Biscay in a Storm

[wessie]

I quite like a bit of a swell on a ferry crossing, it minimises the queue for food.

although it is a royal PITA when the weak kneed bar staff are too poorly to do their job and close the bar shutters. You would think it would not cost much for them to allow self serve for those of us with tungsten see legs to enjoy our evening in a quiet bar ...

 

[wessie]

Cap Finistere in 2017.

You got poorly on that great vessel? Best ferry operating from Portsmouth. You must have a very weak constitution.

On the Santona this year.

Good luck, it's a gas on that boat

 

[Ectopic]

You got poorly on that great vessel? Best ferry operating from Portsmouth. You must have a very weak constitution.

I've never been sick and only felt mildly queasy. I just can't stop the catastrophising - "What if it rolls over too much to roll back?" etc.

The post-voyage sea legs thing was a first for me though.

 

[John Armstrong]

I was on the ferry out of Zeebrugge a few weeks before it rolled over. Made me think about how to get out if the worst did happen, and often, it's not too easy.

So far, I've been lucky on the crossings over the Channel / Bay of Biscay as it's never been too rough for me

 

[RedRick Esq.]

I was on the ferry out of Zeebrugge a few weeks before it rolled over. Made me think about how to get out if the worst did happen, and often, it's not too easy.

So far, I've been lucky on the crossings over the Channel / Bay of Biscay as it's never been too rough for me

Same here as it happens but about a week before hand - 2 weeks leave from BAOR and I was booked to return on it and had to go through calais

 

[Northern jock]

I had a traumatic moment on a north bound crossing from Santander.
February 1996, on my way home from Cameroon and it was very rough. The band, or those still upright, had to be sitting, the ship was rolling too much for them to stand. The magician couldn’t do his act so they had bingo as a safe, sea worthy game. I decided to play for the only time in my life to date.
First round I got wrong, I only ticked off one card, didn’t realise you played them all.
Second round I was trying to get back from the bar with a fresh pint and I missed the first couple of numbers so didn’t win great riches.
I often wonder what I’d have spent all the money on.

 

[Ectopic]

I had a traumatic moment on a north bound crossing from Santander.
February 1996, on my way home from Cameroon and it was very rough. The band, or those still upright, had to be sitting, the ship was rolling too much for them to stand. The magician couldn’t do his act so they had bingo as a safe, sea worthy game. I decided to play for the only time in my life to date.
First round I got wrong, I only ticked off one card, didn’t realise you played them all.
Second round I was trying to get back from the bar with a fresh pint and I missed the first couple of numbers so didn’t win great riches.
I often wonder what I’d have spent all the money on.

Sounds like you got off lightly. The 'singer' on the way out was dire. Fancied himself as a low-rent Ed Sheeran (if such a thing is possible) and tried to compensate by having the music blaring out. Made conversation impossible. Cleared the bar apart from a few stalwarts.

 

[cornish]

Anyone been on the Santona, the 2 day crossing, in the rough?

 

[Traffic893]

Same here as it happens but about a week before hand - 2 weeks leave from BAOR and I was booked to return on it and had to go through calais

Incredible, I traveled home on it the week before, on leave.
We did the bay of Biscay in April on the Queen Anne. On the way over it was a gentle swell but definite movement. It went on all day. Eventually I gave up.. However, I felt so much better.
On the return from Lisbon a storm had hit and we did get some serious swells, 8-10m for most of the evening/night, didn’t affect me at all, weird.

 

[Ectopic]

Anyone been on the Santona, the 2 day crossing, in the rough?

This return crossing was the 26-hr crossing on the Santona. Previous rough crossing was the 36 hour one and that was rough just about all the way. Pont Aven was the boat that time.

 

[geotim]

Reading this as we sit in the car awaiting boarding at Portsmouth…

 

[Mongoose]

Reading this as we sit in the car awaiting boarding at Portsmouth…

……….did you survive?.

 

[geotim]

……….did you survive?.

Flat as a pancake…

Which was good, as the new schedule means a looooonnnnng crossing of the Bay.