Tasman Sea -- need input and thoughts :)

Have crossed it twice...once rough, once moderate. It is known (and discussed here frequently) as one of the more commonly rough places in the world. Of course, your crossing might be calm. Absolutely no way to predict what your seas might be.

That being said, we have about 225 days cruising, and it wasn't the worst we have experienced, at least in roughness. We had a "throw you out of bed" 4 hours off the Straights of San Juan de Fuca. Crossing the Tasman is a longer stretch of roughness, but not the worst we have experienced.

And we certainly haven't quit cruising. The above incident happened on our 6th cruise. We have 20 now. And, firefighter/paramedic and ER nurse here. Oddly enough, the nurse was in the Navy, and has had some issues with sea sickness. But still loves cruising.

We are considering a cruise that would include crossing the Tasman Sea. Friends of ours who have been avid cruisers have quit cruising since their experience on the Tasman Sea. They said that the have never ever experienced anything as rough and unpleasant as their Tasman Sea days. They are not shrinking violets either -- he is an Emergency Medical Tech, she is a psych nurse. My husband and I are fairly okay with rough seas, but are concerned given our friends' experience and reaction.

As CruiserBruce wisely shared, conditions can vary. As detailed below in my live/blog, we crossed from Tasmania over to the South Island of New Zealand. It did get kind of rough. Did not bother me too much, but my wife was really concerned about these challenging conditions. We, however, survived and super loved our NZ sights and experiences. I thought the bad Tasman Sea situation was just some free "Rock 'N Roll" fun and variety!!

In talking with others, it is a "mixed" situation. Sometimes not so good, other times being OK. Remember that the waters and conditions are coming up from Antarctica. There is nothing to break or slow down "bad stuff" coming and meeting the warmer and more normal waters of the Pacific. Put the two seas together and it can get choppy.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 155,749 views for this posting.

We have experienced calm and not so calm crossings of the Tasman Sea, which we have also experienced between North America and Hawaii.

Or is it just luck of the draw, how things might be for us if we do this cruise?

I would term it more luck of the draw; however there are a few things you can do to assist your planning.

The season is Oct - Apr.

At either end of the season then rough weather is a higher probability in Southern Tasman.

Whether Fiordland is your first or last stop in NZ can affect your routing.

If Fiordland is your last stop before heading to Australia, ships sometimes go no further South than Akaroa (ChCh). They will then head back north and proceed to Aussie via Cook Strait between the Islands.

The crossing will likely still be a bit rough, but they avoid the bigger seas around the bottom of the South Island and Southern Tasman.

If Fiordland is your first stop, very occasionally they will do similar and proceed via Cook Strait. This works better (for weather avoidance ) if coming from Brisbane or Sydney, and less so if from Melbourne or Hobart.

We have done about 6 crossings.

One dead calm, the others normal or a bit rough.

Nothing that was rough lasted more than about 24-36 hours though.

Deviation around the worst seas will be done if possible.

I try to avoid cabins in the forward section for this passage due to noise and vibrations in heavier seas.

What time of year and what itinerary direction are you looking at ?

Yep can sure be rough at times, where are you accustomed to sailing.

Bass Strait is the other fun one.

Yep can sure be rough at times, where are you accustomed to sailing.

 

Bass Strait is the other fun one.

Ain't that the truth!

imagine, sky-walk, rock-climbing, zip-line, all combined into one lovely package, and to boot free .Its a winner.:)

Ain't that the truth!

Sailed into the tail end of Cyclone Monica, not as bad as our worst crossing of The Bass.

Thank you all for your information. Also, thanks for not mocking my concern, and my sort-of silly question :)

Opua Kiwi, thanks for this, I will have a careful look at the itinerary

If Fiordland is your last stop before heading to Australia, ships sometimes go no further South than Akaroa (ChCh). They will then head back north and proceed to Aussie via Cook Strait between the Islands.

The crossing will likely still be a bit rough, but they avoid the bigger seas around the bottom of the South Island and Southern Tasman.

GUT2407 the worst we've had was about 28' seas for about 18 hours.

Opua Kiwi, thanks for this, I will have a careful look at the itinerary

I don't want to leave you with the impression that it is common not to be able to proceed south from Akaroa; it isn't really.

My guess, only happens a couple of times a season.

Simply missing one or more of the three Sounds happens more often; but still probably only happens about 20% of the time...(once again a guess).

You mention you've been in 8.5m seas.

Having to be in those size seas in the Tasman would not be that common, as there are other routing options as I mentioned.

More common to be only around 3m-5m.

Just didn't want to put you off from cruising that itinerary.

 

 

GUT2407 the worst we've had was about 28' seas for about 18 hours.

Ahhh smooth sailing then.

We've come to enjoy a bit of the rough.

They didn't christen certain areas the Riaring Forties for nothing.

But it can also be as smooth as glass.

I don't want to leave you with the impression that it is common not to be able to proceed south from Akaroa; it isn't really.

My guess, only happens a couple of times a season.

 

Simply missing one or more of the three Sounds happens more often; but still probably only happens about 20% of the time...(once again a guess).

 

You mention you've been in 8.5m seas.

Having to be in those size seas in the Tasman would not be that common, as there are other routing options as I mentioned.

More common to be only around 3m-5m.

 

Just didn't want to put you off from cruising that itinerary.

Hi Opua Kiwi.... nice to have met you this year....any plans for next year??/ Roscoe

I don't want to leave you with the impression that it is common not to be able to proceed south from Akaroa; it isn't really.

My guess, only happens a couple of times a season.

