Eurodam Snags Lobster Pots

[sapper1]

We are now sitting dead in the water off Portland Maine with a string of lobster pots wrapped around an azipod. The Captain is going to launch a rescue boat to see if they can free us as he is afraid of damage to the azipod if he continues.
I will update later. If we are freed up before we go to dinner I will report then, otherwise it will have to wait until later.

[IRL_Joanie]

We are now sitting dead in the water off Portland Maine with a string of lobster pots wrapped around an azipod. The Captain is going to launch a rescue boat to see if they can free us as he is afraid of damage to the azipod if he continues.
I will update later. If we are freed up before we go to dinner I will report then, otherwise it will have to wait until later.


Oh My!!! That is bad for you all on the ship..But I cannot help this... May I place my Lobster order now?? Or are you all having them for dinner tonight?

Sorry, Sapper1, it was to much to resist!!

[alpal1993]

Although it does sound funny (Love those Lobster rolls)I hope the crew gets you detangled soon so you can get to your next port on time.

[sapper1]

We seem to be moving again, albeit slowly as there are lobster pots everywhere. The Captain is very good about updates so I expect he will be talking to us soon.
I will let you know if lobster is added as a chef's special tonight:D

[lorekauf]

Good luck.....I've never heard of anything like that.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Having been through that area a few times -- I have often wondered if anything like that would happen. We have passed by so many of the markers.

In a way it is funny -- but in another way -- not so funny.

Hope all goes well.

Wonder if the person(s) who own those lobster pots will ask for compensation??

[innlady1]

We are now sitting dead in the water off Portland Maine with a string of lobster pots wrapped around an azipod. The Captain is going to launch a rescue boat to see if they can free us as he is afraid of damage to the azipod if he continues.
I will update later. If we are freed up before we go to dinner I will report then, otherwise it will have to wait until later.

LOL...you hit the jackpot! I hope there's enough lobster for everyone for dinner!!! Yum.....there's nothing quite like Maine lobsters, IMO.

[mamaofami]

LOL...you hit the jackpot! I hope there's enough lobster for everyone for dinner!!! Yum.....there's nothing quite like Maine lobsters, IMO.


I was thinking exactly the same thing!

[Boytjie]

Well, that's still better than a whale caught on the bulbous bow...

http://www.vancouversun.com/story_print.html?id=1829100&sponsor=

http://juneauempire.com/stories/072799/Loc_whale.html

[sail7seas]

It amazes me it doesn't happen all the time........ or maybe it does but this 'tangle' was heavier and more substantial than the others.

Wonder if maybe the lobstermen placed their pots in a lane? :eek:
Not sure they are always really careful about observing the 'rules of the road'.

[innlady1]

I was thinking exactly the same thing!

LOL...when I hear lobster, that's all I can think...I'd have Maine lobster 7 days a week if I could! We just did a "swap" with the York Harbor Inn for a two night stay. One of their managers arrived this afternoon.

The manager there called us last week asking if we'd be agreeable to a swap. I don't know why we haven't done this before...I can't wait to close, and take a couple days to drive to Maine!

[COLLEYBERRY]

Hi Sapper,

I was wondering how your cruise was going. Never imagined you'd be snagged by a lobster off the coast of New England:D

Thanks for sharing ...everyone is thinking mmm where's the drawn butter.:)

Hope it gets sorted soon for all concerned.

H:)ppy Sailings
Colleen

[canadianbear]

Sapper:

Oh goodness!!! I love the updates...please keep them coming....our son is on the Eurodam right now and probably loving that entertainment...of course, he'd love some lobster too.:)

[jhannah]

Wonder if maybe the lobstermen placed their pots in a lane?I'm sure that's the case. Someone didn't pay attention to their charts. It's the sea-going equivalent of "call before you dig." I'm sure HAL can pursue damages once the owner of the pots is found.

[CuriousJ]

:eek::eek::eek:

[canadianbear]

:eek::eek::eek:

You're just jealous you're not on the Eurodam for the excitement right now!!!??? no lobster for you....:rolleyes:

[jaelraek]

CuriousJ

Maybe they will deliver us some lobster rolls in addition to the chocolate covered strawberries Frank just ordered me.

[CuriousJ]

You're just jealous you're not on the Eurodam for the excitement right now!!!??? no lobster for you....:rolleyes:

No...I'm just having flashbacks to our Oosterdam cruise during which we were down 1 azipod!

[CuriousJ]

Maybe they will deliver us some lobster rolls in addition to the chocolate covered strawberries Frank just ordered me.

Oh, so finally you sign up for Cruise Critic - in a potential CRISIS situation!!! :p

[debsjc]

We were in Bar Harbor on the Eurodam a few weeks ago, the captain commented how difficult it was to avoid all the lobster pots at this port. There were markers everywhere, i'm surprised they ever manage to avoid them.

[byucougs]

Here's a link to the Eurodam's captains blog about this very subject from a year ago-

http://www.eurodamnews.com/2008/10/10/captains-log-oct-9-2008-bar-harbor-maine/

[CRUZBUDS]

Boy, anytime there's a lobster thread on any line's board there is always someone who doesn't eat cruise ship Pacific lobster. I guess they have no excuses not to serve the real thing!

