What happens on board during an earthquake?

[catnanny]

I'm just curious, as we are sailing to The Grand Cayman Island in March. There was a 5.8 magnitude earthquake that happened in the sea near the Grand Cayman Islands this morning. Thankfully, from what I read, there were no people hurt. Living in Ohio, I've experienced very few earthquakes. What happens to a cruise ship if it is near an earthquake? Please excuse me if this seems like a stupid question. (I may be just stupid for asking?) Does anyone have experience with this? Thanks.

[G'ma]

I'm just curious, as we are sailing to The Grand Cayman Island in March. There was a 5.8 magnitude earthquake that happened in the sea near the Grand Cayman Islands this morning. Thankfully, from what I read, there were no people hurt. Living in Ohio, I've experienced very few earthquakes. What happens to a cruise ship if it is near an earthquake? Please excuse me if this seems like a stupid question. (I may be just stupid for asking?) Does anyone have experience with this? Thanks.

 

If the ship is at sea, it will have no effect whatsoever.

 

It's the land that moves, not the ocean.

[SeaShark]

I'm just curious, as we are sailing to The Grand Cayman Island in March. There was a 5.8 magnitude earthquake that happened in the sea near the Grand Cayman Islands this morning. Thankfully, from what I read, there were no people hurt. Living in Ohio, I've experienced very few earthquakes. What happens to a cruise ship if it is near an earthquake? Please excuse me if this seems like a stupid question. (I may be just stupid for asking?) Does anyone have experience with this? Thanks.

 

What happens? Have you seen the movie "The Poseidon Adventure"? :eek:

 

 

That is what does NOT happen. ;)

[Coasty]

First of all, there are no stupid questions. There are only stupid if you don't ask them.

A quake at see would have very little effect on the ship. If you were in port there may be a small raise and fall in wave action unless a tidal wave is created. If there is enough warning, most boats head for deeper water. Usually the wave surge does not effect ship at sea, only ones in shallow water.

[crew mom]

DS experienced an earthquake while tied up in St. Lucia in the Caribbean, Nov 2007. Since the ship was tied to the dock it transferred the earthquake motion to the ship. The tie lines jerked and the ship bumped into the pier - enough motion to wake DS up from a nap but luckily not enough to cause any damage to the ship. He said he knew something was wrong but wasn't sure what had happened right away. Turned out it was a 7.3 earthquake.

 

If you are at sea you will not feel it. Imagine a cork in a bowl of water. Tip the bowl and the cork won't move. Same idea but the ship is the cork and the bowl the ocean.

 

Now tie the cork to the edge of the bowl and tip the bowl. The cork's motion will be caught up short and jerk or bounce into the side of the bowl. That's the ship tied to the pier.

[WinnieinWA]

That was a great question and we all got great answers. Thanks for asking it!:)

[catnanny]

Thanks to all who answered. I'll rest easier now that I know that the ship will not be jumping all around in the water. Perhaps I'll not spend much time in buildings while in ports, though. I just can't stop thinking of those in Haiti. It seems that just about every year there is a deadly natural event that occurs somewhere in the world. Of course, there are all the unnatural ones that take thousands of lives, too.

Safe sailing to all. Thanks.

[JohnIreland]

The only issue would be from an undersea earthquake , this may cause a Tsunami.

[bike1964]

The only issue would be from an undersea earthquake , this may cause a Tsunami.

 

If this should happen, everyone is suppose to go and sit on the pot, count to 10, and flush the toilet. This huge force will elevate the ship out of the water and no damage will result.;)

[jollyjones]

The only issue would be from an undersea earthquake , this may cause a Tsunami.

 

Even a tsunami shouldn't bother a cruise ship at sea - the wave heights do not get to be significant until it hits a shore.

 

I was on a cruise ship about 60 miles north of Haiti when the quake struck last week and I certainly didn't know anything about it until I heard it on the news.

[binjo6]

If this should happen, everyone is suppose to go and sit on the pot, count to 10, and flush the toilet. This huge force will elevate the ship out of the water and no damage will result.;)

LOL That was GREAT!. Loved your response.

[JohnIreland]

Even a tsunami shouldn't bother a cruise ship at sea - the wave heights do not get to be significant until it hits a shore.

 

I was on a cruise ship about 60 miles north of Haiti when the quake struck last week and I certainly didn't know anything about it until I heard it on the news.

 

The issue would only occur if the ship was docked , or in very shallow water going into port.

 

 

At sea there would be no issue.

[newmexicoNita]

I'm just curious, as we are sailing to The Grand Cayman Island in March. There was a 5.8 magnitude earthquake that happened in the sea near the Grand Cayman Islands this morning. Thankfully, from what I read, there were no people hurt. Living in Ohio, I've experienced very few earthquakes. What happens to a cruise ship if it is near an earthquake? Please excuse me if this seems like a stupid question. (I may be just stupid for asking?) Does anyone have experience with this? Thanks.

