Anyone Interested in Ships

[MarkC]

9 hours ago, billbedford said:

 

It could be worse...

 

https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/arctic/2021/11/critical-situation-might-be-making-northern-sea-route

But...but...the ice has gone, thanks to Global Warming... according to a certain mindset...

Edited November 19, 2021 by MarkC
to avoid potential trouble...

[The Johnster]

That’s the trouble, the ice has gone.  The ice has all gone there…

[Erichill16]

I wonder if any of you nautical types can tell me whats the purpose of the vessel in the picture? Seen in Vardo, Norway

[The Johnster]

Fishing of some sort; look at all yhe net floats.  

[J. S. Bach]

It looks so short for its height. Almost like it would topple over if someone sneezed.

[JeremyC]

47 minutes ago, J. S. Bach said:

It looks so short for its height. Almost like it would topple over if someone sneezed.

Possibly because, IIRC, some fishing regulations depend on the vessels length.

[MarkC]

Possibly some sort of survey/research ship; she doesn't seem to have a great deal of lifting gear on the deck.

[Johann Marsbar]

Fishing boat apparently.....

https://www.vesselfinder.com/vessels/BRATTHOLM-IMO-0-MMSI-257646700

[Erichill16]

Thanks for everyones comments. As i said I’m no expert on ships but I'm glad I’m not going anywhere on her, i’ll stick to cruise/ferry ships.

[Erichill16]

Another photo, at Alesund this time and I know what its for! 

[J. S. Bach]

28 minutes ago, Erichill16 said:

Thanks for everyones comments. As i said I’m no expert on ships but I'm glad I’m not going anywhere on her, i’ll stick to cruise/ferry ships.

When I grow up, I want to be one of those great big container ships:

 

https://www.vesselfinder.com/ship-photos/460058

[Mol_PMB]

I have only dabbled in naval architecture but that vessel just looks so wrong! 

[J. S. Bach]

7 minutes ago, Mol_PMB said:

I have only dabbled in naval architecture but that vessel just looks so wrong! 

My thoughts exactly. It looks like it was built out of leftover parts from a few kits.

[Mol_PMB]

It should be in the ‘prototype for everything’ thread for people wanting a model boat in their harbour but having no space for one!

 

(on my MSC Railway layout I’ve only got room for a rowing boat, the Hulmes Ferry!)

[Chris hndrsn]

7 hours ago, Erichill16 said:

I wonder if any of you nautical types can tell me whats the purpose of the vessel in the picture? Seen in Vardo, Norway

As noted previously that it is a fishing vessel, looking at the open hatch in the stern, the ladder, two different sets of coloured line floats, and the closed double hatch on the starboard side, I would hypothesize that it is a “long line” fishing boat with internal winches for the the line.

[The Johnster]

She's certainly distinctive, 'differently attractive', and I bet she is 'interesting' in any sort of heavy sea in terms of hanging on for dear life, but given her work and part of the world she carries it out in, she will be very, very, seaworthy.  A vomit comet for sure, but she'll get you home safely.  Don't be fooled by the 'top heavy' look; her basic structure is indicated by the blue painted part of the hull, and the white bits are relatively light superstructure to shelter the midships deck working area, the most important part of any fishing vessel.

[phil_sutters]

On the subject of fishing vessels, this one is attracting a load of attention from the local herring gull population. Do they know that it will only be discarding bits of fish, not sandwiches, ice-cream cones, or McD's fries? 

This is a heavily cropped image, from a photo taken from Seaford seafront, about three miles away,

[The Johnster]

Spent a short break with a bunch of chums on the Bristol Channel island of Flat Holm some years ago.  This place has a massive population of Lesser Black Backed, and a few Greaters as well, and is carpeted in chicken bones, which the gulls bring back from Cardiff, Bristol, and the surrounding area's takeaways and fast food outlets.  We got the weekend cheap because it was Lesser Black Backed nesting season and the birds are highly territorial and defensive of their nests.  On arrival the island's wardens handed out umbrellas, and when we asked what they were for we were told we'd soon see.  It was only a few minutes before hostilities were opened, and we were told that we could use the brollies to fend the birds off so long as we didn't harm them as well as to shelter from the dive bombing attacks.

