

[Richard Coltman]

I recall my sailing down to Geiranger Fjord was shrouded in mist but it did add to the occasion.

But when considering the weather........also what about its effect on her physical condition...

Which would be better?  Wetter, colder Britain or hotter, dryer Dubai?

[Blue Bombay]

Cobh, Ireland 1993

QE2 anchors off on a lovely bright morning.Tender service starts to operate from ship to shore.Close to lunchtime fog crawls in wrapping up the ship,tender service is suspended for about 2 hours.

Lunch that day went on for ever.......................



Louis

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

What an amazing picture, Louis! That is how to recognise the genuine QE2 lovers -- show them this picture and they will know immediately what it is    !

[Kathy M.]

That is a great photo!  The weather delayed my arrival by 24 hours - which caused mayhem because the trains didn't run on Sunday so they had to get buses to carry the passengers to London (and when we had all boarded the bus the driver turned to us and asked "who knows how to get the London?" - a rather scary experience!).

[Rob Lightbody]

AWESOME photo Louis.

[Blue Bombay]

When cruising through the South China Sea during the World Cruise is almost a must for heavy seas.On this ocassion back in 1991, Force 8-9 blowing enough to put a few out of order........



PS-note that the One Deck Aft section where the aft liferafts are was still not added.

Louis

[Cunardqueen]

The calm seas on the med on a glorious sunny day October 2006 enroute from Egypt



I was quietly grinning from ear to ear  Though to be honest, l never expected to find rough weather here, Mindyou we were near where the SS Poseidon was ..
The shoppies on the other hand.....

[highlander0108]

The calm seas on the med on a glorious sunny day October 2006 enroute from Egypt

I was quietly grinning from ear to ear  Though to be honest, l never expected to find rough weather here, Mindyou we were near where the SS Poseidon was ..
The shoppies on the other hand.....

Looks like the ship hadn't taken on enough ballast....a little Poseidon reference there. 

[jdl]

Some superb piccies, especially the fog bound one!  I never had the pleasure of a really rough day on board the worst was only a 5-6 swell across the bay of biscay, but the gentle corkscrew motion did make for a rather queezy few hours!!

jdl

[Twynkle]

Reading about RMS Queen Elizabeth (Captain Marr's good book!), and about the ships crossing the Atlantic in fog (and ice?) as WW2 began,  - it sounds simply terrifying.
For days and nights on end, people on the Bridge needed 'extras' from other departments to be stationed on watch, and listening - at the stern as well, over many extra hours. Partly because of the need for a complete black-out, and partly due to the fact that technology of today was yet to be discovered, it must have been an extraordinary experience for young seafarers....
(Memories of foghorns day and night on the The Mersey, too...What about The Clyde? The Thames etc...)

Just wondering - were foggy conditions a problem on board QE2?
Perhaps passengers weren't as aware of the risks....
 

[Blue Bombay]

Just wondering - were foggy conditions a problem on board QE2?
Perhaps passengers weren't as aware of the risks....

Fog is like enemy number one for any Captain.Normally when entering a foggy area the ships goes into a " fog routine ", the precutions taken are that the Bridge is staffed up, the Captain cant absent himself from the Bridge.ALL WTD doors to remain closed through out and the fog horn has to be opertional.

Louis

[Twynkle]

Some good images of the storm damage to QE2 in 1987
from Cunardqueens
http://rmsqueenelizabeth2.com/

[Beardy Rich]

.ALL WTD doors to remain closed through out and the fog horn has to be opertional.

Louis

Ah yes, fog routine. Six Deck, normally a hive of activity and main thoroughfare through the ship became morgue-like when the WTD's were closed up. Pain in the a**e trying to get anywhere though!

[Beardy Rich]

Regarding 'QE2 - Weather and all it's Variations'
It's impact on navigation, sailing times, crew schedules, surgery sessions, peoples' expectations, experiences, voyages, etc etc
This could have been considerable.

During a lumpy sea it could be an 'interesting' experience climbing or descending the crew stair to the crew mess. One minute you were almost weightless as the bow of the ship plummeted into the next wave trough, the next minute, your legs felt like they were made of lead as the bow came back up again. I think this would have been crew stair 3 from memory.

