THESE POSTINGS MAKE ME QUEASY
A string of postings on the Cruisemates.com boards has had the exact effect that one lady (Doris C) wrote: "I'm feeling queasy just reading these posts..."
The postings started in the Roll Call for the Crossing in the Cruismates boards, it was all going so well with everyone talking about how fast the weeks woudl go before the 15 December and then......
TWS: "I hope you all on the Dec 15 crossing are rough weather aficionados! This is a cult sailing for some of us.
Last year was a bit of a disappointment with only a Force 8 but previous years have been sensational. When the forecast on the Great Circle Route is a bit dire, the captain plots a course southwest from Southampton to just north of the Azores then directly west to New York,. hoping to avoid the deepest low. One year the storm was simply too large to maneuver around. Ted"
To which The Other Jon replied:
"Hi Ted. You've got it, I'm looking for the weather. Is there an organised "QE2 Rough Riders" club then ? I've been through a number of storms on ferries, including some force 9s off the Scottish coast. This is nothing compared to mid Atlantic though.There is a bonus with having to take a very southerly root : the ship has has to run faster to make up time. Those of us who has experienced it, travelling at 30 knotts on QE2 is a great feeling. Talking of weather, here are some links to the ferry "The Suilven" in a serious storm in the Cook Strait, New Zealand. I was on this same ferry in the same storm that sunk the oil tanker "Braer" in the Shetland Isles."
TWS: "Jon. You are on the right ship at the right time. I have been aboard when she made 32 knots after four straight storms on a westbound crossing.Parallel to your Cook Strait experience, I was on QE2 in the same storm that sank the SeaBreeze, and the captain announced it.You wil find me doing the constitutional on the Boat Deck in any kind of weather, the worse the better. Ted"
The other Jon: "When I was on the Suilven in 1993 I was watching the TV in the forward lounge with the news footage of the tanker in trouble. The tanker was rolling about without power, the crew had been airlifted off and Quendale Bay was starting to becon. At the same time I was experiencing weightlessness for about three seconds at a time when our ship came off the top of the wave and then, when we got to the bottom, it was like being punched into the deck......Fantastic. The whole time she handled it effortlessly, like she always did".
Bee Bye: "Why would any one want to be in a storm at sea not all people can take the rough sea who would want to ruin the holiday?"
Marc Tompson: "If you are subject to motion sickness, of course you would not take this crossing. But for many people, the thrill of riding the high waves at sea is a delight.
As for myself, I do get sea sick, but the thrill of the rough seas has a greater pull on me than a few bouts of sea sickness during the week. I also enjoy the cool weather and the atmoshere on board during these early days of Winter.
It is great fun to stroll the deck and see everyone bundled up -- although the temps do stay in the 50s most of the time! :) It is not until we get to North America on the next-to-last days that it gets cold.What can compare to swimming in the outdoor pool (temp 84 degrees) on a cool December day? You either love this 12/15 crossing or not".
Guess I have that queasy feeling today.... I will definately not let Mark read these postings.....