I hope you're not delayed long!

[KittyKat1723]

Hope the ship gets here on time for me to board Saturday morning... Keep us posted on if it was damaged or not. Thanks

[m steve]

you could get caught in the crabber's trot lines and have the Azipod filled w/ chicken necks.:eek:

[canadianbear]

I hope Sapper1 comes back on here later and let's us know how things are going....I assume they are in Boston port by now having a grand time and forgotten all about our curious minds....:p

[CuriousJ]

I hope Sapper1 comes back on here later and let's us know how things are going....I assume they are in Boston port by now having a grand time and forgotten all about our curious minds....:p

Or, in the case of those of us boarding the Eurodam this weekend, our paranoid and potentially panic-stricken minds!!!

:-)

[jtl513]

I'm sure that's the case. Someone didn't pay attention to their charts. It's the sea-going equivalent of "call before you dig." I'm sure HAL can pursue damages once the owner of the pots is found.I would bet that some lobstermen place their pots pretty close to the lanes intentionally, as that area would be less fished and possibly more productive. But then, as Capt Mercer said in the blog post that byucougs linked to, sometimes they drift. :(

[bbwex]

Lobster pots are a constant problem for boating in Maine waters. For a small boat, they can be a real threat, as a pot's line wrapped around a propeller can literally pull the screw and shaft right out of the boat leaving a very inconvenient hole in the bottom of the boat!

The lobstermen are supposed to leave the channels open, but sometimes they do drift, sometimes they are placed too close. Then too, the visible marker is not the real line to the pot, but rather a line to the line, so the location of the real line is anyone's guess. But contrary to an earlier post in this thread, the lobsterman is not liable at all.

A large ship has all kinds of issues: the sight line from the bridge is limited, certain areas close aboard (near the ship) are not visible at all, the ship is only so maneuverable in tight channels and at low speeds is difficult to control.

The only remarkable thing is that this does not happen more than it does.

[solocanadian]

LOL...you hit the jackpot! I hope there's enough lobster for everyone for dinner!!! Yum.....there's nothing quite like Maine lobsters, IMO.
Yum, Yum. Get out the drawn butter and claw crackers. Nothing like a Maine of Nova Scotia Lobster:D

[sapper1]

I'm sure that's the case. Someone didn't pay attention to their charts. It's the sea-going equivalent of "call before you dig." I'm sure HAL can pursue damages once the owner of the pots is found.
I'm no expert on the subject, but the sea of pots seemed to be in the channel. We were wondering how the ship was going to avoid all the pots for quite a while before they snagged. However we managed to get out of the area with no further mishap and if there were any extra lobster to be had they did not make their way to the dining room. ;) We made Boston on time and spent the day walking, walking and walking. Had a great time.

[sapper1]

Or, in the case of those of us boarding the Eurodam this weekend, our paranoid and potentially panic-stricken minds!!!

:-)
Not to worry---everything seems very normal and there have been no further announcements on the subject.

[mancunian]

Probably easier to sort out than our experience on Prinsendam last month. We were moored off Greencastle, Ireland and when the captain came to raise the anchor two others came up with it, apparently according to the pilot left overs from the war. It took quite a long time to disentangle things.

The next day we were moored off Stornoway and guess what. He came to raise the anchor and it had chains attached - again thought to be from anchors during the war. On both occasions our cabin was near the front of the ship and there was considerable noise - clanking to try and free the anchor and thrusters to try and hold us in position. I think Captain Albert with a change of boarding port, four cancelled ports of call and two anchor episodes was probably very glad he was due for leave.

[tomc]

We were moored off Greencastle, Ireland and when the captain came to raise the anchor two others came up with it, apparently according to the pilot left overs from the war. It took quite a long time to disentangle things. Happened to us in Newport RI harbor one time.

[ginger and professor]

I wonder if the ship has divers onboard who could free the tangle around the pods? We had this on our sailboat in the BVI a couple of times and thankfully were able to free them but it is a real mess. The lines particularly if they are synthetic can actually melt on the prop shaft and need to be cut away.

[Mary Ellen]

I wonder if the ship has divers onboard who could free the tangle around the pods?I would be surprised if they do. FIL took a Princess cruise to the Amazon earlier this year. As they were preparing to sail from St. Lucia the mooring lines became entangled in the screw. Divers had to be flown down from Florida (in a small plane with their gear) to do the work. It took quite a while and actually didn't finish until the ship was on the return voyage. They missed ports due to the initial repair and reduced speed necessitated by the damage.

[trophy_23]

I agree with sapper.... it seemed that there were many pots in the shipping lane. They were impossible to avoid as they were EVERYWHERE. I was out on deck taking pictures of the whole ordeal and noticed that the container ship that left just behind us also turned and stopped, I wonder if they got all tangled up as well???

[sail7seas]

How lucky we've been that all the times we've done Canada/New England cruises, that has never happened to Maasdam while we were aboard. Hope our luck continues. :)