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The North Boat (Northlink ferries)


peeriebryan
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Where should the North Boat dock?  

447 members have voted

  1. 1. Where should the North Boat dock?

    • Aberdeen
      223
    • Rosyth
      102
    • Peterhead
      11
    • Barbados
      125


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willz320 wrote

If the passenger ships were to regularly hold position in stormy weather it would cause distress and complaints from the passengers onboard. Its not very economical either, as rough seas cost an awful lot more on fuel and resources as it is.

 

The second part of that statement should never be allowed to influence the decision to sail. Northlink have a contract to provide a service and that means sailing even if the only passengers are one man and a dog.

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... the clair would have been able to handle the weather ...

... as would do any of the old boats like CalMac's ex Suilven which served the Ullapool - Stornoway life line. Since she was sold to the South Pacific about ten years ago she is doing life line service there ... while Lewis folks are locked up in Stornoway ...

 

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Since moving to Shetland, I haven't been on the ferry from/to Grutness and Fair Isle. I think I'll wait until next year now but is it as rough a journey as some locals tell me?

 

Anyone who's been on a rough passage with Northlink will tell you that the bit of sea between the South end of Shetland can be the worst part of the voyage. I've never been on the Fair Isle ferry but its the only one I've heard of that has seat belts in the passenger accomodation.

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Can anyone explain why both boats are not sailing tonight? The forecast is not too bad. See e.g. http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/

 

They're resting, they've still no fully recovered from battling though the last one. They're hoping we don't notice, seeing as we "should" be busy praising them up for doing okay at the helly. :twisted:

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^^^ Thanks for that Frankie.

 

However, if it is too windy tonight then there will be many nights when we will be without a ferry service. I have to agree with engineer21.

 

The Met office says "No severe weather warnings have been issued for the UK" - there is not even a "Be aware" alert, so there is no valid reason for the boats not sailing.

 

How many people have been inconvenienced by the cancellation of the boats?

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Gale warning 1533 Tue 28 Oct

Northwesterly storm force 10 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent

 

Shipping forecast 1725 Tue 28 Oct

Wind Northwest 7 to severe gale 9 veering east 4 or 5 later.

Sea State High or very high becoming rough or very rough.

Weather Squally wintry showers.

Visibility Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

 

when you say no warnings you should check the sea ones. i know they have sailed in gale force 9 but i assume they cancelled earlier. when of courses there were. once cancelled its cancelled. have a look through the shetland news archive and see how they are praised for sailing in nasty weather. the master of the ship has to decide if its safe to travel he decided it was not end of story.

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