 

you wouldn't even be aware of anything if at sea.

 

and no you are not stupid for asking. If you have never experienced an earthquake you wouldn't have a clue.

 

Nita

[sjbdtz]

If the ship is at sea' date=' it will have no effect whatsoever.

 

It's the land that moves, not the ocean.[/quote']

 

If this should happen, everyone is suppose to go and sit on the pot, count to 10, and flush the toilet. This huge force will elevate the ship out of the water and no damage will result.;)

 

 

True, but for the fact that one should not flush, while seated. It is a vacuum system, after all.... :eek::eek::eek:

[InTheCruisingYearsOfLife]

What happens? Have you seen the movie "The Poseidon Adventure"? That is what does NOT happen. ;)

 

You mean that when a major earthquake strikes we DON'T have to endure Maureen McGovern singing There's Got To Be A Morning After? Thank heavens!

 

InThe

 

(PS: suggestion: donate to earthquake relief in Haiti, through World Vision, Mercy Corp, American Red Cross, or some other reputable organization. Don't get scammed by opportunistic eLooter vermin.)

[InTheCruisingYearsOfLife]

If this should happen, everyone is suppose to go and sit on the pot, count to 10, and flush the toilet. This huge force will elevate the ship out of the water and no damage will result.;)

 

Two questions: Count to ten of what? And if the force is so huge as to cause the ship to thrust up out of the heaving bossom of the ocean, won't that mean that a whole bunch of toilets are going to get thrust up around a whole bunch of roosting derrieres?

 

 

And the other poster said there are no dumb questions, eh?

 

 

InThe

[G'ma]

The only issue would be from an undersea earthquake , this may cause a Tsunami.

 

True...but that wouldn't affect a ship at sea either. Tsunami are only destructive as it approaches the shorelines. It's undetectable at sea on a ship...it's just another swell in the ocean.

[Lena B]

If this should happen, everyone is suppose to go and sit on the pot, count to 10, and flush the toilet. This huge force will elevate the ship out of the water and no damage will result.;)

 

I'll have to buy you a drink on the Spirit for that one!:D

[martinchem]

What about a rouge wave?

[crew mom]

If this should happen, everyone is suppose to go and sit on the pot, count to 10, and flush the toilet. This huge force will elevate the ship out of the water and no damage will result.;)

LOL!

I'll have to buy you a drink on the Spirit for that one!:D

I agree Lena - You can buy him one from me also!;)

[crew mom]

What about a rouge wave?

Rouge waves can occur anywhere in deep water. They are not caused by earthquakes.

[Arwenmark]

I'm just curious, as we are sailing to The Grand Cayman Island in March. There was a 5.8 magnitude earthquake that happened in the sea near the Grand Cayman Islands this morning. Thankfully, from what I read, there were no people hurt. Living in Ohio, I've experienced very few earthquakes. What happens to a cruise ship if it is near an earthquake? Please excuse me if this seems like a stupid question. (I may be just stupid for asking?) Does anyone have experience with this? Thanks.

 

That would depend on the location and other things BUT in the 64 Alaska quake there was a freighter in port and a sailor on board taking video at the time it struck, ALL the water drew out of the bay and the ship tipped half way onto it's side. THEN the water in the form of a sunami came back into the bay and flooded the entire port, the ship was pushed onto the shore and ended up a ways inland.

 

So do not think just because you are on a ship you are okay.

 

Granted if you are OUT to sea and quake hits in the ocean a sunami would be created but would have little effect on the ship AT SEA.

[trudle]

A few years back, we were on a ship about an hour out of grand Caymon and there was an undersea earth quake----we didn't know this right away. The ship made a loud sound and jerked a little. All the waiters went running to the windows and looked out, but they saw nothing. So we all wondered what happened. Sometime later, the captain, announced that we felt an underwater earth quake, a first for him also. Nothing else was said or done. A couple that had gotten off in GC because of health reasons---wife was in the hospital and DH was sitting outside on a bench and he was almost thrown from the bench but all was ok.

[bike1964]

I'll have to buy you a drink on the Spirit for that one!:D

 

Lena,

 

I will take you up on that!!! Make it a Bud Light!!:D

 

To the OP. I wasn't trying to make light of your question, just acting silly.:) Hopefully, I haven't offended anyone. If I have, I certainly do apologize.

[luddite]

What about a rouge wave?

 

Hey! A Rouge Wave won the NCAA football title. Well, Ok, a Crimson Tide, but still, they sound sorta similar.:D