Sunday 30 September 2007, Newport.
Newport is always a pleasant place to come to. From the bridge the scenery looks nice, the guests like the call and it is most of the time a sheltered anchorage. It is a interesting tender ride into town, as the tender has to go all the way around Goat island to get to the centre of Newport Harbour to fnd the tender dock. Sunday mornings are nice and quiet and the tenders ahve the port to themselves. Things normally change a bit after mid day when the sail boats come out. And it being a Sunday, and it being great weather, they were out there in large numbers.
Most of them know how to behave but there are always a few. We call them six-pack navigators as their focus is more on the contents of the fridge then on the surrounding traffic. Thus we had a few in our path while sailing away from the anchorage area. Luckily we had a USCG escort and the pilot boat sailing a head of us to get the biggest problems out of the way before they became an issue. There are some sailing boat operators out there, who think that they have the right of way because the rules say so. In open waters, there are situations where a motor vessel has to give way to a sailing vessel. That is part of the Rules of the Road and we all follow those rules.
However when in confined waters, the situation is different. Whereas a small sailing boat can turn on the spot by tacking over, a tanker or big cruise ship can not get out of the way, due to shallow water, or what ever other reason. Then common sense should prevail and that is also in the Rules of the Road. It is even the first article of the Rules of the Road. Before any other rules are discussed. But they are out there; those who sail with the little blue book in the hand: you just have to find them.
In open waters, we keep a safe distance from the sailing boats ourselves as a standard operating procedure. It is often much easier to make a little preventive course change yourself ahead of time then to wait and see if a particular yacht or boat will follow the Rules or not. Too many a time a yacht did not do what it had to do and then the ship had to resort to a last minute maneuver. So we act to pre empt any potential problems. As I said, the majority of yachts and sailing boats know what they are doing but there is always one……………….
Today was the first time that we did the new captains welcome on board party. Now we have to wait for the feedback from our guests for the yah or nay. The advantage is that it all goes a bit faster and is followed immediately by the show. The bit that I do miss is the interaction with the guests, to welcome them on board personally. The future will learn what works the best. The first intro’s is at 20.15 and the second one is at 22.15 and as there was no fog expected, I could do both.
Tomorrow we are in Boston and as the weather is going to be great, I hope that the guests are up and about by 8 am, when we sail in, as during clear weather, you can see the Boston sky line from far away and maybe even a Right Whale when we approach the pilot station.
October 1, 2007 at 8:17 pm
Captain; on one of your future posts can you talk a little about setting courses. I would expect that the course(s) from NY to Montreal are set since Veendam has already done that trip several times this season. When you’re getting ready to go south to Tampa, how long ahead of time is that course charted? Is it all done by computer or still on real sea charts? and which one of your navigators is responsible for doing it? 1st, 2nd, 3rd officers and/or do your cadets get involved?
Thanks again and keep up the great work!
John
October 8, 2007 at 7:38 am
Captain: Love your comments on sail boat operation. As a small boat captain myself, who has spent many years sailing in and around Newport, I do understand that the bigger boat has the right away. It is also much easer for me to get my little 11 meter sail boat out of the way of you. We love to see the ships come in and respect that you don’t quite have the steerage that the small boats have. Many time while on cruise ships, I wonder what some of the locals are thinking when they cut across the bow of a freighter or your ship. Regardless of what the “little blue book” may say about who has the right away, I’m a firm believer that my boat will not win the fight if we bump! May all the little boats enjoy looking at your ship from a safe distance!