The worst day since the power outtage on the Ryndam
It is well known that the water where the Pacific and Atlantic meet at the tip of South America is a rough patch of the great seas on a good day. That being said, the 2007 Grand South America and Antarctica Voyage on the ms Prinsendam did not meet Cape Horn on a good day. We were told during the evening, after leaving the end of the world (Tierra del Fuego or Ushuaia as it were) that we would have rough seas just before reaching Cape Horn, beginning around 5:00am. There were rumours of a possible 30 foot swell. I spent my time reassuring guests it would be fine and 30 foot swell is very normal. Cape Horn is just notorious for bad weather and waves.
That night (last night, really….it all seems so long ago now) the Steiners (Spa girls) put on an “Ice” party as Ushuaia is the last stop before 6 days in Antarctica. People dressed in white, silver, white and silver, and some in black for “Black Ice” strutted into the beautifully decorated Officers Bar. The girls had really done a great job decorating using silver foil to cover all the walls and surfaces and the engineers showed up as the Prinsendam Bobsled team in their jumpsuits. We all had a great time, and then realized we were to wake up at 6:00am for on-deck socializing around Cape Horn.
Team breakfast at our entertainment staff table took place and we commenced “socializing” indoors near windows as the guests were to chicken to go outside. It turned out they were right to be so. Lisa, Doug, Steve and I decided we’d like some good photos of the huge waves and swell crashing into the ship. We went out on the Deck 7 Promenade (walk-around) and immediately were almost taken down by the high wind. After a few cold and wet moments outside, we thought we’d head back in, but much to the chagrin of the doors, we were not to come inside. The next option was to walk around the bow and go in the door at the front of the ship. As we hurried along the deck (the weather had taken a turn for the worse) and made it to the front, the ship suddenly turned and listed. The list of the ship, combined with the wind direction changing threw us all to the deck and suddenly I was sliding full speed ahead down the deck toward the railing on the other side. Lisa managed to catch a handrail as well as Doug. Stephen was not so lucky however. He had already made his way to the stairs by the time the turn occurred. He was knocked onto the stairs and had smashed his knee into the railing. I couldn’t let go of the railing as we were all about to be blown off the deck, so I let the wind push me toward him and after a close look at his knee, we realized this was very serious. Steve went into shock and the others went for help (they had to form a human chain to get from one side to the door) as I bundled him in clothes because he was freezing and his body had completely gone into shock by now. 20 minutes later we had to dragged him indoors so we could safely put him into a stretcher because it was so dangerous on deck that it blew Silver the doctor over.
Long story, but it is still very vivid in my mind. Steve is the lead male singer in the Prinsendam Cast. All HAL ships have a production cast of 7-11 people (depending on the size of the ship) who all dance and usually there are 2 male and 2 female singers. The lead male and female are the M1 and F1, the second are M2 and F2. The Prinsendam is special as they all sing (6 out of 7 people) except one. They put on Broadway/Las Vegas style musicals with dance numbers. This means that with Steven’s broken knee, it may have a huge effect on his career. This was only 7:45am and the day got much worse.
(To be continued…)
That night (last night, really….it all seems so long ago now) the Steiners (Spa girls) put on an “Ice” party as Ushuaia is the last stop before 6 days in Antarctica. People dressed in white, silver, white and silver, and some in black for “Black Ice” strutted into the beautifully decorated Officers Bar. The girls had really done a great job decorating using silver foil to cover all the walls and surfaces and the engineers showed up as the Prinsendam Bobsled team in their jumpsuits. We all had a great time, and then realized we were to wake up at 6:00am for on-deck socializing around Cape Horn.
Team breakfast at our entertainment staff table took place and we commenced “socializing” indoors near windows as the guests were to chicken to go outside. It turned out they were right to be so. Lisa, Doug, Steve and I decided we’d like some good photos of the huge waves and swell crashing into the ship. We went out on the Deck 7 Promenade (walk-around) and immediately were almost taken down by the high wind. After a few cold and wet moments outside, we thought we’d head back in, but much to the chagrin of the doors, we were not to come inside. The next option was to walk around the bow and go in the door at the front of the ship. As we hurried along the deck (the weather had taken a turn for the worse) and made it to the front, the ship suddenly turned and listed. The list of the ship, combined with the wind direction changing threw us all to the deck and suddenly I was sliding full speed ahead down the deck toward the railing on the other side. Lisa managed to catch a handrail as well as Doug. Stephen was not so lucky however. He had already made his way to the stairs by the time the turn occurred. He was knocked onto the stairs and had smashed his knee into the railing. I couldn’t let go of the railing as we were all about to be blown off the deck, so I let the wind push me toward him and after a close look at his knee, we realized this was very serious. Steve went into shock and the others went for help (they had to form a human chain to get from one side to the door) as I bundled him in clothes because he was freezing and his body had completely gone into shock by now. 20 minutes later we had to dragged him indoors so we could safely put him into a stretcher because it was so dangerous on deck that it blew Silver the doctor over.
Long story, but it is still very vivid in my mind. Steve is the lead male singer in the Prinsendam Cast. All HAL ships have a production cast of 7-11 people (depending on the size of the ship) who all dance and usually there are 2 male and 2 female singers. The lead male and female are the M1 and F1, the second are M2 and F2. The Prinsendam is special as they all sing (6 out of 7 people) except one. They put on Broadway/Las Vegas style musicals with dance numbers. This means that with Steven’s broken knee, it may have a huge effect on his career. This was only 7:45am and the day got much worse.
(To be continued…)
posted by Jacky @ 6:06 PM
<< Home