 

No way I was going to attack a bird with a brolly, I told myself, but within a very short time I was battering the bejaysus out of them with the best, getting one or two very satisfying serious clouts in.  Never brought one down, though; they are surprisingly tough customers!  Best you can do is to dissuade them for a few minutes, but they are mob handed and the next contender will be along more or less immediately.

 

Having stayed on Flat Holm, Steep Holm, and Lundy, I can thoroughly recommend them all if you get an opportunity.  All are fascinating, and each is highly individualistic and different from the others.

[MarkC]

6 hours ago, The Johnster said:

Spent a short break with a bunch of chums on the Bristol Channel island of Flat Holm some years ago.  This place has a massive population of Lesser Black Backed, and a few Greaters as well, and is carpeted in chicken bones, which the gulls bring back from Cardiff, Bristol, and the surrounding area's takeaways and fast food outlets.  We got the weekend cheap because it was Lesser Black Backed nesting season and the birds are highly territorial and defensive of their nests.  On arrival the island's wardens handed out umbrellas, and when we asked what they were for we were told we'd soon see.  It was only a few minutes before hostilities were opened, and we were told that we could use the brollies to fend the birds off so long as we didn't harm them as well as to shelter from the dive bombing attacks.

 

No way I was going to attack a bird with a brolly, I told myself, but within a very short time I was battering the bejaysus out of them with the best, getting one or two very satisfying serious clouts in.  Never brought one down, though; they are surprisingly tough customers!  Best you can do is to dissuade them for a few minutes, but they are mob handed and the next contender will be along more or less immediately.

 

Having stayed on Flat Holm, Steep Holm, and Lundy, I can thoroughly recommend them all if you get an opportunity.  All are fascinating, and each is highly individualistic and different from the others.

In a similar vein, with a shipping connection, albeit tenuous - you go out to the Farne Islands in a converted fishing boat from Seahouses - if you visit there in April/May, then whilst avoiding the Eider ducks, which nest where they like, you get dive bombed by Arctic Terns...

[MarkC]

I've just been sent this - my ship passing the Sleipner on our way into Rozenburg on 13th November.

[drmditch]

On 23/11/2021 at 07:29, MarkC said:

In a similar vein, with a shipping connection, albeit tenuous - you go out to the Farne Islands in a converted fishing boat from Seahouses - if you visit there in April/May, then whilst avoiding the Eider ducks, which nest where they like, you get dive bombed by Arctic Terns...

 

I think you may be slightly behind the times. I usually (ie pre Covid) go to the Farnes at least once a year, since it is a very good place to take visitors. Many of the tour boats now seem to be purpose built. The last time I went out (I think probably 2019) the boat was a rugged catamaran, with all the good handling needed when in close to the islands. The ride took a bit of getting used to though!

 

I like and admire Terns, both Common  and Arctic (and therefore sometimes known as 'Comic Terns'. They are superb aeronauts, and feisty enough to attack any creature they see as a potential threat. When I was working on the Tyne a few years ago, we had a tern colony on a disused jetty. Visitors had to be issued with hard hats. I will always remember one summer dawn when a pair of Terns (one would like to think of them flying a 'dawn patrol' and they may well have been doing just that) intercepted a large gull, either a big Herring Gull or an LBB., flying towards the colony. One Tern came in from ahead taking the Gull's attention; then the other Tern attacked from astern and the Gull got a sharp beak just where it didn't want it. A strange noise resulted! Then, and this is the potentially nasty bit, while the Gull was thus distracted, the forward Tern came in straight for the larger bird's port shoulder muscle, damage to which of course for any bird might prove ultimately fatal.  After this the Gull gave up, and side-slipped away.

 

Back to the Farnes, when the good folk there were still sometimes fishing for a living, one of the boatmen pointed out how much fish an adult Grey Seal would eat in a day.