 

Simply missing one or more of the three Sounds happens more often; but still probably only happens about 20% of the time...(once again a guess).

 

You mention you've been in 8.5m seas.

Having to be in those size seas in the Tasman would not be that common, as there are other routing options as I mentioned.

More common to be only around 3m-5m.

 

Just didn't want to put you off from cruising that itinerary.

We were so lucky last year in and out of about 12 sounds.

We are considering a cruise that would include crossing the Tasman Sea. Friends of ours who have been avid cruisers have quit cruising since their experience on the Tasman Sea. Apparently it was horrible for them and they both swear they will never cruise again. :eek: These people have spent about 300 days cruising, and so they have some experience in varying conditions. They said that the have never ever experienced anything as rough and unpleasant as their Tasman Sea days. They are not shrinking violets either -- he is an Emergency Medical Tech, she is a psych nurse.

 

My husband and I are fairly okay with rough seas, but are concerned given our friends' experience and reaction.

 

I know weather is weather, and sea conditions are sea conditions. But this is a concern for me. Was their experience typical or an anomaly? Or is it just luck of the draw, how things might be for us if we do this cruise?

Take a look at the website in the below link. If you have more than a year before the crossing, you can check the seas for the period of time you'll be traveling. Then again it is weather and predicting always involves some percentages of error.

http://www.bom.gov.au/australia/charts/viewer/index.shtml?type=sigWaveHgt&tz=AEDT&area=Au&model=CG&chartSubmit=Refresh+View

Click the arrow above "Monday" and it will animate the wave height, going out a week in advance.

Tim

I was very disappointed by the Tasman crossing we did on the Diamond Princess a few years ago. I had been looking forward to very rough seas and they were only a little rough. The captain had announced that he was moving slowly to reduce the impact of the seas - he said that the two days for the crossing allowed for wanting to go slowly for that reason.

We've another crossing booked for Jan '18 and I'm hoping for a proper rocking this time.

Hi Opua Kiwi.... nice to have met you this year....any plans for next year??/ Roscoe

Hi it was lovely to have met you as well. We did enjoy reading your blog and having met some of the people in your tales it made it even more interesting.

A Christmas cruise and then Sydney to Hong Kong on the Queen Mary 2 with my sister in law in March is next on the agenda. Do you have another epic journey planned for next year?

Hi it was lovely to have met you as well. We did enjoy reading your blog and having met some of the people in your tales it made it even more interesting.

A Christmas cruise and then Sydney to Hong Kong on the Queen Mary 2 with my sister in law in March is next on the agenda. Do you have another epic journey planned for next year?

Much as I would love to do a WC every year now that Im hooked sadly, it wont happen, until 2019, but next year will be the south america and back to melbourne on the QV.

Blog address being investigated as we speak...because its all in the title..lol...

Good luck on QM2, maybe 2018... the remastering seems to have quietened her critics.....for now. I think shes a great ship you'll have a fab time.

best regards fair winds and all that...Roscoe

Sailed into the tail end of Cyclone Monica, not as bad as our worst crossing of The Bass.

Got to experience Drake Passage during a major storm in 2013. That was "a bit" unnerving :eek:

Got to experience Drake Passage during a major storm in 2013. That was "a bit" unnerving :eek:

A friend of mine told me he went through there once on one of the smaller cruise ships , and all the beds were fitted with seat belts!!!!:eek:

We are considering a cruise that would include crossing the Tasman Sea. Friends of ours who have been avid cruisers have quit cruising since their experience on the Tasman Sea. Apparently it was horrible for them and they both swear they will never cruise again. :eek: These people have spent about 300 days cruising, and so they have some experience in varying conditions. They said that the have never ever experienced anything as rough and unpleasant as their Tasman Sea days. They are not shrinking violets either -- he is an Emergency Medical Tech, she is a psych nurse.

 

My husband and I are fairly okay with rough seas, but are concerned given our friends' experience and reaction.

 

I know weather is weather, and sea conditions are sea conditions. But this is a concern for me. Was their experience typical or an anomaly? Or is it just luck of the draw, how things might be for us if we do this cruise?

Our first cruise, April 2013 out of Sydney to Honolulu, and yes the Tasman Sea was rough. We weren't able to make some of our ports, but that wasn't a big deal to us.

I remember carefully walking from the evenings show to our cabin and we got in, I sat on the sofa to read and we were moving so much I decided it might be better to just get on the bed to read. Rocked me to sleep every night.

Obviously it must not have been too bad, we are still cruising. I did bring Bonine and ginger capsules, and we took it right at sailaway and then every evening after.

We can't predict mother nature. I hope you go and have a great time! :)

A friend of mine told me he went through there once on one of the smaller cruise ships , and all the beds were fitted with seat belts!!!!:eek:

Your friend may have been on one of the expedition ships. I believe they do have bed belts. We were on the Azamara Quest (690 passengers) and though we we being thrown around for 8 hrs, there were no belts. I just held on for dear life and prayed a lot:D

Hubby thought it was great, but he's a little nuts...it was a great cruise though. I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

A friend of mine told me he went through there once on one of the smaller cruise ships , and all the beds were fitted with seat belts!!!!:eek:

Only on the ice breakers - which I have been on. The ice strengthened expedition small ships (which I have also been on) have stabelisers so seat belts on the beds are not required. ice breaker doesnt have stabelisers and is round hulled so a 60 degree roll is pretty normal and a wee bit awesome.

I have done the Drake many times and also the Bass many times. Both can be a rough as can be imagined and as smooth as glass.

Thanks everyone for your replies! We (I) am still thinking about this :) No doubt I'll have other questions, if we decide to do it.