[Twynkle]

Hi Rich
Apart from closing all WTDs, were there other things that needed to be done in the Engine Room - or the SCR
when the weather changed from fair to poor etc? 
I wonder too, if there were times (apart from drills) when the lifts had to be out of bounds - and were these the responsibility of the engineers as well?
Thanks
Rosie 

[Beardy Rich]

Hi Rosie, the only thing I can think that we wouldn't do during bad weather would have been to lift/move heavy electric motors or pumps around. I remember one instance when a very heavy electric motor in the Turbo-Alternator room had to be made ready to be lifted but it stayed in position for several weeks, only for it to finally be moved when we were alongside in Southampton (I think?). Six-deck working alleyway was also used to store various heavy items of spare machinery too, so these would have to be checked and made secure.

With regard to the SCR, after I left the ship I heard a story that during to a particularly rough Atlantic crossing, the Chief Engineer ordered for it to be manned by two people and that all ballast tanks etc to be 'pressed up tight' (Full) or completely empty.

Tons of saltwater ballast sloshing around in half empty tanks doesn't make for good stability in rough seas, particularly when they're beam on.

Rich.

[Stowaway2k]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBAGJnHR5bg" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBAGJnHR5bg</a>

[capt.ilc]

QE2 was a ship for any weather indead....

I remember too well my first cruise on her, better say my first crossing, back in November 1996. It was the 3rd last to be a 5 day crossing, but we never made it. It became a 5.5 day one, the returne one giving me a free day on board.
The whole thing started right off the Solent. We were down to about 15 knots and sailing south, close to the Canary Islands. The last 2 days were with 30 knots plus but didn't prevent an arrival in NY out of schedule, was about 1300 at pilot station. It was a superb display of sea and ship... Would not do that one with a modern cruise liner, expect a MILLENNIUM class one maybe

[Twynkle]

There's an interesting note in Commodore Marr's book (The Queens and I) about how the severity of the weather conditions were gauged prior to the introduction of recent meteorological forecasting and other technological advances.

For example, on Aquitania, '... there was one little triangle just abaft the knightsheads which remained dry. except in very bad weather, and it was usually assumed that as long as you could see the dry spot on the forecastle there was no need to reduce speed.  Another distinctive feature of this elegant ship was her four funnels...they were very useful in describing the thickness of the fog...it was either a two-funnel fog, or a three- or four funnel-fog depending on how many could be seen from the bridge...'

On QE2, especially in her early days of service, were there similarities there, too?
Perhaps there were particular areas of the ship - or other means of detecting more detailed information about the weather?
   

[Twynkle]

QE2 and Queen Victoria in the Atlantic Fog
From the best place to be...
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kS44eryRIBU" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kS44eryRIBU</a>
Thanks to kj0928

[Lynda]

We had some rough seas on our first transatlantic voyage on the QE2.  While attempting to dance the night away in the Yacht Club I heard someone say that this gave another meaning to rock and roll.  We certainly rocked and rolled that night and for the next couple of days.

Also on the New York to Quebec trip we experienced rough seas when left Saint John's New Brunswick heading for Rhode Island.  Our dinner companion was taken back to her cabin in a wheelchair because the ship was rolling so much (although it could have been the effects of the wine). We went to the theatre to see a film and had to leave because the curtains were swaying back and forth and you could not see the screen.  I am sure that there was an alert put out to crew and that bar staff started to put away bottles and glass.  Is this normal procedure when the seas get rough?   

[Blue Bombay]

I am sure that there was an alert put out to crew and that bar staff started to put away bottles and glass.  Is this normal procedure when the seas get rough?

Lynda, the crew do get informed when rough seas are forecasted and certain percautions must be made.Every crewmember knows how to make his/her working area safe.

Check out here a typical warning given out to crew.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ex-crewmember/4244150541/

[Cunardqueen]

The usual giveaway for the passengers was to return from Dinner and find the cabin tray with ice bucket placed gently on the floor, or the Deadlight closed !!! The sign of a rough night ahead....

[Twynkle]

Moments of QE2 in her element!
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugAPDltiFCw" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugAPDltiFCw</a>

Thanks to kj0928