Article

2012-10-29 -Signs, Portents, and the Weather-

BREAKING: HMS Bounty Sinks Off N.C. Coast, 2 Crew Missing

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Posted by Beavis 2012-10-29 09:55|| || Front Page|| [11124 views ] Top

#1 14, 16, or 17? I'm confused.

Posted by Bobby 2012-10-29 12:44|| 2012-10-29 12:44|| Front Page Top

#2 Little late in the season to be chasing down galleons, isn't it?

Posted by swksvolFF 2012-10-29 13:43|| 2012-10-29 13:43|| Front Page Top

#3 "It is unclear why the boat set out to sea with Sandy bearing down."

They're idiots?

Hope everyone survives OK, including the Coast Guard members who had to go get them.

Posted by Barbara 2012-10-29 14:10|| 2012-10-29 14:10|| Front Page Top

#4 If it's not possible to pull a ship into drydock, my understanding is that chances are the ship is more likely to survive if it's off shore than close to land where it can be smashed ashore ....

But perhaps Pappy or another of our Navy vets can correct me if I'm mistaken.

Posted by lotp 2012-10-29 18:06|| 2012-10-29 18:06|| Front Page Top

#5 They departed Cape Cod end of last week. While they may be safer at sea, why not loiter off to the east instead of heading for their Florida destination right through the biggest storm in a century. Hubris mixed with idiocy.

Posted by KBK 2012-10-29 18:27|| 2012-10-29 18:27|| Front Page Top

#6 Normally it's better heading out to sea.

The question is whether they took a course that allowed them to skirt the storm or put them into the worst of it (hurricanes in the northern hemisphere go CCW)

Posted by Pappy 2012-10-29 18:36|| 2012-10-29 18:36|| Front Page Top

#7 50 years old? There's always the insurance angle. Call the man with the action packed expense account...Johnny Dollar.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2012-10-29 18:43|| 2012-10-29 18:43|| Front Page Top

#8 I don't think anything like this happened when Bligh was captain.

Posted by Thing From Snowy Mountain 2012-10-29 18:58|| 2012-10-29 18:58|| Front Page Top

#9 The ship left him, he didn't abandon ship.

Posted by Glenmore 2012-10-29 20:01|| 2012-10-29 20:01|| Front Page Top

#10 It is true that usually modern ships do better at sea in a hurricane than in port. It isn't pleasant at sea, but at least you don't get smashed against the piers and other obstacles.

I do know that the US Navy had all the ships in Norfolk head out.

I don't know about sailing ships. A powered vessel can keep the bow pointed into the wind, so the waves generally wash over you. It would be harder on a sailing ship. The last thing you want to do is to take the wind on the beam - you can capsize very quickly. I don't think that was what happened to the Bounty, though.

Posted by Rambler in Virginia 2012-10-29 20:07|| 2012-10-29 20:07|| Front Page Top

#11 I can't speak for severe storms, but for mid-range storms (Gale, etc.) and small boats (30' sloop) open water beat the heck out of anchor - where you drag anchor and run aground or into other boats; in a good marina and well-secured was better yet. At some point it becomes a toss-up for smaller craft, but at least in the marina I could tie it up, drive home, and call the insurance company later.

Posted by Glenmore 2012-10-29 21:02|| 2012-10-29 21:02|| Front Page Top

#12 I watched Master and Commander at least half a dozen times, that makes me a cinematic expert, I would.....

Posted by Frank G 2012-10-29 21:22|| 2012-10-29 21:22|| Front Page Top

#13 The ship left him, he didn't abandon ship.

Kinda like me and the Democratic Party.

Posted by SteveS 2012-10-29 21:41|| 2012-10-29 21:41|| Front Page Top

#14 Whoa, so it is Marlon's BOUNTY, not Clark Gable's.

Were Bligh's tropical plant samples saved or do I have to send Paula Abdul down there???

Posted by JosephMendiola 2012-10-29 22:48|| 2012-10-29 22:48|| Front Page Top

00:02 JosephMendiola
23:54 JosephMendiola
23:49 JosephMendiola
23:23 trailing wife
22:48 JosephMendiola
22:40 DarthVader
22:36 Raider
22:35 lord garth
22:32 Raider
22:31 CrazyFool
22:29 Zhang Fei
22:29 Thing From Snowy Mountain
21:44 SteveS
21:41 SteveS
21:33 Procopius2k
21:32 Procopius2k
21:30 gromky
21:22 Frank G
21:21 James
21:16 Nimble Spemble
21:02 Glenmore
20:22 Frank G
20:07 Rambler in Virginia
20:01 Glenmore