Horrific sulphur smell on Oosterdam, live

[Randyk47]

I can remember the old days in Tacoma, Washington when Kraft Paper was still running a paper bag and cardboard factory in the port area. This was well before any of the present environmental laws so no telling what they pumped into the bay but when the tide went out the tide flats gave off any incredible odor. It was well known back through at least the 70's as Tacoma's Aroma. I can't imagine you'd be getting tide flats smells that far out to sea but it certainly sounds like the same kind of smell (i.e., rotten eggs with a lot of sulfur).

[arzz]

Karlsselindh - yes, retired chemistry teacher -- xenon tetrafluoride appeared between my first and second year of high school chem -- CHEM study project made a wonderful film about it's discovery that I used in my classroom for years.

 

Fun to find other chemist cruisers!

[CruiseRev]

We were told xenon ("zeenon gas"), not freon. It is an inert gas, meaning it won't explode, however it does bind with oxygen. It smelled, to me, exactly like when our gas line burst after an earthquake years ago.

 

We had the smell return on the very last night for a couple of hours, so it wasn't the ocean outside Mazatlan!. A few people were in line at the front desk asking about it. They sent up a technician, who also smelled it. After a while, it passed.

 

Bold added for emphasis and a possible explanation....:rolleyes::rolleyes:

[karlsselindh]

Karlsselindh - yes, retired chemistry teacher -- xenon tetrafluoride appeared between my first and second year of high school chem -- CHEM study project made a wonderful film about it's discovery that I used in my classroom for years.

 

Fun to find other chemist cruisers!

 

I spent many years teaching HS chemistry and physics. The old Chem Study film I'm familiar with had an addendum about the discovery of a few Xe compounds -- it was just happening at the time the film was made in the 60s. The old PSSC films were classics too!

[arzz]

This is spooky -- two former chemistry/physics teachers.

 

The film you refer to is the one on the periodic table where they explode some xenon tetraflouride by touching it with a piece of paper. There is a second film made just a little later that actually chronicled, in documentary fashion the process of synthesizing xenon tetraflouride from fluorine, xenon and UV light complete with the spectroscopic proof that they had actually made the chemical. The proud and excited expression on the face of the synthesizing chemist at the moment of confirmation in the film is worth it's weight in gold -- as both a teaching tool and a role model for young scientists.

 

My PSSC favorites were the Hume and Ivy films.

 

Ah, but I digress from the topic of cruise ship gasses. At least we are both certain it could not be xenon.

[karlsselindh]

This is spooky -- two former chemistry/physics teachers.

snip........

 

Ah, but I digress from the topic of cruise ship gasses. At least we are both certain it could not be xenon.

 

 

Definitely spooky! Frames of Reference is a classic!

 

I've become curious about this odor. CFCs (freon) do not have a foul odor, and the AC system would be totally down if you had much of a leak of CFCs. Several people are sayingthe smell was like the odorant in natural gas. Does anyone know how the ranges and ovens in the ship's kitchen are heated? Is it possible that they use propane -- lp gas? Our house uses propane, and we had a small leak years ago in a valve by the outdoor tank. You could smell the odorant downwind a long distance away.

 

The only other thing I can think of involves the waste disposal system of the ship--human and food waste--sorry to spoil anyone's dinner.

 

I can't think of any other chemicals -- solvents, cleaning supplies, paints, etc., that would have this sulfide type of odor. I'm sure they know better than to mix bleach and ammonia -- and this wouldn't have the sulfurous smell anyway.

 

Next time take with you on the cruise your smart phone with the GC/MS app.

[IRL_Joanie]

OK, since the 2 of you are chemistry teachers, maybe you can help us out here......

 

On our cruise to the Caribbean, several times throughout the cruise we smelled for a split second (no longer than 10 seconds in any one duration) the smell of skunk.

 

It was not just hubby and i that smelled it, alacruisers and a couple of others, including the couple in the stateroom just fore ward of ours.smelled it also while we were on our aft verandah on the Nieuw Amsterdam.

 

Like I said, it was any different locations of the Caribbean and at different times of the day.

 

Hubby said if he'd not known any better that he thought a skunk had snuck on board and was scared....

 

Any thoughts??

 

Joanie

[karlsselindh]

Joanie--

 

I have no idea about the skunk odor. I had wondered, however, about vermin that might sneak onto a ship. If a rat or mouse or other vermin stowaway died, you'd get a foul odor. (Nice thought, along with the bedbug scare!) We've had a mouse die in the wall of our house, and the smell was continuous and terrible.

 

If the smell was coming from outside the ship, you'd think the smell would be stronger outside than inside.

[IRL_Joanie]

Joanie--

 

I have no idea about the skunk odor. I had wondered, however, about vermin that might sneak onto a ship. If a rat or mouse or other vermin stowaway died, you'd get a foul odor. (Nice thought, along with the bedbug scare!) We've had a mouse die in the wall of our house, and the smell was continuous and terrible.

 

If the smell was coming from outside the ship, you'd think the smell would be stronger outside than inside.

 

The skunk smell which only lasted for a split second at a time, was only smelled on the verandahs at the aft of the ship. At least that is where we were as were our next door neighbors Pat and Perry, who also smelled it on their verandah.

 

We did have a verandah get together with Pat and Perry and 2 other CC couples and they smelled it also late one afternoon. But as i said, each time (maybe a grand total of 4) the smell only lasted a split second and (pun intended) was gone with the wind:)

 

Joanie

[solocanadian]

The skunk smell which only lasted for a split second at a time, was only smelled on the verandahs at the aft of the ship. At least that is where we were as were our next door neighbors Pat and Perry, who also smelled it on their verandah.

 

We did have a verandah get together with Pat and Perry and 2 other CC couples and they smelled it also late one afternoon. But as i said, each time (maybe a grand total of 4) the smell only lasted a split second and (pun intended) was gone with the wind:)

 

Joanie

When that happens here in Richmond, BC, Canada they say someone is venting their pot grow-op. You usually get it in the evenings. Stink woke me up one night a month or so ago. I looked out windows but saw no skunks. It was so strong I had to close the bedroom window. What it could be on a cruise ship makes one wonder.