 

I was also once told by one of the wardens, that the Eider had changed their nesting habits. They now nest close to the footpaths, because they don't mind humans but their predators especially GBBs are more distrustful.  Not that I would suspect a GBB of that. On occasion I have encountered them both out to sea and in the estuary, the last being a grey October day with a grey swell rolling, the gull took off, and flew round the boat. Then it took advantage of the wind over the jib to hover quite close. A powerful bird, thick-necked and large beaked. It looked at me and I looked back.

 

It certainly didn't seem to be worried by the humans or their little boat.

 

Of course you might have a different view with all your freeboard and engine power!

[MarkC]

47 minutes ago, drmditch said:

 

I think you may be slightly behind the times. I usually (ie pre Covid) go to the Farnes at least once a year, since it is a very good place to take visitors. Many of the tour boats now seem to be purpose built. The last time I went out (I think probably 2019) the boat was a rugged catamaran, with all the good handling needed when in close to the islands. The ride took a bit of getting used to though!

 

I like and admire Terns, both Common  and Arctic (and therefore sometimes known as 'Comic Terns'. They are superb aeronauts, and feisty enough to attack any creature they see as a potential threat. When I was working on the Tyne a few years ago, we had a tern colony on a disused jetty. Visitors had to be issued with hard hats. I will always remember one summer dawn when a pair of Terns (one would like to think of them flying a 'dawn patrol' and they may well have been doing just that) intercepted a large gull, either a big Herring Gull or an LBB., flying towards the colony. One Tern came in from ahead taking the Gull's attention; then the other Tern attacked from astern and the Gull got a sharp beak just where it didn't want it. A strange noise resulted! Then, and this is the potentially nasty bit, while the Gull was thus distracted, the forward Tern came in straight for the larger bird's port shoulder muscle, damage to which of course for any bird might prove ultimately fatal.  After this the Gull gave up, and side-slipped away.

 

Back to the Farnes, when the good folk there were still sometimes fishing for a living, one of the boatmen pointed out how much fish an adult Grey Seal would eat in a day.

 

I was also once told by one of the wardens, that the Eider had changed their nesting habits. They now nest close to the footpaths, because they don't mind humans but their predators especially GBBs are more distrustful.  Not that I would suspect a GBB of that. On occasion I have encountered them both out to sea and in the estuary, the last being a grey October day with a grey swell rolling, the gull took off, and flew round the boat. Then it took advantage of the wind over the jib to hover quite close. A powerful bird, thick-necked and large beaked. It looked at me and I looked back.

 

It certainly didn't seem to be worried by the humans or their little boat.

 

Of course you might have a different view with all your freeboard and engine power!

I think it was 2017 when I last did the boat trip, so yes, I yield to more recent 'gen' - thanks though. Useful to know.

 

As for the gulls - they really are 'orrible things. And the size some of them grow to - especially in areas where scavenging is easy - I'm looking at you, Whitley Bay, Tynemouth, South Shields, Hartlepool, Whitby, Scarborough...

 

Great stories there - thanks for posting them

 

 

[MarkC]

Just sailing from Zeebrugge, bound for Brofjorden. Nice morning here, but how far will we get before it gets, well, "interesting"? The western side of the North Sea looks horrendous at present.

 

Some good news - I hope. Got told, at 1730 last night, that I <should> be getting off at Brofjorden on Monday. 4 weeks late...

 

Fingers crossed...

[drmditch]

1 hour ago, MarkC said:

Just sailing from Zeebrugge, bound for Brofjorden. Nice morning here, but how far will we get before it gets, well, "interesting"? The western side of the North Sea looks horrendous at present.

 

Some good news - I hope. Got told, at 1730 last night, that I <should> be getting off at Brofjorden on Monday. 4 weeks late...

 

Fingers crossed...

 

It was bad enough on land last night.

[MarkC]

9 minutes ago, drmditch said:

 

It was bad enough on land last night.

So I hear. had a quick phone call home before we sailed. My wife was about to set off to Gateshead, in order to take our daughter to work, as there are no buses operating - X12s, 21s etc. She wasn't looking forward to it